How many times have I heard Ed Stetzer and others say that we need to exegete culture? Many, I assure you. Let me also assure you that I am not against exegeting culture. I’m for it.

But how far? How much culture can we truly decipher before we are spending all of our time trying to figure out minutiae? What about culture that moves quickly? Too much time studying a trend and it is out of style before you can apply anything relevant.

Best example: When I moved from rural Kentucky to Charlotte, NC (still in Youth Ministry) I went up to some of my older guys and said, “What up, dog?” They burst out laughing and one of them literally took me by the shoulders and said: “Never again. Ok? Never again.”

Relevant in Kentucky, way past relevant in Charlotte. A little trend that I had failed to grasp well had done much to convince my teenagers that, while I loved them, I knew little of their world.

And then there is the whole postmodern aspect to trends. What they mean to you, what they were originally intended to mean, is not what they mean to many who are participants in them.

I remember when the Lance Armstrong LiveStrong yellow armbands came out. I had a teenaged girl in my Youth Group who showed up one Wednesday night wearing one. Thinking that I would find a point of relationship with her, since my family has been rife with cancer, I approached her and asked who she knew that struggled with cancer.

Blink. Blink. Dumbfounded look.

“The LiveStrong bracelet?”

More blinking.

*sigh*

Foiled again.

So at what level and to what degree do you pay attention to trends? Enough, but not too much?

As usual, Ed was his normal, million words a second, self depricating, funny and pointed self.

You can read the outlines from Timmy Brister here:  Part 1 and Part 2.

Of course, Ed is a church planting guru of sorts, so it makes sense to have him at this meeting.  Well, it makes sense to me, given the topic of the meeting.  Ed joked that there were folks who were giving Tom heat for having “Ed Stetzer” in to speak and then assured everyone that he had received similar comments from others (others who happened to invite him to speak at Liberty University) for going.  Tom laughed out loud at the Liberty Reference.  If you don’t know the history there, we’ll have to save it for some other day.

Concerning church planting, I don’t know that Ed said much that I haven’t heard before.  He was typical Stetzer, blitzing away with jokes and daggers to the heart at a speed that rivaled, I have to believe, even Timmy Brister’s typing speed.  If you didn’t know, TB can type like a bazillion words a minute, but I’m sure Ed made him work during both sessions.

Ed asked me today if last night’s session was prophetic or pathetic.  I wanted to say, “Do you ever speak in the non-prophetic voice?”  Instead, I simply assured him it was good.

I’ve never heard him fail to be prophetic, but he gets away with it so much because he is so quick to point out his own deficiencies as well.

And he was prophetic to the Founders Conference as well.

Gently, he pointed out that not all of his reformed friends were as passionate as God about the planting of churches, and that if there were any in the room, then he called them to repent.  A little church discipline, on the spot.  This drew a chuckle, but I suspect the chuckle covered a groan as the comment cut to the point.

Which is precisely why Tom Ascol wanted him at the Founder’s Conference.

Aside from being in my backyard, two things drew me to the conference.  1) It was about church planting and church restoration, and 2) The speakers, primarily Ed Stetzer and Voddie Baucham.

It helped that it also only cost me $60 + gas for the daily trips.  The gas was probably more than the registration.

Anyway, it was worth the money.

I think I am going brain dead.  I’ve been writing “Founders” as “Founder’s” which is singular possessive instead of simply plural.  Just for those particularists out there who saw it.  I, too, saw it.  In my mind’s eye.  Last night.  Laying in bed.  Trying to sleep.

I did manage to overcome my obsessive compulsive nature and go on to sleep.  I got up first thing this morning and fixed it, though.  Small steps.  I know.

Anyway, Bonnie’s not feeling great, so I am going to make the second part of Ed Stetzer’s presentation today and then come home.  I’ll write from home this afternoon covering both of Ed’s talks and then also contribute another post that doesn’t relate to the conference so much.

Here’s a quote from the Washington Post Article:

The study detailed Americans’ deep and broad religiosity, finding that 92 percent believe in God or a universal spirit — including one in five of those who call themselves atheists. More than half of Americans polled pray at least once a day.

This is what comes when attending church becomes the culture instead of the Church shaping the culture via the proclamation of the Gospel which results in the salvation and then sanctification of the lost.

Read the whole thing here: Most Americans Believe in Higher Power, Poll Finds

Well, I was all set to write out the entire outline of Voddie’s presentation when I looked over on Timmy Brister’s blog and found a more detailed set of notes that was better organized.

He did this while sitting in the meeting.  He did this while getting up twice to take pictures.

