Considering a Cross-Centered Ministry

I just finished Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology after laboring over it far too long.  I just haven’t had as much time to read as I like (this may shock some of you who think I read too much).  It is a collection of messages from one the Together for the Gospel conferences (sample pages).

I found it to be a very uneven book.  There was a great disparity in the length of the chapters, as though some speakers were given far more time than others.  Some of the shortest chapters were from those I most wanted to hear.  Yet, some of those (while good) sounded an awful lot like other messages they’ve done.  Since I don’t preach on the conference circuit, I am probably expecting too much for them to come up with a new message to fit the occasion.  When I was ‘only’ doing pulpit supply during my transition, I would preach the same text a few times, tweaking it depending on the congregation.  But no one travels hundreds, or thousands, of miles to hear me speak.  This was a tad disappointing.

The book kicks off with a rather long chapter on Sound Theology by Ligon Duncan.  He defends systematic theology as necessary for the life of the church.  It is popular today (and most days) to decry systems, but we should be able to summarize doctrine to promote understanding of the whole.  Preaching and teaching should be both expositional and theological, and Duncan notes.   This is, in part, because our theology must be biblical.  Yet, you don’t build a doctrine on only one text.  That is a HOV line to heresy.

“Systematic theology is tied to exegesis.”  John Murray

Duncan notes some problematic views that have popped up.  His charity is on display in that he doesn’t name names.  His goal is not to stigmatize anyone, but point out flaws in certain positions which tend to be anti-theological.

He ends with tying doctrine to growth and delight.  He’s basically taking the approach of the Westminster Shorter Catechism.  Since our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, sound theology moves us in that direction (1 Tim. 1 as well).

I mentioned Thabiti Anyabwile’s challenging message on Bearing the Image, particularly with reference to race and racism, elsewhere.  More evangelicals need to think this through.

John MacArthur addressed The Sinner Neither Willing Nor Able, which is one of the messages which was shorter and seemed rehashed.  I confess I’m not a MacArthur fan, but there are some good nuggets in here.  I just wasn’t sure how it fit the larger topic.  It is tangental, not directly related to it.  But he does discuss the reality of free will (we are not coerced), but one that is tied to our character/nature.  There is an internal compulsion- our choices are determined by the state of our hearts.

His riff on contexualization of the gospel seems to miss the point.  He seemed to misunderstand contexualization or was aiming against corruptions of contextualization.  I was frustrated with it.

Mark Dever addressed 5 common deceits in Improving the Gospel.  His section on the Social Gospel demonstrates a false dichotomy between the gospel and justice.  He goes after N.T. Wright, but doesn’t reckon with Tim Keller on this.  While I agreed with some finer points in his message, I found much of it frustrating- like he was missing the point in order to make his own point.  It was an exercise in talking past someone.

Greg Gilbert’s “addendum” on What is the Gospel? was very good.  I wish the would have allowed him additional time/space.  To borrow some Keller-ese, the gospel is more than, but not less than, the forgiveness of sinners.  Justification of sinners must be central to any understanding of the gospel.

R.C. Sproul’s message on the Curse Motiff was another one of those messages that left me thinking “I’ve heard him say this before.”  But not everyone has heard him as much as I have [I used to devour his material as a young Christian, and used to work for Ligonier Ministries, as well as had him as a professor  so I’m overly familiar with his material].

Al Mohler’s chapter on the substitutionary atonement was excellent.  He summarized some contemporary challenges to the doctrine, and refuted them.  Combined with a historical survey of the last 150 years or so, this is a tall order (even if it is one of the longer chapters).  Mohler delivered.

With John Piper’s mediation on Hebrews I once again had that sense of deja vou.  I’ve heard him say all of this before [yes, I used to listen to alot of Piper].  But for those not as familiar with Piper (do those people exist?), it is a good introduction.

Lastly, there is classic C.J. Mahaney as he covers Sustaining the Pastor’s Soul.  I was certainly challenged to be a “happier pastor” due to the joy of the gospel and delighting in Christ.  C.J. drew upon the ministry of Paul to make his points.  Like all pastors, I’ve seen some rough patches.  And we certainly are tempted to grumble and complain, forgetting against whom we complain.  He encourages us to live in accordance with our theology, not our thin grasp of reality.

“Never attempt to care for your church apart from an awareness that Christ died for them.”

Sound advice.  In recent weeks I’ve heard people tell me a wide variety of sins.  We have to keep remember that Jesus is greater than all our sins.  We only deal tenderly when we keep this in mind.

So while this was a good book, it was not a great book.  With such high profile men, I had higher expectations.  However, they are mere men.