The Beauty of the Covenant Community

You Don't Know It Until It Is Gone:

The pandemic of COVID-19 has brought to light the unique grace God employs to His people through the gathering of the saints. Contrary to what the emergent-church at the turn of the 21st century sought to unravel, covenantal gatherings are not merely societal constructs for communal pandering. Rather, the assembly of saints embark upon supernatural blessings administered through ordinary means which is constituted amid divine revelation. Meaning, current sufferings affirm the necessity to gather which is designed to bless the people of God amid their missional engagement in redeeming the world through the proclamation of the Gospel. To this end, the spiritual longing and significance of the local church can be ascertained with a new much needed appreciation. Thus, corporate worship is not merely randomized persons singing songs in a concert-like atmosphere. Nor is the preaching of the Word consolidated toward Ted Talk forums. All of these conventions, though phenomenologically mundane, carry spiritual qualities.

Thus, corporate worship is not merely randomized persons singing songs in a concert-like atmosphere. Nor is the preaching of the Word consolidated toward Ted Talk forums. All of these conventions, though phenomenologically mundane, carry spiritual qualities.

Profundity Amid Simplicity:

Therefore, as the pandemic strips us from consistently gathering, the church is afforded a rich perspective on the necessity to assemble as a covenantal community. I emphasize "covenant" because our assemblies are not merely generic social gatherings (cf. Acts 19: 32, 39, 41; Gk. ekklesia). Rather they are specific peoples--the church (cf. Matt. 16:18; Heb. 12:18-24; Gk. ekklesia)--uniting for a peculiar cause.

Administering Grace. In the epistle to Rome, Paul alludes to the notion of a unique and peculiar blessing that is administered through the physical gathering of the local assembly (Rom. 1:9-15). Paul is eager to "impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you" (Rom. 1:11). This endeavor, though, is not merely a one sided affair presuming upon the apostolic office (though the office itself should be honored). Rather, the grace imparted has a dualistic telos. Meaning, Paul asserts that "we may be mutually encouraged" (Rom. 1:12, italics mine). Thus, there is a two way street in encouraging one another communally as the people of God.

Therefore, the apostle acknowledges the unique grace that is employed amid the body of believers which can not be ascertained through any other agency. He returns to this argument in saying, "I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ" (Rom. 15:29). It is the people of God that is the "pillar and buttress of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15b, italics mine) and, therefore, is called to hold and steward the Gospel (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). And yet it is this Gospel that strengthens the covenantal community which Paul is so eager to proclaim upon his arrival (Rom. 1:15). Simply put, it is the church communally that embodies the truth and appropriates its glories toward the covenantal members and beyond. Thus, the gathering authorizes spiritual blessings that are distinct from any other means of grace appointed to the people of God by the Lord Jesus Himself.

It is the people of God that is the "pillar and buttress of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15b) and, therefore, is called to hold and steward the Gospel (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). 

Administering Truth. By the sealing of the Spirit, the church has been marked with gifts which are given to build up the body for the heralding of the Gospel (Eph. 4:1-10; cf. Gal. 3:1-3). Thus, it is the people of God that have been empowered and, furthermore, designed to administer spiritual vitality. To this end, God has given "the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:11-12).

Consequently, the church embodies spiritual currency through the indwelling presence of the Spirit to build and mature herself toward Gospel fidelity (Eph. 4:16). Thus, the Apostle Paul asserts that the church being "joined together, grows into a holy temple of the Lord" (Eph. 2:21). Meaning, it is through covenantal unity that the Spirit works for the good of His people and the glory of the triune God. Temple sensibilities, which imply Spirit indwelling, are not meant to be drawn upon individualistic boundaries, but rather is rightly understood amid communal realities (cf. Jn. 2:13-22; 1 Cor. 3:16-17). To neglect, then, the corporate gathering of the saints is to forfeit the divine agency for spiritual growth.

