All posts by mikethestrand

Reading the Bible ‘Literally’

I found a very interesting blog today on whether or not Christians read the Bible literally. It’s a question I’ve been asked before as well, and the answer is a resounding NO! I do not read the Bible literally (now, as Gru said, “Pause, for dramatic effect…”) Christians do not, and should not, read the Bible literally. Many of the things Jesus said should not and can not be taken literally (I am the vine, I am the gate for the sheep, etc). Glenn Stanton wrote a very helpful blog on this issue at The Gospel Coalition website. I’d encourage you to check it out. I’ll end the same way he did:

Francis Schaeffer, “said the faithful hold a “full” or “strong, uncompromising view of Scripture.” He never said “literal view” because to say so is literally not true.” Do you hold the same view of Scripture?

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by mikethestrand on October 17, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Blog, Theology

Posted by mikethestrand on October 17, 2012

https://pastormikesmusings.com/2012/10/17/reading-the-bible-literally/

The “Perfect” Church

Many people today like to talk about how great things USED to be. Even my little sister, who has a slight obsession with books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, continually wishes she could go back to being a pioneer on the prairie. Many people regularly do the same thing with the church, continually complaining that the church today should just get back to the way things used to be. After all, the early church had it right, didn’t they? WRONG! So many people seem to forget about all the epistles written after Acts. There Paul and Peter warn about selfishness, pride, sexual immorality and a host of other sins. Even Peter, the “Rock” of the church was confronted by Paul for favoring the Jews over the Gentiles.

Marc Cortez, a professor at Western Seminary in Portland, OR has written a wonderful blog about this very issue, titled “There Was No Golden Age”. You can read his personal blog here. Ultimately, when we look at Church history, there has never been a “golden” time where the church was as “good as it’s gonna get”. This is similar to a post I wrote a couple weeks ago on Propaganda asking why do Pastors continually quote the Puritans when they owned slaves? As I said there, I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water, every generation has certain sins they’re blind to, even our generation today will eventually be critiqued for the areas we fell short in.

One of the best lines from Marc’s blog is when he says, “I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Our Age isn’t as bad as we think it is. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying this generation is perfect, or even great. It’s not hard to look around and see all the problems and challenges we face. But, as we’ve seen, that’s been true of every generation.” What areas do you see us being blind to right now? What areas are we doing well that previous generations didn’t do as well?

(HT: Challies)

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by mikethestrand on October 9, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Blog, Church

Posted by mikethestrand on October 9, 2012

https://pastormikesmusings.com/2012/10/09/the-perfect-church/

Do Not Neglect Meeting Together

We’re currently going through a preaching series on Hebrews at the church I have the immense privilege of serving in, and this next Sunday we’re going to be in Hebrews 10 and discussing an often quoted verse on why we continue to have church, Hebrews 10:24-25. The text reads, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

We also are going through the fantastic book on worship through music by Bob Kauflin titled ‘Worship Matters.’ This past week we talked about the purpose of church. Looking at this text in Hebrews, we see that the purpose of getting together as the church is to “encourage one another” and to “stir up one another to love and good works.” So many times we approach church with the attitude of, “What can I get from church this weel?” We’ve completely turned the purpose of church around. I hate to break it to you, but the world doesn’t revolve around you. So who did you encourage at church this past Sunday and who can you encourage this coming Sunday?

For more Scripture on this topic, see 1 Corinthians 14:26, Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. Ultimately, let’s “outdo one another in showing honor.” (Rom 12:10)

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by mikethestrand on October 8, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Blog, Church

Posted by mikethestrand on October 8, 2012

https://pastormikesmusings.com/2012/10/08/do-not-neglect-meeting-together/

God Working In Our Sin

I’m so often frustrated by what I consider to be a very slow sanctification process. I so often feel like Paul in Romans 7:15, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” I came across a blog that talks about this very issue which you can read here. It talks about a man who came to Christ after many years of rebellion and was frustrated by the slow process of sanctification. The thing we so often forget is that we have so many different layers of sin that need to be dealt with! And at the very heart of these issues is pride and idolatry.

