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Weekend A La Carte (1/8)
- 01/08/11
- 20
A La Carte has always been a Monday to Friday deal, but recently I’ve been thinking about also doing a weekend edition. I figure I’ll give it a try and see how it goes. So without any further ado, here’s the first ever Weekend A La Carte. Enjoy!
Letter from Guido - I recently came across this letter from Reformer Guido de Bres to his wife. He is about to die and writes to comfort her and to advise her on the future. It’s a beautiful, sweet, pastoral letter.
E-Book Sales - Between 3 and 5 million e-reading devices were activated in the week following Christmas. And millions of e-books were sold in the days following. It seems that we’re closer and closer to a tipping point here where e-books are going to surge past printed books.
God and the Big Bang - The Roman Catholic Church continues to give ground to evolution. “God’s mind was behind complex scientific theories such as the Big Bang, and Christians should reject the idea that the universe came into being by accident, Pope Benedict said on Thursday.”
Christian Communicator’s - Did you know that Jim Elliff’s ministry will send free books or other resources to pastors, teachers and ministry leaders? They offer some great books, so check out the offer and the conditions at the link.
The Relation of Church and Family - This article by Sam Waldron is a useful critique of some of the tenets of the Family Integrated Church movement. “In the last couple of decades a significant ecclesiastical trend has arisen out of the home-schooling movement which raises significant issues with regard to the relation of the church and the family. The movement I have in mind is associated with Vision Forum, Patriarch Magazine, and represented by the book by Eric Wallace, Uniting Church and Home, and the New Testament Restoration Foundation. The views of this movement are by no means homogeneous, but there is a sufficient commonality to ground a unified critique of their characteristic perspectives.” (Note: here’s a follow-up letter from Dr. Waldron)
Books I’ve Read - In case you’re interested, here are a few books I’ve read recently (continuing on with my love of books dealing with the Second World War): Ghost Soldiers (very interesting book, ideal for lazy Saturday afternoons), Berlin at War (quite an interesting study of Berlin and Berliners; probably a bit niche for most people), and The Third Reich at War (I didn’t get all the way through it as it becomes quite dense and repetitive; it’s largely a discussion of German atrocities).
Gospel Coalition Q&A - There’s lots of good content in this interview with D.A. Carson (if you’ve got an hour to spare on a Saturday!):
Gospel Coalition Q & A from Realityla on Vimeo.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (20)
Weekend A La Carte?? be still my heart…
when i saw this popup in my rss feed, i thought “this can’t be!”
BUT IT WAS TRUE!!!
A La Carte should be a 6 day feature! Only resting on the Sabbath! LOL!
Just a correction: the Catholic Church cannot “give ground” to evolution since the two aren’t competing; they’re not at odds. Yes, the Church competes against evolutionism—the worldview stemming from the belief that creation, void of meaning and design, has randomly evolved through the centuries—but She has taken no definitive position on the “how” of Creation or human development.
Catholics are free to accept or deny evolution as a scientific theory, but must reject evolutionism as a philosophical worldview.
Just want to chime in my joy at a weekend edition of A La Carte. As much as I enjoy your writings, I sure love to get glimpses of what’s going on around the web through your eclectic links. Hope this is a new tradition!
Thanks for the weekend A La Carte.
A quick comment on Dr. Waldron’s article. Most critiques against the FIC (family integrated church) movement are straw man arguments. Dr. Waldron argues against the straw man that the FIC holds to the “family of families” idea or the “church is an extension of the family”. But the main proponents of the FIC have long stated this is not their beliefs. See Waldron’s open letter to Voddie Baucham:
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2010/1/5_Sam_Waldron%E2%80…
The biggest problem I see with opponents of the FIC do not address the issues that the FIC brings forward, namely age-segregated Sunday Schools and “children’s church programs where the family is split during worship.Also one finds it hard to make a case for age-segregated pastors like “youth pastors”.
See Baucham’s on Andreas Kostenberger’s FIC critique:
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2010/8/20_Response_to_Andr…
Also, make sure to read the 46 comments regarding Dr. Waldron’s article. I made a few counter arguments there to his article.
If you really look at the core of what the FIC is trying to do, you’ll realize most “Biblical” churches in history fit this format.
We shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God’s grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible. ~ Charles Spurgeon
I love reading your a la carte as well, but must wonder if you have enough balance between work and family in your life. You seem to take on a lot of projects, and while I can’t tell you that you should not do so, please make sure you are scheduling enough time for your family and for rest. You can’t spend too much time with your wife and kiddos, and Monday will be soon enough to delve into whatever you have discovered for us.
