The Rest of 2009

In my attempt to catch up on some things during the rest of my Christmas break, posting will be sporadic to non-existent the rest of the week. I may have a review or 2 to put up, but they will likely show up next week when I resume my normal schedule. Trying to take advantage of some much-needed time off.

Thanks for reading, and have a great New Year!

That's My King!

Great reminder of who's birth we celebrate today.




Originally posted 4/9/09.

Tears of the Saints

If you are using a feed reader, you may need to click over to the site to watch the video. This one's definitely worth it.

HT : Zach Nielsen

Originally posted 8/8/09

You're Not The Holy Spirit

With Christmas Eve tomorrow, I won't be taking the time to post anything the rest of the week. I'll be spending time with my amazing family. So, instead, I'm going to schedule some posts of some of my favorites from the past to keep thing afloat here, starting with a short essay I wrote on evangelism. Enjoy.

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What Are We After?

Like most Christians, I have plenty of friends who aren’t believers. Also like most Christians, I would like very much for those friends to know Jesus Christ and become brothers and sisters in him. I want them to stop living their lives in sin, repent, and place their faith in Christ. On a larger scale, I look at our country and am saddened by many of the horrible things people do. The Bible says that, as believers, we should hate what God hates, and God hates sin. When we hear of someone raped or murdered, we are angered, and rightly so. Sin is not only egregious because of the impact on others; it is an offense against God.

I’ve struggled with how to reconcile this hatred of sin with my love for the lost who commit those sins. The teaching of the Bible affirms that we should do both, but this can be extremely difficult. Oftentimes, the sin blinds us from even seeing the person, causing us instead to work to rid our friends or even the world of the sin, giving no regards to the actual sinner. This is why many people staunchly oppose gay marriage, which they see as an offense against God, without ever considering the impact their words and actions have on gay people. To be clear, I’m not saying things like gay marriage shouldn’t necessarily be opposed, but many times, the tactics Christians use to address sin only give the watching world the first part of the gospel: you’re a sinful person deserving God’s wrath.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world…carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV)

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, though, tells us that unbelievers are “dead in their sins” and “by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” So what should we expect from them? We should expect them to sin. They are “lost sheep,” and we should expect them to act as such. What does a dead person do when you tell them to do something (say, to stop sleeping around, stop practicing homosexuality, stop swearing, etc.)? Paul even goes so far as to say they are “slaves to sin” (Romans 6:17). So, essentially, we’re telling slaves to just stop being slaves (their master, sin, however, refuses to let this happen). Since they can’t change, or simply don’t want to because their eyes are still blinded, all they hear from those harping on their sins is judgment. We condemn without giving the rest of the story. At best, we inadvertently preach a false gospel that says if you clean your life up and stop sinning, God will be happy with you. This has the added “side benefit” of painting us as hypocrites because we, as believers, continue to sin ourselves. People aren’t stupid. They see that. They hear you say they need to stop sinning while they see you continue to sin. That’s why Jesus said he came to save sinners, not the righteous.

Behavior Modification or Gospel Reconciliation?

Let’s say for a moment, however, that that friend of yours stopped cussing, or stopped sleeping around, or that gay friend pretended to be straight to appease you. What’s been accomplished? Absolutely nothing. Sure, you may not have to see their sin anymore, but they are no safer from God’s wrath than before, and they are still separated from God and the love of Jesus Christ. You see, that’s why we aren’t commanded to go into all nations and make people straight and well-behaved. We’re told to make disciples of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter if your friend changes their behavior. It doesn’t even matter if they start coming to church and pretend to be good. We’re not called to modify behavior; we’re called to facilitate an encounter with Jesus Christ, the lamb who takes away the sin of the world.

Only by encountering Jesus Christ and placing their faith in his death and resurrection can people have true reconciliation with God. Otherwise, any “good deeds” they might do are simply “polluted garments” to God (Isaiah 64:6). Is that really what we want to offer Him? Clearly, that’s not what Christians want, but when our entire goal is to correct behavior or legislate a Christian ethic, that’s all we’re really doing.

