I just got in the mail Thabiti Anyabwile’s excellent book, What Is A Healthy Church Member? WTS also offers a PDF of the preface, introduction and Mark 1. After skimming it quickly, I found it wrought with much application and think it would be an excellent small group material for our church (potentially i.e. if the elders agree). Breaking from the conventional mold of 9 Marks, he gives 10 Marks of a healthy church member:
A Healthy Church Member Is…
1) An Expositional Listener
2) A Biblical Theologian
3) Gospel Saturated
4) Genuinely Converted
5) A Biblical Evangelist
6) A Committed Member
7) Seeks Discipline
8) A Growing Disciple
9) A Humble Follower
10) A Prayer Warrior

If you are looking for a book that will practically help your involvement in your church, this book is for you.

For today’s sermon of the week, there’s a sermon many are talking about:

C.J. Mahaney preached the final message in the Don’t Waste Your Life series at Covenant Life Church on Don’t Waste Your Sports from 1 Corinthians 10:31. I thought Tony Reinke summarized well when he quoted C.J. early in the message:

“Participation in sports must be informed by the knowledge of God. We have a tendency, when considering the topic of glorifying God in sports, to proceed immediately to practical application and to prematurely consider specific ways we are called to glorify God in sports. But any practical consideration must first proceed from a theologically informed understanding of the character of God as revealed in Scripture and the person and work of Christ. We must begin our consideration of this topic—of every topic!—with God. Until we behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ we cannot accurately or authentically glorify God (2 Cor. 4:6). Before we play sports for the glory of God we must behold the glory of God. … And this morning I have asked Puritan theologian John Owen to assist me:

Because he is—that is, an infinitely glorious, good, wise, holy, powerful, righteous, self-subsisting, self-sufficient, all-sufficient Being, the fountain, cause, and author of life and being to all things, and of all that is good in every kind, the first cause, last end, and absolute sovereign Lord of all, the rest and all-satisfactory reward of all other beings—therefore he is to be adored and worshipped. Hence are we in our hearts, minds, and souls, to admire, adore, and love him. His praises are we to celebrate. In him we are to trust and fear, and so to resign ourselves and all our concerns unto his will and disposal, to regard him with all the acts of our minds and persons, answerable to the holy properties and excellencies of his nature. This is to glorify him as God.

No doubt some are asking, ‘What does a 17th-century Puritan (who didn’t have game) have to say to the modern athlete? How does this relate to my soccer game or cross-country meet?’ Here’s why: When I behold the glory of God prior to playing sports, my heart is affected and transformed. This makes all the difference when I step out onto the field or court. This knowledge of God positions me to glorify Him and not myself. Our participation in sports must be informed by the knowledge of God in order to keep us from turning sports into something ugly, rather than beautiful. This knowledge of God’s glory will keep us from wasting our sports.”

More information on the sermon as well as info for the MP3 is available here.

The Kansas State Fair comes to Hutchinson in just 3 days. Pretty wild to think about, really. There’s a map of the fairgrounds available for those wishing to plan their time more specifically. Many of us go to the fair for one real reason–the food. Elrond Wedel tipped me of to this: A Food Directory for the 2008 Fair. In the words of Elrond, “whet your appetites” and enjoy!

I thought these words from Tim Ellsworth were both convicting and exhorting in tone.

I’m posting my Marriage Monday column a bit early due to the holiday (Labor Day) on Monday. I have been working through a section of The Exemplary Husband for quite some time. On pp.180-183, Stuart Scott, the author of this excellent work, lists some manifestations of pride which so easily emerge from our lives. Here is a sampling of some that leaped at me:

Being unteachable. Many proud individuals know it all. They’re superior. They can’t seem to learn anything from anyone else. They respect no one. (Proverbs 19:20; John 9:13-34)

Being sarcastic, hurtful, or degrading. Proud people can be very unkind people. Those who belittle other people usually want to raise themselves up above others. Very often this can be quite cleverly done through jesting. They may excuse themselves by saying, “That’s just the way I am. That’s my personality” (Proverbs 12:18, 23).

Being defensive or blame-shifting. You will often hear a proud person say, “Are you saying it’s my fault?” or “Well, what about you?” (Genesis 3:12-13; Proverbs 12:1)

A lack of admitting when you are wrong. A proud person will make a great many excuses such as, “I was tired,” or “I was having a bad day” (Proverbs 10:17).

Being impatient or irritable with others. A proud person might be angry wirth otehr people because they are concerned that their own schedule or plans are being ruined. They are often inflexible on preference issues (Ephesians 4:31-32).

These are just a few of the 30 Scott mentions. I know that as I’ve been mulling over these, God has again and again reminded me of what an arrogant person I am. Thank God this sin is met with grace through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Let’s repent of our pride and live to honor God above all.

Today, Meg and I celebrate our 4th Anniversary. (Interesting side note: If you ever want to remember how many years we have been together, think presidential elections, because I vividly remember spending part of my honeymoon watching political conventions while Meg was recovering from an illness.) We are both so grateful to God for His kindness to us. This is expressed in so many ways:

God’s deepened our relationship and allowed us to not only grow closer to one another but closer to Him.

God’s blessed us with 2 sons and entrusted us with the responsibility of raising them to be men that glorify Him. I heard C.J. mention the other day that parenting is about preparing children for the day of judgment. We want to be faithful to raise them but we are blessed in these gifts He’s given us.

God’s provided through the thick and thin. We began this journey together with me never being a senior pastor and being oblivious to many things. Meg would probably echo something to that effect as well. But to see how God has provided grace all along the way for whatever we face has been so encouraging.

Today, then, we are rejoicing and praising God. Pray that our celebration blesses Him.

Yesterday, JT posted links to Boundless Webzine’s 3 part series from David Powlison. When it comes to wrestling truth about the human heart, it doesn’t get much better than Powlison. Check out this series:

Sane Faith: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

I was really encouraged by this post on self-immolation in ministry. I often wonder if I am being a good steward of my time. I try to redeem my commute home to prepare my heart to serve my family. Times in ministry are sometimes very busy and almost breakneck speed. This week, for instance, I had an elder’s meeting that lasted till 11PM and then turned around for a 6:30AM meeting with another guy. This article, then, proved very helpful when it summarized and said:

work hard, play hard. The body needs its rest and exercise as surely as it needs food and drink. The minister who neglects these is “a self-immolated victim”.

May God grant me that kind of grace so that He is ultimately glorified in what I do.

Piper’s book has long been one of my favorites, now starting September 14, our adults are going to be exposed to this in Sunday School. David Lansdowne will be leading his class over this curriculum.

They have a website, podcast, blog, and products to coincide with this great curriculum.

Here’s the message they seek to communicate in the curriculum:

We want people to know that they will find their greatest happiness and deepest fulfillment when they spend their lives magnifying Christ.

We want to show them that God loves them, but that this love may be different than they’ve ever thought.

And we want people to see that the unwasted life is the life that seeks its own joy by putting the infinite value of Christ on display for the world to see.

Check out these resources and, by all means, don’t waste your life.

I have been greatly helped in recent days by Mark Driscoll’s podcast and a series he did entitled Pray Like Jesus. I commend it to you as this week’s free audio of the week.