Faith in the Midst of Trial

Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Dallas, is a man with an incredible gift for preaching and calling from God on his life. I posted a message he preached a few months back that challenged me and hit me in the stomach. He is a faithful pastor, father and friend. He also has a brain tumor. His focus during this time: suffer well for the glory of God. The AP spent time with Chandler, and his words and witness are nothing short of amazing. Here is an excerpt:

Chandler says learning he had brain cancer was "kind of like getting punched in the gut. You take the shot, you try not to vomit, then you get back to doing what you do, believing what you believe.

"We never felt — still have not felt — betrayed by the Lord or abandoned by the Lord. I can honestly say, we haven't asked the question, 'Why?' or wondered, 'Why me, why not somebody else?' We just haven't gotten to that place. I'm not saying we won't get there. I'm just saying it hasn't happened yet."

... Chandler never thought such a trial would shake his faith. But until now, that was just hope in the abstract.

"This has not surprised God," Chandler says on the drive home. "He is not in a panic right now trying to figure out what to do with me or this disease. Those things have been warm blankets, man."

Chandler has, however, wrestled with the tension between belief in an all-powerful God and what he, as a mere mortal, can do about his situation. He believes he has responsibilities: to use his brain, to take advantage of technology, to walk in faith and hope, to pray for healing and then "see what God wants to do."

"Knowing that if God is outside time and I am inside time, that puts some severe limitations on my ability to crack all the codes," he says. "The more I've studied, the more I go, 'Yes, God is sovereign, and he does ask us to pray ... and he does change his mind.' How all that will work is in some aspects a mystery."

Read the full article here.

He Will Rise Up

Ben Shive is a phenomenally talented artist. His first album, The Ill-Tempered Klavier, was released last year, and it showcases his musicianship in wonderful ways. It was given five stars by Christianity Today, a very uncommon occurrence, and unheard of for a freshman album. He's also a great guy- I've met him twice and both times he seemed more than interested in talking with Kristen and I (he even gave her some great recommendations for keyboards).

Before I go any further, here are two shameless plugs for Ben:
His Website
The Best Place to Buy This Album

All that said, this song has been on my mind and in my ears over the last few days. It's good perspective on my life and the events of the world happening all around us. Take a listen, and enjoy!



Every stone that makes you stumble
And cuts you when you fall
Every serpent here that strikes your heel
To curse you when you crawl
The King of Love one day will crush them all

And every sad seduction
And every clever lie
Every word that woos and wounds
The pilgrim children of the sky
The King of Love will break them by and by

And you will rise up in the end
You will rise up in the end
I know the night is cruel
But the day is coming soon
And you will rise up in the end

If a thief had come to plunder
When the children were alone
If he ravaged every daughter
And murdered every son

Would not their father see this?
Would not his anger burn?
Would he not repay the tyrant
In the day of his return?

Await, await the day of his return

Cause he will rise up in the end
He will rise up in the end
I know you need a savior
And he is patient in his anger
But he will rise up in the end

And when the stars come crash into the sea
When the high and mighty fall down on their knees
When you see the sun descending in the sky
The chains of death will fall around your feet

But you will rise up in the end
You will rise up in the end
You will rise up in the end

Haiti

A few pieces of information regarding the terrible disaster in Haiti and how you can help.

First, my brother Andrew (who has been to Haiti previously) has an excellent blog post that you can read here.

Second, I am glad that the question on many peoples' minds is not whether to give, but how. Even the poorest among us does not compare to the abject poverty that is the norm for these people, and the absolute collapse of an already poor excuse for infrastructure has literally left them with nothing.

There are a number of excellent organizations that are already working to aid the people of Haiti. Compassion International, Living Water International and World Vision are three that Kristen and I have given to in the past, and three organizations that have the people and resources to make a difference.

However, Baptist Global Response is the organization I would recommend giving to in this case. Subsidised by giving of Southern Baptist churches to the International Mission Board of the SBC, 100% of giving goes directly to Haiti disaster relief, as overhead is absorbed by the IMB. You can read an IMB article about their response to the disaster here, and this is the link that will take you to a page to give. You can give via credit card through a secure page after entering your billing information- designate your gift to "Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund."