Now don’t hear me wrong. I’m not saying that the first part I mentioned (sin and wrath) is not part of the equation. People with new hearts cannot continue to sin without repentance. However that shouldn’t be the headline of our story. The headline should be “JESUS CAME TO RECONCILE YOU TO GOD!” Obviously, it must be explained why they need reconciliation in the first place, but when “sin and wrath” is our headline, all people hear is that Christians hate sinners. We don’t need to condemn people through a bullhorn; we need to show people Christ. After the encounter, they need to hear “go and sin no more” (which is a command to obedience). True believers will be convicted of sin and work to change, but if all unbelievers hear is the condemnation, why would they even want to listen in the first place? Would you really want to come to church believing that everyone there hates you? Now I know some will argue that we need to stand up and fight sin so people know it’s wrong. Honestly, though, do we really think there are any people in this country who don’t know where the majority of Christians stand on the issue of homosexuality? Ask most gay people what they think of Christians. I bet they say something to the effect of, “Those are the people who hate me.” Christ died for that person. How can we let them associate the name Jesus with hatred of them?

You’re Really Not the Holy Spirit

So let’s not work so hard to modify the behavior of sinners and just let the Holy Spirit do what he does. After all, the good qualities we strive for – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control – these are fruits of the Spirit, evidence that we have placed our faith in Christ and the Holy Spirit is working in us. We don’t create these in ourselves, and we can’t create them in our friends and family that don’t know Christ. We’re not the Holy Spirit.

When we condemn others without the good news of the gospel of grace, we’re not doing God any favors. Evangelism is about facilitating an encounter with Christ, who then gives people new hearts and the Holy Spirit. This is the “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). People can only receive this Spirit once they’ve been given a new heart that sees and loves the beauty of Christ.

I think most people mean well when they speak out against gay marriage or abortion or whatever moral issue you want to discuss. I think they believe they’re standing up for God, defending his character. I also don’t think we should cater to the desires of the world or be lacking in the Bible’s opinion of sin. We should hate sin. However, we shouldn’t be known for what we hate. We should be known for the gospel, for presenting a Christ who loves. We should be begging the question that Paul anticipates in Romans 6:1: “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” The message of the gospel of grace should be so incredulous to people that they think that. It should sound too good to be true, as it is both good and true.

This is the message our friends, family, and the rest of the watching world needs to hear from us. They need to hear that Jesus died for them, not just for the people in church last Sunday. Jesus died for tax collectors, prostitutes, adulterers, murderers, rapists, homosexuals, self-righteous bigots, priests, pastors, missionaries, you, and me. We’re all sinners. We all need Jesus’ blood on the cross to wash us clean. Let’s not let any of those groups feel excluded from the opportunity to accept the gospel of grace by our words and actions. Let’s facilitate encounters with the Jesus who died for them, tell them how his death and resurrection reconciled them to God, then let the Holy Spirit be the one to convict them or sin and produce fruit in their lives.

Originally posted 8/26/09.

Matt Chandler - 7 Miles Sermon Jam

HT: Irish Calvinist

My Top 10 Books of 2009

To clarify up front - these are my FAVORITE books that were released in 2009. The criteria is totally subjective, and I'm making no claim other than that they are the books I enjoyed or was challenged by the most. There are also some from this year that look great that I just haven't gotten around to yet. Take that for what it's worth.

End of disclaimer.

Now on to my list:

1. Finally Alive - John Piper

Yes, yes. Matthew picked a John Piper book for #1. Suprise. But this is simply the best articulation of what the "new birth" is that I've ever heard, Piper's treatment of this subject is biblical and beautiful. This book lays out not only the deep theological truths behind regeneration, it also gets very practical on how this affects your life afterward as well as evangelism. John Piper continues to be my favorite author and this book ranks very near the top in terms of his best overall. Fantastic.

