"...behold, all things have become new" (rf. II Cor. 5:17)

As of September 21st of this year, I became the senior pastor of HOPE Church Raleigh, an EPC (Evangelical Presbyterian Church) congregation. Since coming on board I have been quite busy adjusting to this new realm of service to the Lord. Because of the demands of this new position, I am going to suspend my efforts on this blog, focusing rather on having material for HOPE's weekly newsletter. I would encourage those who have been following Chapel Royal for all these years to go to this link to get any and all future words of encouragement:

https://hopechurchraleigh.org/the-connection-blog/

I may come back to this blog in the future but for now I will concentrate my efforts on using the outlet here at HOPE. If you are ever in the Raleigh, NC area, look us up. We'd love to have you come and worship with us.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Dr. Chris King

Parting Ways (Sept. 2025)

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” (rf. Deut. 30:19-20 MEV)

 

 

            Choices, like changes, are a part of life. Forks in the road appear and we are forced to decide which path to follow. As believers in Christ, we are blessed to have residing within us the Presence of the Holy Spirit who, not only has saved us, has also promised to guide us through life by the paths God has chosen for us, if we will be obedient and faithful to Him. With every choice there is not only anxiety, concern and questions about our future as move down the path God has provided, there is also sacrifice involved since we cannot take two paths at once.

            In His Providential way, God has brought my family and St. John’s to a place of divergence. He has called us to follow different paths in obedience to His perfect will. He has plans for St. John’s; He has plans for Lori and me as we continue to serve Him in ministry. As believers we know that such times come in life, but we also know that He will keep us all as we go our separate ways. Our hearts will forever be joined together in Him as we remember all the good things God has done in our midst here at St. John’s. 

            Our prayer is that St. John’s will seek diligently and follow obediently the clear will of the Lord. We want only the best for you as a church because you mean so much to us. We know from Scripture that God will be His people and provide for their ongoing leadership if they earnestly seek Him and do what He says, going forward in faith and trust in Him.

            As we begin our new ministry in Raleigh, our desire is that you keep us in your prayers. The connections and fellowship that we have developed over the last almost 9 years at St. John’s will go with us and will always be a source of grace and support. We treasure our time of service among you and wish God’s richest blessing upon your future ministry. You will always be loved by the King family!

Contra Mundum

 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father, but is of the world. The world and its desires are passing away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (rf. I Jn. 2:15-17MEV)

 

 

Contra Mundum. This is a Latin phrase that means, “against the world”. It has all kinds of applications, especially for the Christian. As stated above, we are commanded by Scripture, “do not love the world, nor the things of the world” because the world system, the culture, operates contrary to the ways of God. Yet, the Christian church has often chosen to follow the same path as the unbelieving world to God’s dismay. This idea of contra mundum was so prevalent with the Apostles and the early Church that they saw themselves as being outsiders looking in at the culture around them, never fitting in nor ever having a desire to do so. They understood they would be outcasts to their pagan culture (rf. I Jn. 3:13). The Apostles encouraged fellow brethren never to follow the world because it would only lead them away from God (rf. Jas. 4:4). Think of how much stronger our witness would be if we applied this truth today!

For example, God uses the small and insignificant to accomplish His great work. How many times in Scripture is this truth played out in real time? He starts out with only two people, a man and a woman, and populates a planet (rf. Gen. 1:27-28). He chooses one reluctant man from one of the smallest tribes in Israel to lead only 300 soldiers to defeat an overwhelming Midianite army (rf. Judg. 7). God’s Messiah is prophesied to be born in one of the smallest villages in Judah, Bethlehem, a seemingly insignificant dot on the map, though in times past it was known as “the city of David” as it was the birthplace of Israel’s greatest king (rf. Mic. 5:2). Jesus Himself said that if any of His followers possessed faith the size of the smallest of the seeds of that region’s plants, the mustard tree, they could “move mountains” (rf. Mt. 17:20).

Modern Christians have largely neglected this truth. We have forgotten that God Himself established “the day of small things” (rf. Zech. 4:10). We have become thoroughly and totally consumed in the American success model of “bigger is better”. In our pursuit of greater things, jobs, experiences, we overlook that God is not always in stimulating encounters or things that grab our attention. Rather, He is found in the “still small voice” and “not in the wind” nor “in the earthquake” nor “in the fire” (rf. I Kings 19:11-12). God in all of His splendor and majesty should be all the magnificence we should ever require. If we truly trust and believe in Him, He will operate on our behalf in ways that will undoubtedly blow our minds.

So, the challenge is before us. God calls us as followers of Christ to live consistently in complete faith and trust in Him in all things. We are to look for His hands and will in the “small things” of life. In our jobs, work and play, we are to show that Jesus is preeminent, first and foremost, in our priorities. If we do and are obedient to His teachings, we will most assuredly be portraying ourselves as He desires, contra mundum, “against the world”. 

