World Vision's 'Neutral Stance,' Reversal, and the Evangelical Response

While controversial to many, the following is the opinion of JT Holderman and may or may not reflect the opinion of this blog or those who write on its behalf.

The "Neutral" Stance
World Vision shocked the evangelical world earlier this week with their "neutral stance" on the homosexuality debate. An interview with World Vision president Richard Stearns by Christianity Today sums up their initial stance:

"World Vision's American branch will no longer require its more than 1,100 employees to restrict their sexual activity to marriage between one man and one woman...a policy change announced Monday will now permit gay Christians in legal same-sex marriages to be employed...this is not an endorsement of same-sex marriage. We have decided we are not going to get into that debate. Nor is this a rejection of traditional marriage, which we affirm and support."

While World Vision sought to remain neutral by not getting "into that debate," many disagreed vehemently that this policy was a neutral stance. While purported to be neutral, they condoned same-sex marriages, thereby tipping their hat to the hypocrisy of their neutrality aim.

John Piper quickly responded to their statement: "Make no mistake, this so-called 'neutral' position of World Vision is a position to regard practicing homosexuals (under the guise of an imaginary 'marriage') as following an acceptable Christian lifestyle..."

The World Vision Reversal
On March 26th, World Vision reversed its decision to permit the hiring of homosexuals. Stearns stated in response to the reversal:

"Yes we will certainly defer on many issues that are not so central to our understanding of the Christian faith...but on the authority of Scripture in our organization's work...and on marriage as an institution ordained by God between a man and a woman--those are age-old and fundamental Christian beliefs. We cannot defer on things that are that central to the Christian faith." 

World Vision's newly revealed stance upholds the authority of Scripture and the intolerance of an anything goes lifestyle. America's god these days is tolerance; a tolerance that says everyone's point of view as equally valid to our own and that any who disagree are bigots. Depravity continues.

But at the heart of World Vision's reversal is an important emphasis on their decision to align with the clear teaching of the Scriptures regarding how one was created to live. Kevin DeYoung, I believe, highlights the importance of this foundational belief in a productive way:

"The evidence is so overwhelming that Luke Timothy Johnson, New Testament scholar and advocate of legitimizing homosexual behavior, argues rather candidly: 'I think it important to state clearly that we do, in fact, reject the straightforward commands of Scritpture, and appeal instead to another authority when we declare that same-sex unions can be holy and good. And what exactly is that authority? We appeal explicitly to the weight of our own experience and the experience of thousands of others have witnessed to, which tells us that to claim our own sexual orientation is in fact to accept the way in which God has created us.' At its root, support for homosexual behavior is not simply a different interpretation of Scripture; it is a rejection of Scripture itself.' (Italics mine)

The decision of World Vision, of which I am glad they reversed, upholds not a cultural tolerance of an anything goes country, but upholds the authoritative word of God itself. As a Christian where else does authority lie but in God's word? Props to World Vision for clarifying their position and recognizing the authority of God's word.

Nearly five hundred years ago Martin Luther noted the same thing in the face of Rome's tyranny and I commend it to you this day as you think on the very real issue of the subordination of scripture's authority under our own authority to pick and choose what we think is right for us:

"Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason--I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other--my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor save. God help me. Amen." 

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JT Holderman is Assistant Pastor of Bellevue Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Gap, PA.

Why Christian History?

Later this fall, our church is hosting an annual event called Reformation Sunday. Taking place on the Lord's Day closest to October 31st (the day in 1517 when Luther posted his 95 Theses), it will be a day filled with preaching, feasting, and enjoying the company of others.

We plan to have an ethnic meal filled with potluck dishes from various nations: England, Scotland (haggis!), Switzerland, and of course Germany (kraut please...). After that, we will put on a spirited version of the Scottish 'Highland Games' led by our youth department in the courtyard.

Since most modern Evangelical churches don't see the relevance of celebrating Reformation Sunday, it got me wondering: what is the value of studying much less celebrating Christian history at all?

