An article explains some of the reality of Christian publishing:

What’s Not Coming to a Bookstore Near You | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction: “Taylor explains the process. An agent approaches the publisher with a can’t-miss book proposal by a big-name Christian author. The publisher likes the idea. The agent lets the publisher know that other houses want the book. This project demands a serious advance. Perhaps against better judgment, the publisher bites.

‘So we get the deal,’ Taylor writes. ‘We pay the advance. The manuscript comes in. We begin to wonder why we paid so much for this average manuscript. We edit it and market it and sell it and process the returns. And at the end of the day we take a huge write-off. If we’re lucky, the book earns a net contribution to overheads. But in most of these scenarios, the book generates a loss even apart from overheads. Competition (and perhaps some greed) has nearly killed us.'”

Articles like this remind me that most of those spouting off about ‘why don’t fundamentalists write more books’ are totally clueless about how business works. The publishing business is affected by economics like any other business: risk and reward, supply and demand.

It is foolish to imagine that serious books by fundamentalists will gain much headway in the publishing world. A few excellent ones may emerge from time to time (like Jim Berg’s Changed into His Image) but by and large, the Christian publishing world is dominated by market demands and is run by evangelicals who have no time for the fundamentalist agenda.

Those who spout off as if fundamentalism has failed because we don’t produce enough books are simply ignorant of reality.

In order for fundamentalism to have a wider voice, fundamentalism needs to be wider. That means faithful preaching and teaching in local churches, evangelism and discipleship, building a larger and more faithful constituency. It means hard work. It means to get our eyes off worldly success as enjoyed by evangelicals and a willingness to serve in obscurity until the King comes, if necessary.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

I want to highlight an article that appeared on the Religion News Blog sidebar I run on my blog:

Seekers are heading to the Amazon in search of esoteric highs. Are shamans the new shrinks?: “Deep immersion in a faraway jungle is the latest fix for those stuck in the cultural, spiritual or personal malaise that besets many in the 21st century.”

The article is originally from The Times in England, describing the trends of some who are desperately seeking some kind of spiritual experience without God. It shows the deep need of man and the desperate hard-heartedness of men who will not submit themselves to God. I am not sure if anyone with whom I may have a chance to minister here in Victoria will ever go to these lengths for some kind of relief for their spiritual darkness, but the story does illustrate the deep depths of the darkness we fight in our secular city.

Here is a quote from one woman who has delved into this experience (which includes hallucinogens). You can see what I mean by the darkness and the need:

“I went to the Amazon because I felt my whole life needed shaking up, and I just didn’t know how to do that in England. I had everything I wanted, in terms of a stable marriage, lovely kids and a nice home, and although I knew I shouldn’t feel dissatisfied, I did. I wanted to reconnect with myself and the way I live before I got much older.”

May God stir us up to reach men and women who are falling into hell.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

A summary of last Sunday’s messages is due…

Competent to Correct, again on the subject of Discipleship and Child Training, drew its theme from the second word for instruction in Eph 6.4, nouthesia – ‘admonishment, warning’. The theme of the first message in this series centered around the notion that successful disciple making first of all requires that the disciple-maker be a disciple himself. This message builds on that by focusing on the challenge the disciple-maker faces in this world, leading another person from a mind that is dominated by the flesh (initially) and the world (eventually) to a mind that is fixed on Christ. The extent to which a mind is dominated by the world depends on the amount the natural mind is immersed in the world system, a combination of family environment and how old the person is when they become a Christian.

Regardless of extent, the challenge remains the same. A newly born babe in Christ still has a mind largely influenced by anti-God thinking. That thinking needs correction. Correction is the central meaning of the word ‘nouthesia’ – it is derived from the idea of ‘putting or placing something on the mind’, with a notion that the mind has got something wrong and needs to be disabused of its natural notions. God’s Word is intended for that purpose, to give us WORDS that correct our thinking, either by narrative example, precept, proclamation, command, doctrine, or what have you. The Lord’s church should be the incubator of this kind of correction as the members of the body in love and concern for one another correct blind spots and lead into deeper understanding of God’s mind in his Word. This is the object of every Bible-believing pastor.

