Our leader

Mark Dever - Study Video from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

A year ago...

--We were writing papers on the first portion ofPolity and The Bruised Reed.
--We were having our third Intern Discussion--surely all still humbled by Merker's affection and perplexed by Lingle's opposition to Bridges.
--We were leaving for the Desiring God Pastor's Conference--which would be a turning point for all of us in our perception of Manley.
--I think Garrett and Stam got closer on the plane ride with talks of life in marriage.

Grateful to God for bringing you into my life a year ago!

S-L-E-D: A Response to Pro-Choice Thinking

Yesterday, Denny Burk preached from Proverbs 24.10-12 on abortion. He gave us a useful mnemonic device to respond to people who make arguments to deny the humanity of babies in the womb: SLED.

Size: Is Klon Kitchen more human just because he's bigger than Michael Jr.?
Level of Development: Is Garrett more human because he's more developed mentally, physically, emotionally than Jackson? (This assumes Jackson isn't yet doing his own searches for '80s classics on YouTube.)
Environment: Is Merker more human just because he dwells in the capital of the free world, whereas Lingle resides in Hicksville, Carolina? (Likewise, the womb doesn't preclude humanity.)
Degree of Dependency: Were the four more human than the paralytic they lowered to be near Jesus? After all, the paralytic's image-bearing accountability was affirmed when Jesus forgave his sins and healed him.

Anyway, I thought this was a worthy tool to memorize. Hope you're well, brothers!

This is how you pose for a pastoral portrait.

Idolatry?

Open Night of Worship from Jamie Clements on Vimeo.

Haiti Canceled

Hey brothers,

Our trip to Haiti has been canceled due to the earthquake. Please pray for missionaries and members of our church who were in Port-au-Prince awaiting our arrival when the earthquake hit. All landlines and mobile communications have been knocked out so we have not heard from them yet, but we anxiously wait for word of their safety.

Praise God for his control over all of creation. And praise him that even as he shakes this world now, there will be a greater shaking to come. But we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire (Heb 12:28-29).

More about Haiti

Nik,
We'll be praying for you as you're there. Most of all for the people of Haiti after this tragic earthquake today. I'm not sure what it will look like when you get down there, but of course your trip may be different than you expect. Hope God will use you to help in ways that you weren't planning.

-Mark

Haiti

I'll be traveling to Haiti tomorrow morning (Wed, Jan 13) and will be there for 6 days. My pastor and a few others will be going down to teach. I'll be teaching the teen sessions from Psalm 19 and our pastor will lead a weekend pastor's conference on the nature of Biblical worship. There will also be a ladies conference and a vacation Bible school. Please pray that all these ministries would build up the local bodies in Haiti. Our goal is to strengthen the churches there with the faithful teaching of the Word.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)

I'll be sure to update the blog with pictures and reflections when I return next week.

Finding Meaning in the Pentateuch | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Finding Meaning in the Pentateuch Christianity Today A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

For Ryan

I found some old notes from intern discussion.

Once during intern discussion we were talking about the Lord's Supper in its observation apart from one central gathering.

I remember the points that came out from discussing with Mark and these were the ones I jotted down.

1. Having the Supper outside of one gathering undermines discipline.


2. It is fundamental to "the" gathering.


3. It is the active picture of who can and cannot come to the table.

Piper at the Village Church

A sermon I desperately needed to hear. Piper at the Village Church this past weekend. What a gift he is to the church.

http://tinyurl.com/ygx44hw

Ouch

While I was home I used my dad's electric razor on my head and neck. Needless to say if it was a fight... the razor won. It burned me all up. What can I say... I am my father's son. If you know my dad, you know he is constantly hurting himself.

A couple of weeks ago I ran into something much like my father would do. Here are the results.

What happens when you don't have hair to protect your head?

Big Move For Us

Brothers,
We have good news and answered prayer. It looks like God is now allowing Jennifer and me to do what we've been wanting to do. We will be moving to Turkey in mid-January to serve the workers there. A great opportunity has come up for us, so we're going to take it. We'll be visiting our families in December and January and then coming back to DC for a weekend before we head out. So we only have a couple more weekends at CHBC.
While we're in Turkey I'll have an administrative job. We'll also be able to take the time to learn Turkish and to use our lives to share the truth with those around us. We hope to be there for a long, long time. I'm happy to tell you more if you get in touch with me.
Thank you for rejoicing with us in our great God and in the gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ.