2. Your Jesus Is Too Safe - Jared Wilson

This book is equally damaging to the Jesus of both the “religious” and the “lukewarm.” You can control the “religious” Jesus by being good, and the “lukewarm” Jesus doesn’t demand anything from you. The true gospel doesn’t allow for either response, and you will get a clear picture of that gospel here. The self-righteous and those with a feel-good, buddy-Jesus are both confronted with the truth of that gospel. Wilson doesn’t allow you to get through this book without understanding the real Jesus and the real biblical gospel as Jesus himself taught.

3. Why We Love The Church - Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck

It’s trendy these days for Christians to claim to love Jesus and want community with other believers, and at the same time ridicule, insult, and abandon Christ’s bride, the church. This book, however, presents biblical, historical, and practical evidence that the church is where the Christian life happens, for better or for worse. Christ loves his bride, and you will love her more after reading this book as well.

4. A Praying Life: Connecting With God In A Distracting World - Paul Miller

In a world that has no shortage of books on prayer, this is easily the best I've read. Practical, poignant, and theologically sound, Miller paints a picture of what it looks like to be a man or woman of prayer. The stories and illustrations from his life will move you emotionally and challenge you to live a life of prayer. This fantastic book is definitely one I will be re-reading next year, and probably after that.

5. Proclaiming A Cross-Centered Theology - Al Mohler, Ligon Duncan, R.C. Sproul, etc.

In a world where everyone, even many Christians, want to question everything, even the things God has made abundantly clear and beautiful, these are some of the men who are consistently, clearly, and astutely articulating the truth. The truths in this book can serve as an anchor for us against the siege of deconstructionism. Questions are good, but they need to have answers. We don’t have them all, but many of those answers, especially pertaining to the gospel and the cross of Christ, can be found in this book. I’m very thankful for it.

6. Counterfeit Gods - Timothy Keller

Keller continually pulls our idol-fashioned foundations from underneath us, but he quickly replaces it with the true foundation, the Rock, Jesus Christ. This book should be required reading for all western Christians. Other cultures have their idols, but we in the West have truly made it an art form. The roots of this idolatry cannot be removed overnight, but this book is a powerful tool for attacking those roots and unashamedly and repeatedly reminding us what needs to exist in its place.

7. A Million Miles In A Thousand Years - Donald Miller

This book is full of stories that will inspire you to truly live life, not simply exist in it. The book isn’t a self-help book, but it will help you immensely and give you a picture for what life can be, if we are only willing to step into the stories God has for us. It involves risks, yes, but that’s what makes the stories worth caring about. It’s what makes us sit on the edge of our seats, wondering if the protagonist will accomplish what he set out to do. It’s what makes us give ourselves permission to feel.

8. Love Is An Orientation - Andrew Marin

This is an important book for furthering (and elevating, as Marin puts it) the discussion. There are still many questions that beg for answers, and I believe those answers are there, but the discussion needs to be re-framed. I believe that happens when Christians really put themselves in the shoes of GLBT people, really love them regardless of whether or not they ever change their lifestyle. We don’t have to water-down the truth, but love for the people that truth is affecting needs a more prominent place. That’s the main thrust of the book, and it’s an important message.

9. The Reason For Sports - Ted Kluck

How should believers approach and engage sports? Ted Kluck attempts to help us think through this question, as well as provide numerous funny, poignant, and telling stories from his experience as a sports writer. More a collection of short essays than a unified whole, the book addresses issues such as: jock apologies, steroids, honesty, fantasy football, sports films, humility, and race relations, among others. The book is far from a complete treatise on the issues presented, but Kluck clearly understands two things well: the culture of sports and athletics, and the gospel.

