Rescued, the Movie

Get your copy, it looks excellent.

http://rescuedthemovie.com/

G. Mark Sumpter

Kids Sounding Off With Answers

Kids and Catechism: Sounding Off Back and Forth with Bible and Theology

“Catechetical training is as basic as asking good questions and expecting good answers. Quite simply, catechizing is the asking of set questions and the listening to set responses. There is not a lot of glamor to it, is there? However, when you press the concept a bit, you will find some encouragement. Most people associate catechism with instruction that comes through asking questions out loud.

The word catechism derives from the Greek word katecheo, which provides us with another helpful image. Indeed, it is a word with some beauty as an image for training our children in the faith. It is the combination of two Greek words. Kata is a word that generally means ‘down’ or ‘down towards’ You probably recognize the other word, echeo, meaning ‘to sound.’ We are familiar with the English word echo, which indicates a sound that repeats itself as it resonates.

This is exactly how the catechism works. You ask a theological question, and then you wait for your child to sound back the answer. This is a hopeful idea when it comes to teaching our children. Isn't this exactly what we want? Don't we want the truth of Scripture to echo in the hearts of our children? As we ‘sound down’ the truth of our Lord, we hope that this same sound will echo back in the hearts and lives of our covenant loved ones. Isn't that great! We want the truth of God's word to resonate in the souls of our children.”

For the rest of this article on Kids, Catechism and Character, see New Horizons magazine
 
We have the tendency to treat catechism class in our reformed churches much like a needle point class. Yawnsville. What about hand motions? What about Paste the Pastor? What about rhyme? What about a song? What about relay races? What about Pen, Lose or Draw? What about Catch-it, Cat?
 
At the end of the day, our goal is to have dialogue, sounding back and forth, with children about God’s truth. Different forms of communication, along with games and fun can set the stage for conversations and learning.
 
G. Mark Sumpter

Life with Brothers

Thankfulness for Daily Gifts of Fellowship

“Because God has already laid the only foundation of our fellowship, because God has bound us together in one body with other Christians in Jesus Christ, long before we entered into common life with them, we enter into that common life not as demanders but as thankful recipients. We thank God for what He has done for us. We thank God for giving us brethren who live by His call, by His forgiveness, and His promise. We do not complain of what God does not give us; we rather thank God for what He does give us daily. And is not what has been given us enough: brothers, who go on living with us through sin and need under the blessing of His grace? Is the divine gift of Christian fellowship anything less than this, any day, even the most difficult and distressing day? Even when sin and misunderstanding burden the communal life, is not the sinning brother, with whom I, too, stand under the Word of Christ? Will not his sin be a constant occasion for me to give thanks that both of us may live in the forgiving love of God in Jesus Christ? Thus the very hour of disillusionment with my brother becomes incomparable salutary, because it so thoroughly teaches me that neither of us can lie by our own words and deeds, but only by that one Word and Deed which really binds us together—the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. When the morning mists of dreams vanish, then dawns the bright day of Christian fellowship.” Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, pp. 28-29.

There’s a phone call with a sister in the Lord regarding answer to prayer.

There’s another phone call from a medical institution who calls giving good news about our financial obligations to them.

There’s an old friend from years back that stops by unannounced—for friendship.

There’s a good long distance talk with a fellow-worker in the Gospel—we both need encouragement.

There’s the fellowship of good, solid, open talk with five others in a small group discussing Calvin’s view of the importance of having and beholding Christ given to us in the New Testament; Calvin writes: “They [Old Testament people] had but a slight taste of it; we [in the New Testament era of the Gospel] can more richly enjoy it.” (see p. 423, Vol. 1 Calvin’s Institutes from Westminster/John Knox Press)

Bonhoeffer says it well, “We thank God for giving us brethren who live by His call, by His forgiveness, and His promise. We do not complain of what God does not give us; we rather thank God for what He does give us daily.”

G. Mark Sumpter

Launching T-Shirts at Halftime

Formality in worship

PCA Pastor Jeff Meyers, while writing about the propriety and significance of calling-garb for the pastor, comments on formality in worship. He persuasively wows the reader; he reminds me of the T-Shirt Cannon guys at halftime. Good, fun stuff.