The application of correction must come by carefully chosen words, at the appropriate time [sometimes ‘right now’ is good], with a ministering spirit and considering the kind of ministry relationship one has with someone else. Every believer ought to be so concerned about other believers that he is willing to risk offering words of correction when needed, especially in a discipleship relationship, for the sake of building up the body of Christ.

~~~

The afternoon message was It’s a Building, emphasizing the need for the people of God in this age to be the dwelling place of God and as such be organized according to His precepts for His glory in this world. I was not overly satisfied with this message. I felt like I had something I wanted to say, but didn’t really get it across very well. I am trying to communicate in my series a Biblical philosophy of the church (as I understand it!) but I am afraid that this message was not as well thought through as I wanted it to be.

I don’t think I said anything in it that was unbiblical (I certainly hope not!) but I don’t think I said anything particularly profound either. I was glad when it was over, if only that it was over. Next week I plan to preach on It’s a Body. May the Lord give grace, I hope that message is better.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

At last, a weapon Greenpeace et al can sanction…

globeandmail.com: Russia unveils its ‘vacuum bomb’: “‘At the same time, I want to stress that the action of this weapon does not contaminate the environment, in contrast to a nuclear one,’ Mr. Rukshin said.”

Ok, Ok, enough of this. I’ll get serious in the next post.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

I think…

Check out these posters. Perhaps more realistic than most of those ‘success’ posters you see around…

more: here, here, and here

There are more, but you will have to while away the time yourself.

The web-site is a satirical look at the self-assured corporate culture of today’s world. This is from a page where you can design your own poster:

For over two decades, the multi-billion dollar motivation industry has unleashed untold suffering upon the workplaces, schools and civil institutions of the world- in the insidious form of the motivational poster. By the millions they have been sold and displayed- these dark instruments of corporate propaganda. While promising to stimulate “Hope”, “Success” and “Teamwork”, instead these tools of coercion and intimidation have inspired only grief, anger and nausea.

In 1998, one company dared to fight back, as Despair, Inc. introduced Demotivators®, satirical products reverse-engineered from the most powerful motivational posters ever inflicted upon mankind. And now, with the Parody Motivator Generator, we place those very same tools in YOUR less-capable hands.

And here is an article from an on-line magazine that explains what it is all about.

I am sure there is an Ecclesiastes sort of lesson in all of this somewhere.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

The Daily Express

The Belfast Telegraph

wow!!

Northern Ireland leader Paisley to step down from helm of his Protestant church after 56 years – International Herald Tribune: “The Rev. Ian Paisley, who has angered many of his Protestant faithful by forming a Northern Ireland government with a former IRA commander, is stepping down as leader of the hard-line church he founded 56 years ago.”

I wondered a bit on how things would fall out with Paisley after seeing a comment on Ivan Foster’s web-page earlier this summer.

The position of the General Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian church on power-sharing with murderers is clear and unequivocal. It is not the present position adopted by its Moderator, Dr. Ian R K Paisley MP.

His agreeing to lead his Democratic Unionist Party into a power-sharing coalition with Sinn Fein/IRA is quite contrary to the political position he espoused just a very short time ago. However, given the propensity of politicians to change their minds and their manifestos, what is far more important is the fact that it is quite contrary to the position he and the Free Presbyterian Church have proclaimed as the teaching of the Word of God.

From a pragmatic standpoint, I can understand both points of view. Paisley is doing politically what he thinks he has to do for his purposes in Ireland. At 81, he is giving up his leadership of his denomination to pursue his course in Northern Ireland. I can also understand the opposition of his men, even loyal, long standing friends like Foster.

It is a sad state of affairs that leads to this breach, but I think I understand the motivations behind either point of view.

I have heard Paisley preach many times. There is no finer preacher on the person of Christ, in my opinion. I have heard Ivan Foster preach a couple of times. The first time I heard either of them was when I visited BJU as a 12th grader at their Bible Conference in 1975. I remember being impressed with both men, but especially with a sermon by Foster on the pierced ear of a Hebrew slave from either Ex 21.6 or Dt 15.17. I thought I had a tape of that message, but perhaps not… In any case, both Foster and Paisley made a big impression on me in those days. Both of them are godly men, in my opinion. (I am sure they have flaws!)

In spite of these differences, may God’s word continue to be preached and souls saved through both men’s ministries.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

It’s getting serious now. I am planning to begin my series on Romans on Sept 23. In the study the last two weeks I have been working my way through the salutation. The major themes of the epistle are given to us in crystalline form here. As I think through these topics, the overflowing richness and majesty of this, Paul’s premier epistle, is beginning to emerge.

I am only working on the first seven verses just now. I can see many messages here. I have ten Sundays until December, when I always break for my month of ‘preaching Christmas’. I am not sure if I will get past these seven verses by December…

