idolatry

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There is not energy. There is God.

The video is almost a carbon copy of Apple's 1984 ad. Watching it, you feel you should worship. Actually, though, it's not reincarnation, transcendance, or eternal life.

It's just a car.


The god who is not...

The miniature book is titled Life's Lil Pleasures v. 2, and here are three of them...

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Leithart's future-end of Protestantism V: What happened to the flood?

Paragraph One, "The Future-End of Protestantism":

Protestants often act as if the Reformation were the end of history, the moment when the Church reached its final condition. For these sorts of Protestants, the future of Protestantism can only be more of the same. This cannot be. God is the living Creator, still at work in his world, and that means that the Protestantism of the future will be something new, and, given the pattern of God's creativity, something better.

Keeping in mind what I pointed out in an earlier piece, that Dr. Leithart originally titled this project "The End of Protestantism," it's clear Dr. Leithart has his work cut out for him in proposing Protestantism's "end" as a positive move. Paragraph one sets up Leithart's metanarrative. He prods readers to stop "acting" foolishly. We are to put aside our sectarian tribalism and hop on board his Train called Hopeful headed into a "better" future because an always-better future is "God's pattern of creativity."

In his second paragraph, Leithart moves on to build a sort of Biblical foundation for his metanarrative:

Paragraph Two, "The Future-End of Protestantism":

In the beginning, God created the world in six days, and each day improved on the previous one. He spoke light, separated light and darkness, and said it was good. Come the next day, and first-day good was not good enough, so he separated the waters below from the waters above and inserted a firmament between. After he tore the waters and called earth to fruitfulness, he said that was good too. Another evening and morning, and again good was not good enough, so he spent the fourth day hanging lights in the firmament, the fifth calling swarming things to swarm in the sea and birds to hover on the face of the sky, the sixth filling the earth with animals and creating man male and female in his image. Each day was good, but each was followed by darkness and dawn that made good better. When he finished, Yahweh God pronounced it very good and rested in what he had made.

Nice, that turn of phrase "tore the waters." Leithart enters the days of creation and the state of perfection to show God violent in his intense commitment to improvement: God tears things. Certainly, then, we may expect He'll tear things after the Fall, also. It's just His way: He tears things to improve things...


Feeding on ashes...

In one twenty-four hour period, recently, two celebrities died.

Both starred in a bunch of films.

Both had stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Both amassed fortunes.

Both had been married three times...


Reformed worship (III): the ministry of the Spirit in preaching...

(NOTE: This is the third post in a series on Reformed worship. Here are the firstsecondfourthfifth, and sixth.)

We have shown how Calvin and his fellow Geneva reformers were willing to live without weekly celebration of the Lord's Supper, yet there was not one service ever held in Geneva and her surrounding parishes that failed to place the reading and preaching of God's Word front and center. So why the growing shift to an emphasis of the sacraments in worship, over and against preaching?

There are many contributing factors, but one is in reaction to the American church of the twentieth century. In many corners, the church started taking on the naturalistic and materialistic culture around it, broadly accepting the mistaken theology that the Lord’s Supper is merely a memorial ordinance—a good way for us to rehearse in our minds what Jesus did for us long ago. Thus, as we started to rediscover the spirituality of the sacraments, we again recognized that Jesus Christ is really and spiritually present in the sacraments and, in them, He gives us Himself for our spiritual food. This is good, but in this...


Reformed worship (II): Covenant Renewal Worship's sine qua non...

(NOTE: This is the second post in a series on Reformed worship. Here are the firstthirdfourthfifth, and sixth.)

We have seen that in the services of Reformation Geneva presided over by John Calvin and his fellow reformers, there was never a service without preaching, whereas the administration of the Lord’s Supper was rare. Now at this point, Reformed men committed to what Jeff Meyers promotes as "Covenant Renewal Worship" would lodge a strong protest. Since Covenant Renewal's innovations are primarily sacerdotal in emphasis, drawing their inspiration from Old Testament sacrificial worship, they would claim preaching merely sets the Table, with the real meal being the Lord's Supper.