“Since for Americans there is often an in-built negative reaction to any mention of formality in worship, let us turn briefly to Hebrews 12 and Revelation 4-5. Hebrews 12:22-24 describes a New Covenant (contrasted with the Old Covenant worship of vss. 18-21) corporate, Lord’s Day worship service. When the church gathers on the Lord Day she enters into heaven (by faith) to worship God with all of the angelic host and departed saints. It is as if the roof of the church building is torn off when the pastor calls the people to worship. Notice that the worshipers are all organized around the throne of God. The worship service does not merely provide an opportunity for private devotional experiences. The church is a ‘city’ and a ‘joyous assembly’ or ‘festal array’ (v. 22). The word translated ‘festal assembly’ denotes an assembly of people gathered for a celebration or festival. Later, when we are privileged with the Apostle John in the book of Revelation to peek into heaven, how is the worship conducted? What kind of worship is modeled for us in heaven? There are all kinds of liturgical lessons to be learned here. I only wish to highlight one aspect: the heavenly service is liturgical and formal. According to Revelation 4-5, heavenly worship is a formal, coordinated activity. There are cooperative, formal responses by groups of worshipers. Everybody responds together with the same words. There are no individual displays of spirituality. Angels, elders, and creatures respond antiphonally with responses that must have been learned! They have been trained. There is a pre-arranged form to the worship. They have rehearsed this event, and they are dressed accordingly (Rev. 4:4). In other words, heavenly, Spirit-guided worship is liturgical and formal (1 Cor. 14:26-33).”

G. Mark Sumpter

How Young is too Young?

Nurture little ones in God's truth and life

Mike is a father who wonders “I have a two-year-old boy and another about to turn three, but most materials seem to be written for older kids. When should I start?”

It’s never too early! All you need is a book with good pictures. You can begin talking about the pictures, even with a one-year-old. Over time, you can explain more and more. Your children will begin to love those books and want to learn more.

First impressions are often the image that last a lifetime, so make them count.


Many good books are available, even reprints of old books. The New England Primer, used by the early Puritans in America, allows parents to teach serious biblical truths along with their ABCs. Newer books, geared for young ages, include the alphabet books A is for Adam and D is for Dinosaur (by Ken Ham).


Check out catechisms for children. Ask your pastor or church librarian. Depending on your denomination, check out the background and history about catechetical nurture HERE. At bedtime, ask simple questions:


Who made you? God made me.


What else did God make? God made all things.


Why did God make you and all things? For His own glory.


Who is God? God is the maker of all things.


Who made God? No one.


Was God ever not there? No.


Has God always been? Yes.


Will God always be (alive)? Yes.


Did God have a birthday? No.


Will God have a funeral? No.


Can you say this another way? Yes, God is eternal.


With very young children, repetition is key. Although they aren’t ready for long discourses, they’ll repeat to you simple phrases and sentences. That’s how God made them to respond at this age. As they mature, you can add additional explanations and move on to more extended questions and answers.


Of course, teaching time doesn’t always need to be formal. Wanda, mother of three-year-old Susan, takes advantage of every teachable moment: ‘When we’re pulling weeds, I mentioned that we wouldn’t have to do this if Adam hadn’t sinned. When our cats leave dead animals at the house, I talk about the bad news (why things die) and the good news that we can live forever in heaven, the good gift from God that we receive by faith in Jesus.’


Whatever method you choose, do teach. It’s never too early to begin with the truths of the Bible with the little ones entrusted to you!


Read below what OPC pastor Edd Cathey conveys at this one particular time of baptizing an infant—he provides excellent points about God’s early start with little ones:


"Since before he was born and received his name, little Graham has been in a developing relationship with [his parents] Megan and Behn. He heard their voices every day. When he was born, that relationship was intensified with hugs and kisses and touch and sight along with more words of love. He is learning to trust them through all these things. He is a person and his family members are persons- expanded recently to aunts, uncles, grandparents, and others. He is a person receiving communications of love from persons.