10. Vintage Church - Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears

In what essentially amounts to a church planter's manual, Driscoll and Breshears have crafted a beautiful ecclesiastical theology. Tackling the wide assortment of issues related to church organization, structure, and theology, this presents a great framework for those attempting to plant a church and build their structures, but it also serves as a good reminder and challenge to established churches to examine how and why they do certain things.

Honorable Mentions:

Imagine That - Manuel Luz
Understanding English Bible Translation - Leland Ryken
Just Do Something - Kevin DeYoung
Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions - Mark Driscoll
This Momentary Marriage - John Piper
Deep Church - Tim Belcher (haven't finished yet - might be in the Top 10 once I'm done)

Music Video of the Week

Andrew Peterson - "Matthew's Begats"

My Top 10 Albums of 2009

To clarify up front - these are my FAVORITE albums that were released in 2009. The criteria is totally subjective, and I'm making no claim that these were necessarily the most artistic, creative, groundbreaking, etc. They are simply the albums I found myself listening to and enjoying the most. Take that for what it's worth.

End of disclaimer.

Now on to my list:

1. NEEDTOBREATHE - The Outsiders

The Outsiders showcases a band that has found its identity: outsiders who don’t fit neatly into anyone’s boxes, but can connect with most. Masterfully blending earnest lyrics with elements of southern rock and a modern rock sound all their own, Needtobreathe has produced easily their finest work to date, and my choice for album of the year.

2. Switchfoot - Hello Hurricane

For all the hype surrounding this album, there's the obvious danger of a backlash regardless of the quality of the music. I'll admit that my first listens to this album left me feeling disappointed. However, the album has grown on me with each listen, as there really isn't a weak track on the diverse album. Eventually, I grew to like the album so much it made a real push for the top spot.

3. Phil Wickham - Heaven & Earth

Worship music has suffered much in recent years from a lack of originality, shallow lyrics, un-focused passion towards generic concepts, and poor musicianship. Because of this, Heaven & Earth really stands out to me as a triumph in the genre. Some of the songs may be difficult to pull off in a corporate worship setting, but I think talented musicians could make it work. For personal worship that points you to God and keeps your eyes on an eternal perspective, this album is nearly-perfect.

4. The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

Admittedly, I was a little late to catch on here. I finally caved into the hype surrounding these guys and this album, and I'm so glad I did. From the opening title track, the emotional power of the music is intense, combining beautiful melodies with fantastic harmonies. Their brand of Americana is great, and this album is deserving of the accolades it's receiving from many, including being named Paste Magazine's #1 album of 2009.

5. Emery - ...In Shallow Seas We Sail

The music is charged with energy, but it’s a harnessed energy that keeps the tracks from losing control into chaos. The songs are constructed carefully, while avoiding the “over-produced” feeling that many veteran bands can suffer from at this point in their career. Maybe it’s the screaming and silky vocals, but there’s a polished abrasiveness to the music. Emery has already proven they have staying power, and this album ensures they’re not going anywhere anytime soon

6. Shane & Shane - Everything is Different

A gloriously harmonious, vocally-astounding, acoustic attack of God-honoring awesomeness. That’s the best I can come up with the describe Shane & Shane’s new album, Everything is Different. The guys have created their best album to date, as their always stellar vocals are put on display throughout the 12 intricately-crafted songs, bringing honor to God through both their lyrics and musical ability.

7. Jason Gray - Everything Sad is Coming Untrue

As the title suggests, the album explores themes of redemption as Gray contemplates practical applications of gospel truth layered over slick pop/rock gems. The result is an emotional, provocative album that is musically satisfying at the same time. Some will enjoy it for the sweet melodies, catchy tunes, and slick production, but I sincerely hope people take the time to listen to what Jason is saying. Jason gets the gospel and communicates it well. His honesty and hope are sorely needed by many today.

8. Derek Webb - Stockholm Syndrome

Never a stranger to controversy, this album set new standards even for Webb in the Christian music scene. Taking on numerous political and religious issues, Webb confronts many in the church who use religion to condemn people or politics to retain power. On top of that, Webb almost completely abandoned his acoustic guitar in favor of programmed beats and interesting sound samples. While there are a few misses on the album, overall, it's fantastic and one of the more important albums in terms of lyrical content to come out in a long time.

