Archives For Matt Chandler

7 Miles

Matt Chandler explains why the idea that Jesus didn’t really die on the cross is ridiculous:

In other news

The Ten Most Surprising Things About the iPad (via Z)

Jared Wilson shares “10 big reasons why Easter giveaways are a FAIL

Wisdom, Complexity and Chilling the Heck Out

In Case You Missed It

Here are a few of this week’s notable posts:

An interview with Adrian Warnock, author of Raised with Christ

“Too Staggering a claim to remain neutral” – Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears on the Resurrection

Maybe the problem is we’re not frightened enough

Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the dishonesty of unbelief

Christianity Changing China  

Read this very brief article in the China Daily (China’s official English language newspaper). It’s the testimony of a university student who converted to Christianity.  

Now if you’ve been following China for any length of time you might be picking your jaw up off the floor. Get this: 

  • The official and highly controlled newspaper of the Communist government is featuring a story of a religious conversion of an exceptionally bright university student who found meaninglessness in existence apart from God.
  • He was given a Bible by a colleague, and the reader is not led to believe this is a bad thing.
  • He converted to Christ after reading it and now is experiencing fulfillment.
  • And he’s now happily attending an unregistered church (i.e house church).

Whoa. 

We know the church is unregistered because yesterday the China Daily ran an article on house churches that are thriving in Beijing and featured that church. In fact, this particular unregistered church has actually been allowed to purchase property for a church building.  

This doesn’t discount the fact that persecution still occurs in China. But we need to let this news soak in. This little article is huge. God is doing something incredible in that great nation 

 Keep praying. 

HT: Desiring God (via Z)  


In Other News  

Tullian Tchividjian: Counterfeit Gospels  

The latest on Matt Chandler’s health & cancer treatment. Overall pretty encouraging. Keep praying.  

The latest on Michael Spencer’s health. The prognosis is grim. Pray hard.  


  

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In Case You Missed It  

Here are a few of this week’s notable posts:  

Jude: Contending to Keep Us From Stumbling  

A review of Brian Tome’s latest, Free Book  

P.T. Forsyth on the orator and the preacher  

Introducing our new daughter, Hannah Grace

Ruined for Anything Else

Tim Challies shares a story from his life as he looks at the resurgence of Reformed theology. An excerpt:

I once went on a weekend men’s retreat that featured teaching from several local pastors. We heard some interesting messages about serving our wives, about being men of integrity and so on. . . . The thing that has remained in my mind, though, was one of the sermons delivered that weekend. While we had received a steady diet of topical sermons, one of the pastors stood and delivered what was, in effect, a biblically-grounded expository message. He simply opened up the Bible and explained to us what it meant and how we could apply it to our lives. He gave us real doctrine—true meat instead of mere milk.

As we walked from the meeting room to our cabins I could tell there was a buzz running through the crowd of men. They had enjoyed the sermon and had been electrified by it. But they had no category for it. I heard comments like, “I don’t know what that was, but it was amazing! I wish we could hear more teaching like that!”

It was a pivotal moment for me. It drove home to me something that the Bible teaches but something I had never really seen before—that true believers want and eventually need to move from milk to meat. Though they may not have a category to describe what is missing from their lives they will feel a restlessness. The Spirit works in them to give them a craving for solid food. And when they take a bite of that food, their eyes light up and they know that they are experiencing something that they were meant to enjoy.

It’s a pretty powerful piece; go read it in it’s entirety.

In Other News

Another bit of news from Tim Challies: His redesigned blog is now up and running. It’s quite nice.

Matt Chandler will be a special guest at Together for the Gospel this Spring. He’ll be taking CJ Mahaney’s spot to share what God’s been teaching him through his struggle with brain cancer. The latest video update on Matt’s health is up at the Village’s pastor’s blog.

Ray Ortlund: How the Devil spoke through Peter

Another update on Michael Spencer’s health.

In Case You Missed It

Here are a few of this week’s notable posts:

A review of Erwin Lutzer’s latest, When a Nation Forgets God

Are you being confident or presumptuous when you take risks?

Truth, Love and Jonathan Edwards

Charles Spurgeon on the difference between true and false humility

Preacher-Idolatry and the Promise of “All Things”

From David Murray, Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan:

What do you do if people start idolizing you or your preaching? “I wouldn’t mind some of that!” you retort. Well, okay, maybe it won’t happen to many of us on a large scale. And most of us have the opposite problem. But, if even one person starts to “follow” you or your sermons excessively (and that can happen in the smallest of congregations), how should you respond?

The Apostle Paul’s answer to preacher-idolatry was, “All things are yours” (1 Cor. 3:21). I was first stunned by this verse 17 years ago when Don Carson lectured on 1 Corinthians 1-3 at the Free Church College in Edinburgh. It began a revolution in my worldview that continues to expand and develop to this day. All things are mine! It’s almost unbelievable, isn’t it? I think Paul knew that too. That’s why in the next verse he expands and underlines it. “Whether Paul or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours.” No wriggle room there is there. He covers everything. But why does Paul introduce this huge truth here? He is primarily addressing the Corinthian problem of idolizing preachers…

Read the whole article.