What follows are a three brief thoughts on the value of Christian history.

First, Christian history yields great heroes of the faith whom we may emulate. Granted, Christ alone is the highest and greatest hero upon which to model our lives (Hebrews 12:2),  Having said that, there are others too who have led notable (if imperfect) lives, filled with astonishing grace.

William Tyndale, for one, is a man who has literally changed my life. Why? Because I wouldn't have the Bible on my desk without him; he selflessly devoted his whole life to translating the Scriptures into English. Condemned as a heretic by the Roman Catholic Church, he was burned at the stake as a "reward" for his undying courage.

Christian history warns us of the many pitfalls of false teaching. Many of the doctrines that we take for granted (such as salvation by faith alone) have been defended  in the face of tremendous heresy and apostasy. Luther and others defended the great truths of the Reformation, often at great expense. Many gave their lives--for the truths we take for granted--in order to refute heresy.

It is grievous to see how the modern church has fallen into same heresies our ancestors have already overcome. Legalism and its equally wicked opposite, antinomianism, come to mind in this regard.

Finally, Christian history encourages us to reflect on the slow, but sure advance of the Kingdom of God. How great it is to realize that we are proclaiming the same doctrines that our forefathers upheld! That we are the heirs of such men as Edwards, Whitefield, Spurgeon, Calvin, Luther, and Augustine!

Slowly and steadily, the Gospel is advancing around the globe as every tribe and nation is saturated with the good news. Still, there is much work to be done. Much ground to cover. 

Yet, whenever I read the works of these men listed above, I am evermore encouraged to see that I believe and confess the same truths as these brothers from other centuries and nations around the globe. By looking back to their footprints, I am also encouraged to look forward to those who fill follow one day in ours.

Yes, Christ will come to redeem His elect remnant! Shall we be numbered among them? I hope so.

-Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida.

October is Reformation Month! Why Bible Loving Christians Should Care about the Past.

October is the time of year in which the Protestant Church has traditionally celebrated one of the greatest revivals in post-biblical history. The "Reformation" (or re-forming of the church) is generally viewed as that great outpouring of God's grace, centering in the century of the 1500's, that transformed most of Europe and stood as a turning point in the history of western civilization.

Martin Luther and the 95 Theses: Oct 31, 1517.

What happened?
Briefly, the Roman Catholic Church and its Eastern Orthodox twin-cousin had become deluged in medieval theology. As the institutional church claimed for itself more and more authority--eventually regarding itself as having equal with Scripture--the dogmas of the church moved further and further away from biblical moorings. Such doctrines as purgatory, the selling of indulgences, the re-sacrifice of Christ at the mass, and the adoration of Mary--none of which are found in Scripture--gained prominence.

On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk, unsettled the status quo by challenging the powers-that-be to a debate regarding the abhorrent doctrine of indulgences. On this day, Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church. This marked the formal beginning of the Reformation, although some men who came before him helped to set the stage (John Wycliffe and John Huss for instance). 

Originally, Martin Luther had no intentions of starting a new branch of Christianity. He had no desire to form a "Lutheran" contingent of followers. He certainly did not foresee the proliferation of Protestant denominations that would be spawned shortly. He merely wanted to spark an "in-house" debate to reform the existing church, which he loved deeply.

However, Luther's ideas regarding the ultimate authority of Scripture were considered too radical, and were seen as a "slap in the face" to papal authority. Eventually, Luther was summoned to recant his writings at the Diet of Worms (1521). He did not.

The Reformation fires quickly spread to other nations outside of Germany. Ulrich Zwingli seemingly uncovered the doctrine of "justification by faith alone" simultaneously, or even before Luther (as he himself claimed). A half-generation later, John Calvin stormed onto the worldwide scene with his small book the Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536) which meant to clarify and defend Reformed doctrine to the King of France. His own work brought revival to Geneva, Swizerland, which became a new center of evangelical theology and training.

