The Empty Pulpit

Attributive: 

Value is attributed to particular items because they possess in of themselves a set worth.  The establishment of pioneer trade was superseded by the development of artificial money which found its currency through the possession of gold.  Though the representation of gold no longer is an undergirding basis for the publication of paper money, the set value of a particular dollar amount is attributed through the respective economical system.

Likewise, the importance of the pulpit is not, fundamentally, rendered through the instrumental means of the preacher.  The value of the sermon is not indicative of the educational background of the clergyman nor his intellectual gifting.  Preaching, like I have tried to convey to my fellow ministers, is not necessarily built upon the art of rhetoric or an extravagant presentation, but rather in the nature of the Word.

Preaching . . . is not necessarily built upon the art of rhetoric or an extravagant presentation, but rather in the nature of the Word. 

The value of the sermon in the congregational gathering of the saints is mounted upon the fact that the church seeks to posture themselves in a manner of humility to hear the voice of God.  The preacher is merely the conduit to which God uses to proclaim the Word of God via Scripture.  Through the proclamation of the Word the Spirit does the work of illumination in bringing forth understanding and transformation—individually and corporately.  The Word, as Louis Berkhof states, is not "only the principium cognoscendi of theology, but it is also the means which the Holy Spirit employs for the extension of the Church and for the edification and nourishment of the saints. It is pre-eminently the word of God's grace, and therefore also the most important means of grace."1 The exercise of preaching is not merely public speaking, but a supernatural engagement in hearing from the Lord and moving in obedience for His Name sake.

Theology Matters:

Most pulpits within the scope of evangelicalism, and for my particular context the Hmong District of the C&MA, do not move past the rhetorical component of a lecture.  Most "sermons" are an attempt to convey information or, at best, mimic Ted Talks.

The fundamental reason for such a lack of proclamation is grounded, through my estimation, in the absence of doctrinal conviction.  Conviction is built upon observing truth and allowing that truth through the power of the Spirit to penetrate the heart and bleed onto the canvas of every day life.  Before it can become methodology (ex. preaching style, presentation, rhetoric, etc.) it must first be a flame within the belly of the preacher which has been produced through the supernatural commitment to the Scriptures. The Bible is not merely ancient literature, but the very words of God.

Conviction is built upon observing truth and allowing that truth through the power of the Spirit to penetrate the heart and bleed into the canvas of every day life.

Discovering the Distinction Between Sermon and Lecture:

I have heard Christians compliment preachers by saying, "Thanks for giving the Word of God." Not that I want to burst anyone's bubble, but I have come to question such a statement.  What constitutes as giving the Word of God? By what standard are we measuring the giving of the Word?

Early on in my ministry career I was hesitant to voice my concerns, but the more I sat through stretches of attempted stand-up comedy or cultural lectures the more I am concerned that our understanding of preaching has fallen to the wayside.  If it goes unchecked we will produce a generation ignorant of the beauty of Gospel proclamation.

The Reformers understood the centrality of the Word; hence Sola Scriptura.  They embodied not merely the conceptual component to that tag line, but personified the reality of it through the exposition of the text.  John Calvin writes in his institutes, "We must come, I say, to the Word, where God is truly and vividly described to us from His works, while these very works are appraised not by our depraved judgement but by the rule of eternal truth."2  The Word in our preaching can not merely be proof-texted in order to affirm one's disposition, but rather should be the central basis of our thought pattern.

The Word in our preaching can not merely be proof-texted in order to affirm one's disposition, but rather should be the central basis of our thought pattern. 

Listed below are a few thoughts in distinguishing between a sermon and a lecture.

Stick to the Text:

I was appreciative of Mark Driscoll's statement prior to his lecture at the Resurgence Conference in 2013 (available on YouTube: click here).  He was adamant in communicating that what he was about to do was lecture and not preach.  He went on to give statistical analysis and content in regards to the sociological shift of American culture in light of Christianity.  Again, what he did was give a lecture; not preach.

