Christian Biographies

When is the last time you read a "good" Christian biography? I unabashedly love to read Christian biography. Today I finished a book by Pastor John Piper titled, The Roots of Endurance, which he wrote about John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce.

Piper chose these men from Church History to illustrate endurance in the Christian life to his readers. We know the name John Newton because of his hymn, Amazing Grace, and we know William Wilberforce from English history because through his work as a politician he worked to outlaw the slave trade and slavery in the United Kingdom in the early 19th Century. Newton was a slave-trader until the Lord intervened in his life saving him and calling him as a long-time pastor in Olney, England. Wilberforce endured years of ridicule and harassment as he fought to undo the hideous slave trade of his country.

I didn't know anything about Charles Simeon when I started the book (in fact I hadn't even heard of his name). Charles Simeon was the longtime pastor of Trinity Church in Cambridge, England for forty-nine years. Wow, forty-nine years as a pastor ministering to one local church. That to me, is staggering to think about and process. I've been here at First Baptist Church in Boulder, Montana for ten years (nearly one-sixth of my life). As I read about Simeon I thought about one shy of fifty years at one church. That would be forty more years here in Boulder. Again, it is staggering for me to think about.

And the forty-nine years is only a part of his endurance at Trinity Church. For the first twelve years after the bishop placed him there the congregation (pew-renters, that's what congregations did back then) paid their rent, but didn't attend church because they didn't agree with Simeon being installed as their pastor. So Simeon had to sit up chairs around the outside of the room and down the aisles so those who wanted to attend could. Again, as a pastor, that is hard for me to process, and even harder for me to comprehend, that Simeon endured it for twelve years. Piper writes that Simeon asked for a double blessing for those who did attend to make up for the one's that didn't. Also an amazing attitude from the long-time pastor.

Through the lives of these three men I've read about these past few weeks I have asked the Lord to grow in me that kind of joy and endurance. The people who are First Baptist Church Boulder have been extremely good to my wife and I. They have. I praise the Lord for them. But the pastorate is tough for a variety of reasons (just ask any honest pastor). And because of that, years and years of endurance in the pastorate of a local church is often times rare today.

So listen, back to my question about the last time you've read a "good" Christian biography. I encourage you to find one and start it today. If you are like me you will discover many examples of how to live the Christin life from these Church History saints, for the glory to God.

(Image: Charles Simeon)

Your Pastor Has Style!

The first week of February my wife and I were blessed to be able to attend Moody Bible Institute’s (MBI) Founder’s Week Bible Conference in Chicago for the seventh time. Attending that conference always gives us a good spiritual shot-in-the-arm as we return to the work God has called us to.

Each time we plan to attend, I ask God to show me what He wants me to learn. This year I was surprised to have Him teach me that, ”I Have Style.” Stay with me now as you read on.

As I watched and listened to some incredible preachers such as James MacDonald, Erwin Lutzer, Chip Ingram, Haddon Robinson, Josh Moody, James Ford, and Gary Chapman I realized that each of these men have their own preaching style. Maybe you have read some of their books or heard them on Christian radio so you have a sense of what I mean. Over five days Karen and I heard twelve expository sermons preached by pastors and ministry leaders, again, each with their own style. We even watched a taped talk by Joni Earekson-Tada who couldn’t fly in to Chicago because of a snow storm.

Let me tell you what I learned from watching and listening to all of these biblical presentations. God uses all sorts of people with all sorts of styles.

James MacDonald was very dynamic and his sermons were highly interactive with the five-thousand numbered congregation. Josh Moody, who is from London, England read his manuscript as he preached in a very prim and proper English way and explained God’s word to us. James Ford is a black preacher from South Chicago, who, in being true to his culture, was very expressive as he brilliantly taught God’s word. Joni was as gracious as ever as she shared about her struggle with breast cancer last year as well as her ministry of Joni and Friends sending wheel-chairs around the word for the handicapped. Haddon Robinson, in his 80s, in his soft-spoken manner, masterfully told us the story of Hosea, and Chip Ingram’s sermon from Romans 12:1-8 was amazingly practical.

All this to say, again, God uses people with all sorts of personalities and speaking styles. You know what, after I attended MBI Founder’s Week 2011, I am much more comfortable with my own style as an expository preacher.

Christians, this is the reason I have written about this topic. If you are reading this, pray for your pastor and thank God that he exposits God’s word in his own style each Sunday and doesn’t try to be anyone else, because he has style too.