William Tyndale (England), John Knox (Scotland), Heinrick Bullinger (Switzerland) and others fanned the flames of revival all over Europe. The Netherlands, Belgium and other further reaching lands were likewise impacted as the throngs of laypersons were revived by a fresh preaching of God's word, especially as it pertains to salvation by free grace in Jesus Christ.

During this time, Protestants (as they were called) began writing vibrant new confessions of faith; the Augsburg Confession of 1530 and the Heidelberg Confession of 1563, for instance, defined Lutheran and Reformed theology respectively. Many stood strong for their convictions despite heavy persecution and a Counter-Reformation attempted by Rome. 

Lasting Effects
As a movement, the ramifications of the Reformation are difficult to quantify because they are so deep and long-lasting. Some would say the Reformation is still not over in some regards. In our own land here in America, our forefathers, the Puritans, considered themselves to be the direct heirs of Reformation teaching and theology. Our own founding as a nation was deeply impacted by Reformed beliefs and convictions as it regards God's holy Law and saving Gospel.

As we celebrate this month of October, let us pray that God would bless our land with passionate preachers of revival who lift up such glorious Biblical doctrines as those which came to be known as the Five Solas:

• Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)
• Sola Fide (Faith alone)
• Solus Christus (Christ alone)
• Sola Gratia (Grace alone) and
• Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone Glory)

Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida. Follow on Twitter @matt_everhard.

Justification and Indulgences?

Can we earn our forgiveness with God? For many centuries of the Christian church, the issue of how we are saved from our sins and reconciled to God has been center stage. The term the church has used to describe one’s salvation has been justification. The term implies a legal reckoning, that there has been a breach against certain laws which a person was required to keep. Due to Adam’s sin in the garden humanity is now seen by God not as righteous, but as sinful and wretched living in open rebellion. God therefore instituted the covenant of grace in His Son Jesus Christ and His work on the cross for humanity. The death of Jesus Christ provides the opportunity for justification before God, for our sins to be wiped clean and a verdict of righteousness given to us. How then does this justification take place, is it earned?

Luther, Pope Francis, and Indulgences

In the 1500′s, a German monk named Martin Luther took this question on in full force. He bucked the answer that the Catholic Church church gave and thereby defied the most powerful institution in the world. The Catholic Church, under the leadership of the Pope, held as orthodox that salvation is obtained not entirely by God’s grace, but instead may be earned by works on our part. Chief example was the widespread practice of indulgences, an assurance that one could purchase for themselves or a loved one that ensured their salvation. Just yesterday the current pope (Francis) continued this practice of indulgences, promising those who follow him on Twitter will be recipients of “indulgences.” In response to indulgences, Luther wrote his famous 95 Theses on October 31st, 1517 (a date often referred to as the beginning of the Reformation) as a vehement rebuttal of the theological abuse the Catholic Church was practicing. Luther says:

Indulgences are most pernicious because they induce complacency and thereby imperil salvation. Those persons are damned who think that letters of indulgence make them certain of salvation…His Holiness abuses Scripture…I deny that he is above Scripture. 
                                                     Roland Bainton, Here I Stand, 63.

Justification by Faith Alone

Luther instead insisted that our theology of justification be based upon the Word of God alone. He came across passages such as Ephesians 2:1-10 (for by grace you have been saved through faith) and cried “foul!” The clear means of justification to Luther according to God’s Word was that it happened by faith alone, through grace alone. Justification was not a by product of something that we merited, something that we earned by either being good (which would do nothing since the law was already broken) or by purchasing indulgences which promised salvation (though no such authority is given according to Scripture). To Luther and the Protestant Reformers, nothing but the grace of God alone could justify a person and declare them righteous. It had nothing to do with our striving and any such effort on our part was “striving after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

While the Reformation was successful in that it instituted faithfulness to Scripture in the Protestant church, there are still many who have yet come to know this glorious reality of God’s grace. It is part of every Christian’s calling to communicate the truth of the Gospel, that it is by grace alone that we are forgiven, that we are justified in God’s sight.  This is the good news of the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, the foundation of our faith.