The central tenants of preaching is not conveying one's research material, but rather the proclaiming of God's Word to the life of the saints.  Jesus said, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth" (Jn. 17:17).  "In the pulpit," according to Brian Chapell, "we are expositors, not authors. Sermons explain what the Bible says."3 To feed the sheep we must give them life, and the life we give them is through the Word.  This notion is reaffirmed by Timothy Keller when he says, "If, however, you believe that the preaching of the Word is one of the main channels for God's action in the world, then with great care and confidence you will uncover the meaning of the text, fully expecting that God's Spirit will act in listeners' lives."4

Proclaiming News:

In the art of preaching and teaching there are overlapping components. To some, preaching and teaching can be held conceptually as synonymous.  If one preaches he teaches, and if he teaches he preaches.  Yet, with further analysis one can begin to see that there are direct distinctions between the two.

Teaching, which finds itself within the realm of preaching, is conveying, according to Lawrence O. Richards and Gary J. Bredfeldt, information in an orderly and structural format that allows the learner to engage in meaning.5 The art of teaching has as its core the transferring of information from one individual to the next.

Preaching, on the other hand, is proclaiming news.  According to John Piper "preaching could be defined as the heralding of good news from a messenger sent by God."6 Preaching is not merely relaying information, but rather heralding a state of truth or proclaiming a reality.  Teaching can fall under preaching, but only in service to the heralding of truth from God to the world.

We must be careful because in our pulpits we may be relaying information, but we may not always be heralding Good News.

We must be careful because in our pulpits we may be relaying information, but we may not always be heralding Good News.

Christ Centered:

If preaching is fundamentally the proclamation of the Word, then centering within His Word is the work and Person of Jesus Christ.  Much of our preaching can be centered upon morality, cultural etiquette, or intellectual jargon; but if it lacks Christ we have not preached a sermon; we have merely given a lecture.  Piper urges us in saying that "the cross becomes the ground of the objective validity of preaching and the ground of the subjective humility of preaching."7

Preachers must give their people Christ.  If Paul is true (which I believe he is), "faith comes through hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ" (Rom. 10:17), the preacher must not only exposit the text but proclaim the truths of God's Word in revealing the majesty and grander of Christ Jesus Himself.  Without the proclamation of Christ the preacher is not preaching but lecturing.

The Value of the Pulpit is Found in God:

Standing in front of people and conveying ideas can be a simple ordinary act of public speaking.  But opening up the Word of God to the community of saints is embarking in a supernatural practice.  It is the engagement of hearing the Word of God proclaimed, and allowing the Spirit of God to draw the hearts of the church to Himself for His glory and the good of His people.  John M. Frame articulates this well in saying, "It is important that we understand God's Word not only as a communication of linguistic content to our minds, though it is that, but as a great power that makes things happen."8 It must be understood that the drawing of unbelief to belief, the sanctity and edification of the saints, and the oversight of the church is all grounded in the active Word of God.  If the Word of God is as powerful as it says it is; to not preach from the Scriptures would be to deny the voice of God to the community of saints.  Preachers must preach and not merely lecture.

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*footnotes

1. Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Louisville: GLH Publishing, 2017), 521. 

2. John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion Volume 1. ed. John T. McNeil (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006), 73.

3. Brian Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005), 59.

4. Timothy Keller, Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism (New York: Viking, 2015), 35. 

5. Lawrence O. Richards and Gary J. Bredfeldt, Creative Bible Teaching (Chicago: Moody Press, 1998), 115. 

6. John Piper, The Supremacy of God in Preaching (Grand Rapids: Baker Book, 2000), 22. 

7. Ibid., 29. 

8. John M. Frame, The Doctrine of the Word of God (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2010), 50. 
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McYoung Yang (M. Div, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the husband of Debbie Yang and the father to McCayden (8), McCoy (7), McColsen (5), and DeYoung (1).  He has recently accepted the position of Associate Professor of Theology at Crown College in Saint Bonifacius, MN and will begin teaching in the Fall of 2017. He is currently serving as a Youth Counsel member of the Youth Ministry of the Hmong District in the C&MA.  He hopes 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. 