In Holy Baptism he is about to be embraced in an intense way by Another who loves him and calls him by name. The one God in three persons is speaking to Graham.

Just as he did not at first comprehend those earlier voices and touches completely, he does not fully comprehend the gracious Triune God who embraces him with covenant love. Nevertheless, God is calling his name and saying “Graham, you are mine, follow me, I am your Savior, I put my name on you.”

My son, Toby, offers great quotes about using the question and answer method, something that can be used with little ones:

“The word 'catechism' derives from the Greek word katecheo which is found in several places in Scripture. The most familiar is Luke 1:4, where Luke explains why he wrote his Gospel: 'that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed [catechichized].' Like many Greek words katecheo is put together from two words, in this case kata, meaning 'down toward,' and echeo, meaning 'to sound.' Katecheo is 'sound down.'"

From Donald Van Dyken, Rediscovering Catechism, 12-13


And again:


“We teach first the Bible and then the confessions, the Bible because it is God speaking to his people, and the confessions because they are the church speaking to God, answering his Word."


From Donald Van Dyken, Rediscovering Catechism, 56


Our Faith Presbyterian congregation has been using the children’s catechism and the Westminster Shorter Catechism in a memory program, see one HERE, and it’s been great for our young children, students and their families. The reinforcement, modeling and grounding in truth has been gold.

Ideas for this post are taken from Answers magazine, (April-May 2008), Great Commission Publications (the publishing arm of the OPC and PCA), the book, Rediscovering Catechism (from Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co.) and the Catechism for Little Persons (by Jim Dennison, an OPC minister and professor at Northwest Theological Seminary in Seattle).

G. Mark Sumpter

Thank List from 2010, Part 1

Give Thanks!

The church’s—Faith OPC—ministry to Cameron, a dear young man with severe mental developmental issues; the congregation has been stellar—he’s a gift from Christ to our body

Seeing C.J. Stretch, a first-line Center last year, of the Kamloops Blazers and his breakaway goal that sealed his team's victory—February 3rd

The Master’s Touch, an orchestra ensemble ministry of 21-22 youths and adults, who accompanied a Good Friday worship service in Roseburg, OR

The new vision-casting and organizational advancement of Pacific Bible College of Medford, OR under the hand of President Mike Robinson

The head-turning milestone for the Grants Pass Gospel Rescue Mission to see God’s Hand forward the move into the men’s residence; and along the same line, the gracious provision of Emilio to replace Pastor Keith Heck as Executive Director

The newly established hands-on learning and fellowship ministry called the Rogue Valley Christian Film Club

Bear Creek Community Church of Medford, OR, and their faithful modeling for the rest of us in the Rogue Valley on a solid ministry to the weak

G. Mark Sumpter

Teachers, Not Missional Pace-Setters

Biblical Authority, Strong Conviction for Repentance and Revival

“If there is going to be a renaissance of religion, its bearers will not be people who have been falling all over each other to be ‘relevant to modern man’…Strong eruptions of religious faith have always been marked by the appearance of people with firm, unapologetic, often uncompromising convictions—that is, by types that are the very opposite from those presently engaged in the various ‘relevance’ operations. Put simply: Ages of faith are not marked by ‘dialogue’ but by proclamation…I would affirm that the concern for the institutional structures of the Church will be vain unless there is also a new conviction and a new authority in the Christian community.”

From Peter L. Berger. Quoted in The Presbyterian Journal, 1971—as cited in J.M. Boice’s systematic theology called, Foundations of the Christian Faith IVP, p. 673.

The crowds were astonished with Jesus because He taught with authority. That reference to His authority meant, no doubt, the method of teaching without having to quote the accepted rabbinic traditions of His time. So true.

But I wonder about something more. Wasn’t there a manifestation of His authority seen in additional attention-getting, pressing and forceful ways?

His loyalty to be the learner of God—His sinless life matched His words. Holiness.

He quoted and exposited the Old Testament. He rooted His claims about His own person and work fulfilling God's promises in the provision of the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. Using the Scriptures.