The Dangers and Delights of Christian Biography

The Dangers and Delights of Reading Christian Biography

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us (Philippians 3:17).

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Be imitators of me as I am of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

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Dr. John Piper chose the above text from Philippians 3:17 when he gave the first ever “Charles Haddon Spurgeon” lecture at the Nicole Institute of Baptist Studies on the campus of Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. I was there to hear the lecture in person. His point was that just as Paul faithfully imitated Christ, and others likewise imitated Paul, so too we ought to continue that long chain of men and women who for generations have trailed after our glorious and Risen Lord.

For seventy minutes I sat in awe listening to one of my favorite living preachers waxing eloquent about one of my favorite dead preachers. This was pure joy to me, because for nearly twenty years I have been consumed with reading the biographies of famous Christians who have gone before me. Curiously and by some divine “coincidence,” I had just read the same biography on Spurgeon from which Piper apparently crafted his manuscript for that electric evening.

I cannot estimate how valuable to my soul these types of biographies have been over the decades, especially as a local church pastor.

During some years, I have chosen one particular man as my focal point and read as much as I possibly could both by and about him. I have especially focused on those from my own theological tradition whose perspective is often close to mine. I went through a Jonathan Edwards phase first, then a year or so in John Calvin, then a Francis Schaeffer period. Spliced in between these times I have grown close to other dead men as well: the Reformers and Puritans always foremost among them.

Strangely, these now-glorified saints have become my “friends.” Sometimes, particularly during seasons of mild depression and apparent ministry defeats, they have become closer to me than my actual friends. Perhaps some others reading these lines will share that strange trans-generational experience.

It is during these dark times that we find one of the most delightful serendipities of reading Christian biographies: we find that the exact same struggles that we have endured are not so terribly unique after all. There is no temptation—either of body or mind—that has not been experienced by another brother come before me. There is no malady of frame or soul that God has not called another believer to trudge through, long before I came along. The ability of previous generations to endure through suffering actually has the strange power of pulling me along through the midst of my own battles.

Too, I find that my unquenchable passion to be in the presence of the Holy One has been shared by a unique breed of men and women in whose footprints I now walk. When I read in 1999 of Hudson Taylor’s passion for the lost souls of China, I found a man who shared—and greatly excelled—the angst I felt for those who don’t know Jesus. Like him, I felt willing to cross land and sea to share the Gospel with even one unreached individual. Hudson Taylor lived and died for the lost!  

When I visited A.W. Tozer’s grave in Akron not far from where I grew up, and just a stone’s throw from my in-law’s home, I felt that I shared the same longing to delight in God’s presence as the man whose several books I had lately enjoyed.

Who would not be moved by the accounts of Edwards’ fiery preaching in the Great Awakening, or be taken up in the Luther’s joyous fear of declaring “Here I stand!” at the Diet of Worms? How could I avoid Calvin’s tender pastoral spirit “rubbing off” on me as he wrote tearful letters to men soon to be martyred for the faith in Reformation-era France? How could I not be stirred within when I read one of Spurgeon’s echoing sermons, still just as alive today as the day his voice dominated the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London? How could I not savor my English Bible more when I learned of all that William Tyndale endured to smuggle New Testaments into England in bales of hay? I wept at 1:00am when I read of Dietrich Bonheoffer’s martyrdom just weeks before the Second World War ended in a Flossenberg prison camp.  

But here is where I find the great danger: the more I try to be like these men, hoping to see the shape of my own life in their ever-lengthening shadows, the more I know I can never measure up.

I find that my very pursuit of “imitation” can be my greatest frustration. Have you ever tried to photocopy another photocopy before? The more generations away from the original we get, the worse the quality of the print becomes. In the same way, some of the biographies that we read tend to make the error of “hagiography,” they no longer produce accurate representations of the man and instead make them into saints: halo, wings, and all.