-Mark S.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thankful for you guys. Would be great to get an email or even phone call from some of you every once in a while. (eh hem....Lingle, Merker, Stam).

Local Church in Vietnam

A raid caught on tape. Heart breaking.

http://ow.ly/EgcW

If only I had a Blu-Ray player

Roll out some encouragement

Check out TML, Dever and Croft in this pic

Service Planning during renovations

Because renovations are under way we now sing the final hymn at the top of the stairway. Mark insists.

Oh my!

Name That Author...

"It would be a good contest amongst Christians, one to labour to give no offence, and the other to labour to take none. The best men are severe to themselves, tender over others."

Piper: Sailhamer

Piper: Sailhamer’s The Meaning of the Pentateuch Will Rock Your World

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Jonah Sermon Audio

Brothers, I'd love your feedback on my sermon.

My favorite fundy!

My favorite quote- "I'm a Baptist preacher!"

CHBC Sermon Schedule

All,

Check the CHBC preaching schedule! None other than our man, Garrett is up this week. Can't wait to hear it, Garrett. Will be praying for you this week. Preach the Word!

Listen to This

I have listened to this song http://vimeo.com/6741547 several times tonight. Hope it encourages you as you remember the great trip we took together and recount the love of Christ.

Be Killing Sin!

Brothers, I commend to you today's chapel message by Jim Hamilton. He warns us from David's experience with Bathsheeba.

Quote of the Day

Greg Wills just commented in Church History class that he recently listened to a sermon titled, "Why I'm Not a Southern Baptist." In his words, "It did not disappoint."

Random Memory

I thought it would be fun to remind you of a few memories from the internship. Please contribute to this. I would love to be reminded of stuff that would make me laugh hard.

1. Do you all remember this day? One of the best memories from the internship.

2. Remember the van ride to Southeastern when Merker went through every United States capitol.

3. Remember when we were treated like pledges.

4. Remember the weekender when were scolded like schoolboys.

5. Remember when Nik Lingle hung out in the intern room (wait, that never happened.).

6. Remember when I tripped on that rope at the end of the first weekender, and you all thought something had fallen from the wall and broken.

7. Remember, "No, Timmy No!"

8. Remember when I puked during landing.

PLEASE POST MEMORIES.

Manley on the Blog!

Great to be back on the blog. Matt, Ferguson's book is excellent! I highly recommend it and am thrilled to hear you are doing that with your friend. It covers everything and will allow you to think through issues and enable him to ask questions. I want to catch up soon, Merker. I assume you and Erica are doing well. I would love to hear.

Ryan, I have not forgotten about your sermon(s). I have been swamped. I intend to listen to it and give you feedback soon. Bishop, just a note also to encourage you that you have encouraged me in your faithfulness in preaching. Men, Bishop has a full plate, and he is charging ahead with ministry, and I am encouraged by that.

Stam, great to hear you preached recently. Please send the link! I would love to hear it.

Garrett, call me back when you are able. I would love to hear about your recent preaching ventures.

The Manley's are doing well. We are having a girl which completely shocked me. I am fully immersed with school (taking 12 hours, one of which is Hebrew with a man who is really intense about Hebrew named Fuller.) I really enjoyed seeing Mark last week here on campus. He is such an encouragement. And, Steve Wellum mentioned the 9 Marks ejournal on Multisites in our Systematic Class this A.M. Hopefully, that will get some good play!

I hope you all are doing well. Call me when you are able.

Discipleship Books

Brothers, I would appreciate your advice regarding a book selection for discipling a guy I met through the Intern Bible Study at CHBC. Since we're studying Ephesians in the group, I figured that when I meet with him we can discuss more personal application from Ephesians, but I think it would be helpful to go through another book together -- something theologically thoughtful, yet straightforward enough to challenge a recent college grad who hasn't read much theology.

I'm considering "The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction" by Sinclair Ferguson. I know Manley has used it in discipleship before and I would love to hear his thoughts, as well as comments from anyone else who has read the book and/or has other ideas for me.

Thanks for your help!