Being the Church is Being Covenantally Together:

The corporate gathering of the saints, then, is a means of grace that the Lord has given to the church in order to sanctify her. Not only are we baptized unto union with Christ, but through baptism we have been initiated into the covenantal community of saints. The longing that COVID-19 has revealed within the hearts of God's people is indicative of the teachings found within divine revelation. Henceforth, the author of Hebrews contends that we ought "not [neglect] to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (Heb. 10:25).

Thus, may our love for the church grow exponentially while, at the same time, our lives conform to the doctrinal truths we covet. 

Moving forward, it is imperative, then, to see the theological significance of the assembly of saints. Though much suffering has been endured through the COVID-19 pandemic, the positives that can be rendered from such catastrophic events is an appreciation for God's design in building up His church. Not only does it reform our conceptual framework, but bleeds into the functional expression of our daily living. Thus, may our love for the church grow exponentially while, at the same time, our lives conform to the doctrinal truths we covet. Soli Deo Gloria!
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McYoung Y. Yang (MDiv, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; ThM, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary)

He is the husband to Debbie Yang and the father to McCayden (11), McCoy (10), McColsen (8), and DeYoung (4).  He is one of the Teaching Pastors at Covenant City Church in St. Paul, MN which was planted in 2020. McYoung is continuing his doctoral studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO where he hopes to obtain his PhD in Systematic Theology. His ambition is to use his training and platform as a means to serve the local church in living life through the Gospel lens. McYoung enjoys reading/writing, sports, and playing with his children. 

Domestic Violence within the Hmong Community, and the Response of the Church part 1

Fighting Words:

Silence is deafening as the epidemic of domestic violence within the Hmong community continues to permeate at an alarming rate. Stories of brutality and murder-suicide flood the narrative which becomes anecdotal to the instability of marriage and, foundationally, the family unit. Consequently, these conclusions bolster the lack of development within our respective ethnic perimeters, and hinders progress toward communal fidelity. The shame culture that undergirds the contextual framework of the Hmong perpetuates the pattern and allows for the grievous deeds to linger with limited resources and accountability. How does one address these devastating acts? What must the younger generations do to confront these travesties amid the hierarchal-cultural structure? How do we safeguard the next generation?

Stories of brutality and murder-suicide flood the narrative which becomes anecdotal to the instability of marriage and, fundamentally, the family unit.

Though awareness is necessary, lasting change cannot be sustained by sheer information. The deconstruction of cultural structures will not amount to anything if there lacks a reconstructing ideal to substantiate transformation. As the people of the Hmong continue to assimilate toward the host culture, the embrace of individualism as well as a relativistic moral grid becomes detrimental to the fundamental search for change.

The Church—the Pillar and Buttress of Truth:

As the third and fourth generation moves toward individualism, how the church reconfigures the notion and significance of community will pay dividends in combating against the epidemic of domestic violence. Meaning, the establishment of the church—God’s covenantal people—has a grand opportunity to counteract the perversion that has infiltrated the institution of marriage (cf. Gen. 2:24; Prov. 31:10; Mk. 10:9; Rom. 12:10; Eph. 5:25-33).1 The heralding of the Gospel not only brings about a salvific appeal (one that should not be minimized), but, also, inaugurates new affections which transforms worldviews to temper perverse behavioral trends (cf. Rom. 1:5; 14:17; Eph. 4:1-2; 1 Jn. 3:8; Rev. 3:4-5).2 The church, then, is not merely called toward sheer activism, but rather intentional engagement in discipling nations toward joyful obedience in Christ Jesus.

Discipling. What is needed amid such destructive times is not something new per se, but a grasp toward the divine mandate given to the church to make disciples (Matt. 28:18-20). The heralding of the Gospel, then, unites sin-ridden and guilt-laden rebels to the grace of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Meaning, the fuel for change is grounded, fundamentally, in the victory of Christ through the cross. Thus, the means to pursue and obtain transformation is mounted upon the crucifixion of our old domestically violent self who has been raised to new life through the resurrection (cf. Rom. 6:1-14). 

Therefore, discipleship is lovingly assisting persons toward Gospel saturated affections which are tethered to the renewing of the mind through the Word (cf. Rom. 12:2).