I must become content—even pleased, if I can be so bold—with the person God has made me to be.

“Hagiography” (literally: saint writings) is the spurious genre of trying to make another man into a complete saint. In the biography of Spurgeon I mentioned above, for instance, the author studiously avoided almost any critique of the man himself. In an almost forced confession to create the veneer of “objectivity,” the author finally admitted that Spurgeon (gasp!) smoked cigars! That was the only fault he could find!

And so as a reader, I am nearly driven to despair. Reading the account of a hero whose ministry only grew—all the time—made me wonder if there wasn’t something seriously wrong with me. My own ministry wasn’t growing at all. By the time we get more than a hundred years away from an historical figure, the more perfect his biographers seem to cast him. His weaknesses are glossed over, especially those which his wife and children probably knew best.  

Yes Calvin and Luther et. al. were geniuses in their times and greatly used of God in their unique age. But if I try to replicate the extraordinary acts of these men and women, I will find myself increasingly frustrated. These men, after all, were extraordinary, not because they were miniature “christs” themselves, but because God in His mercy saw fit to use them extraordinarily.  

It is simply not fair to compare ourselves with the all-time “greats,” or to expect that the unusual outpourings of God’s Holy Spirit ought to become usual in our day.

Yes, there are times when God’s Kingdom advances in very marked ways. The wheat grows quickly after the thunderstorms, but it also grows during more temperate weather as well. Even if more slowly. God is glorified as much by the ordinary, trudging, faithful ox in the field as He is by the brilliant lightning bolts that lead the storm.

To expect to have the computer-like mind of a John Calvin or the preaching unction of a Charles Spurgeon, or the audacity of Martin Luther is simply not a fair. True, we will continue to hope and pray for God to raise up such men that can shake our own generation out of its complacency, but to expect every faithful man and woman to change the world alone is not realistic.  

More realistic (and more Biblical) is to expect God to smack the world out of its lethargy by a thousand thousands of ordinary, unknown, average believers who are sincerely pursing the glory of Christ in their own day and generation.

God grant us to be among their number. Amen. 

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The preceding essay is from Matthew Everhard's forthcoming book, Unknown: the World-Changing Power of Ordinary Christians. Matthew is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida.

Evangelical or Evan-jellyfish?

"Evangelical." We all use the word. We rarely define it. 

The Greek New Testament term, from which our modern word derives, means an announcement of good news. A herald's joyful cry.

In NT usage, it refers specifically to what we call the Gospel--the euangellion--the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

When Martin Luther broke away from the Roman Church in the Reformation, he initially intended his followers to be called "Evangelicals." He meant to identify those who believed in grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Unfortunately, the term did not stick, and his movement became known as the Lutheran movement.

Today, however, the term has lost all formal resemblance to either NT or Reformation usage. It has become a "wax nose," able to be shaped and reshaped as one pleases. For some, it is a voting block of conservatives (most often associated with the Republican Party).

For others, it means non-denominational Christianity,  i.e. generic doctrine divorced from the specificity of credal and confessional Christianity.

J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) gave one of the best warnings I have heard regarding this kind of doctrinally vague Christianity. He said, generic doctrine...

"...is an epidemic which is just now doing great harm, and especially among young people. . . . It produces what I must venture to call . . . a 'jelly-fish' Christianity . . . a Christianity without bone, or muscle, or power. . . . Alas! It is a type of much of the religion of this day, of which the leading principle is, 'no dogma, no distinct tenets, no positive doctrine.'

We have hundreds of 'jellyfish' clergyman, who seem not to have a single bone in their body of divinity. They have no definite opinions . . . they are so afraid of 'extreme views' that they have no views of all.

