Help for Small Groups

If you are interested in establishing a small group ministry you have probably encountered the reality that there is virtually no end to materials being published under the heading of “small groups.” Several years ago we looked at a number of them and found that most were heavy on sociology and psychology and light on theology.

Eventually our search turned up a wonderful book entitled “Why Small Groups? (ISBN#1-881039-06-4). In this excellent little work (116 pages) seven pastors associated with Sovereign Grace Ministries, and its vibrant small group ministry, each wrote a chapter addressing specific aspects of biblically authentic small groups. In chapter one the General Editor, C.J. Mahaney addresses the critical and biblical need for small groups and in subsequent chapters the topics of: biblical fellowship, member participation, group leadership, care and correction, and group multiplication receive focused attention. The final chapter of the book addresses the question of how successful small groups fit into and help fulfill the ministry of the local church. This strong emphasis on the local church is another feature of the book that causes me to commend it.

As for style and accessibility, the book is easy to read and includes many in text questions for application, as well as Scripture passages recommended for further study. A series of questions for discussion make the book ideal for both group use and leadership training. Graphically the book is well done and appealing to the eye.

Presently we are using this book for a summer study in our college and career ministry and the feedback has been uniformly positive. So if you are looking for a solid help on establishing or revamping your church’s small group ministry this fall, or just interested in becoming a better member of an already existing small group, you can not help but profit from taking the time to read and interact with this book.

My Favorite Book

In the course of a person’s life there will only be a few people that will truly make a lasting impact. That impact may come in person, or it may come through a book they have written - Dr. Alva J. McClain is such a person for me. The former president of Grace Theological Seminary published a work entitled “The Greatness of the Kingdom” in 1959 (ISBN# 0-88468-011-3) whose 556 pages literally opened up the Scriptures to me in a way that thousands of sermons never had. The book is an inductive study of the Kingdom of God from Genesis to Revelation. The Kingdom of God is in a certain sense the grand theme of the Bible from creation to consummation and provides the key for understanding both the first and second coming of Christ.

McClain unpacks that theme by first establishing the reality of a “Universal Kingdom of God” which exists without interruption throughout all time (Ps. 145:13). This Universal Kingdom includes all that exists in space and time (pg. 24-34) and is generally controlled via providence as administered by the eternal Son (Col. 1:17). McClain rightly notes that the Universal Kingdom can not be identical with the kingdom for which our Lord taught His disciples to pray (Matt. 6:10). McClain names this other kingdom “The Mediatorial Kingdom” in which God rules upon the earth through the agency of a human mediator.

What follows from here is a fascinating Bible study filled with profound insights as McClain traces the origin and development of that Mediatorial Kingdom from the first Adam to the second. In this journey, the history of the nation of Israel is retraced, the Mosaic covenant explained, and the decline and eclipse of the Davidic monarchy detailed (pg. 41-129). Following this, he turns his attention to the Mediatorial Kingdom in OT prophecy (pg. 135-254), unpacking the concept of the “Day of the Lord” and the person of the coming Mediatorial King. Perhaps the most encouraging and spiritually uplifting portion of the book is found in the section devoted to the blessings of the coming kingdom (pg. 217-254). For those who wonder what heaven will be like, I believe we have a wonderful picture detailed for us by the prophets in the splendor of Messiah’s coming earthly kingdom. God made man body and soul and declared His creation “very good” (Gen. 1:31), therefore, we have every reason logically and biblically to assume that the eternal state will be a place where that very good creation will be on permanent display.

The second half of the book is devoted to the Mediatorial Kingdom in the New Testament with considerable attention given to its prominence in the Gospels and the Book of Acts (pg. 259-430). When John and Jesus came preaching and announced “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17), McClain rightly notes that they neither offered, nor did the people need an explanation of this kingdom or the Gospel associated with it (Mk. 1:14-15). They could only have understood those words in their original OT context of the promised Davidic rule.

Almost 100 pages finish out the book by tracing the Mediatorial Kingdom through the Epistles and its consummation in the Book of Revelation when the Son delivers up the Mediatorial Kingdom to the Father (1 Cor. 15:24) and The Universal and Mediatorial Kingdom become one.

Having just finished my fourth reading of The Greatness of the Kingdom, I can confidently say that it is, in my opinion, the most definitive treatment of the subject of the Kingdom published in the 20^th century and to date has not been refuted by those who would seek to spiritualize the kingdom as something within us. As McClain rightly notes, the kingdom of God is never said to enter into man – man enters into it.

Summer is almost upon us and you could not invest it better than to take up this book in one hand and your Bible in the other. Sit back, relax and go for a journey of a lifetime – you will never regret it. Maranatha!

