For the Church

Finding Rest on the Road

Where Are We Going?

They say that when you have young kids, you don’t take vacations. Instead, you take trips. I don’t want to fight over the semantics of these two words, but I understand the sentiment.

When you have young children on vacation, the experience is rarely two beach chairs, toes in the water, and bliss in the sand. Don’t get me wrong, some of life’s greatest moments have come on family vacations. We can relax as we unplug and detox from bright screens and endless work. But there’s a reason some people use the trip/vacation distinction.

Even though you’re removed from the stress of one world, similar tensions and challenges exist as you travel with your family. If you’re like me, you lose your wallet and spend the entire first day of vacation searching for it. You break up fights between siblings, build the day’s fun around nap schedules, and test your family’s patience as you try to snap the perfect golden hour photo.

With that long list of potential family vacation pain points, I want to encourage you to add one more potentially stressful activity to your vacation plans – attending a church service. I know, you’re rolling your eyes just like my wife did when I first proposed this idea en route to our vacation destination. She came around, and I’m hoping you will too.

New Adventures

On our most recent trip to Oklahoma we went to a service where our friend was doing church revitalization work. It was an adventure. As we do almost every Sunday, we arrived a few minutes late. Our late arrival resulted in a wild goose chase through their old 1920s church building, trying to find the auditorium. After cracking a few doors open inside, and a walk around the building on the outside, we finally made it to our seats. Our daughter, who isn’t afraid to say what’s on her mind, whispered, “This is the best Sunday ever!” She loved the adventure!

When it came time to pass the offering plate, something we’re not used to in our home church context, I encouraged our daughter to give some of her money to the church. I thought she’d put a dollar in, but she pulled a twenty out of her wallet. Before I could stop her, she’d dropped it into the plate. No turning back. When my wife praised her for her generosity, she stated bluntly, “They need it.” After her trip through the creaky old church, she wanted to help. We finished out the morning listening to a great sermon on Amos, chatting with some old friends, and watching our kids take a second lap through the old church.

I want to clarify that I’m not arguing for visiting a church on vacation as a mandate, rule, or requirement. This isn’t a legalistic guilt trip or me boasting about what we do. It’s meant as an invitation. An idea. More than that, we’ve seen some big picture lessons for my children (and me) from this new rhythm I’ve sprung on our family.

Teachable Moments

It teaches them that our need for grace in hearing the word preached, taking communion, fellowshipping with other Christians, and singing spiritual songs doesn’t stay at home.

One of the most popular family ministry Bible verses is Deuteronomy 6:4-9. The Lord instructs his people to teach his laws to their children in everyday life moments – when you sit at home, when you walk along the road, and when you lie down and get up. I’ve found attending church as a family on vacation can be a natural way to live out this text in a few different ways.

Taking Our Faith With Us: The rhythm of visiting a church on vacation implicitly communicates to our children that our faith goes with us wherever we go. It teaches them that our need for grace in hearing the word preached, taking communion, fellowshipping with other Christians, and singing spiritual songs doesn’t stay at home. The songs, prayers, liturgies, and faces may be different from place to place, but it helps remind them that Christian faith is full of rich variety. We travel with burdens and fears and sins and pain. The church, ours or one we may visit, is a harbor for us to seek safety, forgiveness, and renewal.

Teaching Them as We Go: Visiting a church on vacation also brings about explicit teachable moments referenced in Deut 6:4-9. If your kids are anything like mine, they’ll ask why in the world they are going to church on vacation. That question in itself is a teachable moment. It’s an opportunity to explain our identity as Christ’s followers and the importance of the fellowship of the saints for our Christ-like formation. It allows us to teach our children the nature of the local church where “the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 3:8-10).

In addition to teachable moments on the Christian life and the church, I’ve noticed that this exercise prepares my children to learn and engage in Sunday morning worship. There’s something refreshing about visiting a new church. You see new people, and experience new church rhythms. I’ve noticed that I’m a little less distracted and find it easier to take in the experience. I think the same is true for my kids. This leads to conversations after church about what we learned, who we met, and what looked or sounded different. My wife and I make sure to throw in a few ways the sermon impacted our hearts and pointed us to Christ. Visiting church on vacation presents a natural way to share the same gospel truths we teach at home, but maybe to a more attentive audience.

Seeing the “Global” Body of Christ: Visiting a church on vacation exposes our children to the diversity and expansive nature of the church. It teaches them that our faith, though very much lived out locally in our everyday lives, is part of a much bigger story than they know. In case they think that the Christian faith is a tradition only for their family and friends, these visits help them see that the gospel brings life to people of different ages, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds in all sorts of places. They experience the effects of Christ’s commission to his disciples and the fruit of the saints who have gone before us. Seeing the global nature of the church and the expansion of the gospel contributes, if only in a small way, to our children realizing that Christ’s blessings of salvation extend as far as the curse is found.

