The Mechanistic Church by Nick Batzig

This post first appeared at Feeding on Christ.

Many wrongly view the local church as a social society that exists to meet their needs or desires. On the contrary, the church exists to bring glory to God, to spread and defend the Gospel, to build up and equip the saints unto mutual edification in love and to carry out the good works for which Christ has redeemed a people (Eph. 2:10; 4:11-16). To this end, the Christian life and Christian ministry requires personal commitment, sacrifice and diligence. There is always a real danger that believers will grow weary in well doing (Gal. 6:9). When church members cease “giving all diligence” to living out the Christian life (2 Peter 1:5-7), they sometimes start looking for the local church to live the Christian life for them. They adopt a mechanistic view of the role of the church in their lives. When they do not feel as though the church is “working” for them, they grow discontent. Discontentment then often fosters and fuels division. Likewise, when pastors or elders grow discontent in waiting on the Lord to bless His appointed means of grace, they can slide into mechanistic ministry mode–trusting in programs or external accommodations to do the work of ministry for them. This is one of the most difficult issues to expose, since those who begin to do these things are usually not aware that they have begun to do so. It is a subtle and deceitfully sinful mode of operation.

To be sure, we should all have the deepest love for the local church, because the local church is God’s sphere of special, redemptive blessings (Eph. 3:10). We should long to see believers give the better part of their lives to the growth, provision and nourishment of the local church. That being said, God never meant for the church–in its organization, leadership and structure–to live the Christian life for its members. Likewise, God never intended for programs and ministry accommodations to do the work of ministry for its leadership.

Burk Parsons has made the important observation that often “the local church programs its people with so many activities that people have no time left to spend with their families and friends to enjoy life together and rest together—let alone take care of widows and orphans.” It is also sadly the case that the local church has programmed its people with so many activities that many of the congregants have convinced themselves that they are serving the Lord, when in fact they are merely living as ecclesiastical consumers. Whether it is singing in the choir, volunteering in a church food bank, participating in a home fellowship group or serving on a ministry team, individuals can convince themselves that they are living a faithful Christian life because they are participating in one of these or similar programs. It is altogether possible to be involved in activities in a local church without “making every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).

I am certainly not against church programs. However, when members of a local church grow discontent because the local church to which they belong is not large enough to have a size-specific or context-specific programs, it often reveals a defect in their own hearts more than it reveals a defect in that particular local church or its leadership. When members of a local church begin to complain because they want some provision or program that God has not commanded in His word, they are manifesting spiritual unhealthiness in their own hearts. Leadership can also fall prey to this pernicious phenomenon in the realm of ministry. Instead of relying on the Holy Spirit and God’s ordained means of grace to convert and sanctify the people of God, the ordained and staff leadership of a local church can begin to look to music, programs, facility accommodations, etc. to do the work of ministry. Here the old adage holds true: “What you win them with you win them to.” If you win people to the crucified and risen Christ, who reveals Himself through the means of grace (i.e. the word, sacraments and prayer), you win them to the Lord Jesus. If you win them with music, programs, advertisement or buildings, you will always have to do better music, have better programs and develop better buildings. God never intended for these things (which in and of themselves are not unlawful or unuseful) to work in the hearts and lives of individuals. They have their place in a local church, but they must never be in the driver’s seat of the Christian life or Christian ministry.

The New Testament gives us more than enough commands to carry out among the members of whatever congregation we have committed ourselves. For instance, we are called to “bear with the failings of the weak” (Rom. 15:1), to “be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Rom. 12:10), to “lay something aside, on the first day of the week, as we may prosper” (1 Cor. 16:1), to “serve one another through love” (Gal. 5:13), to “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2), to “share all good things with the one who teaches” (Gal. 6:6), to “do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10), to “bear with one another in love, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering” (Eph. 4:2), to “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32), to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord.” (Col. 3:16), to “increase and abound in love to one another and to all” (1 Thess. 3:12), to “exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13), to “consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Heb. 10:24), to “obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account” (Heb. 13:7), to “visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27), to “confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16), to “love one another fervently with a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22), to “have compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous” (1 Pet. 3:8), to “be hospitable to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9), to “minister to one another, as each one has received a gift” (1 Peter 4:10), and to “love one another” (1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11, 12; 2 John 1:5). These are merely a few of the hundreds of apostolic imperatives that God has given to the members of His church. All of them require prayerful and purposeful pursuit. They involve personal commitment, sacrifice and diligence.