The Spirit Misplaced

A Theological Dilemma:

The tendency in stumbling into the hyper-charasmatic mania which has swept through much of the church in recent days is rooted, in my estimation, to the anemic theological condition of the local church.  The syncretistic nature of fusing eastern animistic culture with western hollywoodized spirituality has bred a false sense of the Spirit in the life of the believer.  The impulse in longing for the Spirit that is divorced from the trinitarian nature of the Godhead is a common mishap that is present within the current trend of spirituality.  This type of functional theology is mounted on an "experiential Christianity" that gives limited regard to sound doctrine.1  Again, the emphasis is upon the experience rather than the systematic gathering of biblical data—better known as doctrine.

Worship in Spirit and in Truth: 

Jesus was clear on His description of the type of people God was in search for.  The Creator "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (Jn 4:24).  This dynamic is nothing further from the truth.  The clear expressive nature of those who would seek after God would be grounded upon the genuine cry of the spirit which is saturated in truth.  The commentator, DA Carson, expresses this notion rightly in saying, "There are not two separable characteristics of the worship that must be offered: it must be 'in spirit and truth', i. e. essentially God-centred, made possible by the gift of the Holy Spirit, and in personal knowledge of the conformity to God's Word-made-flesh, the one who is God's 'truth', the faithful exposition and [fulfillment] of God and His saving purpose."2

Worship is more than thinking biblically, 

but never less.

Therefore, the experiential component to worship must not be devoid of truth.  Worship is more than thinking biblically, but never less.  The art of biblical thinking is interwoven into the tapestry of worship which grants it substance and depth.  Thinking (theologically), then, serves the heart in feeling emotions that are built upon eternal truths which are "yes and amen" in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20).

What We Mean When We Say "God":

It is no secret that the trinitarian formula of the God-head is complicated to say the least.  For some of us (if not all), the math does not seem to add up.  Simply put, three Persons; one God.  Three distinct Persons sharing in the one divine nature.  Robert Letham is helpful in articulating this reality when he writes,

God is one being, three Persons, and three Persons, one being. The indivisible Trinity consists of three irreducibly distinct Persons. Their distinctness or difference is in no way whatever erased, obliterated, or eroded by the union. But the union is real, eternal, and indivisible. The three are one identical being.3

Therefore, when Christians speak of God they are inherently speaking of the trinitarian God of the bible.  God, for Christians, is grounded in the three Persons which is made up of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  If God is, like Letham claims, indivisible; when we call upon the Christian God we are calling upon God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

God, for Christians, 

is grounded in the three Persons 

which is made up of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Historical Fallacy of Modalism:

The inability to hold conceptually the indivisibility of the triune God has led to, within church history, many heretical views.  One of which came during the early patristic era in the form of modalism.  Modalism, according to Gregg Allison, "held that there is one God who can be designated by three different names—"Father," "Son," and "Holy Spirit"—at different times, but these three are not distinct persons. Instead, they are different modes (thus, modalism) of the one God."4 The modalist conceives that God is one while displaying Himself in three different forms or modes; namely "Father," "Son," or "Holy Spirit."

This fallacy came under fire and the early church sought hard to think biblically about this topic.  Establishing a foundational understanding of God was imperative in setting the precedent of worship and belief in the life of the church of Christ.  Though opponents rose up to question the trinitarian nature of the God-head and the deity of Christ, God preserved His people through the establishment of the councils and creeds.  Justin S. Holcomb articulates this truth in saying, "The Nicene Creed is perhaps the most famous and influential creed in the history of the church, because it settled the question of how Christians can worship one God and also claim that this God is three Persons."5

Practical Engagement with the Spirit:

All this to say, the theological framework that has been formulated above is to give guidance to the practical application of the trinitarian understanding of God.  Our thoughts of God, when submitted to the revelatory work of Scripture, will inform our belief systems in such a way as to bleed into the fabric of every day life.