Vacations and Rest

Back to my daughter. One of the questions she asked me before getting ready for church on our last trip was something like, “Daddy, why do we have to go to church on vacation? Isn’t vacation about rest and doing fun things?” Notice the difference in our definitions of the getaway (trip vs. vacation). She’s right about vacation. It is absolutely about rest and doing fun things. What she doesn’t know yet, but is hopefully beginning to learn, is that our souls need a greater rest than any vacation could ever offer. As Augustine puts it, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” And those who have rested in Christ deepen that rest in the local church, with their spiritual brothers and sisters and mothers (Matthew 12:50), where they’re reminded of the gospel, use their gifts to serve others, and grow as disciples.

If vacation is about rest, then why not seek it at the place that points us to the one in whom it’s found? The church gathered is supposed to be restful and joyous. While it might not feel very restful to drag our kids to church on vacation, my hope is that they (and me) remember where our true rest is found – in Christ alone. I have no evidence that it’s working this way yet, but I’m banking that this new tradition will bear fruit in the long run. I’d encourage you to join us in giving it a try. If you’re planning your next vacation and would like to find a church to visit, I recommend the 9Marks or the Gospel Coalition church directories.

This article was originally published by Gospel-Centered Family and can be read here.

To the Soon-To-Be Pastor

By Lucas Hahn / May 11

As I packed up my office and prepared to enter into my first full-time ministry opportunity, my boss came in with a book as a parting gift. “The First 90 Days” by Michael D. Watkins. The premise of the book is simple: “The actions you take during your first few months in a new role will largely determine whether you succeed or fail” (page 1). Admittedly, I don’t think it’s wise for pastors to be building their goals and strategies solely from the wisdom of secular books about the workforce like this one. However, getting started on the right foot as a pastor will pay dividends for your service to the flock in the long run, and because of this, I chose to read it. As I read the book and began serving my new church family I regularly found myself exactly where Watkins wrote that I would be and felt the pressure he said I would feel. I came to appreciate the reality that the first 90 days of a new job are important, and hard, whether you are a CEO or a new minister.

With the semester coming to an end this spring, many seminary students across the country have their eyes toward the horizon that is graduation. And with that graduation will come ministry opportunities for many young alumni. These opportunities will be an answer to prayer and the start of an exciting journey for the glory of God. They will also be hard, especially those first few months! So for the soon-to-be vocational pastor, here are some exhortations to guide you in those first crucial months:

If you’re in seminary reading this, chances are you’ve heard the stereotypes about new pastors fresh out of school. Naïve and ambitious, filled with head knowledge from the rigorous theological study but with hands and hearts that haven’t quite caught up. You may think you won’t fall victim to these stereotypes, but then again so did everyone else! So how can you serve in your new post for those first 90 days and guard yourself against these tropes?

First, your earliest days in ministry need to be marked by a posture of clarifying and defining expectations every day. What do your elders want to see you do in these first few months? What do you want to see happen? The closer those answers can align, the better it will be for you! Most pastors are hired to do more than one thing at their church. Some expectations of the job cannot be fulfilled immediately. Do you and your elders agree on which things need to wait and which things can be done from day one? You can never over-clarify what is expected of you those first few months but a lack of clarity can cause conflict and division that takes more time to resolve and holds back ministry.

Second, in your first three months garner as many easy wins as you can. A word of caution here: a proper definition of “win,” is essential to this being effective. An easy win is not a major change or philosophical shift that requires a plethora of time and energy. An easy win is fixing the leaky faucet in the bathroom. An easy win is updating the website if there are some outdated events posted on the homepage. Ask the elders if there are any younger men eager to be discipled and take them out to coffee, or serve on the greeting team. If you’re really eager for an easy win, volunteer to run slides on Sunday mornings! Easy wins serve the church, give you easy confidence boosts, and help you assimilate into the community. Many people will have a healthy dose of skepticism about a new pastor. Finding easy ways to build credit and express your love and service to them is an easy way to honor them and the Lord. Maybe most important, you are not too special to run slides on Sunday and easy wins put us back into a righteous humility.