If you are a member of a congregation that is faithful to the sound preaching of the Gospel, the right administration of the sacraments, prayer, the singing of God’s truth and the faithful practice of church discipline, you have every reason to be thankful and to give yourself diligently to developing your Christian life. God has appointed the means of grace for the growth of His people. They will not, in and of themselves, live the Christian life for us either. We must be diligent to “make our calling and election sure” by working out what God is working in (Phil 2:12; 2 Pet. 1:10). We must not grow weary in well doing. We must resist the urge to look to either practices or programs, procedures and policies, to live the Christian life for us or to do the work of ministry for us. Our God has given us the enormous privilege and responsibility of diligently living out, on a daily basis, the spiritual life that He has given to us in Christ.

The Benefits of Church Membership

"What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way!" (Romans 3:1-2).

This question naturally arises from Paul’s discussion in Romans 2. He has just spelled out the fact that being a Jew externally was no guarantee of entrance into the kingdom of God, and even the covenant sign of circumcision was no guarantee of getting into heaven. From what Paul has been saying, we might expect him to conclude that there is no advantage to being a Jew and having the sign of the covenant, but that is not what he says.

Rather, Paul argues just the opposite. There was a tremendous advantage to being a Jew. First, for instance, the Jews were given the very words of God, the Bible (Romans 2:3). They were brought close to the truth about God and reality. They did not have to try and figure it out from natural revelation or from distant rumors about God’s dealings with Israel. They had the truth close at hand.

The same things are true of membership in the church. Simply being a member of the church and being baptized is no guarantee of heaven. Thus, we may ask the same question: What is the good of being a church member? And the answer is the same, “Much in every way!” First of all, the church provides an environment of spiritual growth and nurturing for Christians. Second, however, even if a person is not truly converted, there is still an advantage to being a member of the church.

Within the church, the means of grace are most heavily concentrated. These are the means God uses to lead people to salvation: preaching, sacraments, prayer, and fellowship with believers. A person is much more intensely exposed to the truth, and much more likely to hear it and be saved, inside the church.

How seriously do you take membership in the church? While the church does not save us, God created it as a great benefit for us. Too often Christians neglect or take lightly the opportunities for ministry and service that God provides through the church. Are you taking full advantage of these benefits and fully supporting your congregation?

Don't Skip Sunday School!

Josh Buice wrote the following post over at Delivered by Grace. I reproduce it here but encourage you to read the whole thing over at DBG.

One of the things that happens in the evangelical church world that mirrors the culture is that local churches often engage in the trends of the day.  For instance, if community churches are in vogue, it’s a common thing to see many local churches named “________ Community Church.”  If it’s multi-site church growth models, it’s common to see a church described as “one church in six locations.”  In short, many church leaders want to be ever progressing to avoid the image of age and to dodge the title of “old fashioned.”  Perhaps this is why Sunday school has fallen on hard times in many circles.  It just sounds old and outdated so it must not be profitable—right?

Wrong. To judge the Sunday school book by its cover would be to make a grievous error.  Just because one church down the road calls it “life groups” or “connection groups” and your church still refers to the Sunday morning gathering as “Sunday school” doesn’t mean that your church is behind the times.  Have you considered the many reasons why you should stop skipping Sunday school?

You Need to be Taught

Far more important than your ability to network in a local church with certain friends is the ability to learn the Word of God.  How serious do you take the study of the Bible?  Is it merely a hobby that you engage in every so often or is it at the core of who you are as a person?  Every child of God needs to be taught the Word of God, and without such teaching the individual Christian will dry up spiritually.  Sunday school is a place for Christians to learn.  God desires for us to know him and make him known.

The central aim of the local church is the teaching and preaching of the the doctrines of God’s Word.  The central agenda of pastors is to “equip the saints for the work of ministry” and this is accomplished through the right handling of God’s Word (Eph. 4:12; Col. 1:28).  Are you bored with the Bible?  Do you believe God to be boring? J.I. Packer, in his excellent book, A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life, once said, “Doctrinal preaching certainly bores the hypocrites; but it is only doctrinal preaching that will save Christ’s sheep.” 

Teaching and preaching overlap considerably, but the teaching atmosphere in the small group Sunday school setting is invaluable for the growth of the Christian.  There is a certain dynamic that happens in that gathering that doesn’t happen in the sermon. For instance, the ability to ask question immediately and to engage in the process of iron sharpening iron is extremely helpful and something that we should regularly engage in.

