Awakening - The life and ministry of Robert Murray McCheyne - Steven's book report

A change of pace now: a couple of book reports from Steph and I as part of our Pastoral Apprenticeship. I read 'Awakening. The life and ministry of Robert Murray McCheyne'. A biography of one of the most influential ministers in Scotland. Steph read 'Through the Gates of Splendour'. The account of 5 missionaries who gave their lives trying to reach the most brutal of all native tribes in South America with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hope you enjoy!

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David Robertson, “Awakening. The life and ministry of Robert Murray McCheyne”

It was inevitable I guess. I recently finished reading ‘The Barbarian Way’ by Erwin Raphael McManus and was deeply disappointed. For all the good intentions of the book I found it exegetically weak and lacking in firmly grounded teaching. So when I picked up ‘Awakening, the life and ministry of Robert Murray McCheyne, I prayerfully asked that this would be the book I had wanted to read by McManus.

It was so.

I have never experienced being so disturbed and challenged whilst reading a book. McCheyne’s life and ministry seemed to teeter on a knife’s edge. It was concerning to see a minister with so much ‘on his plate’, yet it was so challenging to see that in the midst of all his busyness there was a deeply rooted passion for God’s glory in Jesus Christ.

There were a number of things which struck me about McCheyne personally and his ministry.

First was his relatively common upbringing. It struck me, in an odd sort of way, that he came from the comforts of middle-class-nominal-Christianity. That McCheyne would go from a comfortable and happy lifestyle, in which he was fond of the ‘pleasures of society’ to ministry would be a surprise considering the many people I know who are comfortable in their middle-class-nominal-Christianity and have no inkling of heading towards anything more fruitful.

But the precursor to change in McCheyne would come from a world shattering moment in his relatively young life. The friends and family of his middle-class lifestyle were of no help, or at least to McCheyne were of no perceivable help, when his eldest brother, David, died. This untimely event changed the life of McCheyne on a number of levels. Primarily he began to rethink his own mortality and eternal future, but also because he found that in his current group of ‘friends’ there was no one to talk to him about his soul. McCheyne even felt uncomfortable approaching the ministerial family friends - the McCheyne family was well connected to the church despite being nominal in faith.

So he turned to a number of books and whilst there was no magical moment of which he identifies in later writings, McCheyne refers to this time as his conversion period. As I read this I was greatly reminded of Romans 8:28 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. But in this instance the good was not limited to McCheyne alone, but also to his immediate congregation as well as beyond in the form of this biography. How many countless people have been the fruit of McCheyne’s life and ministry? Upon further reflection I marvelled at how God’s plans go far beyond what our eyes can see. We can be so limited to our time and space and underestimate the far reaching affects of our ministry work. Time and again God uses circumstances of utter despair to bring about goods beyond imagine (ie many of the Old Testament narratives contain great despair and affliction but the bigger picture reveals much grander plans).

So off to study he went. Another fascinating period in his life was his theological training in which he was able to learn and grow under godly men. This particular part of McCheyne’s training reminded me of the importance of sound theological education in preparation for ministry.

But one of the larger surprises and challenges in this book was the bulk of the writings concerning McCheyne’s ministry and the people he ministered to. Whilst after his studies he was apprenticed in a relatively similar middle-class parish, his move to the working class town of Dundee and the work he did there challenged me greatly. The move itself was no real surprise. Compared, however, to the current trend of college students and their preferences for which areas to minister to we have a great disparity between those wanting to head into the middle to upper class parishes and those wanting to head to blue collar or regional areas A great concern.

McCheyne’s ministry to the town of Dundee was also a great encouragement. Whilst the book itself doesn’t go into any specific detail regarding the content of his sermons, McCheyne clearly had the gift of teaching and preaching as the numbers of people he drew each Sunday was nothing short of a revival. But not only this, McCheyne kept up a ferocious pace to his ministry visiting up to 18 homes a day. On some of these regular visits he would draw a crowd of up to 200 people listening to him preach from the Word of God.

