Jeans On Wednesday

Why I'm Still Saved

Quick update, in case you didn't know: Laura and I are no longer the "youth directors", but now are "directors of young adult ministries". We've graduated to the college kids!

Over Thanksgiving, all the college students were back in town, and Laura and I were sitting behind a bunch of them in church. During a pause in the service, one of them leans over to us and asks, "Do we believe that you have to repent to be saved?"

Now that's not the type of questions you can really unpack in the middle of a church service! I mean, the quick answer is, "Yes" but I was very curious as to why she was asking it. And in that way. After some more talking later, we found out that it had more to do with a friend at college who is a member of the Church of Christ. They had been talking about the differences between what "they" believe and what "we" believe. And an important discussion it is.

I had to bail in the middle of the discussion, which was just starting to scratch the surface, so I wrote the student the next day with a more detailed response. Figured I'd post it here, too.

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I was asking Laura last night what else you two had talked about after I'd left during service yesterday. While she and I were talking, I remembered something from my reading on the Church of Christ that I think will shed a lot of light onto your friend's comments/questions. Namely, they believe that you can lose your salvation. This is, in fact, in stark contrast to what "we" (as orthodox, Reformed Christians, including historical Presbyterianism) believe. This explains to me a bit more what your friend might have been getting at when she asked you "Do you need to repent to be saved?"

First, a little foundation.

Do we need to repent to be saved? Yes. We must confess that we are sinners in need of a savior and that only Christ has made a sacrifice sufficient for our salvation. But here's the key part—the whole process of salvation is directed by God. That is, the faith we have is from God. The grace that saves us is from God (Eph. 2:8-10). The sacrifice was made by God. The forgiveness if God's to offer. What I'm getting at is that our salvation is enacted and only made possible by God.

This is key because there are those, like the Church of Christ (your friend's church) and the Catholic church, who say that you can lose your salvation. Most notably by committing an egregious enough of a sin that you will be out of God's favor. The Catholic church terms these "mortal" sins (as opposed to "venial" sins). I'm not sure how the Church of Christ determines it.

The reason we believe that you can NOT lose your salvation is because our saving faith is empowered and made possible by God himself. And if we could lose it, that would say that somehow God's work was insufficient to fully and eternally save us.

With that in mind, what I assume your friend was getting at was "What happens to people who repent, are 'saved', but then keep sinning? Are they still 'saved' or do they need to repent again?" Assuming she believes that you can lose your salvation, she would probably answer, "Yes, they need to repent (and be re-baptized, perhaps) again." But I'm just guessing based on reading about the faith. She may very well answer differently

I think that, perhaps, if you continue to sin and grow to a point of no repentance of your sin (in fact, not even seeing it as sin), then perhaps you have not lost your salvation—rather, you have shown that you never had it to begin with.

With that in mind, there are some presuppositions that need to be addressed. Here are a few quotes that get to the heart of the issues:

Somehow we've come to believe that 'repent' means to stop doing something, and if we don't stop doing it, then we haven't repented and therefore don't qualify for forgiveness. If that's true and the required salvation sequence is to repent and be saved, then none of us is saved, because none of us has stopped sinning. All of us are living in deliberate and open sin because in each human life there is observable behavior that violates God's word, and is knowingly and willfully repeated. It's not that we discover one sin in our behavior and root it out only to be made aware of another. We deliberately repeat the same sinful behavior over and over. If we could progressively root out and eliminate the sins in our lives we could eventually stop sinning and wouldn't need a savior.
Forgiveness, Part 2

And one more:

The most frequent objections to the belief that a Christian cannot lose salvation are: (1) what about those who are Christians and continually live an immoral lifestyle? – and – (2) what about those who are Christians but later reject the faith and deny Christ? The problem with these two objections is the assumption [that they] “are Christians.” (1) The Bible declares that a true Christian will not live a continually immoral lifestyle (1 John 3:6). (2) The Bible declares that anyone who departs the faith is demonstrating that he/she never truly was a Christian (1 John 2:19).
Can A Christian Lose Their Salvation?