Making Disciples

As part of our churches ongoing study and discussion of how to restructure the ministry in order to more fully engage in the Great Commission I am reading a number of books on the topic of disciple-making. Over the next couple of months I will review those books here on this blog. Today’s review is of the book “The Disciple-Making Church” by Bill Hull (ISBN 978-0-8010-6621-4). A number of years ago I read his book “The Disciple-Making Pastor and was challenged by a number of the things he had to say. At a later date I intend to review that book.

In this book Hull clearly defines disciple-making as consisting of two things. “The first part, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them,’ implies an intentional effort on the part of disciples to tell others about Jesus – what we call witnessing and/or preaching the gospel” (pg. 12). “The second part of disciple-making activity is ‘teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’ Teaching people to obey is called discipleship or apprenticeship” (pg. 13). The use of the word “apprenticeship” is a very helpful way to think about the process because it involves so much more than the impartation of Bible knowledge, encouraging the memorization of Scripture, sharing your faith, and learning ministry skills (pg. 40). It involves the process of helping a person grow in the likeness of Jesus. Because none of us has arrived at that perfect likeness it is folly to think that discipling in one-on-one terms will fully accomplish what God intends for His people (pg. 39). Instead Hull makes the case for what he calls a “churchocentric” model (pg. 38) of disciple-making that involves a leadership team coaching a multilevel, diverse congregation toward maturity in Christ (pg. 40). To use Colin Marshall’s terminology (see review of Trellis and the Vine) “moving people to the right.”

In order to successfully accomplish a community based model of disciple-making the author advocates a decentralization of pastoral care (pg. 49), pastoral training (pg. 50), and a commitment to small groups (pg. 19). Hull develops these concepts with numerous examples in the balance of the book, and includes several appendices that typify an active small group discipleship ministry based upon the “churchocentric” model.

One quote from the book which stood out in my mind was something he credited to Winston Churchill “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us” (pg. 107). As a pastor of a church which is richly blessed with facilities developed around the traditional Sunday school classroom model I often feel the truth of that statement.

This book is well worth reading and thinking through the principles that are articulated herein. I recommend it to any church leadership team that is dissatisfied with the typical programmatic approach to ministry and disciple-making.

Humility: An Essential Christian Virtue

"God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). "But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word" (Is. 66:2). God is very serious about humility in His people and is actively working to undo the proud and elevate the humble.

Some time ago I was given C.J. Mahaney's little book "Humility: True Greatness; 170 pages, (ISBN 1-59052-326-1). As I read I was both convicted and encouraged in my pursuit of this essential Christian virtue. Mahaney has an easy writing style that is self-effacing and loaded with practical examples and illustrations. The book has a number of very powerful and quotable statements such as "Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?" (pg. 69), but for me the best part of the book was its emphasis on the Gospel as the remedy for pride and the seedbed of humility. Mahaney's focus on the cross makes this book very practical in helping to cultivate humility.

I also greatly profited from chapter eight "Identifying Evidences of Grace." This reminder of the need to specifically look for, and communicate to other people the evidences of God's work in their lives, as a means to encourage them to press on, is something that has helped me to relate to my adult children.

If you are looking for something short, accessible and impactful to take on vacation with you this summer - this book is it.

Investing for Eternity

The press of weekly ministry commitments can easily consign the typical pastor to a hand-to-mouth existence. Acutely aware of Paul's instructions to Timothy (2 Tim. 2:2) regarding the need to develop biblical leadership within the local church, he nonetheless can only dream of the time when he will be able to invest himself in a man who will go on to assume the privilege and responsibilities of the pastorate.

How does a local church find pastoral leadership? Is calling the local seminary or Bible college and getting a stack of resumes the best approach? It has always seemed to me a bit like going on a blind date and then having to make a decision regarding marriage. After all, does theological training readily translate into pastoral competence? You know the answer to that question.

Through the years, I have had a passion to train men for pastoral ministry; however, I have been locked into the mindset of working with men who are already involved in their seminary training. But what if we began working with men before they begin their formal education? What if we were to mentor them in the areas of character and people skills (those areas which typically wash out a young seminary grad) before they enter school? Wouldn't this assure them a much greater probability of success in their early years rather than let them learn those skills after graduation, when as a pastor they can do significant damage both to themselves and God's church?

But, you might say that you can't afford to invest in men who might not even make it to seminary, or who, if they do, might well graduate and move on to another church. To these objections I would reply that a seminary education proves nothing other than that a man knows how to read, write, and take exams - it says little about his heart or competence to work with people. And as for investing in those who might move on - isn't that essential to the work of missions?