However the pace of his ministry would overwhelm his health. In what feels only like a few short years McCheyne’s health degraded and what may have been relatively easy to cure these days, typhus caught up with McCheyne during an epidemic. His fragile health was always an issue and motivated him greatly in ministry since he always feared ‘he would not be long for this world.’ His death was stirring in its glory and the effects of his ministry would continue for a number of years afterwards. Sadly the church in Scotland would see many changes a few decades later and the momentum was lost.

The final chapter of the book summarises a few key reasons why McCheyne, though dying young, was so successful in his ministry. Worth quoting at large was to me the most profound insight and challenge to my own ministry:

McCheyne’s theology was a key part of his success. It is not that the theology was incidental, nor that it was something that he had to overcome by experience or character. Theology is the study of God. McCheyne was absorbed by Jesus Christ and he desired to know him better. That knowledge (theology) affected his practice in every way. For example in evangelism, because of his passion for souls, he could easily have gone down the ‘revivalist’ route – that is counting heads, seeking to create effects and pushing to make conversions. But his theology prevented him from doing so. He knew that it was only the Spirit who could convert and that he was but an instrument. He knew that God would not allow his glory to be taken by any other. And so he was patient. Sowing the seed of the Word, but leaving the results to the Holy Spirit. ‘God feeds the wild flowers on the lonely mountainside without the help of man, and they are as fresh and lovely as those that are daily watched over in our gardens. So God can feed his own planted ones without the help of man, by the secret falling dew of His Spirit’.
That theology was also seen in public worship. After his ordination to St Peter’s the Dundee Chronicle reported that McCheyne declared that he wanted to preach Christ, that he would endeavour to know everyone by name and lead by example as well as doctrine that:

his church might be filled to the door, but they must all join in wishing, and it was his own earnest wish and prayer, that it might be filled with the true glory of the sanctuary – the glory of God; and that God might dwell in the midst of it. Thus, the church would become not only an ornament to the town, but the centre from which salvation might flow to many a heart.

The glory of God. That is what he sought in all that he did.

Theology which shapes character. Seeking God’s glory alone in all that you do. Patient in waiting on the Spirit to work.

I have a long way to go!

Through the Gates of Splendor - Steph's book report

"Through Gates of Splendour" - Elisabeth Elliot

I was reflecting the other day on what the average person in the Western world typically aspires towards in their lifetime. It is not uncommon for these aspirations to involve the securing of a good job, settling down with a family, owning a comfortable house in a comfortable neighbourhood, and enjoying an eventful social life. In stark contrast, Through Gates of Splendour confronted me with the true story of five American missionaries who devoted their lives not to their own goals and desires, but to the Christ who saved them. They lived with radical commitment to Jesus, spurred on by their intense yearning to see the image in Revelation 5 fulfilled – people from every tribe, language, people and nation worshiping God before His throne in Heaven. The way in which this vision drove them to give their all for the cause of the Gospel, taking it to the unreached, savage Auca Indians in Ecuador, was for me a remarkable portrayal of what it means for one to deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Jesus.

One thing that struck me was just how gifted and able each of these five men was. They each excelled in various areas of life. Jim Elliot was a high academic achiever with exceptional talent in architecture; a well-liked young man who was clearly set up for success in life. Pete Fleming was a man with a critical mind, whose studies in philosophy saw him complete a master’s degree in college. He was the president of the University Christian Fellowship. Ed McCully was senior class president at university, a star athlete and gifted public speaker whom all classmates held in high esteem. Roger Youderian went to college with three scholarships, was voted outstanding student of his year in 1942, and later became a paratrooper in the army. And Nate Saint was a talented pilot with an amazing resourcefulness and inventive mind. And yet they all scorned the ‘vanities’ of life – in Jim Elliot’s words, “What are these but the objects of the ‘desire of the Gentiles’ whose cravings are warped and perverted?...Life is not here, but hid above with Christ in God, and therein I rejoice and sing as I think on such exaltation.” (p17). What a simultaneous encouragement and rebuke to my ears as I came upon these words! Though I know in my head that my worldly achievements fade in comparison to the surpassing beauty of Jesus Christ, the way I live my life doesn’t always reflect that. I cannot say that I boldly consider myself ‘expendable for God’ (in Nate Saint’s words), to the extent that I would bear a cost I might regard as too high. I was reminded by Nate Saint that God himself did not hold back His only Son, but gave him up to pay the price for our sins. How then can we say it costs us too much, to go to the ends of the earth to seek the lost for Christ? I realised how big a snare the comforts of the Western world were to my own life.

