Matt Brammer

Not only does this send a message to unbelievers that Christians are ridiculous…it also is bad theology. I know this is just a fairy tale, but the story draws away from the point of the holiday. So once the child finds out that the easter bunny is just a story, what will your child think the Gospel then? It just opens way too many doors for doubts. Christ rose and conquered death to pay for the world’s sin, not to hide eggs.

Grace and Peace

A common misconception that occurs within a lot of Christian teachings is that we have to fix ourselves before Christ saves us.  The Pharisees  had this problem.

Matthew 9:10-13

¹⁰And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹²But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³Go and learn what this means,’I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Christ came and died for the ungodly.

⁶For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— ⁸but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

In a previous post I mentioned throwing off the old self.  This does not mean we do that before Christ saves us.  It is our response to His grace and mercy.  It means dying to ourselves daily.

*side point*

In verse 10 in the first passage I quoted, isn’t cool to think that Jesus, our Lord and Savior, was reclining.  You know, just chilling at dinner.  Our God is personal.

I never said I was sorry.

Applying culture to the Church is a big downfall for a Church, some will argue it is paganism. But that is for another day*. Christians can’t apologize to culture, unless you have seriously hurt them with words or actions (and even then that would be a case by case basis, not a universal ’sorry’). Christians, myself included, need to repent for not living to the image of Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18

But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

And it does matter how people see us. Jesus even prayed for it.

John 17:20-26

20 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²²The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, ²³I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. ²⁴Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 ‘Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. ²⁶I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’

It doesn’t matter how cool your band is.

It doesn’t matter if your pastor wears bootcut jeans, with cool button-down shirts.

It doesn’t matter if you have a coffee shop.

None of those will draw in people (for the right reasons).

Our love for one another will draw people to the knowledge of Christ and His love.

If we are not loving, the world doesn’t see Christ in believers.

If we are loving, and don’t turn from the flesh, the world doesn’t see Christ in us (Eph 4:17 and 5:1-2).

So how is it working out? It’s called sanctification.

James Duncan recently posted a commentary on what the new term “Christ-Follower” means.

So, in all fairness I disagree with some points.

Point number 1: “It rejects Christianity.”

Duncan firsts overgeneralized that only emergents label themselves with this term.  I am a Christ-Follower, but much more.  Yes, I agree that it is the “trendy” thing to say now and a good majority of Christians have abandoned the term because they have a warped view that it will change how people perceive them.  Well, I’ve got some bad news, until we live as Christ, the Christian or Christ-Follower image will not change. If we are going to go biblical, then we should go by what the early apostles addressed the first people of the faith as, “believers” or “those who believed.”(Acts 1: 15, 2:44, 4:32 15:23, 2 Corinth. 6:15, John 4:41, 1 Peter 2:17  James 2:1 *note references were taken from ESV and NIV translations).  Upon believing in His name, the believer would become a follower of Christ (Mat 16:24, 8:22).

Point number 3: “It rejects God’s family”

God does use family terminology to describe the Church.  God is our Father, we are Christ’s bride and all believers are brothers and sisters. So lets call each other as God views us as–a family, full of brothers and sisters.

Point number 4:  “It rejects grace”

Yes, the term does when it stands alone.  When the term is precedes  belief it absolutely creates a work-based salvation.  When “Christ-Follower” proceeds the statement of faith, it is living out that faith–not attributing your salvation to yourself.

So what am I?

All equivocation aside, I am a believer and follower in my Lord Jesus Christ who is changing me in mind and actions.

Grace and Peace.

I didn’t realize until after I bought some Piper books that he offers a lot of them online, for free!

Here’s the link.

Grace and Peace.

Okay, I really don’t mean to critique Perry Noble’s blog of often, but his fourth point in his latest post made me feel uneasy.

Perry, if you are reading this (and I hope you do) please read it and just ask God if you are doing this or not–it couldn’t hurt.

Every one has their pet peeves and I concur with Mr. Noble about the cuddle worshipers.  Seriously, couples that hold hands and embrace each other during a praise time obviously forget about the Holy God they are worshiping.  Most of us cannot stand slow drivers (at least the ones who are impatient), but critiquing “discernment bloggers” for critiquing you is just hypocritical.

Perry said to the bloggers:

I don’t read their sites anymore…but they stop by here everyday, which blows my mind!  :-)  Seriously, you people REALLY need to find something to do with your time…may I suggest…

• Getting a prescription for Viagra (you are obviously a very frustrated individual!)
• Reaching out to people who don’t know Jesus rather than yelling at them…or thinking you are superior to them.
• Understand that if it were not for the grace of God you would be the very person than you condemn.

Perry I agree, we should reach out to people more than yell at each other.  But I am neither yelling or condemning you just asking.  The way you present your points (especially the Viagra comment above) comes across as arrogant and prideful.  You can make your point without causing more distention.  Matthew 5:43-38.  Seriously this goes for my readers too, sharpen me so we can build each other up in Christ.

Creation is amazing.

I hate to quote Perry Noble again, but… this is something that needs to be addressed.

It bothers me how often churches will allow sub par ministry to exist and at the same time have the guts to claim they are “Spirit led.”

What is he talking about?  I agree, sub-par ministry should be dealt with accordingly.  But what Perry describes as “sub-par” is incorrect. 

Perry states:

We believe the church should be doing ministry WAY BETTER than the world does entertainment.

• Our singers should be better!
• Our artists should be better!
• Our speakers should be better!
• Our childrens and youth ministry should be better than MTV or Disney!

WHY?  BECAUSE WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD LEADING US, WORKING IN US…AND BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE NO EXCUSE AS TO WHY WE DON’T GIVE HIM OUR BEST!

I completely agree, we should give our best to God, and Malachi chapter 1 emphasizes the importance of giving your first and best.

However, this has nothing to do with outward appearances.  True worship comes from a humble and broken heart, not from having the best pitch and tone.  We should still keep in mind those things, our best should be put into practice and learning songs, etc… but not our main focus.

Yes we present our best to God, but God doesn’t accept our praise if we praise Him with just pleasing sounds and have no love in our hearts for Him, we are nothing more than an annoying cymbal.

Grace and Peace.

In Perry Noble’s blog he mentions that one of the things that guides his church, NewSpring, is that his staff and he are excited about Sundays.

First off, that’s awesome.  Anytime a gathering of believers occurs we should be excited.  However, a current theme of performance perfection and promoting his service is filling his blogs.  So when it comes down to only being excited about Sundays we are left with this hopeless feeling of God only showing up one day a week.  As a pastor, one is supposed to teach the flock how to go OUT and minister.  With the statement that “…I’m living in anticipation of NEXT Sunday!”  I’d have to ask, “Where is your hope in a movement for Christ outside of a building?”  

Don’t misunderstand me, I believe that Perry loves Jesus and so does his church.  But promoting Sundays as primary way for the gospel to be presented, is wrong.  The church is not a ministry, the Church ministers.

Grace and Peace.

In Daniel Florien’s blog, he comments on a nurse asking to pray for the patient.

Nurse: “Would you like me to say a prayer for you?”
Me: “Feel free. Now I’d like to ask you a question… why did you go through all the necessary medical training if you believe that prayer can heal people?”

Scripture records miracles, so much larger than healing a person. Why aren’t we seeing tremendous things? For one, most of American Christians forget the power and importance of the Holy Spirit. If we ask, and genuinely seek it, by faith it will absolutely happen (and don’t forget it must be in tune with the Spirit). I myself and many others forget the power and peace of the Spirit. Until the revelation of that power and peace is revealed, these miracles will not occur.

Grace and Peace,

Matt.