So, if these ideas resonate with you, I want to commend to you a little but powerful book by my friend, Colin Marshall. "Passing the Baton: A handbook for ministry apprenticeship" (ISBN 978-1-921068-79-9) is a clearly written account of a two-year ministry apprenticeship program that trains young men in the areas of Christian character and conviction prior to their enrollment in theological training. Colin and others have been working this model for over 25 years and have trained more than 1500 young people along the way. The book provides both the philosophy of mentoring as well as the practical day-to-day methods and forms they have employed along the way. The book is sprinkled with testimonies from former apprentices and also honest assessments of things they tried which didn't work out. For those who wonder how to fund such an endeavor Colin relates how they established the appropriate stipends for the trainees and challenged various business people and churches to provide scholarships to offset the costs of such training.

Although most churches and pastors are not called to pioneer something as extensive as the organization Colin helped pioneer, they are still responsible to carry out Paul's command in 2 Tim. 2:2. It is my prayer that more pastors and churches in Southern California take the charge seriously and implement some of the principles from this helpful little book.

A Worthwhile Read

Recently finished "An Uncommon Union: Dallas Theological Seminary and American Evangelicalism" (ISBN 978-0-310-23786-0) by John D. Hannah. In this 399 page book the author, who is a distinguished professor of historical theology at Dallas Theological Seminary, recounts in very readable form the 80 year history of the school. Voluminous source materials drawn from the school's official archives containing the family papers of the founder Lewis Sperry Chafer and the presidential papers from the schools five presidents - all interpreted through the lens of an "insider" - provide fascinating reading. Even though he is a sympathetic biographer Hannah does not gloss over the human foibles of the men who have been mightily used of God in the founding, growth, and maturity of Dallas Seminary, yet in his own words "the school has no ugly ghosts lurking in dark corridors" (pg. 21). As a former part-time student of Dallas Seminary in the mid-1980's I enjoyed the insiders look at some of the myths and controversies that were already part of the culture when I attended.

The book begins with a very helpful and enlightening review of the Modernist / Fundamentalist religious conflicts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Dallas Seminary was conceived in those turbulent years through the influence of the Bible Conference Movement, which was fundamentalist in its leanings, but uneasy with the polemics of some of fundamentalism's rising spokesmen. In later decades this left Dallas Seminary in the awkward position of identifying with the theology of fundamentalism (dispensational pre-millennialism) while methodologically identifying with the rising tide of Evangelicalism. Even to this day the school reflects some of the tensions that come from not having a foot firmly placed in either camp. It will be interesting to see how the Mark Bailey presidency (2001-present) shepherds the school through these tricky waters.

As a committed dispensational pre-millennialist myself I am well aware that few, even among the academic world of Evangelicalism, would share my deeply held convictions regarding the church and Israel so I praise God for the ministry of DTS. May it continue to turn out men and women who are passionate for the Scriptures and committed to disciplining the nations until the Rapture takes us home.

A must read for busy pastors and earnest Christians

The Trellis and the Vine (ISBN 978-1-921441-63-9). Author: Colin Marshall & Tony Pane

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt. 28:19-20 NASB. This great commission, given by Jesus to His disciples remains binding on us even to this day. Not many Evangelical Christians would seriously dispute that fact. But even though we agree on the goal, there is significant difference of opinion on the means to achieve it.

There is no shortage of written material, seminars, conferences, or online sermons addressing the topic of discipleship so when Colin Marshall’s book was recommended to me I was skeptical. The book came with such an enthusiastic recommendation I dutifully purchased a copy and sat down to read. Boy was I pleasantly surprised by the contents! Colin Marshall has grabbed hold of the essence of disciple-making and “put the cookies on the bottom shelf” as it were, by presenting a very simple way for a busy pastor to share the work of the ministry with the people in the pew. In a nutshell he advocates that disciple-making disciples are grown as everyday people prayerfully speak God’s word to other people, whether inside or outside the church. In its simplest form that could look like two people meeting together for coffee and reading a section of Scripture out loud together, talking about what they have read and then praying together that the Lord would make His word effectual in their hearts. In the context of evangelism it would be meeting with your neighbor or co-worker for a regular time of reading the Bible and discussing what you have read and then praying that God would cause the word to bear fruit through the inward working of His Spirit. No elaborate or expensive programs – just the Spirit empowered word doing its work (Is. 55:11).

Marshall is advocating a “Bible-reading movement” which would produce in his words “a chaotic web of personal relationships, prayer and Bible reading – more of a movement than a program – but at another level it would be profoundly simple and within reach of all.” (pg. 57). This kind of thinking is both exciting and scary as many of our cherished programs might just turn out to be unnecessary and obsolete. After all, how much of our time is spent planning and administrating programs designed to grow the church rather than grow the people? If we are honest, more than we would like to admit.

Marshall rounds out the book with a discussion of how to build a ministry leadership team based upon his basic discipleship premise as well as a thought provoking introduction to the topic of mentoring young men to the pastoral ministry. Both of these topics are also near and dear to my heart and helped stimulate the creative juices.

Oh, as to the meaning of the title “The Trellis and the Vine” you will just have to read the book for yourself – you will not sorry you did.