1. Movements come and go - some have value for a while, others are just theories for a time. Some movements end up being filled with pharisees. Having been involved with a house church and similkar thinking to the FIC “movement” I can see some value but an aweful lot of negative aspects to it as well.
2. I can see no issue with what the Pope has said, but have to agree with Brandon’s view as to giving ground to evolution. What’s wrong with holding to a long age view? And couldn’t God have used The big Bang?
3. Michelle, Tim is a young man on a mission. I have hoped he might gain a bit of wisdom wrt dividing of time but alas he continues to read and write prolifically. One does wonder what happens with his family and church relationships as an elder.
Afrikaner said: What’s wrong with holding to a long age view?
“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day”
“But from the beginning of creation, God MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE.”
“And couldn’t God have used The big Bang?”
If by “the big bang” you mean instantaneously out of nothing God created everything, then the Bible would agree. But if you mean “Big Bang” as in the scientific hypothesis that most evolutionists hold, that is contradictory to the Bible.
“One does wonder what happens with his family and church relationships as an elder.”
What you mean, of course, is that you wonder, and are in a position to implicitly judge another man’s — whom you do not really know — situation, abilities, and stewardship.
It would be incorrect to conflate the “house church” movement and the FIC. While there may be “house churches” that consider themselves “family integrated” that does not make the theology of the “house church movement” the theology of the FIC. Actually there are areas of difference between what is put forth by the National Center for Family Integrated Churches (www.ncfic.org) and what such groups as the New Testament Restoration Foundation promote. So again be careful about conflating the two.
One error that I have found in the critiques I have seen put forth of the FIC is that few if any have really done more than give opinion and take extreme cases and apply them globally to the FIC. This is a method of critique that the mainline church would not accept, it should not be acceptable with regards to the FIC. Some have even based their critique on others critique of the FIC which is not a very good way to make an honest assessment.
I would suggest that if one truly wants to critique the FIC that they interview those that are leaders in the movement as well as interacting with the writings and talks of those in the FIC. Included in an honest critique should be visits to churches that are representative of the FIC. I do not think anyone in the FIC is fearful of an honest critique but to date I have yet to read such a critique.
The NCFIC just finished a conference on the church in December and the majority of talks were simply on seeking the church to be biblical, a topic I would hope all churches would agree with. Here is a link to the talks and a place to start if one wants to know what is actually being taught: https://www.ncfic.org/ltc-mp3 . You can also read more about the NCFIC at their website: www.NCFIC.org.
Agreeing with David here. Michelle and Afrikaner are stepping way over lines by calling into question Tim’s commitment to his family.
Maybe we should question your own loyalty to your respective families, since you’ve taken time that you could have used to serve them and used it instead to read and comment on Tim’s blog.
Chill out, folks.
Pardon Kyle, but I did not call into question Tim’s commitment to his family. I simply urged him to make sure he is giving enough time to them. No lines were stepped over, no criticism was given, it was a simple question. If Tim and his wife deem that his time is being spent appropriately, then I have no gripe with the use of his time. I freely admit I have no authority over Tim’s time, nor do I want it.
I know it is cliche, but it’s true that your kids are only young for a short time. It is not uncommon for pastors and shepherds to ignore their families in the course of “The Lord’s Work”, not that I am saying this is what Tim is doing. I was just trying to encourage Tim to make sure this is the capacity in which God would have him serve.
Chill out yourself.
Tim,
Please consider Tony’s suggestion and reach out to the NCFIC http://www.ncfic.org/ for an interview. To my knowledge, Mr. Waldron, Mr. Kostenberger, or you have not done an interview. There are a wide range of beliefs (denominations, confessions, polity…) in the NCFIC, so instead of linking to other’s articles, reach out to the leaders.
I attend Hope Baptist Church (http://www.hopebaptistchurch.info/) where Scott Brown, Director of NCFIC, is an elder. Please let me help set up an interview with him or any of our elders.
I know it’s a long trip, but if you are ever near Raleigh, NC, please come by for a visit. Or, send someone else you trust. Even visit without letting us know so you can be confident you are seeing us in our every Sunday pattern.
Thank you.
Weekend “a la carte”… all I can say in YES!!!!!
Tim- Haven’t read but a few WWII books, but REALLY enjoyed “The Longest Day: The Classic Epic of D-Day” by Cornelius Ryan. Don’t know if it’s the best or most accurate or anything, but I had a hard time putting it down, and that’s rare for me. Check it out if you haven’t already read it or ten others on D-Day.