Third, remember that swinging for the fences raises your chances of striking out. Seldom does a church need an all-star, especially when they hardly know the guy. Let your first 90 days be marked by hitting singles. The allure of the home run in ministry never goes away, and sometimes God calls people to swing for it, but I can almost guarantee God has not called you to hit home runs right away. Preach the Word, pray for people, attend your new small group, and be ready to fulfill the normal duties and responsibilities of ministry. The more you try to impress people or change things in the name of growth or improvement the more you may actually convey pride and a demeaning attitude toward them and the prior pastor. If God has called you to the ministry, He will have you there long enough to see the home runs 5 years from now.

Ultimately, if you are called by God to enter into a new church as a shepherd, let your first 90 days be marked by prayer and praise. Consider the way Paul models prayer for churches as he begins many of his Epistles and urges Timothy to pray for all people (1 Tim. 2:1). Those examples are a good reminder for us that elders are meant to be devoted to prayer (Acts. 6:4). In those first few months you’ll be learning simple things like small group schedules, which children go to what classroom on Sunday morning, and your schedule will be packed with lunches and coffees as you acclimate. It’s easy to forget to come before the Lord on behalf of your flock during the transition. In your first 90 days, don’t wait until you know their names to pray for them. Learn their names by praying for them! Carve out some time and begin praying through the membership rolls the minute you arrive. It will always be tempting to do something other than pray.

In the same way, it will often be tempting to wallow in discouragement early on. We must be grateful for the opportunity. Even when early problems arise, don’t lose sight of the fact that God has put you there and that the people you serve are trusting you with serious aspects of their spiritual formation. Likewise, be grateful for the grunt work you never daydream about in your seminary courses. Filling out an expense report is much better than having no money! Ultimately, praise the Lord for giving us that Savior on the cross, Jesus, the true and great shepherd who you now get to model in your ministry through the grace He offers. Truly there is no better feeling knowing that regardless of these first 90 days, eternity with God is sealed now and forever.

Jonah’s Audience Unlocks Our Preaching

By Lucas Hahn / May 10

I don’t remember a lot from Sunday School as a kid, but one picture that remains clear in my mind was coloring the picture of Jonah in the belly of the fish. That picture, which so beautifully engages imaginations young and old, makes the Book of Jonah exciting and difficult to preach.

With a familiar story like Jonah, I have had to fight the temptation to skip exegetical work because I think I know what is going on already. This familiarity makes preaching the first two chapters easy but the last two quite puzzling. In case you need a reminder in the first two chapters, Jonah heads the opposite way on a boat from the mission that God gave him. God sends a storm and the sailors, after trying everything else, listen to Jonah and throw him overboard. God appoints a fish to swallow Jonah. In the depths of the sea, Jonah cries out to God and the fish spits him onto shore. In chapters 3 and 4, Jonah goes to Nineveh. After a rather short sermon, the city repents and God does not destroy them. The story concludes with an angry prophet outside of the city who does not understand God’s mercy. It ends with a final question from God to Jonah: will the prophet begrudge God’s grace? The preacher is left with a different question. What do you do with an ending like that? The whole book becomes clearer when we consider the audience to whom the book of Jonah was written.

Jonah’s Audience

This is the spot where familiarity can really hinder clarity. We know the story, so we don’t take the time to dive into the context. Think about it. Jonah was written at a particular time for a particular people. That’s true of every book. Jonah was not written to the prophet; he is the main character! Jonah was also not written to the Ninevites. If it were for the Ninevites, then it would not have ended up in the Hebrew Scriptures. Jonah was originally intended for the people of Israel. It was for the Northern Kingdom who saw a great enemy named Assyria casting a shadow over their land whose capitol was Nineveh. Understanding the audience of Jonah helps us answer the question of Jonah. Namely, trust God when what he appointed is different than what you expected.

Appointed vs. Expected

From the beginning of the story until the end, God is doing something different than what Jonah and the original audience would have expected. The call to go to a rival nation is not expected. The storm that frightens the sailors was appointed by God but was far greater than anyone expected. The fish was appointed by God and saved the rebellious prophet. The prophet proclaimed God’s Word and the Ninevites (of all people!) unexpectedly repent. Finally, the Lord speaks to Jonah after showing His mercy to the Ninevites and we don’t expect Jonah’s reaction. All of it is about expectations and reality, what the prophet expects and what God appoints. Jonah expected destruction. He wanted to sit and watch God destroy the enemy of God’s people. Yet God was merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. God had one last thing to appoint for Jonah and the people of Israel to understand. The Lord appointed the plant, the sun, and the worm to give Jonah relief and take it away. God appointed the plant to show mercy for a moment in hopes that Jonah would love the mercy more than he hated the Ninevites. But sometimes when what we expect is different than what God appoints, we cannot move beyond it. God wants Jonah to love His character and to desire it for himself.