At the heart of every sin is ultimately thinking that something else is going to bring us more pleasure than God. How often do we try to take matters into our own hands instead of trusting them to God? How many times to we think that we have all the right answers instead of trusting what God has already done and said? As Calvin said, our hearts are idol factories. We are always looking for something else to put on God’s throne and worship.

Tied to idolatry is the issue of pride. I wrote a little blog about this earlier this week but want to add some more thoughts to that. Lewis writes, in Mere Christianity “It is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.” Ultimately what believers need to do, as I said earlier is not think less of themselves, but think of themselves less. That is the key to true humility.

Finally, sanctification may be a slow gradual process, but it is a process. I can look back on my life and be frustrated by what I’ve determined is too slow, but then looking back over a longer period of time I can see how much I’ve grown. For example, last year when I was working as a hospital software support guy, I had to be incredible patient with people, which is something I had been praying for for a very long time. Many of the people I was helping would comment on how patient I was with them (externally at least). After 8 months of doing that job I realized how much more patient I truly had become, not just externally. God uses so many different circumstances in order to bring about our personal holiness.

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by mikethestrand on October 6, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Blog, Theology

Posted by mikethestrand on October 6, 2012

https://pastormikesmusings.com/2012/10/06/god-working-in-our-sin/

God Answers Prayer

Growing up, one of my favorite missionaries was a man named Hudson Taylor. Hudson was the first Christian inland missionary to China who’s efforts, I think, have led to the incredible growth of the church we see there today. In fact, I was so touched by his story, that at the age of 5, I was convinced that someday I was going to be a missionary to China. As of now that hasn’t happened, but I’m not ruling out that possibility!

Today I came across a blogpost on a story in Hudson Taylor’s life before he became a missionary to China. In this story, Hudson is working as a medical assistant to a very passionate atheist and his job is to change this atheists bandages every day. Hudson prays for him every day and eventually begins to share the Gospel message with him. The man won’t listen and soon Hudson wonders if he’s doing more harm than good. Finally, Hudson decides to not share and as he’s walking out the door he looks back at the man with tears in his eyes and tells him that he can’t leave without sharing with him the Good News that has changed his life. (You can read the story in more detail here) The man accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord over his life.

How many of you continue to pray and share with someone like this, despite what seems like insurmountable odds? I’m reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” But at the same time, God will not honor our own selfish motivations. James 4:7 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.” We need to continually honor God with our lives, it’s not enough to simply pray and then expect God to fix all our problems, we need to live a life “worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Eph 4:1)

(HT: Challies)

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by mikethestrand on October 5, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Blog, Theology

Posted by mikethestrand on October 5, 2012

https://pastormikesmusings.com/2012/10/05/god-answers-prayer/

The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness

I just finished reading Tim Keller’s new book The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness and am recommending it for a few reasons. First, the book is incredible short, it only took me about 10 minutes to read. Second, it’s only $.99 in the kindle edition which you can get here. And finally, it’s a message that we all need to be reminded of on a regular basis.

In the book, Keller focuses the crux of his message on 1 Corinthians 3:21-4:7 and uses it as his description for why we need to regularly practice the art of self forgetfulness. This is something that is incredibly difficult to put into practice because our ego is constantly looking for new approval and more ways to build itself up. The only way we can truly become humble people is having a correct view of the Gospel. The Gospel transforms everything about us. Keller cites the following example from CS Lewis’ book Mere Christianity, “The essence of gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less.”

How do we think of ourselves less? I’ll let you read the book on your own time to see some of the practical ways Tim Keller suggests we do so. I hope you enjoy it!

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by mikethestrand on October 4, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Book Review, Theology

Posted by mikethestrand on October 4, 2012

https://pastormikesmusings.com/2012/10/04/the-freedom-of-self-forgetfulness/

Where Are All the Young People?