Doing the Work of Christ

“Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me will do the works that I do also. And he will do greater works than these, because I am going to My Father.” (rf. Jn. 14:12 MEV)

 

            Years ago, a movement swept through the Christian community via a very effective marketing strategy using four simple capital letters, WWJD. Of course, those familiar with the movement remember the acronym stood for “What Would Jesus Do?”. It challenged us to ask ourselves what Jesus’ response would be in every given situation. It seemed at the time to be an effective way of keeping us on the right track as based on the classic work by Charles M. Sheldon, entitled In His Steps.

            A few years later, a subsequent book was released from author, Dr. Richard Spillman, calling Christians to Do What Jesus Did (DWJD). Many Christians “talk a good talk”, as the saying goes, even having the best of motivations in what we would like to do or see done. Yet, when it comes to actually doing the work of Christ, that is, making disciples, ministering to the sick and needy, spending time with the outcasts, feeding the poor, binding up the broken-hearted, we fail miserably as we focus our time and energies on things that benefit ourselves. This is highly convicting, especially for theological conservatives. We place high value on the Scriptures and, yet, when it comes to “social justice”, helping the poor, downtrodden, and hurting in society, Christian conservatives can often be seen as more interested in constructing churches and “saving souls” than in restoring lives. We criticize others for being “politically correct” when, in fact, we can easily find ourselves striving for theological correctness rather than being Biblically obedient.

            When Jesus said to “follow Me” (rf. Mt. 4:19; Mk. 1:17; 10:21), He wanted Christians to use His example of knowing truth and displaying love as our standard; this is a both/and, not an either/or concept. Jesus wanted His disciples to be doctrinally sound and socially just in all their dealings people, speaking truth as well as showing love and compassion. After all, the love of Christ was central to everything that Jesus did. He even charged Peter to do the same with the flock under his care after Jesus had departed (rf. Jn. 21:15-17).

            This “follow Me” principle is not time-bound. The key is our willingness to accept the challenge and fulfill our role as His disciples. How we complete our task and the faithfulness with which we execute it will be the measuring stick He uses to judge how well we have served Him when we at last stand before Him (rf. Mt. 24:45-46).

            May this be your call of encouragement to “Do What Jesus Did”, to review what it means to be a servant and disciple of Jesus and how we can by His Spirit be vessels of truth and love to a world that desperately needs both.

A History Lesson on St. John's Reformed Church, Kannapolis NC

 “…the just shall live by his faith.”

(rf. Hab. 2:4 MEV)

 

The above passage was the launching pad for the Reformation period of Church history. Based on this truth and the desire to return to the Scriptures as the foundation of all faith and life, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.  Shortly thereafter, John Calvin was compelled to begin his work of writing a doctrinal and practical application of the Christian faith. His Institutes of the Christian Religion would become the theological textbook of the Reformation. Calvin and Luther communicated with one another on several occasions to try and coalesce the beliefs of this new movement of renewal within Christ’s Church. The results of their efforts would later become the denominations of Lutheranism and Presbyterianism, reflecting their shared beliefs and heritage within the Reformed faith.

 

The German Reformed Church in many ways is a marriage of the worship style of Lutheranism, the doctrinal standards of Calvinism, and the church government as taught within Presbyterianism. When the Evangelical Synod of North America (of German heritage) merged with the Reformed Church in the United States (German) in 1934, the new Evangelical and Reformed Church carried on the Reformed faith (Calvinism as expressed in the Heidelberg Catechism, the statement of faith for the E&R) even as its governmental structure was Presbyterian in origin.

 

St. John’s was born in 1919 as a church plant in Kannapolis for the Reformed Church in the United States (i.e. the German Reformed Church). It became an E&R church with the 1934 merger of the bodies outlined above. In 1957, St. John’s was ushered into the United Church of Christ (UCC) along with every other E&R church, thus bringing an end to the German Reformed or E&R church denominations in America. Though there are still in existence the Reformed Church in America (RCA-liberal) and the Alliance of Reformed Churches (ARC-conservative), these are Dutch Reformed churches, not German, representing a different branch of the Reformed faith altogether. The original group (German Reformed/E&R) that brought our church into being no longer exists.

 

Going forward, our Church Council firmly believes that the Lord wants us to be a part of a larger body, one that closely aligns with our heritage, beliefs and practices. This is the very reason that the Council has promoted and continues to promote our joining with the Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO). Like St. John’s, the ECO is Reformed in their faith and governs itself according to Presbyterian principles. Entering this relationship with the ECO would not diminish our heritage nor change our identity as a Reformed church. In fact, connecting with ECO would enable us to grow stronger in the Reformed faith that we have in common. We would continue to serve the Lord as St. John’s Reformed Church (no change to name or in our owning our own property), only with a greater body behind us to support us and with whom we could work to reach our community with the Gospel of Christ.