If those still committed to historic Reformed liturgy were to respond noting that Geneva's worship didn't have weekly Communion, Covenant Renewal men would be quick to point out Calvin himself preferred the weekly celebration of the Lord's Supper. "Covenant Renewal Worship is merely Genevan worship as Calvin himself would have ordered it had he been able to do so," they would say.

This argument is reminiscent of feminists who assure us Jesus would have had women among His Twelve if the culture of His time had been as progressive as ours. "Alas, people back then hadn't evolved as much as we have, so Jesus had to tread lightly," they tell us.

To which we would respond, "Are you serious? All through His life Jesus took on every evil. He was no respecter of persons. He died at the hands of the rich and powerful, but now you're telling me He didn't have the faith or courage to oppose the oppression of women, and that's the reason He chose men for His inner circle of Twelve?"

Concerning the order and priorities of Reformed worship, it's less important to consider what Calvin preferred than what he was willing to live without. The news isn't that Calvin would have preferred weekly Communion—everyone knows that. The real news is that when Calvin presided over services in Geneva...


Reformed worship (I): the sacraments and preaching...

(NOTE: This is the first post in a series on Reformed worship. Here are the secondthirdfourthfifth, and sixth.)

Calvin and the Genevan reformers worked to reform every aspect of Rome's doctrine and practice, and this was especially true of worship.

Leaving behind the priorities of the New Testament church, the worship of medieval Rome was deformed beyond recognition. Whereas the Jerusalem church's first devotion had been the teaching of the Apostles,1 Rome displaced preaching with the idolatry of the Mass. Read Calvin on many passages of Scripture and his opposition to Rome’s sacramentalism is front and center. Here is an excerpt from a sermon on Galatians 2:14-16:

But the good works which they (Rome) set afore us are, that we must go devoutly to Mass ...and do this and that. So then, all these hypocrites which will needs become righteous by their own works, have nothing but gewgaws [trinkets, showy trifles] and dotages: and yet for all that, they think themselves so holy and perfect, that nothing is amiss in them. They think that God ought to content himself with the great number of murlimews and countenances which they make. But that is not the coin wherewith he must be paid, for his law is spiritual. He looketh not upon the outward gesture, nor upon the things that carry a fair gloss before men, insomuch that if men set their minds too much upon his own Ceremonies, he rejecteth it utterly: And that is a thing well worthy the marking. For men seek still some startinghole, that they might not yield themselves to the obeying of God: and they bear themselves in hand, that when they have once dispatched their fond devotions, then they are well discharged and all the rest of their sins must be forgotten, because they ransom them by that means.

His text is the Holy Spirit's declaration that man is “not justified by the works of the law" and this is the occasion for Calvin to condemn “hypocrites" for their habit of “set(ting) their minds too much upon (God's) own ceremonies." Yes, Calvin recognizes the Lord's Supper is a ceremony commanded by our Lord that gives grace to those who discern the Lord's Body rightly, yet he warns those "setting their minds too much upon" it that God does not accept their ceremony, but "rejecteth it utterly." Heart religion is dependent upon the grace of the Holy Spirit and Calvin points out how men turn from it to ceremonies, thinking their ceremonies are God's Own currency. Didn't He Himself institute them?

In the time of Christ, the church's priests and Bible scholars made a show of obeying God by circumcising foreskins, yet they disdained the work that is dependent...


Clearnote pastors' written prayers, set forms, and clothing...

In light of the discussions concerning "set," "fixed," or "written" prayers, worship forms, as well as the clothing worn by pastors, let me clarify a few things. First, here at Clearnote Church, Bloomington, we regularly (weekly) use...


Dressed for success...

Our Clearnote Pastors College theology of worship class has been discussing the question of whether or not ministers should wear liturgical vestments in (as well as out of) Divine Service, and if so on what grounds? Our readings have ranged from the gushingly “for” to the violently “against.” Perhaps the most interesting and helpful writer we've encountered on the subject has been Dutch polymath, Abraham Kuyper.