Donald Grey Barnhouse preached seven messages on these verses. David Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached thirteen (his are printed on 180 pages of his Vol.1 of Romans). I am thinking that it is possible that I will hit the middle between these two. Ten messages until December, and Paul will just be saying ‘hello’ to us.

Of course, I could double up, do AM and PM on Romans, maybe that way we can get through the first 17 verses by Christmas… but once we get into the nitty gritty of the ‘all have sinned’ section, I don’t think we can handle doubling up. We’ll need to turn our mind elsewhere for the afternoon services then.

I am anticipating this series with great delight. After our marathon rush Thru the Bible the last two years (a blessed study!), I am ready to return to my favorite mode: glacial exposition.

Here is a little word from Lloyd-Jones, from the first page of his first message:

I should like this evening to welcome any friends who do not belong to this particular church who may be with us, and who propose to continue with us in these studies of the Epistle to the Romans. For their sake, very largely, perhaps I had better indicated how this service is normally conducted. First and foremost I would emphasize that it is a service. It is an occasion for worship. I am one of those who do not recognize any consideration of the Word of God which is not accompanied by worship. … The Apostle was concerned to help these Christians in Rome, to build them up and to establish them in their most holy faith, and, God willing, and as I am enabled to do so, I shall certainly be trying to do the same thing. It is an occasion, then, for worship, and not really just a lecture.

Lloyd-Jones preached his Romans on Friday evenings at Westminster Chapel in London, beginning on Oct 7, 1955, ending in 1968 in the midst of chapter 14, his last message as pastor of Westminster Chapel.

Our aim, with this series, is to build us up as worshippers of God.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Today I happened to read the last two chapters of Judges and the book of Ruth. The whole period of Judges is a dark period in the history of Israel, the last few chapters of Judges being darkest of all. The book closes with this disheartening sentence:

Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Thank the Lord for the next page! The book of Ruth is such a delight! It ends with this line:

NAU Ruth 4:22 and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.

Meditate on the differences between the two verses. One is the sour language of man ‘under the sun’ [see Ecclesiastes]. The other is the hopeful look forward, to the light. One emphasizes man’s desperate and failing attempts to please himself apart from God (in God’s kingdom, no less). The other emphasizes God’s plan, quietly, mysteriously, deliberately unfolding according to God’s sovereign will.

Now concerning the book of Ruth, I am struck again by the simple beauty of this little book. There are so many preaching points in the book that I never tire of reading it or going back to it. Two things struck me as I think about it this time.

1) The redeemer of Naomi. Have you ever noticed this before? The term ‘kinsmen-redeemer’ is very familiar in connection with the book. Who do you usually think of as the ‘redeemer’ in Ruth? Boaz, right? Look at Ruth 4:

NAU Ruth 4:14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. 15 “May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse. 17 The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

I suppose this struck me forcefully because I was reading the NAU today. The KJV translates this ‘kinsman’, but the word is indeed the word ga’al, i.e., the kinsman redeemer. Who is that for Naomi? Obed. He is the real redeemer of the lost fortunes of Naomi, for he stands in the place of her dead husband and sons, a seed for her raised up by Boaz and Ruth. I think this is truly remarkable, and of course the whole subject of the kinsmen-redeemer is worthy of a good deal of study.

2) The seed of the woman. It strikes me again, forcefully, how much this theme is played up again and again in the Scripture, and especially in the lineage of the Messiah. Of course there is Eve, our first mother, and the one whose deception led to the fall. But she is promised a seed. Now here is Ruth, of whom is Obed. And there is also another, Boaz, who is the son of Rahab (see Mt 1). Other notable women in the line are Tamar, of whom was Perez, and Bathsheba, of whom was Solomon. Interestingly of these, each one is ‘defective’ in some way. Eve, deceived; Ruth, a Moabitess; Rahab, a Canaanite harlot; Tamar, well… crude but effective, the concubine of Judah; and of course we know the sins of Bathsheba.

When you consider this aspect of what God was doing in preparing the seed of the woman, we have to bow in shame and humility before God and say again, “Grace, greater than all my sin!”

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

This just in from the National Post:

BABY PAYS IF LEAVE TOO BRIEF: STUDY: “Women who rush back to work after giving birth may do so at their baby’s peril, suggests a new Canadian study that fuels the emotional debate over career versus parenthood.

The less time a new mother stays off the job, the more likely her child’s motor and social development will be impaired, University of British Columbia researchers concluded. The analysis of federal survey data underlines the importance of government-funded maternity leaves, but does not mean mothers should avoid work outside the home, says Dr. Rebecca Sherlock, the neonatology specialist at the BC Children’s and Women’s Health Centre who spearheaded the research.

[The results] could be used from a public health or policy perspective to say ‘We need to fund women to stay at home longer with their kids,’ ‘ she said. ‘I hope that what wouldn’t be drawn from my conclusions is that all women should just drop their jobs and stay home … When I found what I found, I thought, ‘Oh, God, I hope this isn’t used by some ultra-conservative politician.’ ‘”

No of course not… and you aren’t letting conservative preachers read the paper, too, are you?

What a shocker. If mom spends more time with the kids, they develop better. Who knew?

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3