You Need a Close Community

Many churches have tried to help modernize Sunday school in the eyes of a younger population by renaming it something catchy like, “Connexion Pointe” or “Cross Groups” or “Impact Groups.”  While that may be a certain trend that many churches employ to appear to be relevant, let’s be honest—the name really doesn’t matter.  What matters is that the group actually develops into a meaningful community.  The Sunday school ministry of your local church is a place where you can know and be known by others.  Real friendships that last for a lifetime are often birthed and nurtured in these groups.

Last week I wrote an article that critiqued Mark Zuckerberg’s comments about Facebook bridging the gap of failing church membership by offering a meaningful community group through Facebook.  While Zuckerberg is correct that people feel more whole and fulfilled as they are connected in a meaningful community, he misses the mark by believing that Facebook is capable of solving the problem of falling church membership.

Facebook may serve as a tool for the local church to strengthen their community efforts, it will never replace real biblical churches.  Why not?  Because real community cannot happen through the click of a mouse or engagement in a social networking website.  For real meaningful community to take place, people must spend time in the same room, hear one another speak, show interest and care for one another, share one another’s burdens, and serve with one another at some level for an important cause.  The place where Christians can accomplish this type of genuine community is within small groups—even if it’s named “Sunday school.”  Far too often people who become disconnected and disappear from your local church disappear from Sunday school first.

You Need to Serve

One of the latest trends among the millennial population is the need to support a company that promotes, supports, or serves in some charitable way in their local community or perhaps a third world nation.  This is not a Christian thing—this is a millennial trend.  The latest trends demonstrate that many younger people are interested in buying from a company if they know that that particular company is giving back a percentage of their profits to fund some humanitarian cause.

We enjoy doing for others, and as Christians, we should enjoy serving the church and the community together for the glory of Christ.  The overall vision of the church can often be set by the pastors and that agenda often is heard from the pulpit.  However, it’s through the Sunday school (or small group) of the local church that the vision is carried out.  Often the local and foreign mission work is pushed through the local church’s Sunday school gathering by natural conversations, intentional praying, and planning means of involvement.

If you aren’t involved in a Sunday school class in your local church it’s very likely that you aren’t serving in your church or beyond the borders of your church campus beneath the banner of the gospel.  Consider your need to serve and how opportunities will arise through your Sunday school group in your church.  Get involved and start serving.

If you don’t like the name “Sunday school” — that’s fine, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.  Immerse yourself into a class and seek to know God more through the study of the Bible.  If you’re resistant to making new friends and opening up, that’s understandable—but know that you need real friends who will know you (the real you that you don’t put on Facebook), and you need people to be honest with you.  You don’t have to air out your dirty laundry each week in your Sunday school class, but a measure of openness and intimacy is necessary.  You may already know that God has gifted you for a reason, and you need to engage in serving the Lord through your local church.  What better way to do so than through a meaningful and healthy Sunday school class.

You need Sunday school and your church’s Sunday school needs you.

Will the Attractional Church Model Ever Die?

There are two fascinating articles by Jared Wilson for church leaders upon over at TGC which takes a look at the "attractional church model" (think Willow Creek) and a host of issues surrounding it. Believe it or not, it has been 10 years since Willow Creek's REVEAL results were put out. The realization that attractional, seeker-sensitive church models can be terrible at making Christian disciples has barely registered functionally in the Evangelical landscape. 

Since then, we've seen the emerging church come and go, etc. Wilson asks if the attractional model has reached a tipping point. But interestingly, he make both a positive and negative case why it will and will not not die. And I think both cases are fascinating. Be sure to read the second post in the series where he articulates reasons why shallow-discipling churches will continue to exist ("undisciplined chickens don't care where they roost" and "vague spirituality never goes out of style"). There's some good stuff here. Tolle Lege.

THE ATTRACTIONAL TIPPING POINT—PART ONE: THE COMING COLLAPSE?

THE ATTRACTIONAL TIPPING POINT – PART TWO: IS EVERYTHING GOING TO BE JUST FINE?

The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost/Shavuot), the Christian Church, and the Holy Spirit

Leviticus 23:9–22

9 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the Lord. 13 Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the Lord, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. 14 You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 

15 “You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. 16 You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord. 17 You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord. 18 And you shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, and one bull from the herd and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 19 And you shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. 21 And you shall make a proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations. 22 “And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”

A study of Leviticus 23:9-22 will yield us much fruit (pun intended)! This lesson demonstrates how God provided an occasion for his people to meet together as a family of Israelites for the giving of thanks, fellowship, forgiveness, and spiritual dedication. This study is about the Feast of Weeks, which is an unusual term for a one-day celebration. Some of its features made it the preferred event for those who lived at great distances from Jerusalem.