He cried out at times in a loud voice to teach, to proclaim; and at times, He refused to answer a question. Conviction.

He taught in informal occasions—on mountainsides, at the waterfront, privately, at night, while walking, with crowds about their hubbub. In routines, known as Teacher.

He harnessed a range of methods—parables, illustrations, a refusal to answer questions, metaphor, lecture, handling objects, discussion, reviewing a lesson, preaching, scratching in the dirt, reading, citing quotes, referring to songs, comparisons, spoken and direct confrontation. Brought the truth in relationship to others and their capacities.

He was known as Teacher. 45 times, at least, He was addressed with that title.

Our times are ones where we note quality leadership and authority stem from plans, goal-setting and contagious-infectious modeling. We’re told about influential, missional pace-setting pastors. These same folk tell us of the importance to rally around the man, or more, to rally around the vision of the man.

Also, what compounds the short-change of the practice of faithful authority in the local church springs from the ready acknowledgment that the REAL teaching gifts and their application reside in the seminary or Bible college. The academy gets the first-priority nod about authority.  

So how can we get started on Berger's renewal?

Without teaching a people perish, we’re told in Proverbs (Proverbs 29:18). It has to be exposition of the Bible where the Scriptures are providing both the diagnosis of circumstances and people, and then as well, giving that same kind of attention to Jesus Christ, His glory, and our union in Him—His life, death, resurrection and ascension. Biblical exposition must be working at such authority that provides for sound church health and growth.

Pastors must hunger for correction and improvement about their teaching. Ruling elders should have an open door to the pastor for his needful, fruitful correction.

Where can we go to access helpful resources that aim at improving the teaching gifts of our men?

Should pastors try to be more collegial in some of their endeavors in the practice of teaching? There should be times of pastor to pastor modeling and evaluation.

When pastors write, they get the chance to work at clarity, expression and fluidity. Giving pastoral interns writing assignments might be a start.

Teaching in large groups and in small groups, with the ebb and flow of diverse settings, can help with adjustments and improvements.

The growing churches—Berger’s renaissance churches—are well-grounded with Biblically expositional feeding and care for God’s flock; such an endeavor speaks of faithful, penetrating Biblical authority.

Unapologetic, convicting teachers of the Word, not missional pace-setters are what we’re talking about.

G. Mark Sumpter

After the Lord’s Supper

The part about “to...fulfill their vows…”

Question 175 from the Westminster Larger Catechism


Q. 175. What is the duty of Christians, after they have received the sacrament of the Lord's supper?


A. The duty of Christians, after they have received the sacrament of the Lord's supper, is seriously to consider how they have behaved themselves therein, and with what success; if they find quickening and comfort, to bless God for it, beg the continuance of it, watch against relapses, fulfill their vows, and encourage themselves to a frequent attendance on that ordinance: but if they find no present benefit, more exactly to review their preparation to, and carriage at, the sacrament; in both which, if they can approve themselves to God and their own consciences, they are to wait for the fruit of it in due time: but, if they see they have failed in either, they are to be humbled, and to attend upon it afterwards with more care and diligence.


At Faith Presbyterian, we left worship renewed in the covenant mercies and covenant marching orders of the Lord last week, and there was the stress of fulfilling our vows to one another; after all, we had just heard from the Lord of His renewal with us, now it was time in our own renewal to walk in the vows. So, there was the exhortation: “we’ve just sat at the Table together; we say we enjoy the Table Fellowship, let us go forward and be the family we are in Christ Jesus.”


I like this question: What is the duty of Christians, after they have received the sacrament of the Lord's supper?


G. Mark Sumpter

Preaching within the Glorious Stream of Grace

Situating exposition into God's faithfulness

“Moralism, which merely tells people that what they are doing is wrong and tells them several practical steps to take that will correct that wrong, falls far short of preaching Christ. Preaching isolated biblical texts as examples of how to live without placing each story in the stream that leads to Christ falls short of preaching Christ.”

In the book, Reforming Pastoral Ministry, p. 120 (Editor: John Armstrong, a Crossway Publication, 2001).