So while I enjoy writing and blogging, I haven’t been the most consistent when it comes to blogging, so I’m hoping to change that now and start blogging twice a week most of the time, and at least once a week. So there will continue to be regular updates from me in what’s going on in the church and my life.

This past weekend was quite a crazy weekend at church with both a missions workshop and a wedding that I was involved in so I’m still recovering from the weekend, but a topic we spent a good chunk of time addressing at the missions workshop is the question: why don’t we have more young people involved in things like missions and other leadership positions at church? This is an issue that has been addressed multiple times and in multiple ways yet continues to plague the church. One of the big reasons I think this has happened is that there’s this awkward stage that contains a bunch of 20-somethings and some 30-somethings, where do we “fit in” at the church? There’s usually a good ministry to college students, then another good one for parents of young children and ALWAYS something for the older retired people, but what about those who just graduated college and are for the first time navigating the waters of full time work and financial independence? Most of the church seems to stay away from them like the plague, yet we need so much help as we try to figure out how to invest our time, talents and treasures to further the kingdom! Will someone please come around us and support and encourage us, even have us over for meals to just talk about what’s going on in our lives?

So my biggest frustration is that everyone sees this as a problem and continues to ask why young people aren’t more involved and my quick and short answer is: it’s not that hard, just walk over to us and start a conversation. I can’t tell you how much it’s meant to me when some of the older people in my church have stopped me and just asked how my week was, or how something I shared encouraged them, or even the fact that they took the time to stop and talk to me meant the world to me! So instead of continuing to bring up this issue and then assume someone else is going to take care of it, just come and talk to us, I promise, we won’t bite!

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by mikethestrand on October 1, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Church

Posted by mikethestrand on October 1, 2012

https://pastormikesmusings.com/2012/10/01/where-are-all-the-young-people/

Propaganda’s New Album “Excellent”

ImageThis past week a new album by the artist Propaganda dropped and it’s fantastic! You can get it for free here and for the price, it’s worth it! I hadn’t heard of Propaganda (or hadn’t paid attention to him) until he was at the youth conference I took my youth group on this past summer but the man is gifted! Others have most likely heard him on Lecrae’s Church Clothes CD on the song ‘Misconception’

Now, as I said before, I really like this CD, I think it’s very well done and he hits on some very important issues in Christian’s lives today, but one of the tracks was very troubling to me. The one track called ‘Precious Puritans’ was interesting. You can see the lyrics and what Propaganda said about them here. After reading the interview I was much more at ease, but how many people are going to read that interview, and how many more of them will read it as Propaganda dissing everything the Puritans did. Yes, I will admit, they had their flaws and slavery was a very big flaw in that era. But not all of the Puritans were, as Propaganda put it, “chaplains on slave ships,” and for many of them, slavery was much different than we view slavery today. I’m not advocating for going along with the social norms (in those days it was slavery) but at the same time, that does need to be taken into account. For example, today many men use technology as a way to get a “quick fix” instead of pursuing holiness and purity, but I don’t think that means we need to completely do away with technology. The same way with the Puritans, while they were very flawed, I don’t think we should throw out their theology just because they had blinders on to some of their cultural “norms.” In the interview, Propaganda admits that he was overstating to make a point in his song, and at the end shows how God’s grace uses people despite them being “crooked sticks” but I still think he could have made the same point without completely dismissing the Puritans.

So despite what I consider to be an overstated argument, the CD is definitely worth getting and listening to, he deals with some heavy topics that need to be covered. For more on the song ‘Precious Puritans,’ Owen Strachan has written a very helpful blog on it, and specifically look at the first comment on the blog.

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by mikethestrand on September 28, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by mikethestrand on September 28, 2012

https://pastormikesmusings.com/2012/09/28/propagandas-new-album-excellent/

Worship Matters Part 2

Continuing my series from last week, here’s my study guide on chapters 4 and 5 in Worship Matters.