 

Our Church Council has worked long and hard in its effort to search for a suitable body to join, secure the good will of contacts within that organization, and to educate our church family in the benefits and blessings of such a new relationship. Our church family can rest assured that the heart, motivation and actions of our church leadership are worthy of our trust and faith. Our Council desires nothing more than to follow the Lord’s direction so that the future of St. John’s will be secure.

 

Their encouragement to us all is that we (1) pray for the Lord to empower us to move positively toward the future He has in store for St. John’s, (2) freely share our concerns, questions, insights and encouragement with them so that the Council has opportunity to answer those questions and allay any fears and doubts that remain, and, (3) commit to be in attendance during worship and, especially, when informational meetings are provided so everyone can be on the same page and a part of what God has for our future as a church. The Lord has promised “a future and a hope”; let us move together as a church family to embrace it with joy and faith.

"A Future and a Hope" (April 2025)

 “For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (rf. Jeremiah 29:11 MEV)

 

            This is the month in which we as Christians celebrate the event that above all shows us the love of God in its fullness. Easter Sunday recognizes the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead after having given His life as payment and propitiation for our sins. Because of what Jesus did on the cross and in His resurrection, those of us who believe and trust in Him for salvation now truly have “a future and a hope”. Through His merits and sacrifice, we have the promise of being with Him for all eternity. This is the blessing that every individual Christian will experience eventually.

            Not only does the Lord give this promise of “a future and a hope” to His individual followers, He also does the same for us corporately. Indeed, Jeremiah spoke to the whole of God’s people in the kingdom of Judah when he shared God’s “plans” for them during difficult times. He does the same for His Church today.

            As a fellowship of believers here at St. John’s, God is unfolding His “plans for peace and not for evil”. He has led us to a group of fellow believers in Christ in the Covenant of Evangelical Presbyterians (ECO) with whom we could join and work to grow in and share the Gospel of Jesus. It was by His leadership that this group has come to our attention and now we are at the threshold of a new chapter in our ministry in Kannapolis. The ECO looks forward to partnering with us and to working together to mutually benefit each other. Through the ECO, we have been offered by the Lord “a future and a hope”.

            On Sunday, April 6th, St. John’s will be tasked to vote to officially join the ECO and become a part of a growing and vibrant denomination that is founded upon the full authority of God’s Holy Word and which has proven itself to be faithful in its service to Christ. Let us together take this opportunity to embrace with exuberance and joy this new path by which we can glorify the Lord and better serve those around us in the love and Spirit of God.

Corporate vs. Individualist Perspective (March 2025)

 “For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the many parts of that one body are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are slaves or free, and we have all been made to drink of one Spirit. The body is not one part, but many.” 

(rf. I Cor. 12:12-14 MEV)

 

            As humans, especially as Americans, we are programmed from birth to believe strongly in our individualism. Though we often laugh at the antics of toddlers and find their behavior cute, when toddlers learn the term and concept of “mine”, they believe it fervently and will act accordingly, especially if someone attempts to take what they believe belongs only to them. Sometimes sibling rivalry begins with the simple clash of each sibling evoking the concept of “mine” (i.e. not being willing to share or play together).

            On the contrary, the Bible teaches us that, though we are important as individuals to God, He is more concerned and centered upon the whole rather than the parts. When He works out His will in the world, though He undoubtedly uses individuals to accomplish tasks, He does so for the benefit of the larger group, not just for the instrument of use. 

            We see this at work in the Bible’s terminology. As in the text quoted above, Paul uses the concept of the “body of Christ” when referring to the Church because the Church and its benefit and blessing are the focus of God in Christ in the New Testament (and to the present day). Even in the Old Testament, God referred to the Israelites as “My people” (ex: II Chron. 7:14). Jesus makes it clear that He as the Good Shepherd “gives His life for the sheep” (rf. Jn. 10:11), speaking in terms of the whole herd of sheep, not just one. Even our individual salvation is shown to be a result of Christ’s mission to “save His people from their sins” (rf. Matt. 1:21), an obvious reference to the whole and not the individual.

            If we are to fulfill all that God wants us to do while here on earth, we need to move our thinking to fit the Scripture’s truth, angling from individual to corporate in focus. We need to be more concerned about God using “us” rather than God using “me”. Such a change in perspective would also cause a change in action as we shifted attention from what benefits or blesses “me” to what will bless His Church as a whole. Once all of us complete this necessary change, we will see God begin using His Church in new and powerful ways to reach a world that desperately needs His truth and love.

"Greater Love" (Feb. 2025 Draft)

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

(rf. Jn. 15:13 MEV)

 

 

            Love is an interesting word, indeed. We often bat it around with little thought as to its real meaning. We say, “I love my team, I love my pet, I love this color, I love my spouse or children”, using the same word to speak of different types of relationships. In time past I have noted that the Greek language uses different words for different types of love, such as phileo for brotherly love, eros for love within an intimate relationship, and agapeo for the unconditional love that God has for us. Greek provides a clearer picture of the love in question.