9. Mat Kearney - City of Black & White

This album was difficult is some ways. So different from his previous album, I was slightly disappointed initially by the change in style. Over time, however, as I removed myself from the expectations that wanted Kearney to sound the same, the album has grown on me for what it is, a well-crafted piece of work from a great singer-songwriter who remains one of my favorites.

10. House of Heroes - The End is Not The End

(OK, so this is kind of cheating. Technically, this album was released in September of 2008 (digitally). Its retail store release was in 2009, however, which gives me a loophole to mention my favorite band, and is also why it's #10 and not #1.)

If you haven’t yet heard this album yet and are a fan of rock music, it truly is a must-have. Now that it’s been out long enough, we’ve moved past the hype stage and I believe the album still sounds as fresh and poignant today as when I first heard it. It’s only getting better with age.

Honorable Mentions:

David Crowder Band - Church Music (very close to making the Top 10)
Decyfer Down - Crash
Between The Trees - Spain
The Glorious Unseen - The Hope That Lies in You
Matt Papa - Your Kingdom Come
Downhere - How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas
Relient K - Forget And Not Slow Down
Jonny Diaz - More Beautiful You
RED - Innocence & Instinct
Flyleaf - Momento Mori
Thousand Foot Krutch - Welcome to the Masquerade

Update on Matt Chandler: A Call for Prayer

The latest on Matt Chandler's health - from the Village Church to its members:

Dear church,

In the first chapter of Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes that whatever imprisonments, beatings and trials he may have suffered, they all “serve to advance the gospel” of Jesus Christ. We implore you to keep the gospel of Christ as the main focus as we walk with Matt and Lauren through this trial.

On Tuesday, Dr. Barnett informed Matt and Lauren that the findings of the pathology report revealed a malignant brain tumor that was not encapsulated. The surgery to remove the tumor, the doctor said, was an extremely positive first step; however, because of the nature of the tumor, he was not able to remove all of it.

Matt, who is being released from the hospital today, is meeting with a neuro-oncologist this week to outline the next steps of the recovery process. There is a range of treatment possibilities but the exact course of action has not yet been determined. He will continue outpatient rehab.

The Lord is calling Matt and Lauren and The Village Church body to endure this trial. It will be a challenging road for Matt, his family and our church body. The gospel is our hope and the Lord is our strength. Matt and Lauren continue to find solace and hope in Christ. They weep facing this trial, but not as those without hope and perspective. The gospel clarifies their suffering and promises more of Christ through it all.

You have done a wonderful job respecting the family, and we ask that you continue to do this. They are processing all of this together and need you to give them precious space. Please do not visit them at their house unless personally invited by the Chandlers. The best way to serve the family is to continue to be faithful in prayer. Specifically, pray for the following:

• Wisdom for all the coming decisions


• Strength and peace to endure


• The kids’ (Audrey, Reid and Norah) hearts; pray the Lord is merciful as they process and that their little hearts do not grow embittered


• The Chandlers and The Village would suffer well because of the gospel and for the sake of Christ’s name

As you hurt and weep for the family, do not do it alone. Gather with your home group and with other believers in homes and pray together. This is a time to walk together with others and to endure this trial in community. If you wish, send cards and letters to Matt and Lauren at 2101 Justin Road, Flower Mound, TX 75028.

We will continue to keep you informed as new information is made available. Please be patient with the frequency of the updates. May God strengthen us all and may His glory shine brightly through this.

Please continue to pray for Matt.

Tim Hawkins - Do You Hear What I Hear?