That second link (from GotQuestions.org) has a good overview of what occurs at salvation, which is foundational to discussing whether or not what happens at salvation can be revoked or lost. But basically, we believe that our salvation is God's work by His power and grace, and He promises that nothing can separate us from His love. Perhaps the most direct verses on the assurance of our salvation are John 10:28-29:

"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand."

That is a great pair of verses to memorize. They are a comfort in times of stress and confusion.

I hope this helps. By all means, shoot us an email or gives us a call if you want to talk some more. We're here to help. I imagine it can be difficult at times having a close friend who you disagree with on stuff as important as faith. We'll be praying for you.

-doug

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Since that email, I came across two great Master's Seminary chapel messages given by John MacArthur titled "All Things Work Together For Good" (MP3s: Part 1 | Part 2). Part 1 deals a lot with assurance of salvation. Good stuff.

Get On The Good Foot

I'm relaunching this blog as a place to write about my thoughts on theology, Christianity, the Church, and all that related stuff. I'm going to get a few posts in the can before I announce it, just to see if I'll stick to it. But, assuming I actually consistently write here, I can't think of a better way to restart it than with this poem/sermon.

I'm Not A Good Gardener

I think I just hit on something. Lately I've been getting so frustrated with my students because they don't care about Bible studies or quiet times or even prayer and talks. My first inclination is to look at myself, which isn't necessarily bad, but I don't think my delivery is so horrible as to turn people off. And as I try more and more to "hide behind the Bible", I can't say the material is to blame.

I think it's just that some of them flat out aren't interested. And there isn't a whole lot I can do. The Great Commission was about preaching the Gospel and making disciples. That's my job. Not entertaining teenagers so they'll think I'm cool and laugh.

My frustrations are coming from the fact that I don't like the idea of just planting seeds. I want immediate results. I want bratty, selfish students to all of a sudden become student leaders and prayer warriors. But that's not the way it happens. At least, that's not the expectation I need to have every time we talk. It's not my job to change their lives. That's the Spirit's job. I can't make them want to be better Christians. I can only sow the seeds of Truth.

Gardening means a lot of time in the sun, kneeling over harsh ground, and watering it regularly. Gardening requires patience and hope and trust that the seed will grow because that's what seeds do when well tended.

Ultimately, it's not about me. Why do I have to keep getting over myself so often?

And There It Is

A quick history note: For years (literally), I have wondered if I should be going into full-time youth ministry. I even spent my freshman year of college thinking I was a Christian Education major. Youth ministry has always appealed to me, for a variety of reason. My youth pastors had some powerfully positive influences on me. I think I build good rapport with students. I’m a decent public speaker. And, most importantly, I always feel fulfilled when I do it. Like I was doing the right thing.

But I struggled with a full-time calling for one main reason—I never really felt called to go out and be a youth pastor as much as I felt called to the church I was at. I love working with the youth at my church now (as I did in CA), but I never really wanted to move to Georgia or Oregon or wherever to work with youth. I don’t even want to go to a church around the corner. I’ve always only been interested in working with the students I know at the church I’m at. But I’ve always had this lingering feeling that I should be doing more.

Fast forward.

Three hours ago, I talked about being “shaped to serve Christ”, the fourth “answer” to the question “What on earth am I here for?” from SYM’s Welcome to the Planet Super-Series. It’s just a different way at getting at Rick Warren's five purposes (see: Purpose-Driven Life, Church, etc). Planet is a good series and I’ve been enjoying teaching it.

One of the key points I made tonight was about how true joy and satisfaction and right-ness is only experienced when we are living a life of service. That we won’t know the “abundant life” Jesus promised until we start thinking about serving others instead of how we will be served, that we contribute instead of consume. Mainly talked from Mark 8:34-38 and Matthew 20:26-28.

But it wasn’t until I was driving home from dropping off some students and I was reflecting on how the night went that it hit me. Maybe the reason I always feel good about being in youth ministry is simply because I’m serving.

