Author: jimmyreagan

The Emptiness of Performance-Based Christianity (Independent Baptist Truth Revolution #16)

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Have you felt the pressure? Have you tried so hard only to feel a failure? Do many sermons fail to encourage you? Do those same sermons in fact discourage and even deflate you? Where they propose to guide you and you want the guidance, do you feel taken to the cliff and pushed off? I mean you who are desiring to serve the Lord and dearly love Jesus Christ, how is it for you? Though in no way exclusive to us, the performance approach runs rampant through the Independent Baptist world.

What I mean by a performance approach is that approach to the Christian life where performing at a high level is the evidence that I have arrived as a believer. I talk the part, I look the part, and sadly, I play the part. It tends to revolve around high levels of Christian service, documentable adherence to a series of (outward) rules, and a nagging wonderment of whether I have performed at a high enough level after all. Some pastors push this on people while many laden themselves with this load too heavy to bear.

Despite its widespread acceptance, it is incompatible as a model to live the Christian life. It actually robs us of all the peace and joy the Christian life was designed to give us. Come to think if it, that is the proof that the performance-based approach is wrong. It steals the very things it promises to give.

This approach is causing two hideous problems. First, it is crushing many of us. It causes many to leave church lower than they went. It makes many so upset they can barely read the Bible or think of the Lord. Beyond the idea that this approach is the evidence of a successful Christian life, it morfs naturally into what makes the Lord love and accept me. If I am delivering at a high rate He is happy and enjoys my company; if I don’t, He is not happy and I better be scared. The disaster is that I can not deliver. There is too much wrong with me.

People caught up in this approach, then, are faced with one of two choices. They can either allow their pride to convince themselves that they really are living up to this ideal, almost perfect, Christian life, which of course they are not. This choice will usually birth a Pharisee. The other option is to see the truth for what it is and then fall into despair. At least this one is more honest, but it is miserable! You might make the facade quite lovely, but you are dying inside because it is much different than that facade.

The other problem is that it becomes a vehicle for pastoral abuse. I can’t get the Lord’s approval with this approach, I might be able to get a pastor’s approval. The facade might satisfy him. So I go get my approval where I can. What we end up with is a breeding ground for pastoral abuse. If I need someone’s approval to sustain me, I am in that person’s grip.

Can you see why you ought to throw performance-based Christianity on the trash heap of history? It does not work! Can you see why? Something is missing. Actually Someone is missing. His name is Jesus Christ. It is a bizarre idea and foreign to biblical truth that we were helpless and needed Him the day we got saved, but today we can make our own way. Hey, I was a wreck the day He saved me, but in my daily life I am still a mess and need Him moment by moment. He saved my soul, but my life still stumbles and bumbles along failing at the worst of times.

If I am progressing in my Christian life and doing the things I should as well as in my Christian service, it is because of Him.

You would be surprised how much better it is living in the light of the certain knowledge that He loves me than grasping to earn His love with currency I do not have, nor can ever produce.

Please chuck performance-based Christianity for the real deal of Christ-based Christianity today. Then watch the peace and joy come flooding back in.

Find all articles in the series here.

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Epic Grace: Chronicles Of A Recovering Idiot by Kurt Bubna

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This book is different. It reaches its destination by a distinct path. Instead of the theological pathway, Mr. Bubna travels the curvy lanes of his own life. While that often doesn’t work, in this case since the subject is grace and he is blatantly transparent, it works. We see the depths of what God’s grace can pull us up from.

This book succeeds from two directions. First, you may not have been as big an idiot (his term) as he has, but the Lord’s grace has truly been epic. It overcame and reversed so much in his case–marital mistakes, financial mistakes, career mistakes, and a host of big, clear sins. You read and think, wow, God’s grace was big enough to handle it. Second, in that you and I have quite a bit of idiocy too if we are honest in our tabulations, we see His grace is big enough for us as well! Every believer urgently needs to see that glorious truth!

He went beyond his idiocy as well. Life handed him some other blows. Hard times, a Dad who failed him, his parent’s divorce, sexual abuse, health crisis for loved ones, and finally for himself all crossed his plate. He even traced grace from little dumb decisions that really weren’t sin, but were really dumb. You know, he is right– grace is epic.

I might not agree with every word he said, but the book is helpful. He writes in an engaging style and I found myself wanting to read on and so read the book pretty quickly. God’s grace is all it is said to be and more!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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Sounding The Depths by Michael Milton

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“When Jesus prays for His people” reads the subtitle of this volume published by EP Books that in six sermons covers the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus in John 17. In that some call that Scripture the Holy of Holies of the New Testament, it is valuable to have some additional help especially for it. Mr. Milton is a seasoned pastor who likely preached these sermons to his own people first.

These sermons don’t wrestle with every phrase as some expository sermons might, but are strong in application. It is not of the depth of say, Lloyd-Jones, but its less than 100 pages might be ideal in many situations. Its emphasis of Jesus deep love for us makes for good devotional reading as well.

He says, “God has allowed you to listen to the words of this prayer. He prays for those who will believe through the testimony of those first disciples.” That is compelling!

I personally thought the last three sermons were even better than the first three. He draws out well how fantastic it is that Jesus prays for us. No matter how bad things are, He prays for us! Then, he traces the humility Jesus showed and the lessons we can gain from it. He says, “In the world of self-actualizing, success-driven athletes and business people, we must return to the Ross. No true greatness, nothing of eternal value can come out of the strength of man. We must rely on the strength of God, and this call for humility.” Sounds right to me.

He ends showing that if Jesus is loving and prays for us, we should trust Him. That is a great application to carry away from John 17.

This volume is short, but solid. For either study or devotions it could be beneficial.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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Join Me In This Revolution! (Independent Baptist Truth Revolution #15)

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What is needed from you? I have been pleasantly surprised by the size of the readership of this blog series and I have been overjoyed by the many positive responses we have received. It proves something. The problems of the Independent Baptist world come in great part from a very vocal fringe element. Frankly, we have given them too large a voice. The saddest part is that we have allowed ourselves to be defined by them in the eyes of many. And it is quite embarrassing.

We should not have allowed them to do so. We did, it was a mistake, but it is now history. On the other hand, we are not held hostage to that history. We must seize the present and change the future. I want to not only convince you it can be done, but enlist you in the battle to change it. You can make a difference.

We need to be vocal. I plead that we back up our words with a Christlike spirit, which will, in many cases, one-up the other side. To do otherwise is to be afflicted with the same problems we seek to change. We can support the right things. We can talk up the preaching of God’s Word over the opinions of men. We can live and speak balance. We can champion soul liberty. We can stand against abuse in our churches in all its ugly forms. We can encourage those who follow these things even at great cost. We can seek to influence those in our own sphere as well as the larger sphere of social media.

Perhaps you say that you don’t have a way with words. Anyone can speak encouragement. As for social media, you can always share quotes or articles. One thing that has expanded the reach of this blog series has been the folks who simply shared it. There are other blogs, some probably better, and they can be shared too. You don’t have to agree with every article on a blog to share it. Ignore the ones you don’t like and share those that match how you feel. That is soul liberty in action. And if you can get up your nerve, take a stab at writing a few sentences of your own. Write from your heart and it will be good. Your influence will go farther than you think.

Join me in this revolution. Silence is not golden…it is criminal. We are enabling these folks if we don’t say: “stop”. Every little voice (you and me) joined together can stop the big bullies. Their influence can be muted, their reign of terror stopped!

Think of the American Revolution as an example of the kind of Independent Baptist Truth Revolution we need. We need spiritual patriots! We need to proclaim that we will not be held in bondage. Our American Patriot forbears were not afraid of the labels hurled at them. They were called traitors; we may be called compromisers or liberals. Our ideals of what we believe are too great for that to be a real threat. Seize your spiritual liberties!

Remember the admonition in 1 Peter 3:15,
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
They need your answer.

We need to band together. I want to make one thing clear- I don’t seek to be the George Washington of this revolution. I am not even qualified. I just want to be a fellow soldier with you. I want to be a Patrick Henry who says, “Give me liberty, or give me death.”
That Christ be our authority, that His Word be magnified over the demands of men, that our consciences be clear with Him, is that important to me. I pray it is to you!

Find all posts in the series here.

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The Cost Of Disloyalty (Independent Baptist Truth Revolution #14)

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There is an ugly side to separation. While a Scriptural mandate for separation in particular instances exists, it becomes a club in the hands of those who misuse and abuse it. Some run separation over its boundary walls and flood the plains of Christian unity. In our Independent Baptist world ( and in some other places too), some get flogged and run away with clear instructions to never come back. Usually, they never do. In too many sad cases, they run away from Christianity altogether. Wouldn’t you hate to be the cause of such a crime? Some wear it like a badge!

Perhaps some are misguided. Perhaps they think they are doing God a favor. Perhaps they have no discernment and think all errors are equal, and of course, to them disagreement is error. They enjoy a legal system that treats a speeding violation and murder as worthy of quite different punishments while never thinking that denying the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and holding a looser standard on some issue are quite different too. To them no compromise means separating from every person who holds a different point of view at every juncture. They are vigilant to make sure everyone crosses every “t” and dots every “i”. Perhaps they just need help to see they have some T-crossing and I-dotting to do themselves in that they had better make sure they are practicing separation as the Lord has told us.

But there is an uglier side still and it is diabolical. Some use it to control the masses. It is, for them, a cattle-herding technique. Someone at the head of a prominent clique sends an edict down that Bro. So-and-so must be separated from. Not only must he be separated from, but we must tell our people and friends to do likewise. Mention it, talk about it, Facebook about it–it often becomes a greater push than we give to things like fighting abortion, etc.

Why do I say it is diabolical? Because if you trace it back, you find despite the feigned indignation for God’s glory, nothing more than a hideous case of politics. Someone wouldn’t stay in line, or some big dog felt threatened, or too many listen to the guy instead of them, or that we grow our kingdom by overthrowing other kingdoms; yes, just politics. Jesus’ name is thrown around, but what has He to do with any of it? Need I answer that question?

In these cases I am thinking of great “doctrinal” issues came up. Strangely, no one had ever thought of them before, but now they are one of the fundamentals of the faith! Are you seeing something wrong with this picture? Could it be that you and I have been used in a political game?

I think now of a few prominent cases that sent tremors through the entire Independent Baptist world. I can’t mention them because many would take the issue, run and pick a side, and probably throw in a quote by one of the aforementioned leaders. We would forget the issue that we are actually talking about. See what I mean about being herded cattle? That is exactly what some want us to do.

We can’t make anyone do anything, but we can:
1. Determine that we will see ourselves as individually accountable to God and will practice separation ONLY as God’s Word has specifically stated.
2. Determine we will allow no leader, no matter how respectable, to dictate our consciences for us. We have God’s Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
3. Dedicate ourselves to remember that we have a duty to every fellow believer that includes loving treatment.
4. Dedicate ourselves to never treating anyone as a pawn in a political game, nor being a party to others who do.

I would be remiss if I didn’t warn you that if you do right, you might find yourself on the wrong side of this separation. The cost of disloyalty to men can be high, but the cost of disloyalty to Christ might cost you more.

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Find all articles in the series here.

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Romans 1-7 For You by Timothy Keller

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Here is a winner! This volume on the first half of Romans, and part of the new God’s Word For You series published by The Good Book Company, offers real help. Don’t let having only 200 pages fool you as the flow of thought in this portion of Scripture is traced with a deft hand. I felt issues were unraveled and explained in a particularly understandable way.

Mr. Keller carefully makes sure that we don’t confuse the Gospel with its masquerading saboteurs. May the Lord help us not to fall for the diabolical would-be gospels of either liberalism or license! I appreciate this volume’s consistency in dismantling equally these two errors. Arising from the ashes is the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ! For the record, that is what Romans 1 through 7 is actually discussing and so this commentary is right on track.

I am impressed too that this volume could help such a wide-ranging audience. Any layman or Bible student could greatly benefit while a pastor trying to unlock a passage for a sermon could as well. I personally love after reading in depth, exegetical commentaries to read some like this one for the grand sweep of the passage. You could hardly find one better than this one on that score. In my library of doubles stacked shelves, this is a front row volume!

This book works great as a reference tool, but was designed to be read straight through too. I read it that way and found it a devotional feast. Many volumes billed for such usage usually fail at one or the other, but where they failed this volume succeeds.

This series has great potential if the other volumes can hold this standard. Even here in Romans, we have to wait for a future volume to travel through the great battleground of Bible students in Romans 9-11. Still, I want to back up and get the two volumes already released in this series. I give this volume 5 stars plus!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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The Pastor: A Memoir (Books On The Ministry # 12)

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Given to me as a gift from a friend, this volume by Eugene Peterson is a book every pastor needs to read. Don’t overlook biography or memoirs as a source of great insight into the ministry, and such is the case here. The beauty of this book is what parts of his life he chronicled. Much is left out as only those events that in some way shaped him as a pastor are told. The wisdom comes from those events that he saw as shaping him. Even better, is the wisdom he distills for us from those events!

He is candid throughout. Not as a dose of false humility, but sincerely enough that I actually imagine I could name his real faults. He is a writer too. Dullness never found its way into these pages. I must warn you, however, that he cuts against the grain. He slams what he calls the American consumerism that has infected and well nigh destroyed our churches at every point possible. The value, again, is that he unearths it in us.

He exposes that we don’t know how to have “holy rest”. We don’t know how to be silent so that we might hear the Lord. He learned to avoid: “Inappropriate, anxiety-driven, fear-driven work (that) would only interfere with and distract from what God was already doing.”

He confesses that the unlearning is slow and hard, but you find yourself wanting to begin the journey as you read these pages. He had to learn to loosen his grip so that others can exercise the gifts God had given them. Ministry became more effective and more extensive too.

I could not follow Mr. Peterson at every point. He certainly found inspiration in a few places I never could. Still, the book is a jewel. I could tell you more, but you should mine this book’s treasures for yourself!

Find all articles in the series here.

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Life In Christ by Jeremy Walker

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What is the most essential item in our Christian life? Surely our life in Christ, though neglected in many circles, is the right answer. Christianity, as it has been said, is Christ, and our relationship to Him is vital at every point. To help us think clearly here enter Life In Christ by Jeremy Walker to spur our thoughts in a proper direction. As the subtitle says, we get help on “becoming and being a disciple of The Lord Jesus Christ.”

I suspect this volume began as a series of sermons, but they flow wonderfully to give us more than a mere book of sermons. The first chapter begins with a frank discussion of looking to Jesus as the key to salvation. That is the right starting point. We have nothing to discuss until we are in Christ! I loved Mr. Walker’s description of the glory of the statement : “if anyone is in Christ” (pg. 22). There is no distinction in any of us who are in Christ! From here he goes on to proclaim “the unsearchable riches of Christ.”

There are other great chapters. “The Jewel of Assurance” is especially good. He tries to strike the right balance when he reminds us that we are a “work in progress.” Mr. Walker is a Calvinist, but there really are only a few places where you couldn’t agree as one who isn’t a Calvinist. You will be helped to get your thinking straight and focus on being Christ’s disciple.

Don’t think that this volume could only help a new Christian. The truths here are of the type that we can never be reminded of enough. In addition, this volume covers this key ground with verve. I recommend it.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Video Interviews on this volume:
Janet Mefford Show
Confessing Baptist Podcast

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Letting Go (Independent Baptist Truth Revolution #12)

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This one is difficult to write. The issue is not as widespread as some I have written of lately, but for some it is the most intense. Without further suspense, I speak of adult children, often times parents themselves, of parents in the Independent Baptist world. Again, this is not unique to us as if springs from a temptation for every parent–not letting go.

There is the more visible manifestation of this problem in one of the smaller segments of the Independent Baptist world. You will see a family that lives in a way similar to the Amish or Mennonites. They will often dress that way and live cloistered from the world. I am not criticizing them for that lifestyle because if they feel they should live that way to honor the Lord, it isn’t my place to say it is wrong even if I feel that the Lord is not asking that of me. I know some of them love the Lord as much as I do.

What is an issue is how at times the family is handled. The man is rigidly in charge and makes every decision to the smallest detail. I have seen some of the mothers in this environment who seem to often be looking downcast and unhappy, but that is a discussion for another day. Then there are the children. Becoming a legal adult changes nothing. I have seen several men and women in their mid-20s who couldn’t go even to town without parental permission. To decide on a life course or whom to marry is out of the question. The parents will decide, require long courtships, and have endless hoops for their grown children to jump through. My first thought is that if your child is incapable to make good decisions on their own by 25, you should make a public confession that you have already failed. By then, you have missed your chance. If these young folks ever get the courage to go their own way, the greatest pressure is often brought to bear. It kind of reminds the of Amish and their shunning. The parents are the patriarch and matriarch and naturally are the spiritual gurus for the whole family. Perhaps you shake your head and say this is ridiculous.

Much more surprising, and not as obvious, is another segment that in no way look like the Amish but demand a role in their adult children’s lives that robs them of standing on their own in life and before the Lord. Often times they are the ones with the higher standards and feel those standards are some of the most critical things of the Christian life. I have no criticism of anyone’s standards as long as they realize that it is not their place to impose them on everyone else.

A real problem arises when those adult children go through a process that all believers must go through–feeling a necessity to know what the Lord wants for themselves and then making that the way they live their lives. All too often that may mean a few differences in detail than what their parents followed. Of course I would like my children to reach my same conclusion on everything, but I am not naive enough to think it will happen. For that matter, I really, when my head is on straight, want them to follow Christ instead of me anyway!

Then comes the crisis. There is the parents who they love on the one hand, and the Lord they love even more on the other. The parents feel rejected, dishonored, and unloved if they follow the Lord, or there is the guilt of not giving the Lord the first place if they follow the parents to keep the peace. It is pretty much a rotten ordeal either way, though there is really only one option to a Christian. Some withdraw from their children and practically break fellowship with them!

In addition to knowing several people personally in different families going through this situation, we have several more write either my wife or I since we have been blogging telling us of going through this problem. The names are different, the issues may be different (dress standards, church of choice, or some other standard), but the pain is the same. Relations are strained, holidays are awkward, and a rift grows. And it simply should not be.

Points For These Parents Of Adult Children To Consider:

1. Does the Lord deal with us in this way?
2. Even if you are sure your adult children are making a mistake, did the Prodical’s Father treat the Prodical Son in that way?
3. Where is your Scriptural permission to act in such a way?
4. Is it worth losing your grandchildren too?
5. Are your motives 100% pure? Is part of the your disappointment that you have made a big point out of the standard in question and it embarrasses you when others see that one of your adult children is not following what you have made a key point of your life? (A few of the cases I know about personally had one of the parents say to their adult child, “you are damaging my ministry by your change”).
6. Is it working? Are your methods yielding the results you want?

I appeal to you to let go. Your time to mold them is over. You only have influence now and you surely don’t want to throw it away because you can’t have a control you have no right to anyway.

Points For Adult Children Who Have These Issues With Their Parents:

1. Remember you are not alone.
2. You may not be able to take the unpleasantness away.
3. Love your parents.
4. But follow Christ. As you well know, He is worthy of first place. This point is non-negotiable.
5. Remember that in a few short years you will face the same problem with your children.
6. Raise your children where your control decreases and their personal decision making increases so that when they reach the steps of adulthood they can go on making their own way as we all must. You have about 18 or so years per child to get the job done. May our Lord help us as we go bumbling along the road of parenthood.
7. Don’t repeat the mistake later that causes you pain now.

I sincerely pray that many families can turn the corner on this perplexing issue.

Find all articles in the series here:

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New Library of Pastoral Care On Logos Bible Software

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When I was approached to review an electronic book product, I at first didn’t know what to think. I am a book lover. I will never get past wanting a physical book in my hands. Still, it is the wave of the future, maybe even the present, and electronic books are here to stay. Among such products there is no doubt that Logos Bible Software is the preeminent place for all kinds of scholarly and pastoral books.

I had the 10 volumes of the New Library of Pastoral Care made available to me for this review. Of course I couldn’t read all 10 volumes in this short time, but there is a wide variety of topics covered in this set. Topics like counseling, caring for the dying and bereaved, helping those with mental illness, developing listening skills, and even being a theologian as a pastor are some of the best discussed. As its title implies, this set is a virtual library in pastoral issues. I recommend it. Check it out here.

A valuable feature is that you can get a copy of the Bible to incorporate as you study. Check it out here. This greatly increases the value of this product.

The beauty of Logos is that it can be used on any “smart” device. It worked well on my iPad, and it of course works on regular PCs. There is a simple link to download any needed apps.

I feel YouTube videos will make more sense than me trying to explain uses in words. Check out this video for ideas for using in sermon preparation, or actually writing out a sermon. Here is another video with an impressive clause search feature.

I am still sticking to books, but I am glad to have this opportunity to use a product that is so widely used by preachers and Bible students every where. If I can take a plunge, anyone can!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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