Loving God’s Character

Jonah knew God’s character. He quotes the familiar refrain in Jonah 4:2 from Exodus 34:6, “I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” Beyond that, Jonah referenced at least 10 Psalms in his prayer of chapter 2. Jonah knows God’s Word and he know God’s character. The question for Jonah and for us is whether that knowledge will move from our heads to our hearts. Jonah rages at God’s kindness to his enemies. The Israelite audience was confronted with such an unexpected outpouring of grace. So, the question at the end is how we respond to God’s character. God is gracious and merciful, and we cannot despise God for being who He is. Will we let the message of grace and mercy come into our hearts even when it is extended where it is not expected? Will we be amazed by grace or offended by it? God’s grace is truly amazing in that it comes to all who will trust in Christ, a different prophet who sat outside a different city and was in anguish enough to die. His anguish was not anger; it was grief and it was for us. So, let’s love God’s character and be amazed at the grace given to rebels and enemies like you and me.

What is the Hypostatic Union?

By Brett Fredenberg / May 10

Editor’s Note: The Theology in the Everyday series seeks to introduce and explain theological concepts in 500 words or less, with a 200-word section helping explain the doctrine to kids. At For The Church, we believe that theology should not be designated to the academy alone but lived out by faith in everyday life. We hope this series will present theology in such a way as to make it enjoyable, connecting theological ideas to everyday experience and encouraging believers to study theology for the glory of God and the good of the Church. This week, the Hypostatic Union.

“Who do you say that I am?” This question by Jesus is perhaps one of the most important questions we must answer, for life and death depend on it. Our answer is two-fold, as the intent of this series demonstrates. There is a fundamental, dogmatic answer that the Holy Scriptures teach and the Church witnesses through her confessional tradition: Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity, the true Word who took on true flesh in time to take away the sin of the world.

But this biblical and dogmatic confession of our Lord Jesus Christ isn’t abstract or ethereal. Rather, it is only because Jesus is the true Word who assumed true flesh that 1) our sins are taken away by grace, 2) we have an objective view on reality through our union with Christ, 3) we are able to imitate God in Christ by His Spirit, and 4) we have God as our treasure and hope forevermore.

The Hypostatic Union

Throughout history, the Church has referred to this reality as the hypostatic union. But why is this doctrine so important? Where is it in the Bible? Is this a new idea? What exactly is the hypostatic union? In 500 words or less (not including historical sources), here’s how I would explain the doctrine of the hypostatic union:

The hypostatic union simply means that Jesus Christ is truly divine[1] and truly human[2] in the most perfect union.[3] In His mysterious incarnation, God the Son, without loss of or change in His complete perfection, now subsists in both a truly divine and human nature, “not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ.”

That last phrase comes from the Chalcedonian Definition where biblical teaching of God the Son incarnate is defined and preserved.[4] After Chalcedon, four theological categories emerged to help to clarify the meaning of the hypostatic union. These four categories (underlined below), alongside the four negations in the Chalcedonian Definition (in parentheses below), aide us to better see and savor the Word made flesh for us and for our salvation.

Enhypostastic (without division): there is no split or division in the Son because the person of the Son, who is the subject of both natures (He is the “who” of the divine and human nature), now subsists in (en-) the two natures (hypostasis).
Extra Calvinisticum (without change): in the incarnation, our Lord Jesus Christ maintained and continued to exert the divine perfections. The assumption of human flesh did not alter or affect the divine nature; nor was the divine nature set aside.
Communicatio Idiomatum (without confusion): there is no mixture of divine and human natures. As the natures remain distinct, they retain their particular attributes (e.g., divinity in John 1:1-4; 8:58 and humanity in Luke 2:52; Heb. 2:11-17) and those attributes can be predicated of the Son since he is the person or subject of both natures.
Dyothelitism (without separation): in the person of the Son, there is a real union of the divine and human natures. As such, there are two real wills of Christ (dyo, two; thelema, will) located in each nature for us and for our salvation. This preserves our Lord as having a human will (e.g., Heb. 2:17) and denies three wills in the Holy Trinity.