Our thoughts of God, when submitted to the revelatory work of Scripture, will inform our belief systems in such a way as to bleed into the fabric of every day life.

If, then, God in trinitarian understanding is indivisible in nature, the hyper-charismatic desire to focus solely upon the work of the Holy Spirit is misguided and ill informed.  To strive for such a nuance is to fall prey to modalistic tendencies.  In order to operate within trinitarianism one much understand that the ministry of the Holy Spirit will in turn magnify the work of Christ in the hearts of believers which will lead to the honoring of God the Father.  The engagement of each Person of the God-head will in turn employ the remaining members.  For example, embracing the Son will grant access to the Father who will send the Holy Spirit.  Furthermore, the pursuit of the Father will give rise to the Son who in turns give the gift of the Spirit.  Michael Reeves articulates this trinitarian relation well in saying, "[The Persons of the God-head] are who they are together. They always are together, and thus they always work together."6

Renew the Mind: 

In the midst of false doctrine and uninformed practice the church must stand upon the truth of Scripture in teaching sound doctrine for the glory of God and the betterment of His people.  Genuine sheep are being led astray by the false notion of spirituality that has deeper roots in eastern animism than biblical orthodoxy.  Pastor elders must toil in the ministry of the Word to exposit biblical truth in order to renew the minds of their parishioners for the sake of Christ's Name. It is imperative to see that the genuine fruit of engagement with the Spirit is the magnifying of Christ Jesus Himself.  The work of the Paraclete is that "He (the Spirit) will glorify Me (Jesus)" (Jn. 16:14).  Is our worship trinitarian in form?
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*footnotes

1. Frederick Dale Bruner. A Theology of the Holy Spirit: The Pentecostal Experience of the New Testament Witness (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publisher, 1976), 21. 

2. D. A. Carson. The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publisher Company, 1991), 225.

3. Robert Letham, The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2004), 466. 

4. Gregg R. Allison, Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 235-236.

5. Justin S. Holcomb, Know The Creeds and Councils (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014), 33. 

6. Michael Reeves, Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith (Downers Grove, IVP Academic, 2012), 34.
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McYoung Yang (Mdiv, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the husband of Debbie Yang and the father to McCayden (8), McCoy (7), McColsen (5), and DeYoung (1).  He has recently accepted the position of Associate Professor of Theology at Crown College in Saint Bonifacius, MN and will begin teaching in the Fall of 2017. He is currently serving as a Youth Counsel member of the Youth Ministry of the Hmong District in the C&MA.  He hopes 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. 

The Gospel Manifested

Whatever Works:

We live in a day of practicality in which the devices we purchase and the gadgets we operate are meant to make the mundane things of life exciting and effortless.  We want to be bedazzled by how the complexities of life can become rudimentary with the addition of a handheld mechanism.  All these things are accomplished without any strenuous work in regards to our mental capacity.  With just a click of a button we have the world at our fingertips!

Hyper-Charasmatic Movement:

In the post-modern era we tend to navigate our spiritual well-being in a similar fashion.  We want to see the Gospel manifested in real and practical ways and rightly so!  Yet what we must be careful of is the tendency in allowing the societal or cultural norms of our world to dictate the spiritual interpretation of our faith.  For instance, do the Hmong people interpret the biblical scope of spirituality through their animistic background?  Similarly, does the western world, in its anti-spiritual bent, negate the reality of the spiritual realm? Despite our dichotomous dilemma, a careful rendition of the Scriptural data should bring a balance to the current development.

Within influential streams there is a consensus that the Gospel is not merely of intellectual ascent, but must be coupled with a manifestation of power.  I do not necessarily disagree with this perspective.  My only concern is how the term power is defined.  When we attach hyper-charismatic definition (healing, tongues, deliverance, etc.) to these ideologies we tend to, in my estimation, blind ourselves to the biblical message of the text.

"Within influential streams there is a consensus that the Gospel is not merely of intellectual ascent, but must be coupled with a manifestation of power."

My purpose, then, is to convey the notion that the biblical text does not necessarily define the manifestation of the Gospel with an over-Hollywoodized appeal, but exemplifies, as its central component, a transformative portrayal of genuine faith.