Keeping the exposition and application in the stream of grace, keeps the preaching in an historical context. God works through persons and events, thus, we’re brought back to God’s work by His faithfulness, wisdom and power. That’s preaching that centers on Him. The persons and events of the Old and New Testaments feed into the person and events of Jesus Christ—His person and His work. Our union with Christ, by faith in Him, is one with His person of righteousness, of penal substitution and His glorious triumph at His empty tomb. In Christ, we’re given release from slavery to sin, and we’re given incentive and strength to live for God’s glory. Because He lives, we may live too. Lord, help me to preach the person and work of Jesus.

G. Mark Sumpter

Ministry to the Disabled

Grace for those who are disabled

I read this three or four days ago from the commentary on the Larger Catechism from Johannes Vos on Q. 60.

Here’s the question in view:

Q. 60. Can they who have never heard the gospel, and so know not Jesus Christ, nor believe in him, be saved by their living according to the light of nature?

A. They who, having never heard the gospel, know not Jesus Christ, and believe not in him, cannot be saved, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, or the laws of that religion which they profess; neither is there salvation in any other, but in Christ alone, who is the Savior only of his body the church.

Vos expands on this subject matter, and he applies it to ministry to persons with disabilities:

What further hope may we have for the salvation of some of the heathen?

ANSWER: “See the Confession of Faith, 10.3 (second sentence), which refers to other persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word. This refers to persons born mentally deficient. It is certainly possible that some or even all of such people will be among the saved although they are incapable of coming to understand and believe the gospel. ”

These words from Vos remind me of the time at New Life OPC in Escondido, CA we had a strong ministry to the disabled. They were gifts from Jesus Christ to our congregation back then. The ministry of the Word was strong to them, and they were in regular worship with us. Maybe it should be said that we joined them in worship! The congregation offered cups of cold water to them. It was a great ministry.

I know that in the Reformed world we have to keep working hard on learning how to minister to disabled persons—to present the gospel to them well and to administer the sacraments to them as faithfully as we can.

I think a proper and fitting manner and attitude of ministry to disable persons is to err on the side of graciousness and support to such ones. Extending ourselves to baptize them into the covenant; and to reach them with the Word and the administration of the Lord’s Supper seems fitting.

Jesus told the story of the banquet, see Luke 14:

¹²He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. ¹³But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Would it be in line with Scripture to welcome to the Lord and His feast disabled persons, who, like these others in the story from Jesus, cannot repay?

Maybe there are churches and para-church ministries that have insight on this area of gospel work. I know that the Christian Reformed Church has had a strong ministry to mentally disabled persons for two or three decades now.

G. Mark Sumpter

The Word and Sacraments

The Lord Veiled but He Confronts in Word and Sacraments

“The Word and Sacraments are the forms of abasement which Christ the Mediator to-day assumes in confronting us with His grace and challenge. They are the symbols by which He to-day accommodates Himself to our limited capacity for apprehending the divine and veils that in Himself with which we cannot bear to be directly confronted. The same self-revealing Lord who showed Himself to the people of Israel in many and varied forms, ceremonies, dreams and visions, confronts us to-day when the Word is preached and the Sacraments administered, and it is to the Word and Sacraments that we must turn if we wish to enter into communion with Him.”

Ronald Wallace in his, Calvin's Doctrine of the Word and Sacrament, p. 22

G. Mark Sumpter

Our Seeking God and Pastoral Initiative

“In a shepherding relationship the pastor seeks after the lost. The Good Shepherd searches out the strayed, the lost, and the fallen. The pastoral act of visiting a parishioner in the hospital communicates that seeking quality of God.

This seeking characteristic provides the imaginative basis for the practice of pastoral initiative. The right of initiative is unique to the pastoral role. Other professions do not claim it as a right. In fact, in the practice of other professions, it might well be considered unethical.

Initiative is a mixed blessing for pastors. Pastors may feel that their uninvited visits are intrusive. There is certainly an ambiguous quality and perhaps a presumptuous quality to initiating a visit not explicitly requested. As pastors we can only anticipate what some of the reactions might be. It is no wonder that clinical pastoral education students and many pastors are reluctant to initiate such visits.

