"There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God." --Psalm 46:4

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Serving God with His people at Faith OPC has been a great joy and blessing. When I grow up, I want to umpire Little League Baseball. I will revel on that day when I can say to a 10-year-old boy after four pitched balls, "Take a walk in the sunshine." My wife of 30+ years, Peggy, consistently demonstrates the love of Christ and remains my very best friend. Our six children, our four lovely, sweetie-pie daughters-in-law, and our four grandchildren serve as resident theologians.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Lessons Galore

This entry from Tim Challies, a blogger. Years ago, our family read these. The author is Paul White. Great fun, great stories, plenty of fun talk, and lessons galore on gospel faith and life. I used to sell these at Evangelical Bible Book Store on the campus of Westminster West. Get ‘em while they’re piping hot. Read on. HT: Mr. Challies.

Epidemics, Drug Dealers, Witchdoctors, Wildlife… vs. The Gospel

...epidemics weren’t the only battle the doctor faced. Satan used drug dealers, witchdoctors, and menacing wildlife in an attempt to choke out the doctor’s Gospel message. Yet Paul, clearly a gifted communicator, effectively shared God’s love with Tanzanian families in a unique way that made complete sense to them. If your family likes read aloud books, know that these are some of best, for there is much to discuss in nearly every chapter. From the idiosyncrasies of the Australian language and how diseases are spread to the dark side of unbelief, each volume is an education in itself. First published in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Jungle Doctor series has been translated into more than eighty languages, including Braille, and is newly reprinted for another generation.



G. Mark Sumpter

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Hard to Leave, Part 6


The three Scriptural ingredients below have helped me to work through the strengths and weaknesses of Contemporary Christian Music and its role regarding public worship. These same matters also keep a Biblical grid before us on positive steps to take about choosing selections of worship music. The three are: 1) truth, 2) purpose and 3) people.


Let me illustrate the use of these three points of Biblical ingredients: In the Westminster Confession of Faith, a summary of the Bible’s system of faith, at chapter 16 we are told that a good work acceptable to God done by man must conform to three ingredients. A good work must be done 1) according to the Word of God, 2) for the purpose of glorifying God and 3)with a new heart. These three fit nicely with the triangle below with respect to worship music selections for public worship: #1 the music text and musical composition should comport with God's Standard, the Word, #2 requires that we keep in mind the occasion or setting of public worship; it's a public service for the glory of God, and #3 worship music offered to God requires that it be offered with a new heart in Christ.

#1 Truth/Standard

#2 Occasion/Purpose
#3 People


These three ingredients are to be held together, serving as complementary principles for our reflection and practice for music and singing for public worship. One side of the triangle serves as a counter-balance for the two others.

So, for example, we might find the text and tunes of a hymn or a Scripture Song or contemporary worship hymn biblically and theologically sound, and it may fit well for the occasion and purpose of public worship, but in terms of the people, let’s imagine that only the seven members of the praise ensemble have the knowledge and skill to sing the piece. Due to the Biblical principle that worship singing, for the occasion of public worship, is for all of God’s people, not a few, we won’t sing the song until the congregation has been trained. Or take another instance, let’s imagine that the worship song comports nicely with Scripture, God’s truth; and the people love the text and tune, they know it well, but it doesn’t fit the setting and occasion of public worship. Because of that deficiency we conclude that it's inappropriate for public worship.

G. Mark Sumpter

One Potato, Two Potato