No sense in reinventing the wheel.  Go read what Timmy wrote.

I’ll probably write something about Ed Stetzer’s talk tonight and tomorrow, but TB’s got you covered on the live blog, and since my computer is not cooperating very well, I think I’ll let it go.  I will also write one more post related to Founder’s, but that will not be a live blog of any conference.

Dr. Andy Davis is the Pastor of FBC, Durham, NC, who came to a theologically divided church which is typical of many FBC situations in the old south.  He led the church back to a theologically Biblical standard and shared with us ten “Dangers of Reforming a Church.”  (Or… 10 things to not do when reforming a church – Art)

I have to say that this was a powerful message and hit me right where I needed it and I heard that from many people in the conference as well.

While reforming FBC, Durham, Dr. Davis said he saw the greatest glimpse of the glory of God at work.  He also saw the most bitter conflict and pain in ministry.  In the middle of teaching expositionally through Scripture, he said he felt led to preach, out of sequence, through Revelation 1:10-20.  Jesus is speaking to John and asking for John to write to the Pastors (angels – angelos or messengers) at the seven churches nearby the Island of Patmos, where John was imprisoned.  Jesus is walking among the lampstands (churches) made of gold (value/purity) and holding the stars representing the pastors in His right hand – a very comforting image.  The church belongs to Christ and the undershepherds are in His hand.

Facing the reformation of the church was a very daunting task.  As he read Revelation 1-3, he was confronted with the “immense danger of NOT reforming the church”:  that the lampstand would be taken from its place – judgement would come from God Himself.

10 Dangers of Reforming the Church

1. Forgetting the Centrality of God.  The church is God’s and He is the central figure in it.  Trusting Him is crucial to success.  Acts 20:28 – the church was bought by His blood.  1 Cor. 3:17 – God will judge who tears down His temple.
2. Self Reliance.  We always turn to ourselves to see if we can handle the situation.  2 Cor. 1:9 – Rely on God who raises the dead.  Deut. 1:41 – Israel has refused to take the promised land and God declare they must wander for 40 years.  Their response is to go up to the hill country and fight after God says He will no longer go with them.  They chose to go as if it were easy. Self reliance kills in two ways.  1.  You look into yourself and don’t find what you need to accomplish the task, so you blaspheme God and refuse the call.  2.  You look inside and think you do find what you need to answer the task, so you trust yourself and ignore God.
3. Failure to Rely on God’s Word alone – or the Sufficiency of Scripture.  Do you believe that God’s Word has all that is needed and is powerful enough?  Is. 55:10-11, God’s Word will not return void.  2 Cor. 4:2 – Renouncing secret ways avoiding worldly political maneuvering and being completely honest, places trust in God and His Word.
4. Deficiency in Prayer.  This is from a title of one of Jonathan Edward’s sermons.  1 Sam. 12:23 – Far be it from me to sin against God by failing to pray for you.  Eph. 1:15-23 – Praying that they may know God, know God, and know God – “17 [I pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, ^[a] would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 [I pray] that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.” -HCSB
5. Pride toward you opponents.  That you are somehow better that they are.  Luke 18:9-14 – The tax collector and the pharisee.  2 Tim 2 – Pray for them to repent and come to the Truth.  What do you have that you did not receive?  If you received it, why do you boast as if it were from you?
6. Fear of what man thinks.  It causes a pastor not to preach the full counsel of God’s Word.  Gal.1:10 – Now trying to please man or God?  Is. 51:12-13 – God is the one who comforts.  Who are we to fear man who dies and withers like the grass?  Ps 37 – all of it, but especially v.35-36 – I saw a wicked man flourishing and then I passed by and he was gone.
7. Making Non-Essential into Essentials.  Not everything is worth dividing over.  Most arguments in the church are over control of non-doctrinal, non-essential issues.  “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity” – Unsourced, mistakenly attributed to Augustine on occasion.  (Also, he listed Scripture here, but I missed it. – Art)
8. Impatience.  1 Tim 4:3 – …with great patience…  You didn’t come to your convictions overnight, how can you expect others to do so?
9. Discouragement.  Satan sells it to the Pastor, because if we were to don the full armor of God in Eph. 6, he could not stand.  Therefore, he sells us on the belief that all is lost.
10. Failure to develop men around you.  Paul/Timothy, etc.

Inversion:

1. Keep glorifying God first and foremost.  It’s His church.
2. Rely only on God.
3. Unleash God’s Word.
4. Saturate with prayer.
5. Humble yourself.
6. have a strong fear of God and no one else.
7. Put the Essentials first.
8. Be Patient.
9. Fight discouragement with God’s Word.
10. Surround yourself with Godly men who will fight on God’s behalf (not stand aside while you fight).

