So, I’ve begun another season in my two parish districts. It’s been pretty interesting so far — definitely a Spring forward!
The very first day back in the S. Providence parish, the very first multi-family house, I was welcomed into the apartment of a retirement-age woman, “Ximena” (not real name). She was morbidly obese and quite home-bound; I normally don’t accept offers to come inside to visit a single woman without my wife, but this I figured was safe enough. The poor woman had quite a tale of woe; and she was rather anxious about various individuals in her life plotting her harm. Then, she confided her fears about paranormal activity. Clearly, this poor woman needs Jesus, the Liberator from all our sins and miseries, real or contrived. I read to her from the Gospels about this blessed Deliverer. She claims to be a Christian and even demonstrated a certain Bible knowledge that would point to a greater exposure to evangelical Christianity. But whatever her case, she was clearly very lonely and would easily welcome anyone to care for her soul. If you would like to be a part of that, reader, let me know. A Christian couple or mature Christian woman would be ideal.
Below is an expanded and updated set of diagrams I’ve worked on to explain covenant theology in its various dimensions. The earlier version was posted here.
I ended up making three interrelated diagrams so as to avoid things becoming too convoluted. These should be pretty intuitive for the average Reformed office-bearer and the better-educated Reformed believer. (And note, ‘construct covenants’ is a term I’ve coined. If there is a more standard one of which I’m ignorant, by all means let me know.)
A few updates from the parish mission since last time. I’ve had a couple of tag-alongs, even since Anderson’s internship over the summer. First, I was able to take Mason Chase and his wife, Christina, to take a short visit of the S. Providence parish. Mason is a theological student in our Des Moines congregation. Then just this weekend, James Hoffman from our New Jersey church plant, who is also interested in the ministry, stayed with our family.
Yesterday, we headed into Providence, hoping to get an invite inside from a more receptive contact due to the rain. We finally connected with “Henry,” a Liberian contact whom I hadn’t seen for quite some time–though I had stayed in touch with him occasionally by text. James and I learned about some harrowing medical emergences that both he and his wife experienced. Several months back, he took his wife, “Caroline” to the hospital with serious intestinal issues. After more than a day of waiting in the ER without any word, he brought her home, fully expecting that she was on the verge of death. Thankfully, he got her to another hospital, where she was cared for and in time revived.
After catching up, we read God’s Word. I took up the parable in Matthew 20 of the workers hired for the same wage at different hours of the day. From there, I challenged Henry and his wife with the sovereign reality of grace that ‘makes no sense’ to fallen men. “Many are called, but few are chosen.” He seemed to be tracking quite well with it. Sadly, we learned that he has been mixed up with Mormons. I warned him of the pernicious falsehoods of that system and appealed to him to return to church. Please pray that God would work in his heart.
Classic Presbyterianism has been enjoying a small renaissance. It seems like every day I’m encountering new people and pastors embracing the “regulative principle of worship,” singing psalms exclusively, removing instruments in church, and objecting to holy days of human origin, such as Christmas. Sacred cows are a-falling, or at least are being questioned.
With respect to Christmas, then, it’s been reassuring to see more and more voices pointing out its pagan origins, and more and more being willing to cross the personal Rubicon … and not looking back. I rejoice in these things and thank the Lord for any and all Reformation gains. But I am concerned that for some, even good fathers and brothers in the faith, certain concessions are made that I fear leave a weed in place to grow back in full force. In other words, I respectfully express my concern about the informal retention of Christmas while officially going on the record as against it.
“For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land” (Song 2:11-12).
As spring draws near, some RPM updates for praise and prayer.
For starters, Covid derailed my regular house-to-house visitation plan in 2020. In its place, I started up a couple of online Bible studies aimed especially at the lost and the unchurched. I recruited a small number of believers both from within and outside the church to form a core, into which I could invite these other warm contacts from the parish and elsewhere. We’ve been studying Genesis and the Pauline epistles. One Muslim woman, “Fatima,” has participated and was very interested to read about places in the Bible nearby her ancestral home! We’ve also had another African friend, “Lionel,” who has participated a good amount and has asked very thoughtful questions.
Sadly, “Leah” has fallen by the wayside. At some point, she dropped from the online Genesis study, and it became hard to reach her. And of course, no church. When we did get through, she said that her job had begun making her work on Sundays. Please pray that God would mightily draw her to Jesus, overcoming all barriers. I hope to stop by in as I resume the door-to-door rotation. Also pray for her live-in boyfriend “Mark,” and their two precious little boys.
After a year of this Covid-hiatus, I am now planning on a foray into my South Providence and Warwick parishes. One of my helpers from another church, “Ronald,” is interested in coming along. Since he is bilingual, speaking Spanish fluently, I anticipate that he’ll be a big help. I plan to get a couple of see-through facemasks just in case anyone is nervous about the spread of the coronavirus, but I’m going to guess that most folks who answer the door won’t care. Do pray for good success as we sow seeds – and pray that we’ll be surprised and find plants growing from previous seasons!