Another Preacher

And pray for me, too, brothers, as I preach this weekend at Chesterbrook Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Falls Church. I'm preaching from John 4:43-54 about one of Jesus' healings. Jennifer won't need to translate for me like she has before because I'm just preaching to the English-speaking congregation that they have.

-Mark

Jonah

Oh, how I wish I were in DC right now! I'm jealous of you brothers who are. I'd love details of the night!

The flu--even the swine sort--has overtaken our congregation. Jim Hamilton, our pastor, has it too. So I found out tonight that I'm preaching Sunday. Friday and Saturday I have to put together a sermon. Please pray for my prep! I need the Lord's help especially now.

Also, don't forget to pray for Garrett as he preaches Psalm 126 this Sunday in Florida.

Conclusion - Mike Gilbart-smith

Taken from the 9Marks blog.

"Mark Dever often talks about the conclusion as being the point where the weight of the whole sermon falls down upon the congregation as it is pressed home in summary.
I think that's right. However, I find it incredibly hard to do. In a way it's a test of how coherent a message the sermon has been. If you are unable to summarise the significance of a particular sermon, then you will be unable to press it all home at once.

John Stott comes up with 5 different ways this can be done:
"The conclusion should not merely recapitulate your sermon—it should apply it. Obviously, you should be applying all along, but you should keep something for the end which will prevail upon your people to take action. “No summons, no sermon.” Preach through the head to the heart (i.e. the will). The goal of the sermon should be to “storm the citadel of the will and capture it for Jesus Christ. What do you want them to do?

Employ a variety of methods to do this:
Argument—anticipate objections and refute them.
Admonition— warn of the consequences of disobedience.
Indirect Conviction—arouse moral indignation and then turn it on them (Nathan with David).
Pleading—apply the gentle pressure of God’s love, concern for their well-being, and the needs of others.
Vision—paint a picture of what is possible through obedience to God in this area." (HT: Adrian Warnock) Of the five, I have a massive preference for the fifth where possible (so long as we stretch "obedience to God" to include, "faith in God").

One useful way to do that is through a positive biography.
Find someone who has lived out the main point of the sermon well. So, for example, if the sermon had been on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

You reach the conclusion that it is all about living today in the light of the future. A brief survey of the fruitfulness of the life of Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury and ask what made him so fruitful. Then quote from him,
"I do not think in the last forty years I have lived one conscious hour that was not influenced by the thought of our Lord’s return." "

Wedding Photos

Hello brothers,

Per Garrett's request, here is a slide show of some favorite photos from our wedding. Enjoy!!!

http://getstak.com/slideshows/erica_matt/

MM

God Exposed: Awkward Preaching In A Comfortable Age

We loaded up the church van and headed down to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary to go to the God Exposed Conf. (Southeastern and 9Marks are collaborating to do one mark of the nine each year for nine years.)

Here we are in the van with our fearless leader.

Gus and I were pretty much beside ourselves.

It was so nice to see one of my favorite places again.

Looking for a great seminary?

Mark spoke at NC State Univ on "Is becoming a Christian committing intellectual suicide?"

We handed out 9Marks materials to the college students.


I saw some old buddies (left to right- Pri, Ben, Me, Tyler, and Mark).
Mark addressing nearly 1500 students

Matt Schmucker (executive director for 9marks)

Back at the God exposed conf. at Southeastern- CJ preaching

Enjoying some grub

In between sessions the boys played.

Baptist21 panel-(Dever, Greer, Anyabwille, Leidebach, and Akin)

Breakfast at the hotel

We're still so excited

Thabiti!

Tim and I's old pad

Panel

CJ asked us to critique his talk. (seriously) Bookstore with uncle Mark means... free books!!
I love this guy.

Games in the van all the way back to D.C.

We had a great time. Thank you CHBC and 9Marks.

Wendy

Brothers, on Friday Kenwood began with UofL faculty/staff what CHBC does with Capitol talks. I met a lady named Wendy who, understandably, was troubled because she had a premature granddaughter still in ICU (she weighed about 2 pounds). We were to meet this week to speak about "a lot of things" she's dealing with. On Monday, however, Wendy's granddaughter died.

Wendy called today to see if I would officiate the funeral.