In this magnificent hypostatic union, God the Son incarnate as the second Adam reconciled those who were alienated from God and made peace by the blood of His cross.[5] As our New Covenant head, only God the Son incarnate could reconcile God and humans through His sinless life, substitutionary sacrifice, and victorious resurrection. Therefore, not only do we owe our Lord right reverence and obedience, but we’re given the powers and capabilities to do so in our union and participation in Him.[6] As such, we have a sure hope that is undefiled and unfading in the blessed vision of our Lord.[7]

For the Kids:

Hi, kids! While there’s no perfect comparison, we should NOT say that the hypostatic union is like putting a banana and a strawberry in a blender for your smoothie; nor is it like adding your car seat to the car. We can simply say, Jesus, who has always been God, was born and continues to be a human just like you and me. Though, when he was born, he did not stop being God since God cannot change. It’s important that Jesus is truly human because God’s justice requires human obedience and punishment for sin. It’s also important that Jesus is truly divine so that he could “earn for us and restore to us righteousness and life.” (Heidelberg Catechism, Questions 16-17. For fun and memorable songs, see Shai Linne’s “The Hypostatic Union” and New City Catechism’s Q20-23.)

[1] Mark 2:3-12; John 1:1-4; 8:58; Col. 1:15-20; 2:9; Heb. 1:1-4

[2] Matt. 1:18-25; 26:38; Luke 2:52; John 1:14-18; Heb. 2:11-17; 4:15

[3] Rom. 9:5; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:6-11

[4] To read the Chalcedon Definition in full, visit here.

[5] Rom. 5; Col. 1:15-22

[6] Eph. 1:3-14; 2:13; 2 Peter 1:3-11

[7] 1 John 3:3

Episode 210: Jenny-Lyn de Klerk on 5 Puritan Women

By jredd / May 10

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson talks with scholar and author Jenny-Lyn de Klerk about what the lives of five Puritan women teach us about holy living and devotion to God.

5 Tips for Learning to Preach as a Student Pastor

By Lucas Hahn / May 8

If your church has given you the title of “Youth Pastor,” “Student Pastor,” “Children’s Pastor,” or “_____ Pastor” then your church has called you to be a competent preacher whether you realize it or not. In 1 Timothy 3 the one competency Paul expects of any elder is that they are “able to teach.” The role of a student pastor is multifaceted, encompassing a wide range of responsibilities and skills. Yet, at the heart of this calling lies the same calling that marks all pastoral ministry—the task of preaching God’s Word.

As student pastors, we must constantly seek to grow in our preaching abilities, ensuring that our messages are both faithful to Scripture and engaging to our audience. Many people treat having a staff pastor who is able to preach as a bonus, but Paul considers it a necessity. In this article, we will explore five practical tips for becoming a better preacher as a student pastor.

1. Ask for Feedback (and Listen)

One of the most effective ways to improve as a preacher is to actively seek feedback from others. This may include soliciting input from fellow pastors, mentors, or even students themselves. By inviting constructive criticism and being willing to listen, we create opportunities for growth and refinement in our preaching. Invite people to listen to you that you trust and are prone to listen to. Ask them for real feedback and not simply affirmation of your gifts.

When asking for feedback, it is essential to approach this process with humility and a teachable spirit. Recognize that it is an opportunity to learn and grow, not merely to receive praise or validation. You’ll never get better surrounded by people who are overly impressed with you. As you receive feedback, be open to seeing things a different way, trying new things, and implementing suggestions during future opportunities.

2. Listen to Good Preaching

Another valuable tip for becoming a better preacher is to regularly listen to good preaching. By exposing ourselves to skilled expositors of the Word, we can receive insights and ideas that we may not have considered otherwise. Pay attention to the structure, illustrations, and delivery of these sermons, taking note of elements that resonate with you, but also what resonates with other people.

While listening to good preaching, be sure to maintain discernment and avoid the temptation to simply mimic another preacher’s style, content, voice, and mannerisms. I can still remember my first few years of trying to simply be “Great-Value John Piper.” Instead, seek out principles and techniques that can be adapted to your unique voice and your context with your students. You can do this better by not just listening to the one preacher you may be tempted to copy, but by listening to ten to twenty preachers you can synthesize information from. This practice will not only help you grow as a preacher but also expose you to a wealth of biblical wisdom and insight that will devotionally bless you.

3. Read Broadly

Developing a robust and diverse reading habit is another crucial aspect of growing as a preacher. As a student pastor, there can sometimes be a temptation to not read because people tell you that your job is to “just teach the basics.” While that assumption is not true, even if it was the point still stands. By reading broadly, we expand our knowledge and understanding, even of the basics, which in turn enriches our preaching. A well-rounded reading list might include theological works, church history, biographies, and even good fiction to shape your imagination.

As you read, take note of compelling arguments, turns of phrase, or illustrations that could be incorporated into your sermons. Additionally, reading widely helps to sharpen your critical thinking skills and deepen your understanding of culture, beauty, and story enabling you to better connect with any audience. Reading is formative and a major way God shapes anyone regardless of their position. Carve out time in your schedule to “take up and read” (regularly)!