            In the passage above, Jesus gives His disciples an example of the greatest love imaginable in human understanding—a self-sacrificing love. The object of this type of love in context (“for his friends”), of course, relates directly to the followers of and believers in Christ. As His children, we are also considered “his friends” (rf. Jn. 15:14-15). As such Jesus was willing to give His life in place of ours, sacrificing Himself willingly so that in His death we might have life. We’ve seen this type of love exhibited between human beings before: a parent willing to face a wild animal or criminal with no thought of his or her own life in protection of the children; a soldier who throws himself on a live grenade to keep his buddies from getting hurt or killed. There are many examples of this type of love and these actions throughout history. What makes Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself on the cross even more potent is that He gave His life, not only for those disciples whom He loved without measure that had been with Him for three years of ministry, but also for the myriads of people who had not known Him personally, those who would make up His body, the Church, over centuries of time.

            Since we have been provided this paragon of self-sacrificing virtue by Jesus, we need to recognize that this is the love we should also share with those who are our “friends”, including our families, obviously, but others beyond as well. Only when we are willing to sacrifice ourselves, our wants, dreams, visions and desires, even our own lives so that others will be blessed can we ever approach the love that Christ has for us. This is the calling of God upon each of us as His children. It is by sharing this kind of love with others that they can see clearly the love He has for them. Let us then commit ourselves to displaying this Christ-like love that the world may experience it as we have. 

Newness and Change (Jan 2025)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (rf. II Cor. 5:17 NASB)

 

            As we begin a new year, we are entrenched in the dead of winter. The leaves have fallen from the deciduous trees, leaving behind a carpet of fading color on the ground while bare branches hang overhead. The wind whistles through the tree limbs unheeded and undaunted by the cold. It is a truly a bleak landscape that remains after the official arrival of winter.

            However, there is the promise of newness and life that also floats on the breeze. Though its reality is still months away, just knowing Spring is ahead and waiting in the wings provides us hope for better things in store. We just need to buckle down and endure the harshness of winter’s wrath to get to the gentle compassionate touches of Spring.

            As is happening in the world around us so the same is true within our hearts and our church. The Lord is preparing new paths for us to follow, new truths for us to learn, new experiences for us for us to go through together. The arrival of the new is a blessing to us as He moves us forward, benefiting from the lessons we have learned in the past while not concentrating our energies and focus on the things behind us. Like in a book, the Lord would have us to turn the page and engage a new chapter in our walk with Him, both individually and as a church. Newness brings promise of life as it does in Spring. So, we want to embrace the newness with all of our heart.

            Change for the better is not a bad thing at all. We are actually made for change. The sooner we embrace that truth, the easier is it is for us to manage it. Let us together build on our rich history in Christ, personally and corporately, while awaiting the new things the Lord has in store for us as His people.

Remarkable Mary, the mother of Christ

 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore, the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God. Listen, your cousin Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month with her who was declared barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Mary said, “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be unto me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (rf. Lk. 1:34–38 MEV)

 

The angel Gabriel visited Mary (actually Miriam in Hebrew), a young woman of Nazareth, a small village in the Galilee region of Israel. She was “troubled” (vs. 29) by his appearance but maintained enough composure to enter an important conversation with this servant who was sent directly on errand from the throne of God Himself. Her natural fear was overcome by awe and anticipation of finding out why the Lord of Hosts had chosen her to receive this message. God informed her that He had selected her above all other women in Israel to be the vessel through whom the Promised Messiah would come. Even from the womb He would be the king of Israel from the royal lineage of David as prophesied (vs. 32-33).

 

Her reception of this news and the attitude with which she accepted are of great note here. The text does not say that she through ambition would be elevated to an equal position with her Son as Co-Regent, if you will (as Roman Catholicism teaches). No, it is her humility, faithful resignation, and commitment to be the Lord’s servant that gains our attention. She hears of the impossible feat God was going to do in and through her and she without hesitation agrees to His use of her in His plan. In her case, humility + faith = an enduring legacy and blessing. She alone above all others would be forever known as the mother of Messiah.

 

We quickly overlook these beautiful facts when we look at Mary. She was a virgin (“I do not know a man”) and a teenager, yet she possessed a faith in and understanding of Almighty God that most older adults rarely obtain. Mary is more than worthy of our respect and admiration.

 

We should learn to follow her example and simply take God at His Word. Remember that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (rf. Heb. 11:1). If God says that He will do it, it will be done accordingly. He simply wants us to believe in Him enough to not only watch it happen but also be willing to participate in the miraculous process. 

 

This Christmas, let Mary’s gift of faith be yours as well so that as the new year approaches, we can anticipate with joy the reality of God’s work in us, through us and around us in the future.

