Friday, July 22, 2011

Depression and The Ministry

I found the following Gospel Coalition Blog series on depression and the ministry EXTREMELY helpful, particularly Garrett Higbee's article (#2) on diagnosing depression in one's self as a pastor, and Bob Kellemen's article (#5) on facing depression with Christ. Here are all the titles, authors, and links:

Paul Tripp, Part 1: The Setup

And here is a very helpful quote from Dr. Kellemen's article, just to convince you to read the whole series:

Victory Over or Struggling With?

Whatever Paul’s thorn in the flesh was, even after pleading with God three times, God chose not to remove it. Consider how common it was for Paul to “struggle with” rather than to experience “victory over.”

“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death” (2 Cor. 1:8-9a).

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9).

“. . . in great endurance; in troubles; in hardships and distresses . . . sorrowful, yet always rejoicing . . . ” (2 Corinthians 6:4b, 10a).

Rare is the person who experiences miraculous, instantaneous, and ongoing victory overdepression. Rather than being discouraging, the candid message of daily courageousstruggles against depression is encouraging because it’s true to life as we live it in a fallen world in fallen bodies.

Pastor—in all integrity I have to share with you that God does not guarantee “victory over.” God does not promise “cure” or “recovery” if by that we mean the guaranteed removal of all symptoms of depression. However, God does promise to comfort and care (2 Cor. 1:3-5). He does promise that what cannot be cured can be endured (1 Cor. 10:13)

And one more by the same author:

Pastor—how will you know when you’re “cured”? When finding God is more important than finding relief. When knowing Christ and being like Christ is more important than finding a cure. When you’re facing your depression face to face with Christ so you’re increasingly reflecting the face of Christ.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Church-Rents and Schismes, by George Herbert: A Novice's Commentary

As is probably obvious to the readers of this blog, of late I've been really enjoying the poetry of George Herbert (1593-1633). I love the hymns of Newton and Wesley and Watts and Cowper, with their theological depth and immediate accessibility. But for poetry's sake, I like George Herbert even more. Most of his poems (or all of them?) would make poor hymns. The imagery bears much more reflection to tease out the meaning, than a hymn would warrant. But through reading and re-reading, and marking it up, and wrestling, a beauty and profundity emerges. Such was the case as I read and re-read his poem on fights and splits within churches, this past week. What follows will be a breakdown of the poem, with each verse followed by a few of my own observations...
Church-rents and schismes.
Brave rose, (alas!) where art thou? in the chair
Where thou didst lately so triumph and shine,
A worm doth sit, whose many feet and hair
Are the more foul, the more thou wert divine.
This, this hath done it, this did bite the root
And bottome of the leaves: which when the winde
Did once perceive, it blew them under foot,
Where rude unhallow’d steps do crush and grinde
Their beauteous glories. Onely shreds of thee,
And those all bitten, in thy chair I see.
Herbert images the local church as a rose. But this rose, once brave, has lately been half-eaten by a worm, and then its petals have been torn off and blown underfoot and trampled. Only half-eaten, trampled, petals remain of what was once beautiful. The former beauty of the rose, makes the worm that ate it more all the more hideous.
Why doth my Mother blush? is she the rose,
And shows it so? Indeed Christs precious bloud
Gave you a colour once; which when your foes
Thought to let out, the bleeding did you good,
And made you look much fresher then before.
But when debates and fretting jealousies
Did worm and work within you more and more,
Your colour faded, and calamities
Turned your ruddie into pale and bleak:
Your health and beautie both began to break.
I believe that 'my Mother' refers to either Herbert's denomination (The Church of England), or the church universal. In response to the current state of the rose, her mother blushes. Then Herbert begins to reflect on that rose's past. In the beginning, the blood of Christ gave it colour. Then, enemies persecuted the church, but that bleeding did it good, and made the rose look even fresher than before. Is it not the case that red blood would add to the vivacity of any read rose's colour? So it is with churches that bleed because the world hates the gospel: they only get stronger (cf. the entire book of Acts). But then when fighting began within the church, her colour faded, her ruddie turned pale and bleak, and her health and beauty both began to break. I think that this is the most profound verse in the poem. Whereas persecution from without only makes a church stronger in Christ, persecution from within only serves to weaken and destroy it.
Then did your sev’rall parts unloose and start:
Which when your neighbours saw, like a north-winde,
They rushed in, and cast them in the dirt
Where Pagans tread. O Mother deare and kinde,
Where shall I get me eyes enough to weep,
As many eyes as starres? since it is night,
And much of Asia and Europe fast asleep,
And ev’n all Africk; would at least I might
With these two poore ones lick up all the dew,
Which falls by night, and poure it out for you!
The splintering of the church made the persecutors from without come back for more assaults, this time on a weakened church. Enemies of Christ use the momentum from inner-fighting, to deal it a crushing blow from without. This reminds me, for example, of the media coverage surrounding Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida, when a number of members tried to oust their new pastor, who was a very faithful man and the Grandson of Billy Graham. I'm very thankful that Tullian continues as pastor of that church today, and that the media coverage did not result in a crushing blow to the church! But I digress, and our poem continues. Herbert again refers to his Mother (the larger body of churches?), and then reflects on all the countries of his day (17th century) that had not yet been impacted with the gospel, and through beautiful imagery, says that it would be impossible to cry enough tears for these lost souls. Tragically, whereas in England Christians were fighting and being rendered harmful to each other, they were also being rendered useless to the global cause of missions, because all of their energy was being taken up in harming one another.