All I know about her is what I learned in 10 minutes of small talk Friday. She did mention that she had been baptized at a Baptist church long ago but hasn’t attended in many years. I know nothing of the spiritual state of her family except what I can deduce from the fact that I am being asked to do the funeral (so they surely don’t have a close relationship with any church or pastor).

Please pray for me as I seek the Lord's wisdom and direction regarding how to relate to this family, particularly from the pulpit (I think on Monday).

Psalm 34 Sermon

Brothers, my sermon from Sunday is here. Love to get your feedback!

I'd also love to get general updates about your life and walk.

Miss you, guys!

Like sheep without a shepherd...

That's what this article from the New York Times Magazine on prayer had me thinking. So many people pray, so many people need (and even desire) instruction on prayer, and yet so much of what is out there is pure baloney.

The Messianic Rabbi's (from Long Island, of course) comments about 1/2 of the way through are pretty funny, yet sad.

Check it out. You can sign up for free if you're not already registered on the Times.

Questioning Evangelism

I've been reading the book Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman. The book selection was prompted by the fact that I just recently started the first job I've ever had in which I work with unbelievers. I've never been around so many non-Christians or had so many opportunities for conversation with them. In fact, I was very thankful for an opportunity just a few days ago to have a two-hour conversation with a co-worker regarding Christianity. We talked about a variety of issues such as the problem of evil, the origin of the universe, the apparent difference between the "OT God" and the "NT God," and of course the Gospel itself.

I found in this conversation that Newman's counsel was very practical and helped me carry on a more clear-headed and balanced conversation. When my co-worker started leveling the "How could a good God permit such evil?" I calmly replied, "Let's begin with you explanation of evil; where do you think it came from?" He seemed shocked and certainly didn't have a reasonable response. So before even adressing his question, we explored his own ideas.

I'm thankful for that conversation and pray that there will be more to come. Below is a quote from the early part of Questioning Evangelism that summarizes his advice so far in the book:

"I'm proposing a style of evangelism that is a dialogue more than a sales pitch. I'm pleading for conversations that lead to conversions rather than presentations that lead to preconceptions. I'm encouraging the use of questions more than the use of answers. The apostle Paul found validity in adding 'reasoning, explaining, and proving' to his arsenal of evangelistic weapons. So should we."

My Anything

Pray for me, brothers. A busy week. Tomorrow (Wednesday) I lead discussion about God's will in theology colloquium with all theology profs and PhD students; I'm not equal to the task. Please pray for my understanding and leadership.

And please pray for me and Garrett this week as we prepare to preach from the Psalms. Me from Psalm 34, and Garrett from 64(?).

Finally, please pray for Kenwood's first gospel lunch (think: Capitol talk) for the faculty/staff at UofL on Friday.

Miss you!

Who's losing weight?

Who's losing weight?

Who's putting on weight?

Who's putting on weight?

Why Johnny Can’t Preach

Why Johnny Can’t Preach

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Manley, Where is your resignation?

As Kasey and Geoff stress over the next members meeting and 9Marks Weekender; they are still waiting for Josh Manley's resignation letter.

"After all the training, how could he forget us?"- Geoff and Kasey

Big Papa!

Ryan, we're all so happy for you our dear brother in Christ.

We look forward to knowing more about little Caleb as he grows.

Congrats to you and your bride.

Happy Birthday Matt Merker!

Matthew celebrated his 25th birthday on Wednesday. Sorry for the late post. We love you Matt.

Life at Starbucks

Hey Friends,
So wonderful to hear about the new baby Bishop! Thanks for updating us.

You can praise God with Jennifer and me that we have jobs now here in DC! It's so great to no longer be pre-employed or unemployed. I'm just finishing my first full-time week at Starbucks. I work at the super-busy one on Dupont Circle. Jennifer is teaching pre-school part-time, as well as working part-time at Ebenezer's Coffeeshop. So we're both baristas and that's a little weird. It's not really where I expected to be working, but that's ok.

We're thankful that it looks like we can now stay and live here in DC for a bit. Other parts of our life are going well enough as we try to get involved at CHBC.

Caleb Ryan, 9.3.9

In December 2005, Kelli and I started chronicling our favorite baby names. “Caleb” was on the list then and only rose in esteem. But why, finally, did we name our firstborn son “Caleb”?