A Thankful Heart

 I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. (rf. Ps. 9:1–2 NASB)

 

 

It is unfortunate that November presents us with one of the few times of the year when being thankful comes to the forefront of our lives. The retail establishment has already diminished the importance of Thanksgiving by focusing more on the Christmas buying season to maximize sales and profits. The world has much for which to be thankful yet having very little impetus to do so while largely having no clue as to whom their thankfulness should be directed. 

The Psalmist above gives the follower of the Lord strong encouragement to be thankful. He points out that the starting place of gratitude is in the heart. Possessing an attitude of appreciation is a “whole-hearted” pursuit (“I will give thanks…with all my heart”) as well as the personal experience of gladness as a result (“I will be glad…in You”). 

The outward expressions of a thankful heart are shown in one’s desire to give God praise for the benefits experienced at God’s hand (“I will…exult in You”; “I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High”). The person with a heart full of gratefulness is empowered to not only sing forth the greatness of God but to also declare the astounding things He has done for us, individually and corporately as His Church (“I will tell of all Your wonders”). 

As Christians we should set the examples of the world and for our families on how to rightly express our appreciativeness to the Lord for the blessings He has given to us. Let the overwhelming distractions be purposefully put aside for a time to allow us to share with our family members and friends just how good God has been to us and the richness we have experienced in being called into His family. Let our Thanksgiving be bathed in an attitude of worship, expressing our heartfelt thankfulness for Him being our God and we being His people.

Come Out and Be Separate

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who exchange darkness for light, and light for darkness; who exchange bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (rf. Is. 5:20 MEV)

            

            Our culture seems determined to pursue a course in direct defiance of the precepts and teachings of the Lord. They would have us to believe that their actions and motivations that Almighty God declares to be sin in His sight are actually positive contributions that benefit both the individual and society. Culture’s position is unmistakably “tolerant” toward all things that God finds repulsive and worthy of His judgment because of His holiness.

When a culture in whatever timeline you choose determines to exalt darkness and evil as if these things are good, believers must know the Lord is not pleased and they should separate themselves from such pursuits. He wants His people to be a distinct group from the surrounding society by not aligning themselves with the sinking ship of the world and its ways. The Apostle Paul puts it succinctly in his second epistle to the Corinthians, quoting the OT prophets of Isaiah and Ezekiel, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (rf. II Cor. 6:17-18 MEV).

            As believers in Christ, we must not just accept the things of the culture around us and say that we don’t want to cause issues or be offensive to the unbeliever by saying or doing anything to the contrary. When we try to blend in with the world, we effectively say to God that we do not really desire identification with Him. Hear the words of the Apostle John on this matter: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father, but is of the world” (rf. I Jn. 2:15-16 MEV). 

October is one of the months that we have the opportunity to see and experience the love of our culture for darkness and evil. Wherever we go, we are confronted with it. We also can decide not to be party to their perspective. Rather, let us take Paul’s words to heart and be different, separate from those who relish in evil. Let us shine the light of His truth brightly in contrast so the world will know the followers of Jesus are distinctive and delight in belonging to Him. Let our actions and words be uplifting and encouraging with the goal of helping those caught in the darkness to come to the light and love of Jesus. As the psalmist declares, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For the darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord shall rise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you” (rf. Is. 60:1-2 MEV).

 

Seek the "Old Paths"

“Thus says the Lord: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths where the good way is and walk in it, and you shall find rest for your souls.” (rf. Jer. 6:16 MEV)

 

            In the past few decades, the way that Christians worship God has been changed dramatically. What used to be a very reverent time of coming before the Lord with prayers, praise, honor and adoration has in many cases morphed into a time to engage in an emotional display, focusing on physical responses to the songs, while believing that worship and music style are equal to each other. Where the Reformers focused on the right teaching and communication of the Word along with the correct perspective on celebrating the Sacraments (i.e. the Lord’s Supper and Baptism), modern Christianity has substituted life coaching and inspirational messages for exegetical sermons, focusing rather on bullet points, minimal Scriptures and personal or celebrity anecdotes. Not all churches view worship this way, but many do as they seek to bridge into a culture that has no appreciation for the Christian faith, Jesus or the Bible. Overall, though motives may have been good in the hope of building a positive connection with unbelievers, these adaptations have done nothing but water down and provide an inaccurate portrayal of Almighty God. We have been guilty of creating a desirable god “in our own image”, worshipped in the way that we like, not the way He desires.

            These changes will come back to haunt us as we move into the future. As Hosea states in 8:7, “they sow the wind and they reap the whirlwind.” We may very well have already arrived at this juncture when noting the rise in percentage of those in our country who desire no “religious affiliation” along with those who are turned completely off to Christianity by the close ties Evangelicals, in particular, have made with each of the polarized political parties. American Christians are finding that they have lost a great deal of credibility by following the ways of the world and the culture. 