And here I was, reading of five men who never counted it too big a cost to take Christ’s Gospel to a place far from their earthly homes. All of them, with their families, spent varying periods of time living in the Ecuadorian jungles, sharing their lives with certain Indian tribes. They learnt their language and culture, as well as basic medical and other survival skills. They did this so they could love and care for these Indians in practical ways whilst bringing them the Gospel. They were, as the Apostle Paul puts it, “all things to all men”. I caught myself wondering how I would fare in the same situation. No doubt complaints would sprout fast and thick from my mouth, were I to be subjected to the much simpler lifestyle of these people. It was a humbling thought.

In addition to provoking several moments of self-reflection, Through Gates of Splendour was an engrossing account. It was remarkable to read of the preparations the men undertook in order to be as effectively utilised by God as possible in their outreach to the Aucas. Their well-planned, multi-stage mission to the Aucas struck me as being incredibly creative and strategic. Admittedly, I had not expected this. I had expected to read of much prayerful preparation – and I was not disappointed in this – but this added element brought even more delight to my reading.

I found myself marvelling frequently at these heroes of faith – not just the five men, but their five wives who stood beside them every step of the way. It was amazing to read of their steadfast faith in the Lord and His purposes. Elisabeth Elliot put it this way, as she and the other wives talked about the possibility of becoming widows: “Each of us knew when we married our husbands that there would never be any question about who came first – God and His work held first place in each life. It was the condition of true discipleship; it became devastatingly meaningful now” (p151). As a wife myself, those words hit me square in the face – how selfless those women were! What deep-rooted Kingdom perspective they had, and what strength they exhibited in the face of almost certain loss. I could not imagine how I would have had the same courage, peace and conviction as those women, had I been in the same position. My own frequent acts of selfishness within my marriage came to my mind – the times when I have perhaps been more of a hindrance than a help to my own husband’s ministry.

Reading on, I came to the deaths of the five men. Again, the absolute faith and serenity of the wives as this news met them, was undeniably moving. Their praises and prayers to God in response to their husbands’ deaths indicated complete trust in His Sovereignty. Barbara Youderian wrote in her diary: “I want to be free of self-pity. It is a tool of Satan to rot away a life. I am sure that this is the perfect will of God.” (p180). I marvelled at these words, recalling the many moments of self-pity I had created over far lesser tragedies – trivialities, in comparison.

It was spectacularly uplifting to read of the far-reaching impact that the news of these missionaries’ deaths had on others. People from around the world had their lives changed as a result of what happened. Most encouraging was the 18 year old boy in Iowa who prayed for a week in his room, then announced to his parents his desire to commit his life completely to the Lord and take the place of one of the five missionaries one day. It reminded me of just how living and active the Word of God is, and how powerful it is to change lives. God used the martyrdom of these five missionaries, who lived with radical commitment to Christ and the Gospel, to encourage and change the lives of many around the world.

Some of the greatest, most edifying words from a Christian that I have ever read have been in this book. I have never come across so many heroes of faith contained in the one source. What a precious privilege it was to read of their lives and utter devotion to God. I was humbled to realise that in comparison, I was willing to go a far shorter distance in denying myself, taking up my cross, and following Jesus. It has brought me to prayerfully desire God to continue His work in me, that I might be radically committed to Christ as these heroes were. I can do no less than to urge every Christian to pick up this book and allow God to use it for their encouragement and edification.

Slight change to blog

You may have noticed that this blog is now slightly wider. I've done that for personal preference as I have a relatively high screen resolution (1280 x 1024).

Please drop me a line if it doesn't work for you! It may mean increasing your resolution, or I can switch back if enough people wish :)

Steven

David Jackman - Preaching from Exodus

I am very tired!

So, from 'Walk 4 Bibles' to 'YF Christmas In May' to teaching Sunday School to David Jackman's seminars at the Queensland Theological College on preaching from Exodus. I'm looking forward to my sleep in tomorrow morning.

It was a very packed 2 day seminar. Four one-hour lectures covered Exodus, preaching, but also pastoral issues and concerns. Along with the Don Carson seminar from last weekend I was pleasantly surprised that both Carson and Jackman, whilst being academically rigorous were also pastoral at heart. So with Jackman I was glad to know that he was approachable with questions and just general chit-chat.

Lots to digest from the past two days. Plenty of notes to review. I know I wanted to post some thoughts on the Carson seminar also, so I guess I'll do that at the same time.

Watch this space!

Walk 4 Bibles

So on Saturday when Steph and I got home in the afternoon we fell into bed and snoozed like we had never snoozed before.

This is why:

Don Carson - QTC Year of Excellence

When I heard a few months back that Don Carson was coming to Brisbane to speak to say that I was excited could have been an understatement. To be able to hear and meet the man who has had such an impact on world wide Evangelicalism would be an honour.

Now, I say this not because I 'worship' the man himself. I think there's an unhealthy tendency amongst us to idolise particular speakers for the speaking abilities or prowess in the pulpit. My excitement was not in the speaker itself, but in his clear and precise proclamation of the gospel. Having heard his series on 'Revelation' from @the Castle, I was looking forward to hearing his thoughts on theology and preaching.

So we arrived on a rather windy Brisbane Autumn morning and were ushered into a rather cold lecture theatre for the first of four one-hour sessions with Carson.

His lectures covered four main areas:

• Preaching and Biblical Theology: Connecting with the big picture
• Preaching and Systematic Theology: Connecting with the character of God
• Preaching and History Theology: Connecting with History
• Preaching and Pastoral Theology: Connecting with life, connecting with the heart

Whilst I took as many notes as I could, I can see now that they were far from sufficient in capturing all the little nuances of his lectures. Therefore I ordered the mp3 talks which also include his sermons from Friday night and Sunday morning/evening - the seminar itself was one Saturday.

The first session was of great interest to me. Biblical Theology, from the time I heard about it, has excited me no end! Biblical theology has been the greatest reason why I am passionate about preaching from the Old Testament, and find preaching the OT much easier than the New Testament (which is ironic since most people find preaching the NT easier!). But that's also possibly because I've leaned towards the OT in choosing passages to preach from.

That said there were many nuggets of gold to be found in Carson's session on 'the big picture'. In all his eight-point argument for preaching biblical theology was very persuasive. I will endeavour to make these notes available incrementally.

The second session was a bit more heavy in both content and language. Carson is a man of many big words, his expression is clear and emphatic, yet his style is very high-brow. In some ways you can immediately see that he is a lecturer back home in Chicago! My notes on this seminar were less than the previous one, but there were many challenges in this session also.

The third talk regained a lot of interest. Partly because the air-conditioning had been switched off and partly because we were all a bit snoozy after lunch. I had never realised how important history is to the bible - it is so grounded in history that to remove historical events would be to undermine the faith altogether. For instance, you can take Siddhartha Guatama (Buddha) away from Buddhism and you would still have the fundamentals for Buddhism. If you approached a Muslim, carefully, respectfully and logically, they would agree with you that Allah's vision could have been given to another man other than Muhammad. But you cannot do this with Christianity. Take away Jesus and you take away everything.

Now, I had already known this, but goodness everything else in the lecture was fantastic!

By the fourth session everyone was feeling pretty drained. It was a full on day so far with many things to digest, and yet another hour was approaching with yet another topic. I knew that Don Carson himself had just come from a Monday to Friday preaching conference in Sydney, but I later found out that his talks there were the same here. Thus we were getting a condensed week-long preaching conference in the one day!

But in a lot of ways you could say that Carson left his best for last. Whilst he may have been a lecturer for the past 30 or so years, you can see that his heart is still connected with his pastoral days. There was plenty of practical thoughts from Carson as well as some excellent illustrations.

In all I learnt quite a lot from the day. Not only by way of information from Carson himself, but also quite a lot in his style and story telling. With his excellent preaching style I was able to reflect on my own style and areas I can improve in. Not to be in the image of Carson, but to better improve my speaking ability.

Waiting for lightning...

I remember a few years ago at the ‘Ministry Challenge Conference’ (previously known as ‘Club 5’) being interviewed on stage. Being from Brisbane I was asked to share my thoughts on why I was there that weekend and also do the bible reading.

That evening the chairperson asked, “So Steven, why are you here?” I remember preparing myself to answer that question, but all afternoon I couldn’t come up with a good sounding reason. I had gone through the thinking hoops on the various reasons people consider entering full-time paid ministry:

• ‘I’m here because I’ve been challenged to consider ministry work as of utmost importance…” – well, no. Ministry work is important, but I couldn’t honestly say that ministry work was more important that any other work: it’s a false idea. I’ve yet to find a place in the NT which specifically says, “Ministry is of more importance than any other labour…”
• “I’m here because I’ve felt called by God…” – well, no again. There hasn’t been any calling, no sign from heaven, no feeling of ‘you’ll know what it feels like when it happens’. There simply hasn’t been any experience in which I can say, “Yes, I am going to do it!”
• “I’ve been challenged to consider full-time pastoral ministry as a priority…” – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I should give up work to do so. All Christians are in full-time ministry from the moment they become a Christian!

So in my fumbling thoughts my answer, on stage, in front of some of the big-wigs of Sydney evangelicalism, was, “Well, people have identified certain gifts in me and I’m here to find out if I have what it takes for ‘full-time ministry’.”

I wanted to crawl into a hole because I sounded so fake – how dare I not know for sure that this was my certain path! For a long time I’ve felt an undercurrent of guilt because I haven’t had this ‘calling’ that so many people speak of.

Until I read an article in Michael Bennett’s ‘I feel God is calling me…not!’ booklet. The second chapter in this little booklet deals with this very issue – whether or not it’s right for Evangelicals to use the term ‘calling’ in reference to people going into ministry.

To summarise the chapter, here are the main points:

• The NT uses the term ‘call’ in two different ways: firstly you are called by God to be a Christian, and secondly you are called by God to be holy.
• Ephesians 4:11-13 talks about the nature of Christian ministry. Christian ministry does not belong solely to the Apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors/teachers. The Apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors/teachers jobs are to equip the saints. The equipped saints then do the work of ministry for the building up of the body of Christ (God’s people). Hence ministry belongs to all the saints!
• Why have I never felt called into ministry – because I was already in it!
• But the question remains – does having the skills and the gifts constitute a sufficient reason to enter ‘full time paid ministry’? The answer is a simple as this: if the person desires to do it!

On that last point 1 Tim 3:1 puts this simple, yet shocking, truth into perspective, “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” (ESV). Note the words there – if anyone aspires to be a pastor/teacher then they desire a good thing.

What is Paul saying? He is saying that the motivation to enter full time paid pastoral ministry is human desire. Of course, the person desiring this must be appropriately assessed (1 Tim 3:2-7) and his motivations must not be for money or pride (1 Tim 3:3, 6). But the ultimate factor in a person deciding whether or not to consider paid ministry is their desire to do so.

So now I don’t feel so bad about not feeling ‘called’ to do this. And I hope that others will see, too, that they don’t need to ‘feel called’ to do the same.