Pastoral initiative suggest the covenant nature of the relationship between the pastor and parishioner. As a member of the church, the body of Christ, the parishioner has entered into a relationship with a community of faith and care. That care is personified in the person of the pastor. Implicit in this covenant is the parishioner's willingness to receive the care of a seeking God through the care of others.”

From the book, The Pastor and The Patient by Kent Richmond and David Middelton, p. 22

G. Mark Sumpter

Is Your Repentance Showing?

“The problems that the church faces today are not, then, first of all a product of the world's hostility. The world is always hostile to the church. The problems are rather the result of her failure to be pleasing to her Lord. The church is in danger not of the world's wrath, but of God's. As Eliot said, it is when we will not worship the jealous Lord that we have to pay our respects to Hitler and Stalin. The world's attacks on the church, then, are not overcome primarily by direct counterattack. The church's first response to legal attacks must not be legal; her first reaction to slander must not be self-defense. The church's first response to the world's hostitility must always and ever be abandonment of idols and repentance toward God. Her first response must always and even be to return to exclusive devotion to her Lord.”

The Kingdom and the Power by Peter Leithart, p. 183

G. Mark Sumpter

Growing Fat Little Bodies

To postpone the work of religious education until preparatory school and college is as rash as it is foolish. ‘Let a child wait until he is grown and then choose his own religion,’ said an English statesman in the hearing of Coleridge. Coleridge made no reply, but led the speaker out into his garden. ‘Look around upon the bare ground’ he said quietly: ‘I have decided not to put out any flowers and vegetables this year, but to wait till August and let the garden decide for itself whether it prefers weeds or strawberries.’

From Catechetics by the Lutheran Churchman Michael Reu, (1869-1943)

G. Mark Sumpter

Calvin Face to Face

Back in 1981, I read these words: "the average local church in the U.S. barely has one nostril out of the water...and with Reformed churches in most cases, [they are] experiencing the same nosedive."

What's gone wrong? Why the nosedive?

That quote comes from Jack Miller's Evangelism and Your Church. Miller goes on to address what he calls a theology of missionary expectancy. And from what example does he draw to showcase missionary expectancy? Why, it's that staunch, crusty and doctrinaire Professor of Sacred Scripture-guy named John Calvin. It was the lofty scholar and trumpeter of Sovereign Election.

Miller writes, "Calvin was not slow to translate his own missionary vision into action. During the years 1555 to 1562, 88 men were trained and commissioned by Calvin as pastors to France. Additional works established in Holland and Scotland by men trained by Calvin were greatly blessed. In Scotland, the response to Christ was so overwhelming that one contemporary observed that 'the sky rained men.'"

88 men trained for church ministry, church planting and missionary work.

Contemporary British pastor Erroll Hulse corroborates:

"There may have been more than 88. Historical research is hampered by the fact that everything in that period was done in a secretive way for security reasons. Also we must account for many short term missions into France. Those who were ordained and sent out as church planters were exceptionally gifted men…Of these missionaries those who were not already accredited pastors were obliged to conform to rigorous standards set up by Calvin. The moral life of the candidate, his theological integrity and his preaching ability were subject to careful examination. With regard to moral discipline a system was established by which the pastors were responsible to each other. There was an exacting code listing offences that were not to be tolerated in a minister. Offenses in money, dishonesty or sexual misconduct meant instant dismissal…Only when Calvin judged a man to possess the necessary fiber and stamina would he be sent into France to preach and plant churches. Each church began by a group gathering in a home, and then out of that a fully disciplined church would be constituted. Such was termed 'a dressed church'. In 1555 there was only one 'dressed church'. Seven years later, in 1562, there were 2150 such churches!"

See the article by Hulse, “John Calvin and His Missionary Enterprise.”

Pray for your pastor to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to be under the influence of the life-transforming message of Jesus Christ, and to preach and shepherd with the vision of missionary expectancy. "We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God." May 2 Corinthians 5:20 be our signature.

G. Mark Sumpter