Please join me in prayer for the people of Haiti as the initial shock of this terrible tragedy gives way to the difficulties they will be facing in the coming hours and days. Here is a prayer update from the IMB website:

URGENT PRAYER UPDATE
IMB
JANUARY 14, 2010 HAITI.
As we are all aware, Tuesday evening before dark, a catastrophic earthquake rocked the island nation of Haiti, with the epicenter being ten miles west of Port-Au-Prince, the capital city of two million people. As the news has brought this catastrophe into our homes and heanrts, we have all been praying. We know to cry out to the Lord immediately, to beg for His mercy throughout these earliest days as initial responders work diligently searching for the injured, recovering those who have died. And we give humble thanks for those Haitian Christians that we do not know by name, nor have we heard their stories. We give thanks that they are there expressing the love of Christ to those who are frightened and confused.
David Brown, who with his wife, Jo, directs Baptist Global Response work in the Americas has said, “Please pray for us as we assess and monitor the situation in Haiti after the 7.0 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks…The initial information indicates 2 million people in Port-au-Prince are directly affected. Please pray for victims and their families. Pray for wisdom as responses are initiated.” Personnel in the Dominican Republic have requested help in post-trauma counseling and training in the area of spiritual support. Since this is such a critical need in Haiti, training for nationals will be held next week in the Dominican Republic. Please pray for the trainers as they travel and prepare the materials for the conference. Ask God for the emotional health of personnel as they confront the dire needs. Pray also for those who will receive counseling and training as they share God’s love with a nation that is in deep spiritual darkness.
Please continue to pray for God’s mercy and compassion on this country, interceding with steadfast prayers for the thousands who are suffering in the midst of untold destruction. Additional information and prayer updates can be found at http://imb.org.


**Thanks to Alexis Bednar for the info on BGR and the IMB prayer update.

Waiting like Habakkuk

Now comes the waiting...

I've graduated from seminary, been ordained and finished polishing my resume and cover letters. Now I'm scouring newspapers and websites for openings. Every day I look somewhere, and rarely does a week go by without me sending out a resume or three to a church somewhere.

South Carolina, North Carolina, Indiana, Washington, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Iowa...I'm starting to lose track of who I have sent what to, and when. A friend of mine who just took a church in South Carolina told me that he sent out 120 resumes before he got the church he is at now. I'm about 1/10 the way there I suppose.

It's early, but I'm already fighting the temptation to doubt, wonder and question. When is this ever going to happen? Is this ever going to happen? What if our lease runs out and then we have to make a decision on another? These thoughts have been swirling about my head for quite some time.

A few days ago, I was struck by the reality of my time of waiting as I read through the book of Habakkuk. The purpose of the book has everything to do with the uncertainty of circumstances and the assurance of the faithfulness of God. Habakkuk voices two complaints: "why does God not answer his prayers?" and "why does evil against God's people go unpunished?" Israel was in ruins during this time, and unfaithfulness was commonplace among the people of God.

God responds:

"Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if I told you." (1:5) "For still the vision awaits its appointed time: it hastens to the end- it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it: it will surely come: it will not delay." (2:3)

And the book closes with the questioning prophet now affirming and rejoicing in the sovereign will of his all-powerful God:

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on high places." (3:17-19)

In the midst of great trial and turmoil for the people of God, he reminds them that despite the appearance that all may not be well, he is an continues to be faithful to them. If God is so faithful in so much, how can I not trust him in this little thing? The reality of my situation is made clear by the greater context of God's history of faithfulness to his people. Just as he was at work to move the nations for Israel's sake, so he is at work in search committees and church meetings as churches all over the country seek His will for a pastor. And so is he at work in my life as I wait for the appointed time, to see such things that I would not believe if he were to tell me now.

News for a New Year

Happy New Year! A new blog for a new year marks not just a change in appearance of this blog, but a number of significant changes in my life over the last month. God has been so faithful to me:

I finally graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Four and a half years of study culminated on December 11 when I walked across the stage to receive my Master of Divinity. My parents, aunt, grandmother and one of my brothers was there, as well as almost all of my in-laws. It was a joyous occasion not just because of the graduation, but because of the time spent with family.


Then, Kristen and I took a trip down to S. Florida to spend Christmas with my family. We decided to drive it straight, which in hindsight I think we will do again. While down there we spent some great time with my brothers and my parents and enjoyed a Christmas in shorts and sandals.

The trip included a Heat Game for the four of the Groves boys, with seats 9 rows from the floor. It was a great time, made even better by the victory by the Heat over the Jazz. Matthew was excited about our seats...

This picture is what happens when you leave a camera with me and Matthew...

We also went bowling. Here's an excellent picture of us brothers again. Kristen and my parents rounded out the group, and a great time was had by all. I also got 3 strikes in the last frame for the second time in my life.

But the capstone of this last month was my ordination at First Baptist Church, Ft. Lauderdale on December 27, 2009. I have been working through the process for several months now, collecting letters of recommendation and completing a very extensive theological questionnaire, as well as communicating via email with one of the pastors.

Sunday morning, the pastor called both Kristen and I up and spent some time reading portions of some of the letters that leaders in my life had written about me. He attested to my fitness for ordination, and then Kristen sat and I knelt while pastors, deacons and leaders surrounded us and, after anointing both of us with oil, ordained me for Christian ministry. It was an incredibly moving experience, and a reminder of the call that God has put on both our lives. The whole experience was such a blessing for me, being back in the church I grew up in, the church where I first began to feel a call to ministry, in the midst of so many who had taught and led me as I grew up.