We need to regain the concept of God and His authority over us not acting as we have authority over Him. We need to remember that He is a God of order and not of chaos and confusion (rf. I Corinthians 14:33), having established a certain level of decorum and protocol as we approach His throne in worship. Our God typically communicates His word and will through His written Word and the “still small voice” of His Holy Spirit (rf. I Kings 19:12), neither of which can be heard unless we are “still and know that (He is) God” (rf. Psalm 46:10), relishing in His Presence. True worship is not about us being emotionally or physically charged up as a result; it’s totally about us being humble, quiet, and respectful before Him while being excited, anticipating and open to His Spirit’s movement in our hearts as we approach the Lord.

            The “old paths” referenced above speak of the previously confirmed ways that God would have His people live and worship, ways in which the Lord has already shown His pleasure. Nothing about our relationship and adoration of God is left for us to decide. From the beginning to the end of time, God alone calls the shots on how He operates and how He desires for His people to live and worship. Hopefully, modern American Christianity will appropriate this truth sooner than later and make the changes necessary that align our actions with His desires. If so, His blessings will soon follow when He sees His people obedient to His will and directions.

 

Modern Worship

“Thus says the Lord: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths where the good way is and walk in it, and you shall find rest for your souls.” (rf. Jer. 6:16 MEV)

 

            In the past few decades, the way that Christians worship God has been changed dramatically. What used to be a very reverent time of coming before the Lord with prayers, praise, honor and adoration has in many cases morphed into a time to engage in an emotional display of upbeat music and visible expression, akin to what one would see in a modern rock concert. Where one expected to “have one’s feet stepped on” by the clear preaching and teaching of God’s Word has been replaced by inspirational messages designed to make one feel good about one’s life and to receive affirmation from God. Though this change does not speak of all of Christianity; however, it is an accurate reflection of how much the faith and our worship of God has adapted to fit the present culture. Overall, our adaptations have not been positive contributions.

            Indeed, what we have done in the recent past will eventually come to haunt us as we move into the future. As Hosea states in 8:7, “they sow the wind and they reap the whirlwind.” Truly, in time to come, American Christians will find that they have lost a great deal by following the ways of the world and the culture. They will have lost their appreciation for biblically based authority because they found the source of authority within themselves, making decisions on what they want or like, instead of what God desires. They will have lost decorum and protocol, choosing personal comfort and “dressing down”, rather than being at one’s best in attitude and appearance, coming in worship before the King of kings. They will have lost their hearing, believing that loud music in worship gets God’s attention while physical feeling of the music is prerequisite to their joy and ability to worship, rather than understanding that God is not deaf to His people nor does His Holy Spirit speak to His people in loudness but in “a still small voice” (rf. I Kings 19:12) which can only be heard when His people are quiet. God wants His people to worship Him on His terms and not their own. True worship is not about us being emotionally or physicallly charged up; it’s totally about us being in humility and quietness before Him.

            The “old paths” referenced above speak of the previously confirmed ways that God would have His people live and worship, ways in which the Lord has already shown His pleasure. Nothing about our relationship and adoration of God is left for us to decide. From the beginning to the end of time, God alone calls the shots on how He operates and how He desires for His people to live and worship. Hopefully, modern Christianity will appropriate this truth sooner than later and make the changes necessary that align our actions with His desires. If so, His blessings will soon follow when He sees His people obedient to His will and directions.

 

The Important Concept of Honor and Dishonor

 They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the Lord God.” But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the altar of incense. (rf. II Chron. 26:18–19 NASB) 

 

            As Westerners (i.e. those who are a part of Western civilization), our frame of reference is exceedingly individualistic. We typically think of actions and motivations in terms of oneself. How is this going to affect me? Will I personally benefit from this decision? We literally take everything in life personally.

            This is not the way the rest of the world perceives reality. Those cultures not in the Western orbit are profoundly motivated by how actions or decisions affect the community with little regard to the individual. This is the perspective that the writers of the Bible had when penning the Word of God in written language. Honor/dishonor were basic and foundational concepts that were in place and, thus, must be grasped if the Scriptures are to be understood correctly. 

            For instance, in the passage above, King Uzziah overstepped his bounds as king when assumed the role of a priest in the Temple. His flagrant violation was an ultimate display of dishonoring the Lord who established these bounds of office. Therefore, in honor of God’s holiness and in payment for his sins, Uzziah was struck with leprosy and could no longer rule his nation publicly. He would be an outcast and have his son rule in his stead as regent until Uzziah’s death. In other words, sinning against God’s Word and commandments is equal to dishonoring the Lord and His holiness. Ultimate dishonor is living a life of sin in defiance of God and His honor, making it a worthy and ultimate punishment in hell. 