4. Take Every Opportunity You Can to Preach

Experience is often the best teacher, and preaching is no exception. To grow as a preacher, it is essential to seize every opportunity you can to practice your craft. This may include preaching at nursing homes, prisons, or other small gatherings in addition to your regular student ministry responsibilities. You should never consider any opportunity to small or too unimportant.

Each preaching opportunity presents unique challenges and learning experiences, allowing you to refine your skills and adapt to different contexts. If you can preach an engaging exposition in a nursing home you’ve conquered what many great preachers never could. By embracing these opportunities, you will not only gain valuable experience but also develop resilience and flexibility as a preacher. I know that the thought of more prep, more travel, and more responsibility may seem daunting, but each opportunity will grow you in new ways and allow you to serve more people.

5. Preach as Well as You Can at Student Ministry

Lastly, it is crucial to give your best effort when preaching to your student ministry. Student ministry provides a unique context in which to hone your skills in illustration and contextualization. Student are people of story and metaphor, making them an ideal audience for honing your ability to craft compelling illustrations. Moreover, students inhabit a distinct cultural environment that demands you become adept at contextualizing your message in a way that is relatable, applicable, and engaging.

Resist the temptation to treat student ministry as a lesser priority or a mere stepping stone to a “more significant” preaching ministry. Instead, recognize the immense value and eternal impact of faithfully preaching the Word of God to your students. It is easy to fall into the trap of mailing it in for your Wednesday Nights out of a desire for more, feeling like it doesn’t matter, or thinking that no one is paying attention. This could not be further from the truth. Every word you say is indelibly shaping the souls of everyone listening. All preaching, no matter where it is, can and is used by God. By preaching as well as you can at student ministry, you not only serve your students but also develop skills that will benefit your ministry for years to come.

Young People, Go Outside

By Jared Wilson / May 4

We can certainly learn plenty from computer screens (and technology of every kind), but—for the sake of your soul—go outside! Go outside and look around as often as you can. For so many reasons, your mind and body need the outdoors. I’ll cover just two reasons here.

1. The glory of God is declared by the natural world.

But consider this—none of these things are accidents. They are gifts crafted by the Father Himself for the sole purpose of our enjoyment. Think about it. Beauty and pleasure contribute little if anything to functionality. Flowers could serve the same purpose if they were all the same size, shape, and color. For that matter, color is basically worthless. We don’t need it to survive. Clean air with no fragrance serves our lungs every bit as well as a breeze carrying the scent of freshly cut grass and the neighbor’s lavender bushes. But God delights in our enjoyment of His creation. It’s part of His conversation with us. He says “I want your soul to be refreshed” every time we inhale sweetly perfumed air. He says “I want you to be filled with joy and wonder” every time we watch a baby bird stumble and then take flight for the first time. He says “I want you to remember Me” every time we study His handiwork in the artistry of a canna leaf or the perfect symmetry of a fern. He says “I like to hear you laugh” when we witness two squirrels chasing each other and fighting over the same nut even though there’s an untouched pile a few feet away.

Every sunrise reminds us of new mercies. Every rainfall tells a story of His provision. Every rainbow speaks a promise.

Psalm 19:1 tells us that “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands.” Theologians call the perception we can have of God from the created world “general revelation,” and obviously we need the “special revelation” of the Scriptures (and Christ’s gospel in them) to be reconciled to our Creator, but we can still behold some of the glorious wonders of our Creator through the wonderful world He has created.

I admit that I can be rather ridiculous in my enjoyment of nature. My daughters have rolled their eyes at me many times when I squeal with delight at the sight of some little bird or ladybug or lizard. Imagine my reaction to watching baby sea turtles find their way into the ocean a few years ago. Forget about it. I might have (definitely) cried.

I am not suggesting that we all have to enjoy the outdoors in the same ways or even in the same amounts. But many times I have found myself alone in nature and realized that I was the only witness to something glorious happening right before my eyes, that the Lord saw fit to put His artistry and power on display just for me. I believe He desires to do that for each of us, and it’s a conversation we do not want to miss. Make time for these conversations. Experience what He called “good” during creation and desires to share with you now. Take joy in what He has made for His glory and your enjoyment. It will serve your mind and body in immeasurable ways.

2. The outside world can help you battle sin.

Of course, sin can happen outside just as easily and often as it does inside. Unfortunately, being present in the beauty of nature doesn’t magically remove the ugliness of our sin nature. However, I could reasonably argue that it’s much more difficult to hide in our sin when we are outside in wide open spaces. Further, it is easier to forget our sinful desires when a majestic moment in nature takes our breath away and changes the subject of our thoughts.