Background to Leviticus 23:9-22

The first Passover in Egypt demonstrated to the Israelites that God was on their side. Next, Moses led the Israelites in an unusual direction—into the wilderness of the Red Sea area. The Lord used a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide, protect, and assure the people that they were going where he wanted them to be (Exod. 13:21, 22).

The Israelites experienced at the Red Sea yet another mighty deliverance after Pharaoh changed his mind about the departure of his labor force and went after the Israelites. Pharaoh’s army was destroyed by God in the Red Sea and they were in hot pursuit. As the journey continued, God met the needs of his people. 

Now, there was a question: the Israelites knew that the Lord was God, but what did he expect from them? God was ready to tell them, and that was the purpose of their stay at Mount Sinai, which lasted almost a year. When God gave the people manna on the way to Sinai, they learned that God expected them to rest on the seventh day, and that expectation was reinforced as part of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20).

This was followed by his giving laws (chaps. 21–23) that collectively are called “the Book of the Covenant” (24:7). It contained upwards of 70 rules that the people needed immediately for the governing of social relationships. It could be called their bill of rights, but perhaps bill of responsibilities for producing a just society is better.

These laws introduced for the first time the fact that the Israelites were to have three feasts during the year (Exodus 23:14–17). In past weeks we talked about the first one, the Passover Feast. Passover was a one-day observance that was to be followed by seven days during which the only bread that could be eaten was to be unleavened. These seven days constituted the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the two feasts were functionally considered the same event since they were right next to each other on the calendar.

This lesson is about the second of the three annual feasts: the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot. This feast is different from the others (Passover and Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot) in that it is not associated with a historical event. There is a tradition that the Feast of Weeks commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses at Sinai, but the first mention of that idea is postbiblical.

The Feast of Weeks received its name because it was to be celebrated seven weeks after Passover. Therefore the Feast of Weeks was to take place in late May or early June. It is not given a name in today’s text, but it has other names attached to it elsewhere: Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22a; Numbers 28:26b), Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16a), and sometimes the day of the firstfruits (Numbers 28:26a). In the New Testament it is called Pentecost (Acts 2:1; 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8), a Greek word that means “fiftieth.”

First off, note that there are two ritual events in the liturgical calendar which we just read about in the text. Each of them in a sense announce the beginning of the harvest season… The first was the ceremony of firstfruits (vv. 9–14), and the second was the Feast of Weeks (or Pentecost) (vv. 15–22).

The provision of firstfruits (Lev. 23:9–22). After the redemption of Israel from Egyptian servitude, the Lord led his people into the desert where he demonstrated his provision and care for them, even when they were rebellious. The most important provision was the land that he led them to possess—the land of Canaan, where he had chosen their fathers and promised to give them this land. Upon arriving in the land, the people were to recognize God’s grace by taking the first produce of the land’s harvests and offering a portion to the Lord as a symbolic gesture of worship to the God of their provision. The day of firstfruits was embedded in the week’s celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which stretched from the fifteenth to the twenty-second of the first month. It was offered up on the second day of that feast, that is, the sixteenth day of the first month. This would fall in the months of March/April. The ritual of firstfruits entailed presenting the first sheaf of the barley harvest to the priest at the sanctuary, who on behalf of the worshipper lifted it up before the Lord, indicating that the worshipper offered thanksgiving to God as the source of his livelihood. It was the first evidence of the coming months of spring harvest. The memorial included animal sacrifice and grain offerings. The people were not to indulge in the grain of the land until God had received his due first (v. 14). This was God’s harvest; he was the owner of the land, and its produce was his to do with as he pleased. He graciously shared the land and its harvests with the people to farm as tenants. By their offering of firstfruits the people acknowledged that theirs was a bounty that had come from the Lord. The benefit of the land remained theirs as long as they lived as good tenants, keeping the agreements made with the divine Landowner (Leviticus 26:3–13).

The second harvest celebration, known as the Feast of Weeks, followed seven weeks after the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This was the second pilgrim feast in the liturgical calendar. The date for the Feast of Weeks was determined by counting fifty days from the day after the Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Although this celebration was in the third month of the year, our May/June months, we can tie it to the first month by virtue of its association with the Feast of Unleavened Bread (v. 15). It was the celebration of the harvest of grain. The celebration was an elaborate one, involving a full week of special activities. The people were forbidden to work at their ordinary duties, setting the week aside for special recognition of the Lord. This festival focused on the grain crops. Special loaves of bread were baked and waved before the Lord at the sanctuary. Unlike the Feast of Unleavened Bread, these loaves were made with leaven, indicating the season of joyful gladness at God’s provision. Additional animal offerings accompanied the bread, making a full meal, so to speak, in which the Lord partook.

That the ritual was not a superficial show for the bystanders to enjoy is shown by the instructions regarding the responsibility of the people in sharing their produce. The Lord compassionately shared the land with his people, and in turn they were to provide for the poor (v. 22). That the Lord instructed the Hebrews to share with others reflects again that ultimately the harvest belonged to God. The Hebrew landowners were prohibited from reaping every row of grain, taking it all for themselves and their workers. There were members of the community who could not benefit materially from God’s blessing since they had no land to work or were unable to work as day laborers. By leaving gleanings in the fields, the poor could make bread from the grain, which was the main staple for their daily diet. The succession of the gift was important theologically as well as practically. God gave the land to his people, and by enriching them the people could assist others. At the people’s faithful obedience to the Lord, he supplied more than enough for their needs, which meant that the landowner shared his wealth with others too. The Apostle Paul recognized this principle and instructed the church, “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11). God gives to us liberally so we can be generous to others.

Many peoples yesterday and today formally commemorate seasons of harvest. But there was an important difference in the practice of Israel compared to their neighbors. Whereas the nations focused on the earth as the source of their wealth, the Israelites remembered that the harvest season was tied to a great historical act of divine promise. It was not merely a celebration of the cycle of nature but a remembrance of the Lord’s gift of the land. By miraculous deeds, the Lord fought the battles of Israel and brought them safely into the land of plenty. There is a similarity in our celebration at Thanksgiving, or at least should be. Thanksgiving is not an annual celebration that is focused on the bounty of American life but has its roots in a gracious historical act on behalf of God toward the first pilgrims to this land. It was a historical event that we remember each Thanksgiving Day—the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one that sustained the fledgling colonists who had arrived the year earlier on the Mayflower. The native Indians who were instrumental in the Plymouth colonists’ survival joined in the celebration.

So, let me ask you a couple of questions about these texts and then I want to look at a connection with the New Testament…

What Do You Think?

What do you think of this idea of blessings the blessers (v. 20)? It’s interesting that the Lord’s directions for the Feast of Weeks include some offerings that were to be burnt to please him, while others were for his servants, the priests. That was commanded by God. We should not need a command today to bless in return those who have been a blessing to us as they serve the church, for example the elders, teachers, ministry leaders, volunteers, etc.

How can Christians offer “firstfruits” to the Lord? In finances, in time, in talents?

What do you think of this idea of not being stingy or greedy which is embodied in the text (v. 22)?At first glance, this verse may seem out of place. Its stipulations were given earlier (Leviticus 19:9, 10), so why is it repeated in conjunction with the Feast of Weeks? The answer may be that since this is a harvest celebration, it is appropriate to mention one of the laws of the harvest: God is concerned for the welfare of those in need. The harvesters are to reap so that there will be something left for them. It is noteworthy that the verse does not say that harvested grain is simply to be provided for the poor and for the sojourner. Rather, those in need are to go to the fields and do the work of harvesting themselves. An outstanding example of this practice is found in the book of Ruth, specifically chapter 2.

Cross-Canonical Connection (Acts 2:1-4)

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)

Acts 2:1 tells us that “the day of Pentecost” had arrived. This was fifty days after Passover, and that is what Pentecost means—“the fiftieth.” Passover occurred in mid-April, so Pentecost was at the beginning of June. It was the best-attended of the great feasts because traveling conditions were at their best. There was never a more cosmopolitan gathering in Jerusalem than this one. It was the perfect time for the descent of the Holy Spirit of God.

And here is the beautiful connection between the OT and the NT in our study tonight. There’s a divinely arranged appropriateness in that the feast of Pentecost provides the background for the giving of the Holy Spirit. As the day of the firstfruits, Pentecost was eminently appropriate for the bestowal of the Holy Spirit and the conversion of 3,000 souls—because you see THEY were the firstfruits of an even greater harvest that God was ordaining in the world.

It was also fitting that the church began on Pentecost/Feast of Weeks because by the time of Christ, Pentecost was considered the anniversary of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, and thus it provided a perfect opportunity to contrast the giving of the Law with the giving of the Spirit. 

You see, the Spirit’s coming is in continuity of God’s purpose in giving the law and yet… the Spirit’s coming signals the essential difference between the Jewish faith and commitment to Jesus… the former is Torah-centered and Torah-directed, the latter is Christ-centered and Spirit-directed.” Pentecost occurred by GOd’s sovereignly designed arrangement.

So, what happened on that special day?

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (vv. 1–4)

As the apostles’ heads were bowed in prayer, a breeze began to move across them, and then it was more than a breeze. Literally, “an echoing sound as of a mighty wind borne violently”  roared through the house like the whirr of a tornado, so that their robes flapped wildly. The Spirit of God was coming upon them! A fiery presence was in their midst, and (as the Greek indicates) it suddenly divided into separate flame-like tongues that individually danced over the heads of those present. Fire had always meant the presence of God. Through John the Baptist, God had promised a baptism with fire (Matthew 3:11), and now it was here. They were “filled with the Holy Spirit” and in an electrifying instant began to speak in other languages—literally, “as the Spirit continued giving them to speak out in a clear, loud voice.”  They spoke as clearly and powerfully as the Old Testament prophets.

This event may seem esoteric and mysterious, with its “wind,” “fire,” and supernatural utterance. It has a primal ring like the Greeks’ earth, fire, wind, and water. But in the Jewish context the phenomenon was perfectly understandable. The Hebrew word for “wind,” ruach, and the Greek word pneuma are both used for the Holy Spirit. 

Ezekiel used ruach to describe the Spirit of God moving over a valley of dry bones (representing a spiritually dead Jewish nation), so that suddenly there was thunder and the clattering of bones as they came together “bone to bone.” Then came the wonderfully macabre spectacle of growing sinews and flesh, and finally skin, and then Ezekiel’s words at God’s command:

"Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’ 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army." (Ezekiel 37:9–10)

In the end, it was during the Feast of Weeks, at Pentecost, that the reviving winds of the Spirit came upon the apostles with incredible spiritual life and power. In a future day this will achieve final fulfillment in the Messianic Age. The apostles now had God’s life-giving Spirit in a more intimate and powerful way than they had ever known—than anyone had ever known.

So, what does the study of the traditions of Leviticus 23 leave us with in summary? 

Well, we learn that the Lord is in the process of providing for his people by giving them a land that flows with milk and honey, a land where they can flourish (Deuteronomy 31:20, “When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant.”). 

But not only that, the Lord also is providing ways for his people to remember the source of their blessings: they are to have feasts that enable them to join with others in celebrations in the giving of thanks. Passover, Unleavened Bread, Weeks, and Booths—they are reminders of the blessings of harvest and/or famous events in the nation’s history. God is good, all the time!

Finally, as mentioned, the Day of Pentecost—the later designation for the Feast of Weeks—is the birthday of the church (Acts 2). The Bible does not say why God chose this occasion for the church to begin. But the way that it was celebrated made it the perfect tool to fulfill God’s plan to spread the gospel from Jerusalem into Judea, Samaria, and “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Pentecost drew many Jews from distant parts of the Roman Empire (compare Acts 2:5–11). The rainy season was over, and the weather was warm and delightful for travel. Some who made a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Jerusalem for Passover perhaps remained “on vacation” through Pentecost.

In any case, it is fascinating that the death and resurrection of Jesus occurred during the time of Passover and Unleavened Bread and that seven weeks later the church began on Pentecost. The people who were in Jerusalem at these times had the privilege of being among the first to be introduced to the gospel, which they could take with them on their return home. About 3,000 people were convinced, and they responded to Peter’s instructions to repent and to be baptized for the remission of sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, 41). As they returned to all parts of the Roman Empire and elsewhere, they became the vanguard for the spreading message of redemption.

Book Recommendations for Christian Women

I recently read Aimee Byrd's excellent No Little Women: Equipping All Women in the Household of God and it is one of the best books I have read on women and women's ministry in the local church. In one of the book's footnotes, she links to an article she wrote for the OPC with book recommendations for women. I share the relevant portion of that article here with titles for Christian women that will be especially helpful and trustworthy:

If you have women in your church who are interested in studying the books in the Old Testament, Nancy Guthrie’s five part series, Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament, is outstanding. The Old Testament can be intimidating to teach, especially if you do not have any formal education. But Guthrie has provided a great resource for teachers, or even for private study, with tables and maps to help the reader gain an understanding of the historical context from which the book is written. Guthrie is faithful to the meaning of the text, highlighting the main themes while helpfully breaking down the important details. What I like best about this series is the author’s zeal to show how the Old Testament Scriptures point to Christ. Readers will finish the study enriched by Guthrie’s teaching. She also provides discussion questions for the ten-week studies and accompanying videos for the group studies. 

Nancy Guthrie has written many good books. She is also a great resource for bereaving families. Her work here comes from her own painful experience that drove her to find comfort in God’s Word. Her book Holding on to Hope: A Pathway through Suffering to the Heart of God has been a help to many grieving families. And while on the topic of bereavement, Jessalyn Hutto has written a helpful, small book, Inheritance of Tears: Trusting the Lord of Life When Death Visits the Womb, for women who have suffered a miscarriage. These are great resources to offer to women in your church.

Kathleen Nielson’s Living Word Bible study series is worth noting. I love how these books are spiral bound and have the feel of a notebook that the reader can write in. Along with great teaching, the benefit of using Nielson’s studies is that she constantly forces the reader to go digging in the biblical text herself to find the meaning of the text. She doesn’t prepackage her teaching into easily digestible bites, but rather teaches the reader to be a student of the Word. Nielson is not aiming to be an “answer person,” but a teacher, and she does that well. She also has a section at the end called “Notes for Leaders” that will help your teachers do the same.

The issue of biblical distinctions between manhood and womanhood has been more pressing in the church lately. One book that I have found refreshing to read in this area is Hannah Anderson’s Made for More. What I appreciate about this book is how, as a conservative, Anderson does not write in an over-correcting way against feminism by focusing more on men’s and women’s roles as the subject matter rather than Christ. She begins with our identity as beings made in the image of God, and how that is true for both men and women. She then moves to our differences, and how we depend on one another to fully reflect God’s image. This isn’t a book that cherry picks all the “pink” verses to teach biblical womanhood, but one that covers the big picture of the fall, redemption, and restoration as it teaches about our blessing and distinctiveness as women. Hannah Anderson is an engaging writer who is a joy to read.

Another favorite of mine is Melissa Kruger’s book on contentment, The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World. When I first picked this book up, I thought that it was only written for a certain type of woman. I quickly realized how beneficial it is for every woman in the church to read. Kruger writes like a friend who wants to help you find your satisfaction in Christ. While it is convicting, her book encourages weary women with the richness of the gospel.

Both Melissa Kruger and Gloria Furman have written gospel-centered books for new mothers. Kruger’s Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood is an eleven-week devotional Bible study for busy moms, who of course still need to be nurtured in the Word throughout the week. What I like about this book is Kruger’s reminder that we aren’t to be more concerned with what we are doingas busy moms, than with what we are becoming in Christ. The study isn’t about how to be a better mom, but on being a disciple of Christ as a mom. Gloria Furman’s Glimpses of Grace helps moms find those glimpses of God’s kindness to us in our everyday living. She offers a short, easy read that focuses on living our lives to the glory and praise of God. This is a needed encouragement for every mom. These are good books to give new moms, or mothers who are beginning to learn more about the faith. Also, Jen Wilkin has written a helpful book for beginners in Bible study called Women of the Word.

This, of course, isn’t an exhaustive list. It’s just a few suggestions. And I am encouraged to know that there are more great books for women in the making. But women shouldn’t just read books written by women, specifically for women. And this is an issue that I think is worth discussing. While I do think that it is valuable for women to have resources like this, I am afraid that women’s groups are getting pigeonholed into a target market that is quite limited. Wouldn’t it be great to have a women’s group reading through some of the Puritans, or the theologically robust books that have stood the test of time? 

Women's Ministry as a Commodity

The following is an excerpt from Aimee Byrd's excellent, No Little Women: Equipping All Women in the Household of God. I am convinced it will be one of the most important books pastors and elders should read this year.

My cohosts of the Mortification of Spin podcast and I once went on a dangerous mission. We went into a Christian bookstore to broadcast live a conversation about best seller lists. Okay, we only pretended to be in a Christian bookstore—but it was still pretty dangerous. Imaginary security guards were after us, and we almost didn’t make it out of there with a coveted pack of Testamints™. How would we be able to share our faith and our passion for fresh breath with others if we couldn’t get some Testamints™? 