HT: Kevin DeYoung

Book Review: Proclaiming A Cross-Centered Theology

Genre: Non-Fiction
Publisher: Crossway
Publication Date: October 31, 2009

Over the past 6 months or so, I’ve spent a lot of time reading books and blogs written by people quite a ways apart from me on the theological spectrum. Some of this was because those were the books I had a chance to review; some of it was simply me trying to understand the views of those people and attempt to formulate responses to their questions about biblical doctrines I hold dear.

The results of this? I now have a good understanding of where many of these people are coming from. I also, however, have developed a good deal of frustration with hearing biblical truth not only questioned, but outright rejected and even maligned.

That’s why I was so happy to get the chance to review Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology, a collection of essays based on the Together For The Gospel Conference talks. Al Mohler, Mark Dever, R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur and other fine theologians contributed, and the book is a much-welcomed respite from the constant doubting and deconstructionism going on in many corners of evangelical theology. Instead, we get a beautiful, biblically-based collection of truth that fights back against the attacks of liberalism and paints a picture of the gospel that has honestly refreshed me.

Every chapter oozes the gospel, but some did stand out to me. Thabiti Anyabwile’s essay on humanity’s common ancestry as Image-bearers and the effects of this on race relations was fantastic and presented the issues in a way I’d never heard. R.C. Sproul’s essay on the “Curse Motif of the Atonement” was spectacular, setting the foundation for understanding the gospel in a way that has been almost completely lost among my generation. Finally, Al Mohler’s defense of substitutionary atonement is a great example of why I consider him one of the greatest intellectual Christians of our time. His history lesson on the development of attacks against the doctrine helps set things in perspective when you hear the latest “conversation” about it.

John Piper, C.J. Mahaney, Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, and Greg Gilbert also contribute helpful essays.

These are the men I most admire when it comes to theology, and this compilation of gospel-defending, bible-embracing, God-honoring essays was perfectly timed for me. In a world where everyone, even many Christians, want to question everything, even the things God has made abundantly clear and beautiful, these are some of the men who are consistently, clearly, and astutely articulating the truth. The truths in this book can serve as an anchor for us against the siege of deconstructionism. Questions are good, but they need to have answers. We don’t have them all, but many of those answers, especially pertaining to the gospel and the cross of Christ, can be found in this book. I’m very thankful for it.



*This book was provided for review by Crossway Books.

Music Video of the Week

David Crowder Band - "How He Loves"

And A Little Friday Humor as Well

Had to share this.


HT: Abraham Piper

A Little Friday Music to Get You In The Christmas Mood

Sungha Jung - "Silent Night"

Business To The Glory of God

I struggle all the time with thinking that I shouldn't be in the business world. I should be out there, doing "real" kingdom work that directly impacts people with the gospel, not indirectly through my business dealings with people. I should be out there in the "real" mission field, not struggling through "cube world."

I've read many books geared to convince people like me that it's important for Christians to be engaged in the business world (like all other arenas of life), and there are many convincing arguments that this is the case. (I'm still not convinced I fall in that category, but...).

Justin Taylor pointed out this great article by Richard Doster over at byFaith Magazine that I found very helpful.

From the introduction:

Certainly, business is no place for those who have “set their minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). And yet, that is precisely where God has put them. And that can only mean one of two things: either most Christians need to find new work, or they need a new perspective on the institution of business.

There are, when we look closer, hundreds of biblical and godly reasons for Christians to be in business.

Doster concludes:

God has placed His people in business so that they can — in humility, and making full use of the talents and resources He’s given — serve customers, employees, suppliers, and the world at large, looking out for the interests of others and providing for their needs.

On their deathbeds, many Christians will regret that they didn’t love their neighbors, care for the poor, or advance Christ’s kingdom as they should have. They might therefore, with their final breath, gasp: “I wish I’d spent more time at the office.”

Great article, and I highly recommend reading it.

HT: JT

Happy First Birthday, Seth!

Do yourself a favor and go read my wife's post for Seth's first birthday. The family God has seen fit to grace me with continually amazes me.