During the winter, I was also able to arrange and host several webinars introducing Thomas Chalmers, the concept of ‘parish mission,’ and my efforts in Rhode Island, the “Reformed Parish Mission.” It really is exciting to share what has excited me over the years. I hope to offer these every once in awhile. If you’re interested, do let me know. If I can cobble together a group of five, I’d be happy to schedule another. And, if you’re a church leader or preparing for the ministry), I’m thinking of trying to start a group that meets virtually 2-3 times per year to do readings in Chalmers, discuss parish theory, and even compare ‘field notes’ as we try to apply these principles where God has uniquely placed us. (e-mail: mjives dot refparish at gmail dot com)
Last, my good friend and fellow-laborer, Pr. Luis Morales, recently closed his small church of eight years. He has helped me several times with Spanish translation in my outreach to South Providence. Please pray for all his dear folks, that all may find spiritual homes and be embraced by new communities of believers. Yet while our hearts go out to them, it is with great joy to report that Pr. Morales and family have decided to worship with us at the PRC of R.I. This dear family is a very welcome addition to our congregation. Pray that the Lord would bless, renew, and use them among us. I am also very hopeful that Pr. Morales and I will be able to partner together more and more, both in the Spanish- and English-speaking spheres of our witness.
Pastors should be servants. In the spirit of their Lord who “came not to be served, but to serve” (Matt. 20:28), they should be the transparent ministers of the Savior. They should be the selfless hands, the beautiful feet, and above all, the trustworthy mouth of the Good Shepherd. To be faithful, they must be sheep and ever remain self-consciously aware that they never graduate from ‘sheep-hood.’ They must love, because they have first been loved. They must freely give, because they have first ever so freely received! “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? …. Feed my lambs” (Jn. 21:15).
Read the full two-part article at Reformation 21: Part 1 & Part 2.
I once read somewhere that one of the Puritans recognized they were very odd ducks. As I recall, the term was “speckled birds.” Who likes being the outsider, the stranger in a strange land?
Kids can have an especially nasty way of tapping into this instinctual longing for inclusion and reinforcing herd-conformity. As a boy, I distinctly remember a time when a group of my friends and I took a break from our game of street baseball. Somehow it came up in discussion that one boy’s family didn’t observe Christmas. “What!” Replied another. “You don’t observe Christmas? Man, if I didn’t observe Christmas, I’d kill myself!” Oof. Of course, it was adolescent hyperbole; and we were soon back to the diamond. But I must confess, I also was on the shocked side. Not having Christmas? Not having the stockings hung by the chimney with care? Not waking up at dark-thirty to wake up the parents? No giddy, vulture-like descent on the presents? I mean, come on! My quirky friend felt the sting. He was not one of us! He might as well have had three eyes.
Then about seven years later, I swam the Tweed. After my evangelical conversion, I eventually found Calvinism (or Calvinism found me!). And after Calvinism, I found Puritanism; and after Puritanism, I found Presbyterianism. But not just any kind, mind ye! No, I’d say it was full-on “Scottish Old Believer” Presbyterianism. And that, among other things, meant no Christmas. Right. Just like my crestfallen boyhood buddy. Who would have imagined!
A few updates on the Reformed Parish Mission effort.
Leah. First of all, after some initial baby steps, there’s been some definite faltering. Church attendance has been more checkered (and that’s putting it nicely). She has been, however, a part of a Zoom Bible study I lead, where my wife, Leah, and a couple of other young single ladies join me for lessons in Genesis. She’s very attentive and an eager learner. I’m often struck at how on-point her answers and observations are, given her lower education and troubled past. A sharp cookie! But still, concerned about her spiritual state, as well as that of her fiancé.
So, an update on “Leah.” Once COVID-19 hit and our services went online for a couple of months, connections with Leah became brittle. We had been helping her find a job, and she did get one. But during that period where we were no longer picking her up for church every week and visiting face to face, she and her live-in fiance “Matthew” hit a rough patch, and he left. Another fellow soon came in his place. Very sad indeed. Leah truly was a ‘Samaritan woman,’ in desperate need of the True Man to set things right.
District, door-to-door evangelism done right is distinctly Reformed, being a distinctly household-oriented approach to Gospel outreach.
Follow me here. Doesn’t God administer His grace to individuals as well as to households? Doesn’t it start with the head and flow to the members? Isn’t it interested in reconciling the father to the son and the son to the father? Abraham, Joshua, Cornelius, Lydia. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31). We aim for the heads of households; and if we get them, we get the family. (more…)
District, door-to-door evangelism done right is distinctly Reformed, being a distinctly household-oriented approach to Gospel outreach.
West Port Experiment 