In other news

This month’s free book at ChristianAudio.com: Religions Saves by Mark Driscoll. Use the download code FEB2010 when purchasing.

Albert Mohler: Hijacking the Brain — How Pornography Works

Tim Challies: On Endorsements

A video update from Matt Chandler on his ongoing battle with brain cancer

An update from Michael Spencer, the Internet Monk, on his cancer battle. Michael’s income ran out in January and his health insurance runs out this month. If you feel led to help with his ongoing medical expenses, you can donate here.

In case you missed it

Here are a few of this week’s notable posts

A review of Angels by David Jeremiah

No Gospel, No Purpose – A review of The Gospel-Driven Life by Michael Horton

On Suffering Well and the Wasted Life

Fear the Boom and Bust

Charles Spurgeon on the wretchedness of pride

Matt Chandler, center, holds hands with his son Reid, 4, left, and daughter Audrey, 7, in Flower Mound, Texas as they take a walk after a treatment for Matt's brain cancer. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

 

Yesterday, Eric Gorski from the Associated Press published a fantastic article on Pastor Matt Chandler’s battle with brain cancer. If you’ve not read it, you absolutely must.  

In the article, Gorski wrote,  

Matt Chandler doesn’t feel anything when the radiation penetrates his brain. It could start to burn later in treatment. But it hasn’t been bad, this time lying on the slab. Not yet, anyway.  

Another cancer patient Chandler has gotten to know spends his time in radiation imagining that he’s playing a round of golf at his favorite course. Chandler on this first Monday in January is reflecting on Colossians 1:15-23, about the pre-eminence of Christ and making peace through the blood of his cross.  

Chandler’s hands are crossed over his chest. He wears a mask with white webbing that keeps his head still when metal fingers slide into place on the radiation machine, delivering the highest possible dose to what is considered to be fatal and incurable brain cancer.  

Yesterday I was listening (briefly) to Tapestry on CBC Radio One while on the way to read a book and drink a warm beverage. I caught a snippet of an interview with William Lobdell, a journalist who became a Christian in his twenties, served as the religion reporter for one of the biggest newspapers in the U.S. since become an atheist.  

In talking about the Christian worldview, he said something that really caught my attention, which was that,  

Christians see this life as a fleeting moment in light of eternity. So to waste a day, a month, a year… it’s not really a big deal. They think they’ve got all eternity. But for an atheist, because we know this is all there is, we take as much joy as we can and make the most of every moment (my paraphrase).  

Continue Reading…

Have you noticed that, for the most part, people don’t speak well of their spouses? In entertainment, husbands and wives regularly make sport of each other. Marketing has fully embraced the doofy husband (the man too stupid to understand how an air freshener works but still manages to get the attractive wife).

You know what’s a great way to talk to people about Jesus? Talk positively about your spouse.

Matt Chandler made this point in his sermon, The Path 11: The Reign and Rule of God, when talking about styles of evangelism:

Now, you can live your life in such a way that people will ask questions about your faith. You absolutely can. A way to do that in the real world:

Talk positive your wife.

Talk positive about your spouse. Talk about how awesome she is.

And watch how you’ll draw a crowd. I mean, men will just flock to you. “Hey man, help me, because my girl is driving me crazy…”

And you can to talk about the grace show to you by God Almighty, and then by being a recipent of that grace enables you to give grace and then you’re off and running. So you can live your life in such a way, but you’re eventually going to have to open your mouth. You’re eventually going to have to talk about sin and the cross and our hope in Jesus Christ.

But you have to open your mouth.

So my problem with the relational evangelism method, in my experience, is that you never get around to saying anything about Jesus.

Looking at this, I can’t help but be reminded of 1 Peter 3:1-7,

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Husbands, do you make a point of speaking well of your wife? Do you treat her with delicacy both when she’s in the room and when she’s not?

Wives, do you speak well of your husband? Do you treat him with respect even when he’s a bit of a doofus?

Video Update from Matt Chandler

Pastor Matt Chandler of the Village Church in Texas gives an update on his cancer treatment:

HT: The Village Church Pastors’ Blog


In other news

Dan Woolley, a colleague of mine from Compassion International was rescued the other day from the ruins of the Hotel Montana in Haiti! Praise God for this wonderful news! Please give to help with the relief and long term recovery efforts.

2010: Living in the Future. You must read this. My wife’s review: “It made me choke on my own laughter.” So you know it’s good.

Albert Mohler: Does God Hate Haiti?


In case you missed it

Here are a few of this week’s notable posts:

A review of Jim Belcher’s very helpful book, Deep Church

The morning after in Haiti.