We have thousands of 'jellyfish' sermons preached every year, sermons without an edge, or a point, or corner, smooth as billiard balls, awakening no sinner, and edifying no saint. . . .
And worst of all, we have myriads of 'jellyfish' worshipers—respectable Church-gone people, who have no distinct and definite views about any point in theology. They cannot discern things that differ, any more than colorblind people can distinguish colors. . . . They are 'tossed to and fro, like children, by every wind of doctrine'; . . . ever ready for new things, because they have no firm grasp on the old."(1)

If by "evangelical" you mean the strand of believer who holds fast despite the cost to the great and ancient doctrines of the NT: atonement, justification, repentance etc, count me as one.

But if by "evangelical" you mean a generic, feel good, self-improvement, entertainment-based form of Christianity, then just call me Reformed.


Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida.


(1)  From an excellent sermon on the life of J.C. Ryle by John Piper. http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/biographies/the-frank-and-manly-mr-ryle-the-value-of-a-masculine-ministry

Book Review: R.C. Sproul. The Holiness of God.

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul is a classic in Reformed devotional literature. I would heartily recommend this work to all thoughtful Christians who are pursuing the glory of God.

The purpose of this work is to reignite a passion for worship and service of God fueled by a love for His full majesty and divine worth. In this book, Sproul masterfully shakes the reader out of his complacency by reminding him of God's utter power, absolute Lordship, and incomparable purity.

In each chapter, Sproul smashes the brittle world of generic evangelicalism with the hammer of biblical authority. When much of the evangelical world is trying desperately to cast God as either an unimposing grandfatherly figure, a divine butler waiting to assist needy persons, or a motivational guru intent on building our self esteem, Sproul has instead reminded us that such flippancy is entirely inappropriate to Biblical worship.

In chapter after chapter, Sproul sets out to prove that "the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God" (Deuteronomy 4:24, cf. Hebrews 12:29) and is still the same God who struck down Uzzah for touching the ark (2 Samuel 6:7), and Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire (Leviticus 10).

Of course, Sproul does not want to create unmitigated fear in the believer's heart, but rather to reveal the ultimate reason why Christ had to die on the cross as an atoning propitiation for our sins: God's holiness demanded the cross since sin is "cosmic treason" against His authority, Lordship, and purity.

Sproul's chapter on Martin Luther's insanity is particularly masterful. Here, he shows how "insane" Luther really was: he saw the holiness of God and his own frailty in comparison more clearly than most. Sproul intends to show that what appears to be mental brokenness on the part of the great German Reformer was actually his ability to retain a far more accurate spiritual perception of the transcendence of God.

Thankfully, Luther was driven to the cross of grace. So too should we be driven to the foot of the cross by the impending wonder of God's holiness.


Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida. Please consider following on Twitter at @matt_everhard.

Approaching Reformation Day

As we approach Reformation Day I look back on the journey my family has taken in our twelve years together (my wife and I were married on October 7, 2000).  As I formed Christian convictions I rejected the practice of Halloween due to the evil often associated with it.  The celebration of fear is not something I am willing to identify with.  When I was younger I would often think of 1 Timothy 1.7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind," (NKJV) as I formed this conviction.

The rejection of Halloween as an acceptable celebration gave me two choices at that time: ignore the practice or celebrate an alternative.  We did both.  However, in time I realized that October 31 was the date Martin Luther posted his "95 Theses" on the door of the church at Wittenberg, Germany, an act that really ignited the fires of Reformation that had begun previous to him (see Jan Hus, John Wycliffe for instance).

With this, I determined that the proper celebration for Christians should be Reformation Day.  Since Luther was the focus of this day, it was not just a Reformed perspective, but an Evangelical one.  I decided that we would celebrate Reformation Day as a family.  It has been a slow process, but we look to the history of the Reformation and celebrate the Biblical fact of justification by faith ("Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5.1 ESV; "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Epeshians 2.8-9 ESV) and the Five Solas (Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone; Solus Christus - Christ Alone; Sola Gratia - Grace Alone; Sola Fide - Faith Alone; Soli Deo Gloria - The Glory of God Alone).

Granted, our celebration is a work in progress, and my young daughters are influenced by the constant barrage of Halloween advertisements around us- and churches offering Halloween parties and alternatives (I do not take issue with the alternatives, I just have a different conviction and side with Augustine: "In the essentials, unity; in the non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity"). 