Worship Matters – Chapters 5, 6

Chapter 4 – My Hands: What Do I Practice?

  • “Rightly understood and pursued, skill can mark the difference between ineffectiveness and fruitfulness in our leading. It can contribute to, or hinder people from, engaging with God. That’s why we should make it a priority.” (34)

We are called to do everything to the best of our ability. How can you grow in the abilities God has given you? How can we encourage each other as a team to grow in our abilities?

Five Things to Remember About Skill:

  1. Skill is a Gift from God, for his Glory

See 1 Corinthians 4:7

“All gifts are from God, are intended to direct our attention to God and create fresh affection for God.” (34)

  1. Skill Must Be Developed

See 1 Chronicles 25:7

What are some ways you can develop the skills you’ve been given?

  1. Skill Doesn’t Make Worship More Acceptable Before God

See 1 Peter 2:5

Skill isn’t all God is looking for, but combined with a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17) we can better worship our Creator.

  1. Skill Should Be Evaluated By Others

We are often blind to our own areas of weakness. How can we help critique each other?

  1. Skill Is Not an End in Itself

“God wants us to realize that the point of our practice isn’t to receive the praise of others. It’s to bring him glory.” (36)

What Skill Helps Us to Do

  1. Skill Helps Us Focus on God

“My lack of skill can tempt people to be distracted, confused, and potentially irritated. I might be worshipping God, but I’m not doing all I can to help everyone else join me.” (37)

If we’re continually messing up it’s going to hinder people from truly worshipping God. I know mistakes will happen, but that’s why we need to practice to help minimize the distractions for ourselves and the body.

  1. Skill Helps Us Serve the Church
  2. Skill Multiplies Serving Opportunities

What are some areas you could possibly grow in or learn to better serve both the music team and the body?

Skills to Develop

  • “John Piper calls the right balance “undistracted excellence,” It’s a proficiency that doesn’t draw attention to itself but rather points way from itself.” (38)

Are there any ways we draw attention to ourselves instead of God? What are some ways you can think of that would draw attention to oneself?

 

  1. Leadership

All of us are leaders, just because I’m the one directing the songs doesn’t make me any more important than you. We’re even in front of the people just as long as the preaching pastor. What/who are you leading the people to?

  1. Musicianship

“Probably the most challenging part of good musical taste is knowing what to leave out.” (39)

What are some things you could leave out in your leading? What are some things we could do to simplify?

  1. Communication

How can we better communicate to the body the goal and purpose of our worship through music?

  1. Technology

As we grow in this area it may become more important (i.e., Planning Center Online)

  • “The important thing to recognize is that leading the church  to worship God requires more than a sincere hear and good intentions. It requires skill. And that involves work, time and preparation.” (41)

Do you need to invest more time to get better at leading God’s people through music?

Chapter 5 – My Life: What Do I Model?

  • “Everything we do should be governed by one goal – to see Jesus Christ praised, exalted, magnified, lifted up, and obeyed. . . People are watching us as well. Not just on Sunday morning, but throughout the week.” (44)

How well do you lead those you spend time with during the week (family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc)?

  • 1 Timothy 4:12 isn’t just a commendation to the young, but something all believers should strive for. Especially those who are in a visible leadership position. We should be setting an example for the believers in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. Which of these areas is hardest for you to set an example in? Which area do you, through God’s grace, do well in leading?
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by mikethestrand on August 17, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Blog, Music

Posted by mikethestrand on August 17, 2012

https://pastormikesmusings.com/2012/08/17/worship-matters-part-2/

Worship Matters Study Part 1

Starting tonight I’ll be leading the music team at the church I pastor through the book Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God by Bob Kauflin. It’s the most helpful book I’ve read about leading worship through music at churches today. I’ll be posting the study guides I’ve put together as we go through them, this being the first one. I hope you find it helpful.