So much has happened in the last month, and yet there is so much to come. God has been and continues to be so very faithful, and we're excited as we wait for the Lord to lead us to the church where we will serve. Keep us in your prayers and stay tuned for the exciting things that the Lord will be bringing us in 2010!

The Good Ole Days

I have a good friend who likes to repeat something his brother often says about the good ole days: they weren't really that good. Sure it would be cool to be a sheriff in the old west, but never taking a bath and not having access to a decent cup of coffee doesn't sound like paradise. Elizabethan England holds great romance for many, but no indoor plumbing and a street that doubled as a sewer is no good either. So, in most cases I would agree...the good ole days really weren't that good.

There are, however a few exceptions, and one of them comes from the sport of Rally Car Racing. Since we in the US are mostly unfamiliar with rally racing, here's a quick primer: rally racing is the racing of cars in variously modified states on track surfaces of any combination of dry dirt, mud, gravel, pavement or snow. The track is in many places only about a car and a half wide, and can wind through narrow city streets, mountains, forests and a variety of other challenging environments. The track is so challenging that the driver has a navigator whose job it is to call out the upcoming turns so that the driver can be prepared.

In 1982, FIA sanctioned the Group B series of rally racing. Unlike Group A (production vehicles) and Group C (limits on weight and fuel), Group B had very few limitations on materials used, power levels and required very few production versions of the car to be built to qualify. This meant the series was as close to "anything goes" as possible- cars produced insane amounts of horsepower and were some of the most technologically advanced of the time. This also meant they were extremely difficult to drive, and that margins of error were even smaller than that of other classes of rally racing. The combination resulted in some of the most exciting racing in the history of motorsports.

Sadly, Group B was abruptly dissolved just 4 years after its inception after a series of high-profile accidents painted it in a bad public light. This included a collision with spectators (who routinely stand at the edges and even on the track at rally races) and a terrible accident that killed the 1986 championship leader and his navigator. Group B was both a thrilling an unforgiving racing series, and its abrupt cancellation only adds to its allure as a pinnacle of motorsport. Here is some must-watch raw footage from those four years of glory:



Nothing like Group B has been seen before or since- but if you ask those who would know, they''ll tell you about the good ole days when insanely powerful Pugeots, Lancias, Audis and many others fought it out in the mud, streets and snow of Europe. It really was better back then.

A Contextualized Christmas

The time for Christmas music has finally come. Yes, I'm one of those people who believes the tree should not go up and the smooth tones of Bing Crosby should not be heard until the holiday that has become just the last hurdle to Christmas is over. Well, whether you agree with me or not, it's time for some Christmas music.

Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God: The True Tale of the Coming of Christ is far and away my favorite Christmas album, and was one of the first that I have listened to this year. Besides the stunning talent evident in the album, what makes Behold the Lamb shine is the way that it tells the story of the coming of Jesus Christ.

You see, too often we function like the heretic Marcion did when it comes to the coming of Christ. He held that the Old Testament of the Bible was incompatible with the New Testament writings, and so he rejected the old in favor of the new and around 144 AD, posited that there must be two gods, the Yahweh of the Old Testament and the Jesus of the New Testament. Now, modern Christians today don't just toss out the Old Testament in favor of the new, never reading it or consulting it. But too often when someone asks "where's the important stuff in the Bible?" we point right past the Law and the Prophets (maybe pausing to stop at Psalms, Proverbs and some of the neat stories) and directly to the New Testament.

But the reality is that the Bible is one big story of God's redemptive history, the redeeming of his people. The story of God's working among his people does not begin in Matthew, but even Matthew points back to what has come before in his genealogy, reminding us that born of Abraham, from the line of David, came the one who would take upon himself the sins of this world. When the Israelites called for deliverance from the slavery and bondage they were enduring in Egypt, their waiting for a deliverer is ultimately fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ. The history of the kings of Israel beginning with Saul and then David is not just history, but a pointing forward to the coming of the King of Kings, the one who will rule and reign forever. The passover ritual, the sacrifice of an unblemished animal for sin and the callings forth of the many prophets like Isaiah all point forward to with great anticipation the coming of Jesus Christ.

Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb reminds us of the scriptural reality that Christmas did not start in Matthew, but God's plan to provide a way for the sins of the world to be forgiven began long ago, as he gathered together his people through Abraham. The King that we have, the King that has come, was anticipated with deep longing, pleading and prayer for many generations. The words of Simeon from Luke 2 should move us as we recognize the reality that we have something that many waited for a very long time to have:

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, ²⁸he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

²⁹ "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
³⁰ for my eyes have seen your salvation
³¹ that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."

Behold the lamb of God, who takes away our sin...