Well, it’s not live blogging, by any means, but I’ve gotten a tremendous amount out of today’s sessions, so I feel compelled to pass them on to whomever might be interested. I was taking good old fashioned notes on paper, so you get the outline, but I think it is worthwhile.

If you want more, be sure to check out Timmy Brister’s Live Blog over at Provocations & Pantings.

So Ted Christman, a pastor from Owensboro, KY, home of the Moonlite Bar-B-Q, exposited Psalm 1 and did a masterful job.

Here are the highlights.

Theme: The Present and Future Blessing of the Righteous & the Present and Future Misery of the Wicked.

General Observations:

1. The text divides the whole of humanity into 2 categories: Righteous and Wicked. These categories are throughout the Bible and seen throughout history.
2. The righteous experience joy, which is not worldly happiness, but exuberance based on God’s presence and blessing, not circumstances.
3. Delighting in the “Law” is delight in the Lord Himself.

“Blessed” man: (The word “blessed” is the same word that Christ used to open the Sermon on the Mount – Note from Ted Christman)

1. Negatively described – Where he is not, what he is not doing. He is not following the counsel of the wicked. We may hang out with the lost, but not because we relish their company or influence. We are compelled to do so because they are lost and we have compassion for them.
2. Positively described – Delights in the Law of the Lord. Shows true desire to seek God that comes from a heart of passion inspired by God Himself.
3. Analogously described – “Like” a tree with rich nourishment and bearing much fruit. It can stand the heat because of the nurture provided.
4. Pragmatically described – In all he does, he prospers.
5. Covenantally described – The Lord “knows” (reveals deep intimacy – TC) the way of the righteous.
6. Morally described – He is “righteous” (his character and his way are “upright” – Art)

Wicked man:

1. Morally described – Wicked.
2. Contrastively described – Shows the differences between the righteous man and the wicked man.
3. Analogously described – “Like” the chaff, with no taste and no nourishment, of no significance so it is easily blown away.
4. Eschatologically described – Faces judgement; will not be with righteous, will perish.

A final word of encouragement to Pastors and others:

“Delights in the Law of the the Lord and meditates on it day and night.” Application:

1. Delighting in God’s Word is essential for salvation, for happiness. Not doing the negative descriptors in verse 1 is no guarantee of the benefits described in verse 3. Only delighting in God’s Word will reap those benefits, but so many simply think that avoiding certain actions is “good enough.”
2. Delighting in God’s Word is dynamic. It builds upon itself and draws one in. Like a completely addictive drug, that only benefits you and has no down side. Would you take it?

People of our churches need pastors who are passionate for His Word.

They’ve asked for Timmy Brister to be the only one to live blog the conference as they are also streaming the sessions and they don’t want to drain all the band width. Must be the inside track thing TB’s got going.

Still, they can’t deny me access via my Centro (I’ve replaced my Treo recently) and its cell signal. :)

Anyway, I can give spot updates with my phone and overviews from the full keyboard later.

Have you gotten your “Economic Stimulus Check” from the government yet?  If not, like me, there is a pretty easy solution for finding out your check’s status.  The website has a printed schedule, but the IRS seems to be behind in sending out the money.  Hmmm.  Surprised?

Anyway, if you call the IRS’ automated hotline, with a few easy questions, you can find out when your check is due to be mailed.  The number is:  1-866-234-2942.  You should know where you stand in a few minutes.

Now, what will you do with yours?

So we made it back from camp Saturday.  We had a stomach bug throughout the latter part of the week which kept us on our toes… and knees… and…erm… seats.  Well, we’re back and we took a victory lap last night during the evening service.  Way beyond surviving the bug, we had a couple of salvations, several re-dedications and even a handful of students who have surrendered to ministry and missions.  On top of all of that, our missions fire has been kindled in our Youth Ministry and they are asking for opportunities to go and tell.

Yes!  Really good stuff.

Tomorrow is the Founder’s Conference in Owasso, just north of Tulsa, and I am going, if the Lord wills.  My laptop is acting like the motherboard is about to abandon all hope.  Thankfully, it booted this afternoon and I ran to the store and bought myself an external hard drive to back up all my stuff.  All of that is to say that I may or may not live blog all or part of the conference.

Nothing like a firm commitment, huh?

Ed Stetzer and Voddie Baucham are among the speakers at a conference about church planting and church reformation.  I’m looking forward to it.