Matt Chandler Before His Surgery

HT: The Resurgence


And an update on Sunday night from his church's elders regarding Matt's surgery and on-going recovery:

Matt was moved out of ICU on Sunday and continues to get plenty of rest as part of his recovery, per doctor’s orders. Please continue to pray for patience during this recovery time and to honor family-only visitation until further notice.

Pathology results of the tumor are due sometime mid-week, and we will keep you notified whenever possible.

If you attended a worship service at The Village this weekend, you saw a brief video with Matt that was taped prior to his surgery. Many were encouraged by it, and you can view it by going to the pastors’ blog on our church Web site.

Seth's First Year

Video I made for Seth's first birthday party. Just his first year in pictures and video clips.



Songs are "Be Thou My Vision" by Rick Hopkins and "SMS (Shine)" by David Crowder Band.

Music Video of the Week

Abandon - "Hold On"

Matt Chandler's Thoughts Before Brain Surgery

Wow. What a godly example. Praying for you, Matt.

Matt Chandler:

Here are some of the things I am thankful for in no particular order:

1. I am thankful for the thousands of you who have prayed and fasted for my health. It has brought far more tears to Lauren’s and my eyes to receive this kind of attention from the Church universal than this tumor has.
2. I’m thankful for health insurance because I’m guessing they aren’t doing my five-hour surgery for free!
3. I am thankful that I have deep, real friendships at The Village with Michael Bleecker, Josh Patterson, Brian Miller, Chris Chavez and Beau Hughes. They have been such a comfort to me and my family this past week. Pastors should have good friends on their staff. It’s risky but worth the risk.
4. I am grateful for the men of God in my life, namely John Piper who taught me to hold my life cheap and to join with Paul in saying “I don’t count my life of any value or as precious to myself if only I might finish my course and complete the work that He gave me to do to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God. I’m nothing, I just have a job. God keep me faithful on the job and then let me drop and go to the reward.” Without this strong view of God’s sovereign will, I’m not sure how you don’t despair in circumstances like mine.
5. I am thankful for my wife Lauren. “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’” “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
6. I am thankful for my children. Audrey the Beautiful, Reid the Valiant and Norah the Joyous. Being a daddy to these three is one of the greatest joys of my life.
7. The privilege of seeing and appreciating all of life through the grid of a heightened sense of my own mortality.
8. I am thankful for brilliant doctors and surgeons who have been given a real gift by our great God and King to repair things as complex as the brain.
9. I am thankful for The Village Church. If there is a place that loves Jesus more, takes sanctification as seriously and wants to see the lost love the great King deeply I am unaware of it. These last seven years have been a spectacular joy!
10. More than anything else I am grateful to my King Eternal, my Lord Immortal, for my God invisible. He alone is God. All Glory and Honor, Forever to You O God. I am overwhelmed in these moments by God Himself and the assurance of a future inheritance of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken and where all things are made new (Hebrews 12).
    

Christ is All,
Matt Chandler

C.J. Mahaney on Tiger Woods

Great gospel wisdom from C.J. Mahaney regarding the Tiger Woods situation:

As expected, the allegations of adultery involving a public figure are attracting a media pile-on. This is a big story with a big audience and it’s a story that will not disappear soon. Tiger Woods is being hunted by the media.

But let us make sure we do not join the hunt. A Christian’s response to this story should be distinctly different. We should not be entertained by the news. We should not have a morbid interest in all the details. We should be saddened and sobered. We should pray for this man and even more for his wife...

...And this story should humble and sober us. It should make us ask: Are there any so-called “secret sins” in my life? Is there anything I have done that I hope nobody discovers? Is there anything right now in my life that I should confess to God and the appropriate individuals?

Read the whole post at the Sovereign Grace Blog.

Pray for Matt Chandler

As many of you likely already know, Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Highland Village, TX, was recently diagnosed with a tumor in the frontal lobe of his brain. It's as of yet unclear whether or not the tumor is malignant. Matt's ministry has been such a huge blessing in my life via his church's podcast, and God has used him greatly to further the gospel and edify God's people all over.