Well, it’s a responsibility we take very seriously. Naming matters in the Bible. It’s an act of authority carried out by they who are responsible for the one named. So Adam names his wife “Eve.” God is seen with some regularity re-naming men and women, so Abram becomes “Abraham” and Sarai becomes “Sarah.” Notice too that biblical names are chosen to express the character of the person. It is Christ’s person in view in his name “Immanuel” (God with us). And Esau’s brother is a deceiver, so he’s named “Jacob.” Later, Jacob strives with God and refuses to desist till God blesses him; and God re-names him “Israel” (He strives with God or God strives), which reveals that another aspect of naming expresses hope for the work the person will do. God’s true Son is named “Jesus” because he will save his people from their sins.

The person and work of Caleb in the Old Testament encourage us to name our son after him. We name him in faith, with great hope that his character and mission will honor his namesake. Turn to Numbers 13-14 and Joshua 14-15 for key passages featuring Caleb. We see Caleb’s person and work in his position among the people of God and in his stance toward the nations:

Caleb’s Position Among the People of God
“The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel." Numbers 14.7-10

Faithful to his promises, the Lord saved an insignificant people out of Egyptian slavery and made that people into a cherished nation, Israel. But the people rebelled and grumbled against their Savior, all the way through the wilderness to the edge of the promised land to which he was bringing them. Testing their faith, the Lord had Moses select chiefs of the 12 tribes of Israel to spy out the land of Canaan and to bring back a report of its beauty, resources, and people. The spies return affirming all the Lord had promised: The land is rich with produce, a land exceedingly great. But, most of the spies grumble, the enemy men in the land are great as well. And they despair, doubting the Lord’s ability to bring them into the land he promised them.

And Joshua and Caleb speak up, calling God’s people to trust the Lord who fights for them. Caleb was the representative chosen from the tribe of Judah, which is the kingly line (see Jacob’s blessing of Judah, Gen 49.8-12; “Ryan,” which means “little king” reinforces our hopes for our son). Just as Caleb called the people to faith and, in that way, battled their sin of unbelief, we’re praying our Caleb acts as a little king who images the True King who battled and defeated sin finally for others. We pray that Caleb would act wisely and bravely among God’s people and that he ever would lead them to trust Christ and not to fear men, especially when they are tempted.

We’re praying too that our Caleb’s legacy resembles his namesake’s. Othniel, Caleb’s nephew, was the deliverer the Lord raised for his people when they cried out to him. And Caleb’s great grandson, Bezalel, built the tabernacle. Just as Caleb led the people into battle to defeat God’s enemies and to make a way for Israel to inherit the promised land, so Bezalel created the place where God’s presence dwelt during their wanderings. Pray with us that our Caleb would devote himself to the building of God’s dwelling place, which is now found in the hearts of those who trust Christ for salvation. And that leads us to Caleb’s standing in the nations...

Caleb’s Stance Toward the Nations
“Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.”

Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. Now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba. (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim.) And the land had rest from war. Joshua 14.9-15

After the rebellious spies and those who followed them in grumbling against the Lord died, Joshua and Caleb led the people into the promised land. Because foreign nations were occupying the land, the Israelites had to conquer the nations to take possession of the land God promised. And as Caleb warred with pagans, he was bringing them into subjection to the One and only Lord. Because they stood against God, these nations were defeated for their disobedience. Similarly, we’re praying that our Caleb would give himself to the destruction of rebellion. Of course, after the cross, pagans are conquered not with bloodshed but with loving invitations to cast aside all idols to trust Jesus Christ, the redeemer and reconciler of all who would be right with God. That Caleb would be devoted to conquest, crushing unbelief with bold, affectionate appeals to repent and believe in Jesus—that is our prayer for our son. I trust Brandon and Jill join us in hopes that Joshua (our nephew) and Caleb would take the nations for King Jesus, expanding the borders of his praise, that his glory would cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.

Indeed we’re hoping the Lord will be pleased to make our son faithful like the Caleb of the Bible. And yet that Old Testament hero was a sinner who desperately needed a savior. May our Caleb know his own need and find the One whose name is above all names (Phil 2.1-10).

“My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring him into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.” Lord, make it so!