Therefore, discipleship is lovingly assisting persons toward Gospel saturated affections which are tethered to the renewing of the mind through the Word (cf. Rom. 12:2).3 Meaning, the fundamental thrust of discipling is to "[teach] them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:20a). This presupposes that our natural disposition—depraved and perverse creatures—are desperately in need of realignment. Realignment, in turn, assumes that the Creator God has designed the world to function and operate in accords with His created intent. Discipling, then, encompasses a redefinition of reality and the re-invigoration of heart-passions toward concepts like marriage and the complementary nature of roles as husbands and wives.4 

Modeling the Mystery of Marriage. The household codes found within the epistle to the Ephesians is birthed out of a pure gaze into the Gospel of Jesus Christ (cf. Eph. 5:22-6:9). Thus, the clear perspective on the kingdom will have an overwhelming impact upon the function and purpose of marriage in the life of believers (cf. Eph. 5:32). 

Thus, the clear perspective on the kingdom will have an overwhelming impact upon the function and purpose of marriage in the life of believers (cf. Eph. 5:32).

Moreover, the Gospel shapes how the regenerate believer will "walk" in the midst of a broken and crooked generation (cf. Eph. 2:2, 10; 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15). Concurrently, the church is called to live together in such a way as to safeguard against such perversions. The Apostle charges, "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members (mele) one of another" (Eph. 4:25). The Greek term mele which can be translated as member or limbs from a body, speaks to the covenantal body that Paul associates with as the people of God (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12-31). 

The Little Things Make a Big Difference:

Though it is vital for the church to take notice of the rise in domestic violence, it will not suffice to merely make mention of such phenomenons. She is not called to engage in mere activism. To truly combat against the travesties of broken marriages, the church must take serious its biblical mandate in discipling young men and women to walk in the truth and vitality of the Gospel message. May our local church communities be lighthouses for young men and women to be nourished, challenged, and supported in the endeavor to live holy lives for the glory of God. Furthermore, the community of saints are not left to their own faculties in pursuing the mortification of sin. Rather, she has been sealed with the presence of Yahweh to combat against the dark forces of evil (cf. Eph. 1:13-14).5 Through the in-breaking of the Holy Spirit, the church has been granted kingdom-resources to engage in the decaying war against sin. Let us, then, stand in the Gospel "[for] we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). Moreover, let the church embrace with joyful obedience the discipling of all nations for the good of His people and the glory of His Name. Soli Deo Gloria!

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*footnotes

1. Dever rightly contends that the covenantal people of God, the church, "is a local collection of people committed to Christ, to regularly assemble and have His Word preached and obeyed, including Christ's commands to baptize and to celebrate the Lord's Supper." Therefore, the covenantal commitment to one another is fundamently built upon walking in the Gospel according to the apostolic witness of the New Testament. This, then, is the grounds for biblical accountability amid the institutional framing of the local church. See Mark Dever, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, 3rd ed. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 157. See also Jonathan Leeman, Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 49-66.

2. Michael Lawrence, Conversion: How God Creates A People (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017), 17-30.

3. Mark Dever, Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), 32.

4. John Piper, "A Vision of Biblical Complementarity: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible," Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism, 2nd ed. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2006), 31-59. See also Scott, Stuart. The Exemplary Husband: A Biblical Perspective, Revised Edition. Bemidji, MN: Focus Publishing, 2002. 

5. See Packer, J. I. Keep in Step with the Spirit: Finding Fullness in Our Walk with God. 2nd edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005. 
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McYoung Y. Yang (MDiv, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; ThM, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary)

He is the husband to Debbie Yang and the father to McCayden (11), McCoy (10), McColsen (8), and DeYoung (4).  He is one of the Teaching Pastors at Covenant City Church in St. Paul, MN which was planted in 2020. McYoung is continuing his doctoral studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO where he hopes to obtain his PhD in Systematic Theology. His ambition is to use his training and platform as a means to serve the local church in living life through the Gospel lens. McYoung enjoys reading/writing, sports, and playing with his children.