Recently published for the first time in English, Kuyper’s Onze Eeredienst (Our Worship ) is a rare, matter-of-fact treatment of biblical worship—the topic Scottish luminary James Bannerman declared to contain ecclesiology's most interesting and difficult questions. Having ventured out beyond my depth in the turgid waters of worship theology, Kuyper’s frank, level-headed approach is a welcome gulp of fresh air, even where I disagree with him. He has a way of demystifying things. And today, worship theology needs demystifying. 

On the issue of vestments, Kuyper makes two historical claims I want to summarize for our readers to discuss. 

He begins with the suggestion that if a preacher from one of the New Testament churches—say, Ephesus, Colossae, Athens, or Rome—were suddenly to appear today, people would think he looked...


Men shout joyfully...

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. - Psalms 95:2

It's hard for me to explain to those not present among us the Scriptural zeal and spiritual power God has granted our male musicians as they lead our worship each week here at Clearnote Church. And no, our musical leadership is not exclusively male. Just overwhelmingly male. Which is as it ought to be.

Those who give over the leadership of the congregation's songs of Zion to women must be suffering a terrible poverty of men; or they're lacking the most basic understanding of the nature and meaning of godly leadership and their musical worship suffers for it. Don't ask them how, though: they've been acclimated and now consider it an asset.

But back to our Sons of Asaph: the fruit of their leadership among us is overwhelming and, today, it is one of the principal joys of my life as I serve in this wonderful calling of the pastorate.

Each week as I enter the pulpit to preach the Word of God...


John Piper steps down...

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. - Proverbs 4:18

On the occasion of Pastor John Piper preaching his final sermon as the senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, I take this opportunity to salute the man for his financial self-discipline. We need to learn the lesson this man preaches through the way he handles his money.

First, the back story.

Some time back, David and I co-authored a post revealing the huge amounts of money Reformed men pull in through their church salaries, conferences, speakers fees, sermon and video sales, book royalties, and the salaries they pay themselves through their nonprofit businesses. We spent time on Guidestar downloading and reviewing IRS 990s filed by various nonprofit businesses including LigonierGrace to You, Masters College and SeminaryInsight for Living, and Desiring God.

The Internal Revenue Service holds to a high doctrine of original sin. They take money and conflict of interest seriously, requiring nonprofits to file Form 990 which asks a whole host of questions the government believes should inform the giving of those inclined to support these nonprofit businesses. Here are some of the questions they ask:


Roman Catholicism's Mary and Mormonism's Heavenly Mother...

On the web site of the Mormon magazine, Meridian, we find this pic accompanying an article titled, "Debunking Myths About Heavenly Mother." Mormons and Roman Catholics both evidence the timeless propensity of all idolaters to make God less scary by tying Him to a woman. It's Mary the Mediatrix for Roman Catholics and the Heavenly Mother for Mormons. And doesn't that picture say it all? What glorious art for those whose hope for the world to come, their "celestial homecoming," is this:

“…when you stand in front of your heavenly parents in those royal courts on high and you look into Her eyes and behold Her countenance, every question you ever had about the role of women in the kingdom will evaporate into the rich celestial air, because at that moment you will see standing directly in front of you, your divine nature and destiny.” - 2010 devotional address at BYU of Provo Elder Glenn L. Pace of the Seventy


Announcing ClearnoteSongbook.com...

Clearnote SongbookTo reform the Church is to reform her worship.

Everything about our worship indicates our reverence, zeal, and love toward the Triune God; or alternately, our flippancy and indifference. Hearts aflame for God cry out for men to preach the Word, read Scripture, pray, and sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with zeal. Sadly, though, worship today is aimed at the mind or the heart. It's intellect or passion--never both. When there is zeal, it's rarely "in accordance with knowledge." And those claiming knowledge make a principle out of their absence of zeal.

Five hundred years ago, John Calvin worked to reform every part of the Church's worship. We must give ourselves to this same work today.

That's why I'm very thankful to announce ClearnoteSongbook.com. The men behind the Songbook--Jody Killingsworth, Philip Moyer, and the Good Shepherd Band, along with Ben Crum, Joseph Bayly, and Lucas Weeks--have put together a site that is a call to reform our worship. The Clearnote Songbook is jam-packed with goodies to help in that work...