Holy Spirit vs. Holy Scripture 

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The Test of a True Teacher

Moralizing Destroys Scripture and Cultivates Pride

This was the first message I’d ever heard from Matt Chandler and remains one of the most profound. Delivered in 2006, Chandler shares the weight of pastoring, his own struggles as a pastor at the time and how the knowledge of Christ—experiencing the person of Christ—is essential to surviving.

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.914148&w=425&h=350&fv=poster%3Dfiles%2Fimages%2F%26videourl%3Dfiles%2Fvideo%2Fr_r_2006_session_09_video_chandler.flv%26title1%3DGravity%3A+The+Weight+of+Pastoring+and+the+Knowledge+of+Christ]
more about “Matt Chandler – Gravity: The Weight o…“, posted with vodpod

Download Audio or see more messages from this series at The Resurgence.

HT: Adrian Warnock

The Many Ways of Destroying the Church

The ways of destroying the church are many and colorful.  Raw factionalism will do it.  Rank heresy will do it.  Taking your eyes off the cross and letting other, more peripheral matters dominate the agenda will do it–admittedly more slowly than frank heresy, but just as effectively over the long haul.  Building the church with superficial ‘conversions’ and wonderful programs that rarely bring people into a deepening knowledge of the living God will do it.  Entertaining people to death but never fostering the beauty of holiness or the centrality of self-crucifying love will build an assembling of religious people, but it will destroy the church of the living God.  Gossip, prayerlessness, bitterness, sustained biblical illiteracy, self-promotion, materialism–all of these things, and many more, can destroy a church.  And to do so is dangerous: ‘If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple (1 Cor. 3:17).  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

D.A. Carson, The Cross and Christian Ministry: Leadership Lessons from 1 Corinthians (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1993), 83-84.

HT: Timmy Brister


In other news

5 things the Church can learn from the fall of Myspace

Tim Keller on dealing with harsh criticism

Russell Moore—Avatar: Rambo in Reverse

An update on Pastor Matt Chandler’s condition


In case you missed it

Here are a few of this week’s notable posts:

A review of Alexander Strauch’s Leading with Love 

Vintage Jesus is Vintage Driscoll—a review of the Vintage Jesus DVD Curriculum

This is War (a Christmas Carol from Dustin Kensrue)

A biographical sketch of Charles Wesley

Update: An update from the Village Church on the pathology report that Matt and Lauren Chandler received yesterday:

Dear church,

In the first chapter of Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes that whatever imprisonments, beatings and trials he may have suffered, they all “serve to advance the gospel” of Jesus Christ. We implore you to keep the gospel of Christ as the main focus as we walk with Matt and Lauren through this trial.

On Tuesday, Dr. Barnett informed Matt and Lauren that the findings of the pathology report revealed a malignant brain tumor that was not encapsulated. The surgery to remove the tumor, the doctor said, was an extremely positive first step; however, because of the nature of the tumor, he was not able to remove all of it.

Matt, who is being released from the hospital today, is meeting with a neuro-oncologist this week to outline the next steps of the recovery process. There is a range of treatment possibilities but the exact course of action has not yet been determined. He will continue outpatient rehab.

The Lord is calling Matt and Lauren and The Village Church body to endure this trial. It will be a challenging road for Matt, his family and our church body. The gospel is our hope and the Lord is our strength. Matt and Lauren continue to find solace and hope in Christ. They weep facing this trial, but not as those without hope and perspective. The gospel clarifies their suffering and promises more of Christ through it all.

You have done a wonderful job respecting the family, and we ask that you continue to do this. They are processing all of this together and need you to give them precious space. Please do not visit them at their house unless personally invited by the Chandlers. The best way to serve the family is to continue to be faithful in prayer. Specifically, pray for the following:

  • Wisdom for all the coming decisions
  • Strength and peace to endure
  • The kids’ (Audrey, Reid and Norah) hearts; pray the Lord is merciful as they process and that their little hearts do not grow embittered
  • The Chandlers and The Village would suffer well because of the gospel and for the sake of Christ’s name

As you hurt and weep for the family, do not do it alone. Gather with your home group and with other believers in homes and pray together. This is a time to walk together with others and to endure this trial in community. If you wish, send cards and letters to Matt and Lauren at 2101 Justin Road, Flower Mound, TX 75028.

We will continue to keep you informed as new information is made available. Please be patient with the frequency of the updates. May God strengthen us all and may His glory shine brightly through this.

Please continue to pray for our brother, his family, and his church.

Yesterday he wrote on his Twitter account: “Path report is 2ndary at best…good report doesn’t mean much, bad report doesn’t mean anything…my days r numbered and nt by ths report.”

Collin Hansen recently wrote in CT about Chandler’s trials: “When the Pastor Suffers.”

HT: JT Continue Reading…