            As Christians, we need to move away from this Western, individualistic mindset and more toward the honor/dishonor framework of the Scriptures. As we do this, our actions and decisions will be based on what is best for Christ and His Church, rather than what we personally desire. When our thoughts are on our believing community (i.e. the local church), we will find ourselves honoring the Lord by what we do and say, all the while avoiding anything that might be dishonoring to Him. This is true, not only in our worship of God, but also in the way we live daily. Our focus should always be on how best I can serve and honor the God who by His grace has saved and sanctified us as His own children. Nothing less will suffice.

The Sovereignty of God

 Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps. 

(rf. Ps. 135:6 MEV)

 

            One of the key foundations of the Reformed faith on which our church was founded is the sovereignty of God. When most Christians think of the term, “sovereignty of God”, they believe that it is just the testimony of God being “King of kings”, of exercising His authority and rule. All of this is true, no doubt, but more is attached to the truth of His Kingship.

            Virtually, all Christians would agree that God is the sovereign ruler of the universe, affirming what the psalmist says above that He is ruler over all “heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps”. However, many followers of Christ fail to uphold or believe that His authority and sovereignty extends over all people as well, including themselves.

            We somehow have bought into a theology that places boundaries around ourselves, our minds, hearts and wills, wherein God cannot rule over us unless we sovereignly allow Him to do so. We have created this theological view to preserve what we wrongly believe is our own “freedom of the will”, that we are the “captains of our souls”. This is truly a false and foolish narrative, not to mention an unbiblical one. 

            The only way that God is truly God is if He is God over all of His creation, including all of humankind. He is in control of all things or He is in control of nothing. An Almighty and all sovereign Lord who is limited in His ability to rule is no god that any of us want to serve. Such a god is powerless to deliver on the promises He has made because He does not have the wherewithal to make those promises a reality.

            Rather, we love, serve and believe in the God of the psalmist and the Scriptures who does “whatever He pleases…in heaven and in earth” because He is in total control over all things, including us and our wills. Only by being such a God can we know that the salvation that He has promised us is real, that He has the power to answer our prayers rightly according to His will, and that He is truly worthy of our loyalty, devotion and faith. 

            So, if we have not yet recognized His authority over our lives and futures, today is the day to do so. Only with a heart and life fully surrendered to His Lordship can we ever hope to experience the “abundant” life that He promises to those under His dominion and trust.

A New Logo (May 2024)

A New Logo

 

“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; 

many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord.” (rf. Ps. 40:3 NASB)

 

            As our church came out of the pandemic and into this year, it became apparent that we needed an overall refreshing and renewal. Part of this effort included researching and acquiring new church management software for our office and a new, updated website to better reflect our church to the world. We also looked at the need to revise our current logo and come up with a clearer way to share our ministry. As David said so long ago in the above passage, a “new song” was required for us to better minister to our community so that “many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord.”.

            Several months ago, I contacted an outside source of mine who had designed logos for me in the past. He did some researching of our church and put together a new logo for us that communicates visually what St. John’s is all about. Here is the fruit of his labors: 

 

The logo designer explained it this way: 

 

“For what it’s worth, not only do the colors work well together. They have the following significance:

·       Yellow – God the Father (light/glory)

·       Red – God the Son (blood/sacrifice)

·       Blue – God the Holy Spirit (water/baptism)

 

Overall, the logo is clean, simple and modern but the pattern itself calls to mind historical roots…and stained glass…The four circles within a larger circle represent the five core beliefs of the church from your website.

1.     The Trinity

2.     Authority of Scripture 

3.     Salvation by Grace

4.     Evangelism

5.     All of these then wrapped under the larger “circle” of God’s Sovereignty. 

So more than just a logo, it becomes a visual of St. John’s core beliefs. I like that it also gives the impression of a sphere, which could represent God’s love for the world and the church’s mission to carry the gospel into the world.” 

 

            With this “new song” as sung through our new logo, approved by our Church Council in February of this year, it is our hope that when folks begin to see it prominently displayed, it will immediately connect them with St. John’s and, ultimately, to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, so that they, like us, will experience His goodness, love and mercy firsthand.

 

 

Collective, Not Individualistic

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how shall it be made salty? It is from then on good for nothing but to be thrown out and to be trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” 

(rf. Mt. 5:13–16 MEV)

 

            At present I am being challenged by one of the books I am reading at night before going to sleep. The title is Misreading Scripture Through Western Eyes by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien. The theme of the work is to show the reader how much of Western culture has colored the glasses through which we read and understand God’s Word. This is something that we do not realize readily, but how we were raised and educated in the Western world makes a great impact on our understanding of the Bible.