A modest proposal...

NPR reviewed a book on our Second Amendment by a self-identified "liberal." In the comments under the reviews, one guy says,

No, the Bill of Rights is very specifically about individual rights in the face of government powers enumerated by the body of the Constitution. That's why it's called the "Bill of Rights."

And the whole point of the second amendment is exactly that the militia needs to be "smoothly functioning" independent of the government. That's exactly why the government is not to be allowed to infringe the PEOPLE's right to keep and bear arms. (emphasis in original)

Another commenter...


Behold I Fall Before Thy Face...

One more gift to readers from the choir of Clearnote Church, Bloomington, and Phillip Moyer, one of our Sons of Asaph. This is Isaac Watts's "Behold I Fall Before Thy Face," set to Balloon.

Here are the words of Watts's hymn. (The choir sings only stanzas 4 and 5.)


Down in her heart...

How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance. - Psalm 89:15

Men are made for happiness, and anyone who is completely happy has a right to say to himself, "I am doing God's will on earth." All the righteous, all the saints, all the holy martyrs were happy. - The Brothers Karamazov, Book II, Ch. 4

A friend sent me this music video from the band Page CXVI today, commenting "postmodern, hipster, tortured irony at its most ridiculous." Describing it this way showed great restraint. I showed it to my wife and another friend who both were convinced the video is a parody of Red Mountain Music or Bifrost Arts, but so far as I can tell, Ms. Al-Attas is offering her "Joy" in earnest. 

It shames me to admit it, but this stuff reminds me of my own dismal outlook when, ministered to by a reformed church, I was first coming back to the Lord...


Good Shepherd Band...

They're at work. Again...


Now, listen to the Doxology at the end of this clip...

This week another musical fundamentalist warned his readers against the things written on Baylyblog concerning the music of worship (not to be confused with the worship of music). I'm guessing he's talking about our conviction it's good and right for a string ensemble and solo voice to sing part of Handel's Messiah in the same service electric guitars, bass, piano, drums, and the voices of the entire congregation sing "For All the Saints."

With zeal. Loudly and with hands raised.

This gives some of our readers facial tics, but for the life of me, I can't figure out why? Is it wrong to use Handel's Messiah for corporate worship? Is it sin?

But of course, I jest. No one says it's "sin" to use highbrow music in worship. Only lowbrow. Contemporary instrumentation and music are manipulation of the emotions, you know. And Handel isn't? Drums are vulgar. Electric guitars suppress the voices of the congregation.

Well, please note the fruit of the habitual suppression of our congregation's voices demonstrated here during the singing of the Doxology.

Likely the most important thing to keep in mind during all debates of worship liturgy and music among the Reformed today is...


A liturgical reform to make Reformed liturgical renewalists gnash their teeth…

Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matthew 7:6)

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! (2Corinthians 13:5)

We Reformed types have our shibboleths. “You’re not really Reformed,” we say, “unless…(insert qualifier of choice)."

"Unless you’re a cessationist."

"Unless you’re Sabbatarian."

"Unless you're Psalter-only (sing only Psalms in worship)."

"Unless you’re liturgical (as if any worship isn't)."

"Unless your worship is robustly liturgical (Lutheran)."

"Unless your robustly liturgical worship is ordered according to Jeff's principles of Covenant Renewal."

"Unless you celebrate 'the Eucharist' every Lord's Day (just like Calvin didn't)."

 

May I add another to the list? Trust me, this one will weed out all those Reformed posers. It will separate the men from the boys. It will make all the other shibboleths look really silly...


New music from Everlasting Word Band...

A few weeks ago, the Everlasting Word Band released the follow up to their first CD, Rise Up O Just One, with Christ Is Risen!

Christ Is Risen!

This album is a compilation of over two years of work, and contains eleven tracks. These songs center around what the Bible exhorts Christians to sing: psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. In addition, it represents what CTW’s Church body sings corporately. We have included songs about sin, Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, God’s holiness, mercy and grace, and The Judgment. In our work, we have tried to be faithful to the themes God has placed in His word, and we hope that the album will be an encouragement to your faith.