I believe that God has shaped us all differently to complete and complement the body of Christ. I mean, that’s what 1 Corinthians 12 is all about. And there’s certainly a satisfaction that comes from using your gifts and talents in their fullness. But I think a large part of that joy comes from the act of service itself.

One of the lines from this lesson that’s sticking with me is “we are never more like Christ than when we serve”. The totality of Christ’s mission was to, in the old Hard Rock Cafe slogan, “Love All. Serve All.” From those two concepts flowed His entire ministry with the end result “to give his life as a ransom for many.”

I may still be called to full-time ministry. My buddy Chad didn’t hear it until he was in his 30’s. But now he and his family are uprooting and moving all the way across the world. That may be me some day. But to get there, if that’s what God wants of me, I think I had to get past this confliction about what my ministry was supposed to be.

I can feel good about being involved in youth ministry. Even that I’m being used by God and am doing the right thing. But all that doesn’t mean I have to drop everything and go to seminary. There’s a joy that every believer, no matter what role they’re playing in the local church, should have. And it comes from simply serving. Where you are, with what you’ve got. That’s it.

It took me years to realize that being a Christian isn’t being part of some big, grandiose ministry where thousands are reached daily and the heathens are converted en masse. It’s a daily (and sometimes hourly) choice to submit my will to that of Christ. To seek to shape my attitude to His. To seek His voice in the Bible. And to speak to Him in prayer. To die to self.

When I do that, I can be used. Oftentimes in small ways. God didn’t (necessarily) call me out of my sin to be the next Billy Graham. Or even the next Doug Routledge or Jim Roberts (my youth pastors growing up). He called me to serve Him as best I can, wherever I am.

Maybe God has something “bigger” in store for me. We’ll see. I think wiping away these cobwebs will help make anything else that might come along a little clearer. But for now, I can find joy and peace and happiness and satisfaction in what I’m doing as it is. I know that I serve a wonderful, loving God who promises me that when I give it all up, I’ll get back something better that I could have ever gotten on my own. Letting go is my job; what happens after that is God’s.

It seems so simple that I should have realized it years ago. And in some ways I feel stupid for not already having seen it. Maybe I just wasn’t ready yet. Maybe if I’d spent more time reading my Bible it would have hit me sooner. Either way, I’m here now. And I’m glad.

I came across a succinct and inspiring quote while doing some research for tonight:

“In following Christ, we always get more than we give up. What we receive is in a different currency, but it is always more valuable than anything that we yield. We give up our pseudo-self; we find who we really are. We give up fleeting pleasures; we experience true joy, true fellowship, true love.”

Being the part-time youth director at our church can be enough for now. I don’t necessarily have to do more to qualify as serving God. It’s funny, but I’ve been staring the answer in the face for months.

I’ve told my students over and over again that what God wants more than anything is their hearts. That tithing isn’t about your money, it’s about your heart. Worship isn’t about singing, it’s about your heart. Prayer isn’t about asking God for stuff, it’s about your heart.

And here I am. Finally realizing that serving Jesus isn’t about being a youth pastor, it’s about my heart.

What Can I Do?

One of the hard realities I constantly grapple with as a part-timer is that I will never have the time available that I want to spend with students. I won’t be able to hang out after school with them. I won’t be able to grab lunch with them whenever I want. They can’t swing by my office whenever and shoot the breeze. I won’t be able to get to know them and their families as deeply as I’d like. If at all, for some of them.

So what can I do?

I think back to my youth pastors and I remember what made the biggest impressions on me. I can teach them to love the Word of God. I can show them that a life spent in pursuit of God is a life well lived. That to be wholly committed to Christ is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it’s the best choice there is.

My students won’t remember 99% of what I say this year. But hopefully they’ll remember that their youth leader, a regular guy, stood up and said the most meaningful thing you’ll do in life is serve God.

I can live with that.