Behind the beauty and profundity of this poem, there is great tragedy. Is Herbert not right, and is it not true that fights and quarrels among Christians are all too commonplace, not to mention the most harmful assault a Christian could ever endure? Lord, grant your people humility, and a great passion for your glory, and protect us from being stirred up to harm each other and render each other useless instruments of your fame in a world that desperately needs to see the beauty of Christ!

If you have any other insights into the poem, or if you have any corrections with regard to my very novice interpretation of it, please do leave a comment. My only real exposure to poetry, aside from learning to write limericks in grade school, was a course on Milton, and another on Charles Wesley, both at Tyndale University College and Seminary, during my school days. I am by no means an expert, but I love to read it anyway!

The poem again, in its entirety is as follows:

Church-rents and schismes.
Brave rose, (alas!) where art thou? in the chair
Where thou didst lately so triumph and shine,
A worm doth sit, whose many feet and hair
Are the more foul, the more thou wert divine.
This, this hath done it, this did bite the root
And bottome of the leaves: which when the winde
Did once perceive, it blew them under foot,
Where rude unhallow’d steps do crush and grinde
Their beauteous glories. Onely shreds of thee,
And those all bitten, in thy chair I see.
Why doth my Mother blush? is she the rose,
And shows it so? Indeed Christs precious bloud
Gave you a colour once; which when your foes
Thought to let out, the bleeding did you good,
And made you look much fresher then before.
But when debates and fretting jealousies
Did worm and work within you more and more,
Your colour faded, and calamities
Turned your ruddie into pale and bleak:
Your health and beautie both began to break.

Then did your sev’rall parts unloose and start:
Which when your neighbours saw, like a north-winde,
They rushed in, and cast them in the dirt
Where Pagans tread. O Mother deare and kinde,
Where shall I get me eyes enough to weep,
As many eyes as starres? since it is night,
And much of Asia and Europe fast asleep,
And ev’n all Africk; would at least I might
With these two poore ones lick up all the dew,
Which falls by night, and poure it out for you!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Does the Apostle Peter Misuse the Old Testament?


A writer sent along this question to the Gospel Coalition:
I’m reading through Acts this month. In Acts 1:20, Peter’s talking about Judas and quotes Psalm 69, “May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it.” But Psalm 69 doesn’t seem to have anything to do with Judas. In fact, that psalm seems somewhat anti-gospel. It’s all about David wanting God to smite his enemies, but Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they’re doing.” Did Peter have a bad hermeneutic? If someone tried to quote a psalm like this without apostolic authority, would you call them crazy?
D.A. Carson very helpfully answers the question(s) here. Whereas many Christians view the Old Testament as a set of predictions about Christ and the gospel event, Carson helpfully points to it as partly this, but more often a set of trajectories, or types, that lead us to Christ. His full explanation is well worth the read. In fact, reading essays like this one help a believer to better develop their instinct to find Christ in their own reading of the Old Testament. I believe that this evangelical Biblical Theology is the key that unlocks Scripture's own hermeneutic. Read and be blessed!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

C.S. Lewis on the Best Heart-Stirring Devotional Literature


I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that “nothing happens” when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand. C.S. Lewis

Monday, July 11, 2011

Peace, by George Herbert



PEACE.

SWEET PEACE, where dost thou dwell ? I humbly crave,
Let me once know.
I sought thee in a secret cave,
And ask’d, if Peace were there.
A hollow winde did seem to answer, No :
Go seek elsewhere.

I did ; and going did a rainbow note :
Surely, thought I,
This is the lace of Peaces coat :
I will search out the matter.
But while I lookt, the clouds immediately
Did break and scatter.

Then went I to a garden, and did spy
A gallant flower,
The crown Imperiall : Sure, said I,
Peace at the root must dwell.
But when I digg’d, I saw a worm devoure
What show’d so well.

At length I met a rev’rend good old man :
Whom when of Peace
I did demand, he thus began ;
There was a Prince of old
At Salem dwelt, who liv’d with good increase
Of flock and fold.

He sweetly liv’d ; yet sweetnesse did not save
His life from foes.
But after death out of his grave
There sprang twelve stalks of wheat :
Which many wondring at, got some of those
To plant and set.

It prosper’d strangely, and did soon disperse
Through all the earth :
For they that taste it do rehearse,
That vertue lies therein ;
A secret vertue bringing peace and mirth
By flight of sinne.

Take of this grain, which in my garden grows,
And grows for you ;
Make bread of it : and that repose
And peace, which ev’ry where
With so much earnestnesse you do pursue
Is onely there.

Gratefulness, by George Herbert

This amazing poem complemented my weekend study of 1 Thess 5:18 very well (give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you).

Gratefulness


You that have giv'n so much to me,

Give one thing more, a grateful heart.

See how your beggar works on thee

By art.



He makes your gifts occasion more,

And says, If he in this be crossed,

All you have giv'n him heretofore

Is lost.



But you did reckon, when at first

Your word our hearts and hands did crave,

What it would come to at the worst

To save.



Perpetual knockings at your door,

Tears sullying your transparent rooms,

Gift upon gift, much would have more,

And comes.



This notwithstanding, you still went on,

And did allow us all our noise:

Nay, you have made a sigh and groan

Your joys.



Not that you have not still above

Much better tunes, than groans can make;

But that these country-airs your love

Did take.



Wherefore I cry, and cry again;

And in no quiet can you be,

Till I a thankful heart obtain

Of thee:



Not thankful, when it pleases me;

As if your blessings had spare days:

But such a heart, whose pulse may be

Your praise.