Is Forgiveness Unconditional?

Most people in our culture believe that forgiveness is unconditional by virtue of good intentions or death. So they say, “My intentions were harmless so surely God will forgive me” or “Because God is love, surely he will forgive me when I die.” Both of these cultural assumptions are unfounded in Scripture and not practiced in human relationships. For example, there are bitter widows who have never forgiven their husbands although their husband passed away years ago. Death does not automatically result in forgiveness. The same is true for good intensions. True forgiveness follows repentance, which is clearly depicted in the gospel. God sends his only Son to become a man, live a sinless life, and die as our substitute to “take away the sin on the world (Joh. 1:29).” So many incorrectly concluded from this verse, because they are part of this world, their sins must be washed away. Forgiveness is unconditional, but not automatic. It is unconditional only under one condition, that is, repentance. 

Summer at Midtown Church

It has been a great summer at Midtown! It always starts with a bitter-sweet month of May. We have to say goodbye to 90% of the college students for 3 months. But we are excited about their summer opportunities to grow spiritually. Many of them take off to Florida for the Orlando Project with Campus Outreach. Other students commit to cross-cultural projects to China or South Africa. The students who stay in Indy get to be a part of Summer in the City (Midtown’s Summer Project for college students), which has doubled in size since it began two years ago (about 46 students now). We are thankful to have more than 70 students at IUPUI and Butler who are committed to growing in their relationship with Christ and willing to advance the kingdom of God around the world.

At the Midtown campus, we launched four marriage groups in May to read and discuss The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller. Couples have responded enthusiastically. There is almost 100% participation from all of our married couples (almost 25 couples). People have appreciated the Christ-centered content and opportunity to grow in friendships. Some groups have grown because of participation from unexpected neighbors. These groups have been a huge summer highlight.

In a few weeks we will have another membership Sunday where we will introduce more than 20 new members to our Midtown congregation. Some of them became Christians in college through Campus Outreach’s ministry at IUPUI, but many others are new Christians since Midtown moved to the Broad Ripple area. One of our new members (James) works at Panera downtown and became friends with Phil who shared the gospel with him, brought him to church, and led him to Christ. Recently at church, James shared his testimony and was baptized. It was a really encouraging Sunday! Another example is Melissa who has been coming to Midtown for about a year. She grew up going to church and even had a family member who was a minister, but they never talked about Jesus. She met a member of our church who befriended her and brought her to church. Over the course of a year, she heard the gospel many times, and then finally surrendered her life to Christ a few months ago at our worship service. She said, “I finally gave Jesus control of my life.” I am overwhelmed with the grace of God and am constantly reminded that true life-changing power is in the gospel alone. I count it a privilege to be the pastor of Midtown!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Rom. 1:16)   

Marriage is for Your Holiness

Francis De Sales, bishop of Geneva in the early 1600’s, was counseling a woman about whether or not she should marry and he said, “The state of marriage is one that requires more virtue and constancy than any other. It is a perpetual exercise of mortification.” The calling of marriage is always more than we anticipated. We thought it would enhance our life and satisfy our deepest longings. We expect far too much from marriage. It could never meet our expectations. What we are looking for in marriage can only be found in a relationship with Christ. God demands to be at the center of our marriages. Until we understand that marriage is not about our happiness but our holiness, marriage will become a barrier to our joy rather than God’s blessing for our growth. 

Happy Mother's Day

When you have 3 boys and a wife who is a supermom, it is hard to know how to adequately thank your wife. So, I spent the morning creating a homemade card. Unfortunately, the card looks like it came from an elementary school kid, but it's the thought that counts, right?!

To my wonderful wife (Janet), 

As I think about my life and what I deserve, it is hard to imagine why God would be so gracious to give me you. He could have chosen anyone, but He gave me a woman of noble character and love for children. I have not met anyone who loves their kids as much as you. It is beautiful to watch you parent our children, and I am often convicted by your joyful sacrifice for them. John Wesley said, “I have learned more about God from my mother than all the theologians in England.” Having observed you raise our boys for the last 6 years, I understand the truth of what Wesley has said. Our boys will understand the love of God because of your unconditional love for them. They will know Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice on the cross for their souls because of your sacrifice for them. They will know the importance of a personal relationship with Christ because of your deep relationship with them. They will know the value of prayer because of your prayers for them and with them. They will know the centrality of the Word of God because of your reading of the Bible to them each night. They will know the value of work because of your tireless labor for them. They will understand their fallen condition as sinners because you are committed to their salvation more than making them just “good little boys.” They will appreciate the fruit of godly character because of your consistent discipline of them. They will know how to be tough because you are committed to raising our boys into men. They will know how to be husbands because you graciously respect on honor me. And most importantly, they will know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ because you don’t just give them rules to obey but you teach them the gospel to transform their hearts, which empowers them to obey. You are the best mother I know! 

Love, Your humbled husband

Building a Gospel Movement in Indianapolis

The Christ Community Midtown site is now 10 weeks underway. It seems like yesterday when we launched. One of the things I have learned over the past several weeks is the importance of identity. Who we are (our identity) will determine what we do. This principle is foundational to the Bible. With each book, there is an effort to shape the identity of the church. For example, in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he is working to bring unity to a diverse community. Why? It is because each believer is part of one body under the headship of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-31). In the same letter, Paul instructs the church to worship the one true God. Why? So that the church would be secure and not fear threats from idols, which have no real power (1 Cor. 8). 

These truths affect how we live and make decisions. So, who is Midtown? Each week there is an element of surprise—of experimenting and trying new things. Some of our experiments include introducing gospel music and rap into our worship service. Our mission statement: “Building a gospel movement through missional discipleship” has guided us thus far, and God continues to reveal what this means in our context. We are striving for a gospel movement that is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural. We are multi-ethnic because African Americans and Anglos make up a significant part of our congregation, and we are multi-cultural because our diversity is not simply color but background. I am reminded of what Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: "It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o'clock on Sunday morning." We hope to overcome this cultural crisis and prove to be a diverse community that truly reflects the unity we have in Christ (Eph. 2:12-13).

Why Work?

Dorothy Sayers, a renowned English crime writer, poet, playwright, essayist, and Christian author, wrote a helpful essay on the topic of work. This is a must read for all who struggle to view work as fulfilling God's mission! 

The first paragraph...

I have already, on a previous occasion, spoken at some length on the subject of Work and Vocation.  What I urged then was a thoroughgoing revolution in our whole attitude to work. I asked that it should be looked upon, not as a necessary drudgery to be undergone for the purpose of making money, but as a way of life in which the nature of man should find its proper exercise and delight and so fulfill itself to the glory of God.  That it should, in fact, be thought of as a creative activity undertaken for the love of the work itself; and that man, made in God’s image, should make things, as God makes them, for the sake of doing well a thing that is well worth doing.

Read the entire essay here.

A response from the faculty at Covenant Seminary regarding the "International Burn a Koran Day":

“Because the Florida church identifies itself as ‘evangelical’ we have felt it very important to differentiate ourselves as ‘evangelicals’ who need to take a very different approach that is in accord with biblical principles.  We have tried to make a hallmark of Covenant Seminary honoring the biblical instruction, ‘always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you, but do so with gentleness and respect’ (1 Pet. 3:15).  For this reason, I am thankful that our faculty has drafted the attached letter that will be mailed to the Florida church leadership stating what we believe should be said regarding this response to the challenges of Islam in our culture and world.  This letter will also be shared with local Islamic leaders to indicate that many in the church of Jesus Christ do not endorse the actions or attitudes of this Florida church. Our hope is to state the distinctives of our faith while also providing a credible witness to it.”

Read entire letter here.