And That's That

We had our final young adult meeting of the summer last night. Had a bbq and swim party, sang some of our favorite songs (notably “Shut De Do”, which has become the group’s theme song of sorts), and wrapped up the SHAPE series we were doing. ((We also had a weekend retreat a few weeks ago that I didn’t get to write about. Good times were had by all.)

The core of the SHAPE series is really about serving. About finding how God has shaped you to serve Him and the church. Last night’s discussion was on the “E”—experiences. I was going to talk about how God uses our positive and negative experiences to ministry to others, even though the negatives are often painful at the time we go through them. And I did, but I cut it real short because of something I read on Friday.

My college friends Chad and Kendal are going to Papua New Guinea as missionaries with Wycliffe. He’s leaving behind a career in IT, she a teacher-turned-stay-at-home-mom, to take their family (two kids) across the world in service to Christ.

So last week I’m thinking about how to wrap up this big concept on how God has created you uniquely to serve him and what that looks like and the good and the bad and all that. Then I discover Chad’s already written it all for me. See, he keeps a blog where he has been chronicling the experiences of their rather unique process.

He wrote last week about the sadness of the process while being awash in the joy of serving Christ. I read it several times before last Sunday’s meeting, but I still got choked up when I read it to the group. I went through my (short) notes on the relevance of our experiences, read Chad’s post, prayed, and we were done. What he wrote summed up everything I could have wanted to say and show these students about serving God.

Thanks, Chad, for ministering to my students and I, even though it has nothing to do with your "declared" ministry. Just another example of how when we are focused on serving Christ, our life can have marvelous and unexpected fruit.

The Big "D"

The last few discussions have been good ones with the young adult group. Actually, all of them have been good, but the one from two weeks ago (off last week for a World Cup group bbq) was especially lively—talking about idolatry. What is it? Why does God tell us not to do it? How do we pervert our understanding of God when we have idols? How does idolatry pervert our relationship with God and our purpose on earth? What are modern day idols? Very spirited discussion. The week before that was gossip, also a lively talk. Lots of confessions, but lots of good thoughts about how to avoid it as well.

So I was a little hesitant when Laura suggested to make the topic for last night “doctrine”.

We’d gotten the latest issue of Connections in the mail last week and the cover article was “The D Word-Has ‘Doctrine’ Become The New Dirty Word?” Good piece about how modern culture and religious movements like the emergent church have begun to marginalize the concept of doctrine. Good article and certainly worth the read.

I wasn’t sure what kind of discussion it would be, honestly. A lot of them are church kids, so it could be totally boring with lots of “right” answers. Turns out I was wrong.

I started off by asking, “What comes to your mind when I say the word ‘doctrine’?”

The answers, by and large, boiled down to two themes:
• Doctrines are written by people smarter than me.
• Doctrines are boring and don’t matter much.

It was then that I knew I had my discussion cut out for me.

We spent the rest of the meeting talk about what doctrines are, how they differ from theology, why it is important to have biblically sound doctrines, what happens when we have bad doctrines, and then touched on a few of the biggie doctrines and their tenants that have come under fire—Trinity, Christ, Hell/Heaven, Exclusivity (and sufficiency) of Christ for salvation, omniscience of God, and some others offshoots.

As the discussion kicked in, I really wanted to help them understand that while they may dismiss the idea of studying doctrines, we all subscribe to them—whether we call them that or not. And the whole point of good doctrine is to lead us deeper into the Bible and into our knowledge of God, not to write research papers on.

I think to some extent the discussion helped open their eyes to the importance of doctrines and the role they play in our faith. And that they’re not mutually exclusive with having a “relational” faith. In fact, they’re central to having the right kind of relationships.

The more we learn about God, the more complex and mysterious we realize He is. Sort of a “How deep does the rabbit hole go?” type thing. To ignore doctrines because they’re complex or intimidating is cheapening our faith and robbing us of a deeper knowledge of a God who wants to be known.

Besides, Malcolm keeps telling me how readable Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology is, so I guess I don't have any more excuses.