Worship Matters – Chapters 1, 2, 3

Chapter 1 – The Important Things

  • “After thirty years of leading worship, I’ve realized that worship isn’t just an opportunity to use my musical gifts. It’s more than a heightened emotional experience or a way to make a living. It’s way more than what we do on Sunday morning.

“Worship is about what we love. What we live for.

“It’s about who we are before God.” (17)

How are some practical ways we can model this to the congregation?

  • “Worship matters. It matter to God because he is the one ultimately worthy of all worship. It matters to us because worshipping God is the reason for which we were created. And it matters to every worship leader, because we have no greater privilege than leading others to encounter the greatness of God. . . And if you don’t feel adequate for the task . . . you’re in the perfect place for God to use you.” (19)

What about those of us who do feel adequate for the task? How can we keep our pride in check to give God the glory instead of focusing on our gifts?

Chapter 2 – My Heart: What Do I Love?

  • “Your greatest challenge is what you yourself bring to the platform each and every Sunday. Your heart.” (21)

What are some idols in your life that you need to check yourself on before you lead God’s people in worship? In my experience, musicians have a tendency to revel in their own gifts and abilities, have you found this to be true with your musical gifts?

  • “If you were really hopeless, you’d stop trusting in yourself and what you can do and start trusting in what Jesus accomplished for you at the cross.” (24)

“I didn’t think of myself as a very great sinner. Which meant I didn’t need a very great Savior.” (25)

It’s only when we see ourselves in light of the perfection of Christ that we are truly able to worship God. Do you see yourself as a great sinner? Martin Luther said,

“If you are a preacher of Grace, then preach a true, not a fictitious grace; if grace is true, you must bear a true and not a fictitious sin. God does not save people who are only fictitious sinners. Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly. For he is victorious over sin, death, and the world. As long as we are here we have to sin. This life in not the dwelling place of righteousness but, as Peter says, we look for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. . . . Pray boldly-you too are a mighty sinner.”

What does it mean to “sin boldly”?

  • “While it’s simplistic to say that worship is love, it’s a fact that what we love most will determine what we genuinely worship.” (25)

What do you love? God wants us to love him more than anything else, and only when we love him that way can we love others. The love for him will spill over into our other relationships. What are some ways that you need to love Him more fully?

  • “It is therefore a matter of infinite importance, to have the whole heart engaged steadfastly for God.” (26)

Chapter 3 – My Mind: What Do I Believe

  • “The better (i.e., the more accurately) we know God through his Word, the more genuine our worship will be. . . Regardless of what we think or feel, there is no authentic worship of God without a right knowledge of God.” (28)

Do you desire to know God more fully? How often do you read your Bible? I’ve heard it said that many people have enough dust on their Bibles to write their own name in condemnation on it, and a Bible that is worn out is read by someone who isn’t. How much of a priority is there for the Bible in your life? (If you want some supplemental books in addition to the Bible talk to me about it!)

  • Misconception #1: Studying This Stuff Should Be So Hard (29(

See Luke 10:27 – notice all the areas we are to use to love the Lord

  • Misconception #2: We Know God Better Through Music Than Through Words

“Being moved emotionally is different from being changed spiritually. Music affects and helps us in many ways, but it doesn’t replace truth about God.” (30)

  • Misconception #3: Theology and Doctrine Cause Problems

“Theology and doctrine make life simpler. They protect us from reading verses out of context, restricting our diet to our favorite passages, and making decisions based on impulse rather than truth.” (31)

  • “If our doctrine is accurate but our hearts are cold toward God himself, our corporate worship will be true but lifeless. Or if we express fervent love for God but present vague, inaccurate, or incomplete ideas of him to those we’re leading, our worship will be emotional but misleading – and possibly idolatrous. Neither option brings God glory.” (32)

Which way does our church body tend to lean toward? What do we need to do to correct this error?

 

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by mikethestrand on August 9, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Bible, Music

Posted by mikethestrand on August 9, 2012

https://pastormikesmusings.com/2012/08/09/worship-matters-study-part-1/

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