Interesting FIC article, but it does get tiring to hear about the “sin” of sending our children to government run schools. My kids go to public school and have had all Christians for teachers so far. I don’t begrudge somebody who chooses to homeschool their children. I and many others homeschool our children as well. We just supplement it with public school. I am puzzled how we can expand the kindom if we keep pulling out of its institutions….
MRK, the kingdom expanded long before “institutions” developed, and if the Lord tarries, will expand long after they crumble.
One does wonder what happens with his family and church relationships as an elder.
I guess I can’t keep you from wondering. But do know that my wife and I have very good communication and I regularly check in with her to make sure that I am not neglecting family matters for the sake of writing, pastoring or anything else. And my fellow elders are also deeply involved in my life; if they felt that anything was out of balance, I would be very eager to heed whatever counsel they gave me.
Can I second James’s suggestion for an interview with Scott Brown, it would make for a great installment of Connected Kingdom! Secondly, I am grateful to Vision Forum for introducing me to Alexander Strauch’s work on Biblical eldership, etc - it has been very helpful.
The family-integrated church article that you have linked is imprecise and outdated. It has been partially retracted by Dr. Waldron at http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2010/1/5_Sam_Waldron%E2%80…
It would be as helpful to define the “credobaptistic church” or the “paedobaptistic church” by some unrelated, fringe doctrines and practices that are faithfully rejected by Reformed people everywhere. By definition, _Reformed_ family-integrated churches hold to the biblical ecclesiology of our confessions.
Just as it is appropriate for the church to carefully study and learn effective methods for cross-cultural evangelism on the foreign field, it is also appropriate for the church to carefully study and learn effective methods for winning and keeping the church’s children. We talk about biblical principles of worship, arguing over little things like candles and hymns and over great things like baptism and communion while boldly excluding the church’s children from public worship without biblical warrant.
Up until about 200 years ago, and then at first with few exceptions, the family-integrated church *was* the church. Children attended with their parents to hear the same sermons, sing the same songs, and hear and pray the same prayers. This was not a broken system begging for a solution, and a return to it should be no cause for alarm.
God is the only Savior, and He will not share His glory with another. In our family-integrated churches, the pastors cannot save, the methods cannot save, and the parents cannot save. But God has ordained powerful means for communicating His powerful word. Our sermons are not dumbed down for the children, but they are intentionally clear so that nearly all of the adults and most of the children can understand. Our children are taught to listen with quiet attention. An infant is occasionally removed from the service, but even toddlers are consistently quiet. And—inherent to the family-integrated church model—adults are required to grow in their understanding of the Bible so that children will be faithfully discipled on a _daily_ basis.
The emphasis on family worship is intentional and continual. Yes, we are a “church of families,” but we are a church of families in the same sense that the church has *always* been a church of families. Just like other churches, everyone is welcome whether single or married, with or without children, but the promise is to us and to our children and our children are _welcome_. As a community of families of many shapes and proportions, we bring our children that God has given us to hear the words of the Lord together with us.
Family worship and the discipleship of children are under the oversight of both elders and parents and the whole church operates with that understanding. We worship on the Lord’s day, but most of our worship hours are spent in our homes. We read the Bible, we explain great truths, we sing, we pray. We work out our salvation and live out our callings in homes and communities where everything we do is to be done for the glory of Christ for the extension of His Kingdom to equip the next generation of His church. Every week, we are taught that we must do this, that we cannot fail to do it and be guiltless.
This is not something broken that needs to be fixed. It is sound and holy work for those who are often weak and weary. Our Church is continually strengthening and encouraging us to do our work faithfully.
According to a recent statistic, only 9% of children raised in Christian homes will keep the faith. Perhaps the truth is more or less than this, but we all know that young adults are leaving the church all across North America. Some choose to find a church across town as a way of asserting their majority, many decide that the church’s graces are not attractive let alone essential, and many are abandoning every visible sign of faith. Is the church supposed to look like the monarchies of Israel and Judah where the most godly fathers who love and serve Him beget the most wicked sons who reject and abandon Him?
God is abundantly blessing the family-integrated churches with many, many faithful children. His Word is going into their hearts daily through people who have laid down their own lives so that these children may know Jesus, and that Word is not returning void but is accomplishing the glory of God and much good for His Church. In our family-integrated churches, oh sweet and undeserved mercy of God, we cannot imagine losing our children in any such numbers! It happens, but it is _rare_ unless the parents themselves are leaving the church and abandoning the faith. Nearly all of our children continue to worship with God’s people and show other clear evidences of the faith.
I recommend http://www.ncfic.org/ and http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=ncfic as sources for further study.