In a sermon many years ago, John Piper pointed out the absence of windows in stores that sell pornography. He observed that the reason for this is that it is very difficult to engage in this particular sin when we look at the sky. I couldn’t agree more, but I also think the same idea would apply to most any sin. Fully engaging in the grandeur of nature reminds us of our smallness and makes us forgetful of our small desires. When we consider God’s work during creation, we must remember that we were specifically designed to enjoy it!

Things changed dramatically when sin entered the world, but not so much that this desire was completely removed from us. Consider Barnabas Piper’s words:

The world God created was not ok or decent or fine; it was exactly right. It was good. . . . But what we often forget is that sin and the curse did not evaporate the good and replace it. They did not recreate the world as a heinously evil hellscape. Sin corrupted the good, but the world still has God’s fingerprints all over it and tendrils of Eden woven through it. Nothing is completely as it should be, but neither is the world utterly corrupt. The good that once defined all of creation still shines throughout it.

We were created for Eden, and we still have desires for Eden. We belong in nature. Today it isn’t as perfect as it once was or will be when Christ returns, but we are much closer to it when we spend time outside than when we surround ourselves with closed doors and windows or stare at screens too long. Even if only for a few brief moments, develop a daily habit of walking away from whatever is demanding too much of your attention (especially if it is sinful) to go look at the sky. Your future self will thank you.

This is an excerpt from a brand new book I wrote with my husband Jared — Go Outside . . . and 19 Other Keys to Thriving in Your 20’s, now available from Moody Publishers. Order for your favorite high school grads, college students, or young professionals from wherever good books are sold.

What is the Beatific Vision?

By Brett Fredenberg / May 3

One doctrine that you may never have heard of (but one that you really should know about) is the beatific vision. This “happy vision” or “blessed vision” is the blessed hope of beholding God in heaven, and it is the telos of the human soul. The beatific vision is what Moses was impatient to see on Mount Horeb (cf., Ex 33:18-23), and it has been the blessed hope of the vast majority of saints down through the centuries. This doctrine is what animated the prayers and contemplations of so many wonderful theologians like Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine, Anselm of Canterbury, Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin and John Owen. The overwhelming majority of Christians throughout the ages have said with Paul, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Cor 13:12). What makes heaven, heaven is that there we shall see the face of God. That blessed vision is the culmination of all our godly enjoyments in this life, and the satiation of all our desire. That blessed vision is the promised land we march on toward, the consolation that sustains us on our pilgrimage. We shall see God. While Christians have many desires and aspirations, the central point of every single one of them is the same as David’s: “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple” (Ps 27:4). We see the beatific vision promised all over the Scriptures, including Isaiah 33:17, Psalm 17:15, 1 John 3:2-3, 1 Corinthians 13:12, and Revelation 22:5.

Even if you haven’t heard of this doctrine before, you are probably already primed and ready for it. “Christian Hedonists,” who have learned from John Piper that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him”—those who have come to agree with Piper that the chief delight of the soul is “seeing and savoring Christ”—are ready to embrace the beatific vision. If you have learned from Lewis to ache for “the stab of joy,”[1] to reject playing with mud-pies in the slums for the sake of a holiday at sea,[2] and to go joyfully “further up and further in” to Aslan’s country forever, you are ready to embrace the beatific vision. If you have learned from Jonathan Edwards that heaven is “a world of love,” you are ready to embrace the beatific vision. If you have learned to pray with Augustine, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee,”[3] you are ready for the beatific vision.

This doctrine is relevant for so many areas of our life, but one in particular is the area of sin and temptation. If it is true that those who will see God are “the pure in heart” (Matt 5:8), and if the beatific vision is our blessed hope, we will come to hate our sin with a pure and holy hatred on account of what it keeps us from. We will hate our sin because it threatens to keep us from seeing God clearly, and seeing God clearly is what we want more than anything else. Therefore, the beatific vision can be a powerful motive for the pursuit of godliness in progressive sanctification.

For the Kids

The beatific vision is the fancy term for something every Christian looks forward to: the hope of seeing God in heaven. This is the hope of every Christian—every person who has come to trust Jesus to forgive them of their sin because of his life, death and resurrection, and to give them a new heart. When Jesus gives them that new heart, that heart comes with new desires and new hopes, and the biggest of those new hopes is that one day we will get to see God in all his glory. Jesus promises to fulfill that hope by faith now in this life, but the Christian will receive that promise with vision in heaven—and it will be the most beautiful thing they can ever imagine! His glory will be so beautiful, and they will be so happy, that they will never be sad or disappointed by anything ever again. Their enjoyment of him will keep growing, without stopping or slowing down, forever and ever and ever.