But we were really looking at a current list of Christian best sellers, and it was quite revealing. Evangelical Christians are not generally expected to be critical thinkers. And this is sad. During the show, cohost Carl Trueman observed that there’s a lot of “sentimental drivel” marketed to women. As insulting as that sounds, it is true. We did that episode a couple of years ago, but unfortunately the list of Christian best sellers looks strangely familiar, in terms of content, every time we take a gander. The best sellers list is often dominated by women authors, which in itself isn’t a bad thing—but just about all the books on the list are filled with theological error. And the ones marketed especially to women appeal to the emotions and sentimentality of the reader while subverting the faithful teaching of Scripture. Does this reveal more about the women who read, about the churches that they may or may not attend, about Christian bookstores, or about Christian publishers? We all have some responsibility in this. 

Women are a prime target market for Christian publishers and bookstores. In 2014, a global consumer study found that during the previous year Christian book sales grew four times as fast as those of the secular market. And women are reading more than men, buying 72 percent of Christian fiction and 59 percent of Christian nonfiction books. Barna’s research in 2015 continued to show that women read more than men do, revealing that almost twice as many women as men read Christian nonfiction. So it makes sense to provide a good selection of Christian books for women. We have our own genre now in the Christian book market. Before the establishment of Christian trade publishers, pastors and professional theologians were the main authors of religious books. Readers would buy these books with a good idea of the confessional position and theological qualifications of the author. However, most of these books weren’t written with women in mind. 

Interestingly, the first “trade” book that Zondervan published in 1938 was titled The Women of the Old Testament. The Zondervan brothers must have picked up on something while they were selling books out of the trunks of their cars. Maybe there was a big consumer base of women readers. But it wasn’t really until the mid-1990s that women began to break into the Christian publishing world as a popular genre of their own. By then, technology had grown enough for women like Kay Arthur, Joyce Meyer, and Beth Moore to begin to have their own ministries, radio programs, and prolific speaking engagement platforms, helping them to establish themselves enough to be able to publish. These women all became best-selling authors, blazing a trail for many other women to follow. 

Women like Joyce Meyer and Beth Moore, and now Lysa TerKeurst, Jen Hatmaker, Christine Caine, and Priscilla Shirer, have a charisma that is attractive to many women—and also to a significant number of men. Television, videos, and social media are used well, making them all the more engaging. They have a way of appealing to empathy, humor, and the desire to hear an entertaining story. Their friendly demeanor sends a message of trustworthiness and conveys the sense that you aren’t merely buying their books and learning from their videos to get information, but are also learning from someone who is just like you or one of your friends. The combination of these gifts tends to disarm people. So they learn from them and read their books without critical discernment. And if someone does offer some criticism, it comes off as a personal attack. 

All of a sudden, the doctrines of the church that those before us died to protect become obtuse, and the psychological jargon of our times becomes more palatable. The language of the gospel gets hijacked in order to teach personal fulfillment. That is what much of the Christian best seller list has come to, anyway. Many of the top-selling Christian books appear to have a high view of Scripture, but, once you get past the sparkling endorsements and attractive cover design, they teach extrabiblical revelation, mysticism, New Age spirituality, the prosperity gospel, or just plain bad exposition. These are not harmless books. 

The evangelical culture has stereotyped women. So much of what is marketed as Christian literature reminds me of the airbrushed, digitally doctored, duct-taped cover models. The truth isn’t good enough, so it gets a new spin. And then it sells. But is it still truth? Christians are responsible to be discerning readers, to separate the truth from the lie. Why should women be less responsible? Instead, discernment has become just as unappealing as the truth it stands up for. It seems that we have entered an era of what I call Pinterest Christianity.

We can take a Bible verse and paint it on stair risers. We can put together super-cute baptismal ceremonies with dramatic sandbag candles. We can distract people from our potentially offensive doctrines by offering our own homemade remedy and marketing it in a trendy Mason jar. We can take an Old Testament prophet and turn him into a poster boy for a great diet plan. We’ve become brilliant at taking the old and making it new again. We unleash the ordinary with sparkling promise that goes viral. And followers are giddy with the new revelation. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not knocking Pinterest. I happen to love it. But we shouldn’t take this whimsical approach to our theology. We need to love God’s truth for what it is—all of it. Because he is good.

 ---Aimee Byrd. No Little Women: Equipping All Women in the Household of God (Kindle Locations 1426-1470). P&R Publishing. Kindle Edition.