The Village Church recently updated Matt's status via a Facebook update:

Pastor Matt Chandler will have surgery Friday afternoon to remove a tumor located in the frontal lobe of his brain. The surgery will be performed by Dr. David Barnett.

Dr. Barnett told Matt that he was positive about recovery but won’t know the full results until the surgery is performed. The doctor was uncertain about the malignancy of the tumor, and a biopsy will be performed as part of the surgery...

...We continue to rest in the knowledge that Matt is in the sovereign hand of our heavenly Father who loves him immensely more than we can comprehend, and He alone understands the reasons for this trial. Along with your prayers, continue to give Matt and Lauren and their family time and space for their continued rest.

Here's a status update from Mark Driscoll, a good friend of Matt:

“Matt Chandler my dear friend & Acts 29 board member texted. He’s got surgery on Fri & will be in ICU for the night & hospital for up to a week. He said he’s, “confident that He has chosen me for this and pray that I might suffer well while the world watches.” Prayer for he, his wife, children, & church are appreciated….”

Please pray as Matt and his family as he heads into surgery tomorrow. I thought this short video message from Tope Koleoso in London might be helpful, as it expresses the situation better than I could.



Video via Adrian Warnock.com.

Book Review: Chuck Norris - The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book

Genre: Non-Fiction/Humor
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Publication Date: October 7, 2009

#2 Chuck Norris doesn’t cheat death. He defeats it fair and square.
#4 When an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger was aired in France, the French surrendered to Chuck Norris, just to be on the safe side.
#22 Chuck Norris was born in a log cabin that he built with his bare hands.
#36 Chuck Norris can eat just one Lay’s potato chip.
#55 Chuck Norris doesn’t actually write books; the words assemble themselves out of fear.
#77 Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door.
#94 Chuck Norris counted to infinity – twice.

If you’ve ever used to the internet in your life, you’ve no doubt come across some of the famous Chuck Norris jokes. Like the ones above, Norris has become almost mythical and a parody of himself. In The Official Chuck Norris Fact Book, Norris plays along and picks his 101 favorites of these jokes, adding personal anecdotes, stories, and life principles that relate to each one. Part mini-autobiography, part joke book, this small book is good for some laughs and will be appreciated by fans of Norris, and there’s enough of his personality to make it an interesting-enough read, but not one I would recommend to all that many people.

Norris is a TV and movie actor, martial arts champion, and believer in Jesus Christ. This faith comes out clearly at times throughout the book, and his testimony accompanies fact #101. I always enjoy hearing the story of someone’s journey to Christ.

Each “Chuck Norris fact” is accompanied by a short commentary, story, or anecdote, as well as a principle from Norris’ Five F’s: Freedom, Family, Fitness, Faith, and Fight. Do these get a little corny at times? Sure. Are most of the principles pretty obvious? Of course. But I appreciate that Norris has attempted to use the popularity of the jokes to communicate some positive messages. These jokes have connected him to a generation of young people who wouldn’t have known much about him otherwise, and he may have some influence with them because of it. There will no doubt be some who buy the book simply to be entertained by the jokes who are surprised to encounter some deeper thoughts, possibly even being introduced to Christ.

There’s not a ton else to say about this book. If you’re just a fan of the jokes and have access to the internet, you probably don’t need to invest in it. There’s just not a lot there in addition to make it worth it. I did enjoy reading through it, however, and I appreciate the intent behind



*This book was provided for review by Tyndale House Publishers.

Francis Chan on Surrendering Your Life

A welcomed reminder from Francis Chan (Crazy Love, Forgotten God) this morning for me. My lack of trust in God is truly disturbing sometimes.



HT: Brandon James

John Piper on Our Impotent Wills and Sovereign Grace

John 6:43-45

Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—



HT: JT