[1] See C. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life (Orlando, FL: Harvest, 1958).

[2] See C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory (HarperCollins, 2001).

[3] Augustine of Hippo, Confessions, book I, 1.5.

Episode 209: The Care and Feeding of Pastors

By jredd / May 3

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson talk about how church members can support and encourage their pastors — and why this work is so important and a benefit to the church!

Go Outside: An Interview with Jared C. Wilson

By Brett Fredenberg / May 2

Jared C. Wilson serves as Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Author in Residence at Midwestern Seminary as well as General Editor at For The Church. In his most recent publication titled Go Outside: And 19 Other Keys to Thriving in Your 20s (Moody Publishers), Jared and Becky Wilson share advice they’d give their younger selves. In 20 short chapter, they discuss the value of time spent with Jesus, taking care of your mind and body, how chasing your dreams is overrated, and more.

Tony Merida, Pastor at Imago Dei Church, commented on the new publication, “Go Outside is a treasure trove of wisdom for all present, future, and even former twentysomethings. It is filled with wit, written from a loving heart, and has the markers of battle-tested wisdom from years of serving this age group.”

Ronni Kurtz, Assistant Professor of Theology at Cedarville University, also said, “This book is a wonderful exercise in showing that gospel-centrality and practical advice are not at odds with one another.”

Costi Hinn, Teaching Pastor at Shepherd’s House Bible Church, said, “I can only wish that this book was written when I was in my twenties, but find great joy that countless lives will have this godly insight for one of the most foundational seasons of life.”

In a recent interview, Jared Wilson answered a few questions about his latest publication and the importance of the book of Acts.

For The Church: Why this book now?

Jared C. Wilson: If not now, when?

Just kidding.

In terms of the audience opportunity for this book, Becky and I both feel like young people are more hungry for mentorship and godly counsel than they’ve been in a long time. They are certainly more interested in it than our generation was at their age. In our day of increasing moral chaos and spiritual confusion, I think a book that carefully and clearly re-articulates the basic stuff of Christian spirituality for young adults in a practical way and really meets a need.

In terms of our timing in writing it, I would say that in now our middle-aged years we’ve spent over a decade now ministering directly to twentysomethings and speaking into their lives, and after thirty years of adulthood ourselves, feel equipped to share some of the most valuable lessons we’ve learned along the way.

FTC: What was it like writing a book with your wife?

JCW: It was fun! Though I should add that we didn’t exactly write the book together. Meaning, we didn’t collaborate on each chapter, but rather, divided up the chapter outline between ourselves. Becky came up with ten topics she wanted to address, and I came up with ten I wanted to address. We took our own time writing our chosen chapters.

The one thing Becky has enjoyed pointing out is that it took her months to write her half of the book, while it only took me a few days to write mine. You could conclude from this discrepancy that I’m a more natural writer than her, or you could conclude that she’s a more thoughtful writer than me. Take your pick.

FTC: What might readers be surprised about after reading this book?

JCW: I think most readers might be surprised at how relatable and refreshing the book is. Most things like this – stuff young people need to know – either comes across very legalistic or very dry. Both of us have good senses of humor. I write with a lot of illustrations and stories, and Becky writes with a very laid-back, unassuming, non-judgmental tone. Even when we’re giving advice or reminding our readers about things Christians must do or should do, we are constantly pointing young people back to the grace in the good news for their assurance and sense of okay-ness. In fact, there is more than one chapter on the importance of knowing God approves us fully because of Jesus, not our religious performance or spiritual production.

FTC: Which 2-3 of the 20 principles in the book do you wish you’d applied in your twenties?

JCW: Well, all of them! That’s the premise of the book: If we could go back, what are the 20 things we’d tell our younger selves. But if I had to pick just 3 of the chapters that are most important to me, I would say:

Chapter 4 – Porn is more toxic than you realize

Chapter 18 – Center on the gospel

Chapter 20 – You are not only as good as what you haven’t done

These three chapters probably best outline the plot points of my own testimony of sin and redemption in my twenties.

FTC: What’s one main point you hope readers take away from this book?

JCW: The biggest thing I hope readers take away is just how big Jesus is! How much he can be trusted. How investing in our friendship with him in our early adulthood isn’t just a way to be one of the “Christian college kids,” but the way we make sure we start out on a track of life that will fill our joy and keep us from looking back when we hit our thirties and forties and beyond with regrets and desires for a do-over.

Editor’s Note: Go Outside: And 19 Other Keys to Thriving in Your 20s is now available for purchase.