One day I would like to see many non-Reformed churches embrace Reformation Day in place of Halloween since it is a celebration directly related to Church history- something we do not teach enough of in the United States.  Anecdotally, this can be seen in a time I preached and mentioned Martin Luther and afterward was asked why I did not mention his "I Have a Dream" speech (which, for any who may be confused by this, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave the "I Have a Dream" speech- which was also a needed speech).

I did have someone object to Martin Luther's anti-Semitic writings, and I do take issue with racism of any type- anti-Semitic, hate based on skin color or ethnic background, etc.  Martin Luther was a flawed man.  He pointed to a Gospel that has no flaws.  Calvin was flawed.  John Wesley was flawed.  You are flawed.  I am flawed.  The greatness of the Reformation is that it was bigger than any one man.  It was a return to a focus on the greatness and grace of God.  People could find hope in God instead of finding corruption in the Romanist church.  We can look to Jesus as our head, not a fallible pope. We are justified by our faith in God, not by our obedience to the papacy.

That is why Reformation Day has a growing significance for our family.  I look forward to learning more ways to make it even more a part of our practice as my daughters grow toward adulthood.

Pete Garbacki is a minister with Time for Truth Ministries and Mission.Brasil.  Follow him on Twitter @mission_brasil or FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/pete.garbacki.

Justification: The Absolute Center of Biblical Christianity

Here is a ridiculous hypothetical. Suppose that earth was visited by aliens from a distant world. And suppose further that their job was to observe life on Earth to determine whether or not it was intelligent. The aliens would probably watch an episode of "Swamp People" or "Duck Dynasty" on the Discovery Channel and suspect that they had landed on the wrong planet!

But suppose that they began to survey our beliefs and fixed their attention on Christianity: What would they discover to be the central core belief of our faith?

Let me turn that question on you for a moment. What would you say is the central article of faith of Christianity?

Some might say “Upholding a certain set of values. Voting for this party or that.” That is important, but Christianity is not a political movement. Others might say “Being a good person; kind, loving, and warm. After all, Jesus told His followers to ‘love their enemies.’” But Christianity is not a social theory. Still others might say, “Obeying the Ten Commandments; living in accordance with God’s moral Law.” Oh how critical! But Christianity is not just an ethical system—it is so much more!

Here is what I would say: “At its absolute center, Christianity is a way (THE ONLY WAY!) for unrighteous sinners to be reconciled to a holy and just God.”

The Westminster Confession of Faith defines justification as follows:

Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein He pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in His sight, on account of the righteousness of Christ imputed (placed upon) to us, and received by faith alone (WSC #33).

Some say, we don’t need theology, just our Bibles; yet this term, "justification" is thoroughly Biblical and is central to Paul's theology in Romans. It is found five times in Romans 3:21-31 for instance. Justification is a legal word drawn from the courtroom of Paul’s day. Literally, it means “to declare to be just.”  God does this, of course, only on the basis of His grace given us through the cross of His Son (vs. 23-25).

Historically, teaching on justification has lit churches up with power, grace, forgiveness, worship, mission, giving, and service! Listen to some of the all time great Reformers:

• Martin Luther (1483-1546): “This is the chief article from which all other doctrines have flowed… It alone begets, nourishes, builds preserves, and defends the church of God; and without it the Church of God cannot exist for one hour.”

• Thomas Cranmer (1489-1566):  “Whosoever denies [the doctrine of justification] is not to be counted for a true Christian man… but for an adversary of Christ.”

• John Calvin (1509-1564): “Where ever the knowledge of [justification] is taken away, the glory of Christ is extinguished… [Justification] it is the main hinge on which salvation turns.”

Brothers, let us not forget to preach justification to our people. It is central to historic Christianity, central to the message of the Gospel, and central to revival.

Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida. Follow on Twitter @matt_everhard

10 Free E-Books (You're Welcome!)

In light of my recent post on the benefits of having a Kindle or other e-reader, I thought I would post some of the best works of theology and fiction that you can get free (read: no cost) on your device.

No strings attached....Seriously.

1. The ESV Bible. The ESV is the best English translation available today. Thank goodness that Crossway publishers is more concerned with giving away the Gospel than making money!
2. John Bunyan. Pilgrim's Progress. The classic allegory of "Christian" who is making his way from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. Read my review of this work here.
3. Andrew Bonar. The Biography of Robert Murray M'Cheyne. RMM was a Scottish Presbyterian pastor in the 1800's. As a poet and preacher, M'Cheyne inspired multiple generations of Christians with his selfless devotion and warm piety.
4. Johann David Wyss. The Swiss Family Robinson. Read a good classic aloud to your children once in a while. This work is full of surprising lessons about Christian discipleship.
5. A.W. Tozer. The Pursuit of God. One of the classic works of spiritual formation in the last century. Long before Piper wrote Desiring God, Tozer was speaking on the God-exalting life from a Chicago pulpit.
6. Martin Luther. Small Catechism. One of the great didactic works for children. A surprisingly relevant discussion on the central tenets of Christianity.
7. Jonathan Edwards. Selected Sermons. Newbies will find Edwards' sermons to be the easiest and most accessible works that the great American Puritan wrote from New England centuries ago.
8. J.C. Ryle. A Sketch of the Life and Labors of George Whitefield. A simple and short read on the basics of one of history's most revered evangelists.
9. John Foxe. Foxe's Book of Martyrs. The classic work on the lives of many of Christ's martyrs.
10. Robert Louis Stevenson. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I love this fictional work, so I threw it in here. Stevenson gives us a most unusual glimpse into the doctrine of total depravity.

 You're welcome. If you really want to pay me back for all this free stuff, just follow me on Twitter @matt_everhard. We'll call it even!

Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida.

What's Old is New

Being in seminary, I am constantly being "introduced" to a bunch of old dead dudes. Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Owen, Luther, and Edwards are merely a few of the men who faithfully preached God's word and were used to advance His kingdom. While the verbiage in these men's writings is often dense, their message is not.

The Gospel message has not changed despite the changing of nearly everything else in this world. We are sinners. We need to be saved from ourselves. God intervened. God came down as a man, Jesus. Through the life, death, and ressurrection of Jesus his elect people are redeemed to himself. Basic... I know.

So why bring this up?

Well... we Christians have distorted the truth and pushed the emphasis away from God and onto ourselves. Tullian Tchividjian, Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, spoke this week at our seminary orientation. Tullian, the grandson of renown preacher Billy Graham, had a very basic message for us future ministry leaders. "We have made the Christian faith about the LIFE of the Christian rather than the Christ of Christianity."

Let that previous quote sink in... Now think about how much of your life is dedicated to how you perform? How well you are doing in the process of your sanctification? How much are you doing for the kingdom? We have actually made Christianity about us! Does the New Testament have passages about how to live a life of holiness? Yes! Does it talk about sanctification? Yes! However, this is not the primary function of God's word. The primary function of God's word is to glorify God!

This is not a new concept. 16th century theologian Martin Luther stated that "Good seed cannot flourish when constantly dug up for examination." He was essentially urging us to not merely look inward but to instead look outward. To allow the work of Christ to continue to become more a part of who we are.

Let's look at the Apostle Paul in Galatians 5:13- For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. As believers in Christ, we are given freedom from selfishness and self-reliance. Therefore, as Luther and many others before and after him have done, I also exhort you to live out of your freedom in Christ and tell others of what Christ has done and is doing in your life. Do not merely say Jesus you saved me, now I'll take it from here. Rather, tell those in your life how Jesus has saved you and that you are realizing your need for him more and more every day.

I close with Paul's words in II Corinthians 5:17- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Amen.

Drew Taylor
3rd Year MDiv Student
Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando