Reforming the Church Hip-Hop Style

Until about 40 mintues ago, I never cared for anything related to hip-hop or rap. I have to admit that I did enjoy some of the beats, but the subject matter usually left much to be desired. However, I stumbled across a group called Christcentric that blew my mind.

Arriving at their website, I clicked on the first song - 'Mighty Fortress' (yes, it is THAT song!). Against the backdrop of ominous beats and rhythm, the song opens and I hear R. C. Sproul's voice declare "A mighty fortress is our God ... as Luther composed that great hymn while reflecting on the context of Psalm 46." Then comes the slightly altered/modernized, but nonetheless powerful, words of Luther's hymn set to a relentless, slow but driving hip-hop sound. Suddenly I was hooked.

The full album is called "City of God" - yes from THAT book by THAT church father! And over and over again, I was amazed by the depth of words presented in the distinctive hip-hop style. Christcentric calls for the Church to continual reformation in a way that would make many preachers envious. Now, if I can just find these guys in concert.... soli Deo gloria!

Be sure to check out the groups statements of faith and mission while you're downloading their songs to your ipod (they're better than most Churches').

Ron Luce – Well-Meaning Wolf?

Ron Luce is the founder and president of Teen Mania Ministries. Among many other things, he has been at the forefront of the Acquire the Fire youth conference, which have now morphed into the Battle Cry youth conferences. In this book, Battle Cry for a Generation, Luce sets out his ‘battle strategy’ for reaching the youth of this country.

The book has some impressive endorsements from Josh McDowell (guru of anything related to Christian ministry to teens) and Jack Graham (former president of the SBC), to Kay Arthur (Precept Ministries and Bible Study author extraordinaire) and Church Colson who writes the forward. So, seeing the book at one of the Battle Cry conferences, I decided to buy it and see what had everyone talking.

The book begins with something of an intended shock-effect couple of first chapters. There, through voluminous statistics, song lyrics, teen testimonials, etc., Luce points out the incredibly negative influence society is having on our teens. In fact, he shows how the media and advertisers are marketing towards them like never before, dangling everything they shouldn’t have before their eyes to entice to their produces, leaving the companies wealthy and our teens emotional, physically, and spiritually sick. Luce leaves us wanting to know the answer for how to fix the problems we have seen.

Luce presents his plan in an appealing way (at least for most guys). The plan is presented as a ‘battle plan’ with militaristic terminology and imagery. I find this appealing because the Bible often presents our spiritual conflict as a war – Matt 11:12; Rom 7:23; 2 Cor 10:3; Eph 6:10-20; 1 Tim 6:12; 2 Tim 4:7; Jas 4:1; 1 Pet 2:11. Other pastors and preachers, like John Piper, use this dramatic imagery to help illustrate and tease out the implications of such teaching for our lives (see especially his book, When I Don’t Desire God: How to Fight for Joy).

Despite the appealing nature of his book’s themes and organization, I noticed something disturbing as I was reading – a lack of explaining Scripture. Luce hardly ever explains what the Scripture teaches about an issue, or applies that teaching to the problems facing teens. In fact, in a book that numbers 199 pages, Luce only mentions the Bible 31 times! Again, these not explanations of the Bible teaching either, they are simply proof-texts thrown on the back of a sentence or paragraph to support what we says, as on pg 56, where he cites 6 passages to show that God’s people are in a spiritual war. He doesn’t try to explain the significance of those texts teaching, he simply quotes them to prove his point.

But what is most disturbing of all is that I cannot find the gospel anywhere in the book! As far as I could find, the word ‘gospel’ is only used once. And it’s not as if he talks about the gospel without using the word ‘gospel.’ You cannot find any explanation of the Christian gospel anywhere in this book. That is, quite frankly, shocking. In a book on Christian ministry to teens, the gospel should be soaking its pages! After all, the gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). Paul says that gospel is so important that “even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8-9).

Then again, this may be the heart of the problem. Maybe Luce doesn’t believe the biblical gospel? I know those are strong words to write, but consider the only way he mentions Christ’s death is in an exemplary way. Because Jesus died in obedience to God’s will, so should we. In fact, Luce sees the heart of Christian commitment being death to self and life for God (pp 66-67). This is not bad! What how can we do this? How is it possible to die to ourselves and our sin when our hearts are sinful and only sin comes from them (Jer 17:9; Prov 4:23)?

The Bible teaches that …
1) Christ died as a sacrifice that appeased God’s wrath against our sins (Rom 3:25);
2) This allows him to forgive our sins and remain just, having punished our sins (Rom 3:21-26);
3) What’s more, when we confess our turn and turn to God with faith in Christ, we receive the righteousness of Christ that allows us to be in right relationship with God (Rom 4:1-5:1);
4) Having been united to Christ in his death and resurrection by God’s Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14),
5) we can then follow his leading and put sin to death in our lives (Gal 5:16-25; Rom 6:1-23).


In Luce’s book I see nothing of Christ’s atoning death for his people’s sins, nothing of Christ’s righteousness for his people, nothing of the need to trust God for something we cannot do on our own, nothing of the true gospel. Luce does talk about God’s forgiveness, but never of the basis of that forgiveness. It seems, if we simply say we’re sorry and live like we’re sorry, then God will forgive us.

This is not simply an oversight in his book, either. Having attended on the huge, stadium Battle Cry events, I saw his beliefs in action. During the ‘invitation’ time on the first night, hundreds of teens stood and shouted ‘I choose the cross.’ But again, Luce said nothing of Jesus dying for sins. The only time he talked about the cross, he showed it to be an example to us to die to our selves as Jesus did. Thus, choosing the cross was choosing our own cross to die upon. Though, rooted in Jesus’ own teaching (Mark 8:34), it is nothing less than a distortion of the true gospel.

In the end, I can only believe that Luce is not leading teens to a true knowledge of Christ, but instead is a false teacher who comes in sheep’s clothing but inwardly is a ravenous wolves (Matt 7:15). If I am wrong, then I will gladly admit it! I would love nothing less than for Luce or someone from Teen Mania to respond here or elsewhere with an affirmation of their belief in the biblical gospel and then see them preach it as Paul did (1 Cor 1:23).

I am not trying to attack Luce on a personal level. I think his heart is in the right place. But I do think he does not understand the gospel and therefore is less than Christian. I do not write that with glee or delight. Instead, I write out of a deep concern for our teens who are caught in the mire of our culture’s sin. But what they need is not a call to pull themselves up by their boot straps and live better lives. What they need to hear is the powerful, life-transforming message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Prayer and Ministry (Part 3) - Praying for Pastors

Have you ever noticed how often Paul asked others to pray for him?

Romans 15:30 – “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,”

1 Thess 5:25 – “Brothers, pray for us.”

2 Thess 3:1 – “Finally, brothers, pray for us,”

Eph 6:18-19 – “[pray] at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me,”

Despite having an incredible grasp of biblical theology – who God is, who humanity is in relation to him, and how God has definitely acted in Christ (just read Romans and Galatians!); despite having a divine mandate to preach to the Gentiles (Acts 9); despite his confidence in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Gal 1), Paul still believed he needed the prayers of God’s people for spiritual strength and the success of his ministry.

One pastor who understood the importance of the church’s prayers for his ministry was Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Spurgeon is known as the ‘prince of preachers’ and had one of the most successful preaching ministries ever in London during the mid- to late-1800’s. Many times, other pastors from America and around the world would come to visit Spurgeon, hearing him preach, and sometimes, seeking his advice on various issues. When they did, Spurgeon was always fond of showing visitors the “boiler-room” of the church. In his day, steam was the power source of the day. Boiler rooms were the powerhouses, the driving forces of everything from vast machines in factories to household heating systems. Boiler rooms however, were not pleasant places to visit. They were functional, dirty, and hot, often tucked away in the basement. They were places of hard work, not entertaining guests. So, when Spurgeon would say he wanted to show his visitors the ‘boiler-room’ they often were not thrilled at seeing it. However, the room he would lead them to, was not as they expected. They didn’t see the elaborate system of pressure gauges and pipes; instead, they saw 700 people bowed in prayer. Looking very confused, Spurgeon would explain that the real power behind his pulpit ministry was this so-called boiler room – the place where his people prayed. Spurgeon knew why prayer was important to a church.

Many pastors lack spiritual vitality because they lack prayer support from their people. Can you imagine the difference it would make for the relationship between the pastor and congregation if the people were committed to pray for their pastor every week? How much more willing would the church be willing to listen to the sermon they prayed for? How much more willing would the church be to follow a man they had been praying would be filled with God’s Spirit? How much more willing would the church be to show love for the pastor they have prayed for with tears? It is no surprise that the author of Hebrews unites a congregation’s willing to follow their leaders and their prayers for them: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things” (Heb 13:17-18).

As a practical measure, someone in the church should organize a formal or informal group to serve as a prayer team for the pastor. Whether behind the scenes, or meeting on a regular basis, they should be committed to serving the pastor by constantly lifting him up before in prayer. Find passages that describe pastoral ministry (such as Acts 20), or passages that call for godly virtues (like Matt 5:3-12 or 1 Cor 13) and turn them into prayers for your pastor. If a more developed program is desired, the leader of this ‘pastoral prayer team’ could even contact the pastor a regular basis to find specific requests to be prayed for. A less formal approach could simply be a basic list of prayer concerns updated and slipped in a bulletin once a month. However, it is done, the words of Samuel towards Israel should be on the hearts and minds of God’s people: “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way” (1 Sam 12:23).

M’Cheyne gave wise counsel to the church when he said, “Pray for your pastor. Pray for his body, that he may be kept strong and spared many years. Pray for his soul, that he may be kept humble and holy, a burning and shining light. Pray for his ministry, that it may be abundantly blessed, that he may be anointed to preach good tidings. Let there be no secret prayer without naming him before your God, no family prayer without carrying your pastor in your hearts to God.”

Prayer and Ministry (Part 2) - Praying for Yourself

If you have ever received an email from me, you will have noticed at the bottom is a quote from Scottish pastor Robert Murray M’Cheyne. Writing to another pastor M’Cheyne told him, “what a man is on his knees before God, that he is and no more.”

This is not just true for the average Christian, but especially true for the pastor. Despite a very public form of ministry, all that ultimately matters is how the pastor stands before God. The pastor may be loved and adored for his preaching. He may be wealthy by the books he has written. But how is the condition of his heart before God? This ever-important question led M’Cheyne to write to a pastor:

“Study universal holiness of life. Your whole usefulness depends on this, for your sermons last but an hour or two; your life preaches all the week. If Satan can only make a covetous minister a lover of praise, of pleasure, of good eating, he has ruined your ministry. Give yourself to prayer, and get your texts, your thoughts, your words from God. Luther spent his best three hours in prayer.”

Thus, it is not only important for pastors to pray for their people, it is also of vital importance for the pastor to pray for himself.

Men occupy­ing positions of spiritual leadership must expect to be the recipients of violent attack in various forms. In 2 Cor 11:23-29, the apostle Paul autobiographically cites the unique trials he faced as a minister of the Gospel: [I have ministered] with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

On the evening of His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus gave the following exhortation to His slumbering disciples: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Mark 14:38). In an chapter of the book Reforming Pastoral Ministry, Art Azurdia says, “The implication inherent in His words is clear: To divorce themselves from the means of grace (in this case, vigilant prayer), either by outright disregard or passive neglect, would render these disciples more susceptible to the temptation of spiritual compromise, a fact borne out by their experience a short time later (cf. Mark 14:50).”

Azurdia goes on to show that ministers of the Gospel are vulnerable to trials and temptations distinct to his calling:
- jealousy (‘why are his gifts more esteemed than mine?’);
- bitterness (‘why does the congregation criti­cize everything I do?’);
- fear (‘will they leave the church if I teach par­ticular redemption?’);
- depression (‘will this church ever grow?’);
- grief (‘why have there been so few conversions?’);
- frustration (‘why does the board appear to distrust my motivations?’);
- doubt (‘why has God caused such suffering in the life of this family?’);
- anxiety (‘how will we ever afford to send our children to college?’);
- sexual indiscre­tion (‘why does it seem that my wife is not as responsive to me as other women in the church?’);
- despondency (‘why doesn't the con­gregation love Jesus with greater fervor?’);
- desperation (‘have I rightly discerned my call to ministry?’).

Given the unique nature of the pastor’s ministry, and the unique opportunities to fall to temptation, it is imperative that pastors work hard at carving out time to pray.

From experience, I can say the amount of my own prayerfulness affects my ability to pastor, especially preach. Because of this, when it is time to be in the Word and on my knees, I don’t answer the phone and often turn the computer off. I try to remove any and all distractions that may interrupt that time. I know this isn’t real popular among many pastors and congregations – the pastor is often seen as aloof or hard to find when needed. The truth is, much of the pastors time can be eaten up with non-essential things (the amount of telemarketing calls that come to the church is unbelievable!). But Edward Payson is surely right when he says, “It is in the closet that the battle is lost or won.”

E. M. Bounds says, "We are constantly on a stretch, if not on a strain, to devise new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the Church and secure enlargement and efficiency for the gospel. This trend of the day has a tendency to lose sight of the man or sink the man in the plan or organization. God’s plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than of anything else. Men are God’s method. The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men."

The pastor must be a man of prayer. More than anything else, he must be in prayer for the state of his soul before God.

21st Century Abolitionists

This is the 200 year anniversary of the abolition of slavery in England, thanks largely to the work of William Wilberforce. Wilberforce is to be remembered by the Church because it was Wilberforce's faith in Christ that led to the belief that slavery was sinful and empowered his unrelenting work to end it. (His book, A Practical View of Christianity which explains his view of the need for religion to change society remains a true classic.) This accomplishment is being celebrated in two ways.

First, there is the new movie, Amazing Grace. This film dramatizes the story of Wilberforce and John Newton (famed pastor and author of the hymn, 'Amazing Grace') and the fight to end slavery in England. The talent is first-rate including such stars as Albert Finney, Michael Gambon, and Ioan Gruffudd leading the cast as Wilberforce. More info can be found at the movie's website.

The second 'event' remembering the abolition of slavery is perhaps more important. There is a move of modern abolitionists trying to raise awareness of today's slave trade. Yes, though officially abolished on two continents several decades ago, it is amazing to think that there are possibly more slaves today than ever before in the history of the modern world. The Amazing Change website explains how people can join in the effort to end slavery:

William Wilberforce's work is far from finished. There are still an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today. Modern day slavery can come in many different forms. Entire families may work long days in rice-mills, brick kilns or on plantations. Children may be abducted and forced to fight in a rebel's army. All of the people in these examples are slaves—they cannot come and go as they please and are often beaten or threatened with violence. They have no autonomy in their day-to-day lives and deserve the right to be free.

In conjunction with the release of the film Amazing Grace, we have launched a campaign to abolish modern day slavery and allow children and adults around the world to live in freedom. Through this campaign we hope to motivate students and communities to make their mark on history by speaking out against modern day slavery.

At theamazingchange.com, you'll learn about the "two great objects" that were central to William Wilberforce's Life:
- The abolition of slavery
- The reformation of manners (society)

Visit The Amazing Change and learn more about what efforts you can take to make these two great objects a part of your life. Educate yourself by reading stories about modern day slavery, learn how to start your own Clapham Circle, and sign the petition to end modern day slavery. Here you will find all the tools you need to take action against social injustice.

It seems to me that if we hold to the same kind of historic, Christian faith that Wilberfoce did, then we should be more than willing to continue on in the same kind of work that he did.

Check out the website, pray, and get involved for the good of humanity and the glory of God.