That "New Ministry" Smell

With the youth group taking the summer off except for a few events here and there, Laura and I decided to take a stab at connecting with the most overlooked group in our church, the “college/career/young adults”. We’ve opted to just call it just the “Young Adult Ministry”.

Open to anyone from just-graduated high school seniors to 25 year olds, we meet from 6–9 every Sunday night in a home. We had a very generous family offer their (very nice) house for meeting and we took ‘em up on it.

It’s been three weeks now and I love it. The first hour or so is eating dinner (Laura usually makes it, although I’m thinking of doling out dessert duties to a different person each week) and just hanging out. Then we do about three or four praise songs, hit a little prayer, and go into our topic for the night.

Actually, after prayer we’ve been going around the room and just sharing how our week has been. I like that, too. Maybe I’ll move that to before prayer and we can have more specific prayer time.

Then on to the topic. The group discussed what they wanted the group to look like the first week and decided to go for an informal topic-based discussion each week. Last week was science and God and how they mix. Last night’s was church unity, where we see schisms and how we can help mend. I think next week I might do gossip, what is it and what kind of damage it causes.

The biggest challenge is trying to keep them on-topic. As always, some are more guilty of this than others. Part of it is that they just don’t have the opportunity to get together with their peers like this and talk on spiritual things, so they tend to run all over the board. Which is good, but what might make for productive bonding can also lead to unproductive discussions. And since the rest of the evening is for bonding, I’m trying to figure out how to steer the discussion without forcing it down people’s throats.

However, the greatest joy is the excitement and energy they bring to the group. Almost everyone contributes every week. After months of trying to get more than three student leaders in the youth group to contribute each week, this is a veritable cakewalk. And the folks themselves are really enjoying the time together.

This age group has definitely felt left out in the cold (for a variety of reasons), so they’re enjoying the opportunity to fellowship and grow with their peers. I’m sure this ministry will take on new shape when half of them go back to school for the fall, but that’ll be fine. For now, ministry is happening.

Youth Sunday

Ah, Youth Sunday. A right of passage for youth workers everywhere. We were in charge of our first this past Sunday, and it went off without a hitch.

And when I say, “Without a hitch,” I really mean “nobody spontaneously combusted mid-hymn”.

Ten minutes into the service, we’re supposed to do “He Reigns” by the Newsboys as a praise song. But to mix it up a bit (for that is the purpose of Youth Sunday), we were going to show the Newsboys’ video of the song and have people sing along (lyrics were printed as an insert in the bulletin).

The DVD starts up, pauses, and the A/V guys says, “I’m very sorry, but a critical component of the sound system has failed. We won’t be able to hear the DVD.”

What he really meant by “won’t be able to hear the DVD” was “No audio will work at all. No mics, no monitors, nothing.”

So we hopped up on stage, grabbed the acoustic guitars, and went on to our next song, “Open The Eyes Of My Heart”. The show must go on.

It was a little tough for some segments without mics (especially for some of the soft-spoken girls), but in a way it relaxed everyone. Sorta broke the tension. I mean, hey. The sound wasn’t working, so how could this be a real service? Let’s just wing it and go.

Much fun was had and we received many positive comments, especially regarding the Lord’s Prayer skit we did (which featured the voice of God yelling from the sound booth in the back since we were mic-less). Three students spoke on wisdom from different passages in Proverbs and they all did an extraordinary job. All in all, a good service.

But one I’m glad is over.

And Then There's Joy

Last week we did a sort of wrap-up and review. The wrap-up went pretty well, but the review was cut short by an inordinately long game of Four On A Couch (which still ended in a tie). One of the things I did was pass out “review” sheets. You can have a copy of them if you’d like (Word or PDF) for your own use.

The cool thing was that several students wrote stuff like “We love you guys!” in the “Anything else?” section.

The funny thing was like 12 people checked “Game Night” as their favorite activity even though only three people came. Good to know the event was such a bit hit! Apparently word got around.

After writing about my frustrations last week, it was nice to get a little encouragement. Doesn’t mean we’re doing a good job, but at least they like us, right?  :-)