            For instance, we, especially as Americans, have been immersed in an individualistic culture where our personal choice is of utmost importance. Indeed, one could say that the American spirit is fired by and shown through how we idolize our own power to make choices for ourselves. However, as the authors clearly point out, this individualistic approach regarding the Scriptures is a relatively new phenomenon. Before the Great Awakening of the 1740s, Christians were attached to their local churches through baptism that took place shortly after birth. They continued to grow in the faith through the ministry of their local church, revealing this lifelong connection in the weddings and funerals that took place there (pp. 106-107).  After the Awakening, being a part of a local church was totally based on one’s choice. Since then, this individualistic perspective has so overrun the American church that we now have a multiplicity of denominational and non-denominational churches along with the subsequent local church variety from which to choose. This myriad of choices has only served to weaken the influence of the Church in our time. Furthermore, we can choose to stay or go and be devoted to or not to participate at will. Yet as the authors rightly point out, “This is not biblical Christianity” (p. 107).

            When Jesus spoke of His Church and the Apostle Paul wrote of God’s people, they did so, viewing the Church as a collective of people, “Jews and Greeks, male and female, slave and free” (rf. I Cor. 12:13). Jesus did not look at the Church as a group of individuals whose individuality held sway over the whole. The Good Shepherd goes after the lost sheep—why?—to bring him back to the fold (rf. Lk. 15:44). Even in Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount as quoted above, Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth…the light of the world”, meaning all His followers collectively (the verb, “umeis”, is a plural “You” or in the South, “Ya’ll”), not referring to the individual.

            If as American Christians we would stop looking at ourselves as individuals, exalting our power of choice, and start viewing ourselves as part of God’s whole, we would see that it is the whole He is working on, the Church, not just ourselves individually. And as we work more together as Christ’s Body, the more we’ll see His work in our midst, bringing His grace to a world that so desperately needs it.

 

Conflict of Wrong and Biblical Views on Important Matters (March 2024)

            It is hard to believe that we have entered another election cycle in our country. Before long our televisions will be inundated with political ads. As Christians we have a special duty to be good citizens of the United States, to vote intelligently and spiritually, using Biblical truth and conviction as our filters to choose those who are fit, worthy and God’s choice to serve in public office. 

I am gravely concerned about the state of the Evangelical movement in America and how we are jeopardizing the efforts to rightly and accurately share the Gospel for years to come. This concern stems from our being a significant part of the polarization problem in our country. When we fall to the following wrong views or beliefs, it makes it very difficult for others to see Jesus clearly because they “muddy the waters”. These are the wrong views that Evangelicals often fall prey:

 

1.     “The end justifies the means” (quote from Prince Machiavelli) as the ultimate standard of action and belief.

2.     Hate, anger, disrespect and negativism are all worthy weapons of use in any cultural war.

3.     Division along political lines validates division and separation within the Church.

4.     Policies and promises alone by politicians (i.e. what he/she will do for us) are adequate rationalizations for supporting a person for leadership regardless of personal character and actions.

5.     “God helps those who help themselves” so only those socially and economically advantaged are special and benefitted by God; therefore, the poor, the hurting, the destitute, and the afflicted should not be objects of our care and compassion.

 

To provide a clearer, more accurate Christian approach, we should return to the truths that the Scriptures, our self-declared foundation of belief, clearly teach.

 

1.     God wants His children to glorify Him always in how and why we do things (including voting) (“Therefore, whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.”—rf. I Cor. 10:31). The how and why are directly connected with how we show others His reality and love.

2.     Displaying the love of Christ shows that we belong to Him as His children (“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”—rf. Jn. 13:35). Indeed, we should never advocate, support or uphold any effort that does not have His love at its center.

3.     Unity of God’s people is paramount (“If there is any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any compassion and mercy, then fulfill my joy and be like-minded, having the same love, being in unity with one mind”—rf. Php. 2:1-2). Disunity is a sin, quite frankly, stemming from pride and self-centeredness, qualities opposed to Christ Himself, His truth and His love.

4.     God holds all leaders everywhere to His standard of righteousness, removing them at will if unjust (“It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness, for the throne is established by righteousness.”—Prov. 16:12; “It is He who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings”—Dan. 2:21).

5.     The poor, the destitute, the widow and the orphan are under God’s protection (“When a foreigner sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The foreigner who dwells with you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”—rf. Lev. 19:33-34). Jesus said His disciples always have opportunity to minister and support those most needy (“You always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish, you may do good to them.”—rf. Mk. 14:7). Indeed, we are called by God to such ministry.

 

Imagine what a difference Evangelicals would make in a world like ours, lost in its divisiveness and negativity, if we were to display God’s love in our hearts, words and actions, including how and for whom we vote. But wait, that’s what we’re supposed to be doing as followers of Christ anyway (Note: To be “salt” and “light”? rf. Matt. 5:13-16). Our repentance and change are required if we are to reclaim the mantle of difference and distinction as given in our salvation and calling. Only by thinking and acting in a compassionate Christian manner can we affect the real change that our nation needs right now.