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Family-Integrated Church 19: A Plea for Principled Unity

by | Jun 29, 2011 | Family-Integrated Church

This is, I think, the last of my blogs on the subject of the Family-Integrated Church movement. I have attempted to commend the movement where I could. I have also tried to present my critiques of it (where they were necessary) in an irenic fashion. I hope I have succeeded. I have also tried to distinguish the several streams which make up this complex movement and not paint with too broad a brush.

I want to conclude by stating my genuine respect particularly for those men in this movement who hold (as I believe) my own 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. Scott Brown and Voddie Baucham seem to me (judging from their books) to be men with whom on most subjects I have deep, precious, and all too rare agreement. In my view we should find ways to express that agreement—even if we cannot agree on exactly the same philosophy of ministry for the church.

There are obstacles to the unity for which I am pleading in this blog. Too many Reformed Baptist churches have been disappointed and injured by their experiences with those who claim to represent the Family-Integrated Church movement. Such folks sometimes have done things in the name of it that, I believe, would make Scott and Voddie shudder. On the other hand, it is possible that some who represent the Family-Integrated Church movement have not been received by Reformed Baptist churches with the grace, patience, and redemptive love we owe to all Christians. James 3:2 remarks: “For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.” Psalm 139:23-24 adds: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.”

In my view we should not divide over a difference of this kind in the philosophy of ministry we adopt as local churches. It may be that different views cannot be combined in the same church and in the same eldership. But this does not mean that two churches which differ on their philosophy of ministry, but revere the same Confession of Faith, cannot hold fellowship as churches. For myself, I grant liberty to such Family-Integrated Church folks to practice their views in their churches. I may think their views unnecessary, imprudent, and unwise, but I do not think them sinful. I only wish that they would grant Reformed Baptist churches the same liberty. It seems to me that given what they believe they should be able to do this. It seems to me that objectively speaking we are not that far apart and that there is very much more which unites us than divides us.

Ephesians 6:23-24 states my last thought: “Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.”

Family-Integrated Church 18: Samuel, Jesus, and Paul (Part 2)

by | Jun 22, 2011 | Family-Integrated Church

Samuel, Jesus, and Paul are sometimes brought forward in response to the family-integrated rejection of age-segregated Sunday Schools and youth meetings. Are the descriptions of what happened in the case of these children normative for us? Let us remind ourselves of what actually happened in each case.

Samuel was taken to Eli to be raised and instructed by Eli when very young (1 Samuel 1-2). 1 Samuel 1:24-25 records: “Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh, although the child was young. Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli.” 1 Samuel 2:11 adds: “Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.”

Jesus was instructed by the priests in the temple when accidentally left in Jerusalem by his parents (Luke 2). Luke 2:46-47 records: “Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.”

Paul was apparently sent to learn from Gamaliel when a very young man. Acts 22:3 says: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel…” The word, educated, in this verse is usually translated brought up and everywhere else in the NT and LXX is used of the bringing up of children. It, thus, suggests—along with the very wording of the verse—that young Saul was sent to be educated by Gamaliel as a child.

A number of observations on these examples tend to suggest that should have some normative significance for the subject of the religious education of children.

First, though the story of Samuel does come from the out-of-kilter era of the Judges, yet it is not found in the Book of Judges and not governed by its theme. Judges 21:25 states that theme: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Rather, it is presented as the beginning of a new era of blessing in the life of Israel marked by the raising up of the first, theocratic prophet, Samuel. Samuel’s devotion and service to Eli throughout the relevant passage seems to be commended. Furthermore, God blesses Hannah’s dedicating of Samuel to serving Eli in the holy place by giving her five more children. To put it differently, Hannah is presented very positively by the narrator both as to the nature of her piety and the results of it. Part and parcel of this piety was her dedication of Samuel to the Lord’s service and to being reared by Eli.

Second, A Weed in the Church actually seems to some degree to acknowledge that the example of Samuel is not merely descriptive. Scott Brown says this example may be “legitimately” brought up and calls it an “exception” which is not to be thought of as the “norm” for child-rearing. (65) Still, if I hear aright what Scott is saying in his paragraph on Samuel, it seems to me that he draws back from saying that what Hannah did was morally wrong. It was not wrong—merely exceptional. But if this is the case, then one may not argue that parents who do what Hannah did are necessarily sinning! Hence, something as comparatively minor as sending your child to an age-segregated Sunday School class cannot be sin.

Third, when the example of Samuel is set alongside those of Jesus and Paul, it is hard to resist the impression that the Jews did not interpret the commands about raising their children in the same way that the family-integrated folks do. They quote the passages addressed to the Jews and Jewish and Gentile Christians in the Bible and conclude that letting your children be taught Christianity by others in your absence is generally wrong. It seems that Hannah, the Jewish teachers in the Temple, and Paul’s Jewish parents were unaware of this implication.

Am I Called to the Ministry?

by | Jun 17, 2011 | Audio/Video, Practical Theology

From talking with many other men who desire to serve Christ in the ministry, I know that we often struggle to know whether we are called by our Savior to serve Him as a pastor. The question “Am I called to the ministry?” is a personal one for me, which is why I have asked the pastors at Heritage Baptist Church to assess my calling.

Lately, there has been quite a bit of writing about this question in the evangelical blogosphere. But I especially appreciate the new post by Justin Taylor, which includes links to resources as well as several videos. Having found the videos especially helpful, I wanted to let others know about them as well. Here they are:

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