Transformation:

With a careful analysis the Apostle Paul writes from a post-resurrection and post-Pentacost vantage point.  His epistles are filled with exhortations, commendations, and admonitions to the body of believers.  Yet what is interesting to point out is the fact that Paul, who found himself "caught up to the third heaven" (2 Cor. 12:2), speaks little of signs and wonders in comparison to the regenerative fruit that is to mark the life of the believers.  My argument is not to negate the supernatural, but rather to align ourselves to the biblical definition of it.

Gospel Power:

Some have argued that in order for the Gospel to be powerful there must be a demonstration that accompanies the proclamation of the Word.  What is used as a proof-text to affirm this notion is 1 Corinthians 4:20, "For the Kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power." Case closed, right?

Not so fast!

Context is king. How is Paul defining the word power? How was the term used previously? Answering these questions will grant us access into his thought pattern.  1 Corinthians 2 will give us a clear indication of what the apostle means by power. Paul is adamant that the Gospel he preaches is not based on "lofty speech or wisdom" (1 Cor. 2:1).  Furthermore, he reemphasizes this notion by saying, "my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God" (1 Cor. 2:4-5).  There it is!  But, honestly, that does not give us a clear definition of how the apostle is defining the term.  Here is a key: keep reading!

Paul goes on to specify that God has imparted a wisdom through the apostles which is prescribed by the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:6-12).  This wisdom—the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ—the apostles have imparted with "words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual" (1 Cor. 2:13).  He goes on to add that the "natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14).

Therefore, the power that Paul is alluding to is not a power of signs and wonder per se, but rather the power of regeneration.  The power that draws dead hearts to Himself in faith through the effectual work of the Holy Spirit.  The miraculous sign, if you want to use that terminology, is the conversion of unbelief to belief; darkness to light; death to life.  The manifestation of the Gospel is the power of true heart conversion!

"The manifestation of the Gospel 

is the power of true heart 

conversion!" 

Gospel manifestation, then, is not merely rooted in signs of healing, tongues, or deliverance; but is grounded in belief that is rooted in the transforming work of God.

Endurance in Suffering:

Upon further examination, the text indicates that conversion was not the only power in sight—though it is the basis—rather the transformed heart that manifest itself in fruitful endurance through suffering is also in view.  The Apostle Paul is addressing his opponents who question the authenticity of his apostolic ministry and, in turn, the Gospel to which he preaches.  Paul goes on to say, "Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people, but their power. For the Kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power" (1 Cor. 4:18-20). Paul wants to see the converting power of their gospel.

Yet the fascinating thing about Paul's powerful Gospel is its ability to transform their hearts in such a way as to have them suffer joyfully for it's sake.  They embodied a treasuring of the Gospel that far exceeds any notion of prosperity, material gain, or comfort. Paul depicts this notion by saying, "We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we are disrepute. The present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things" (1 Cor. 4:10-13). The manifestation of the Gospel is the treasuring of God beyond all comfort, possession, and right.

"The manifestation of the Gospel 

is the treasuring of God beyond all comfort, possession, and right." 

This theme runs throughout the New Testament.  Jesus Himself resounds this message in the beatitudes by saying, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matt. 5:11-12).  The Apostles in the book of Acts began "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name" (Acts 5:41).  Other epistles sought to encourage the believers to "recall the former day when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward" (Heb. 10:32-35). The steadfastness of faith is a mark of genuine Gospel power!

Paraenesis:

It is astonishing to note that majority of the New Testament is written as an exhortation for believers to maintain their grip on the Christian faith.  The admonition that is placed within the epistles is to remind the saints "to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called," (Eph. 4:1).  Paul's emphasis is that their life be in step with the proclamation of the Gospel.  Simply put, the manifestation of Christ should be evident in the life of the organic church.  The Apostle John accounts that whoever "believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments" (1 Jn. 5:1-2).  The manifestation of the Gospel, according to John, is a genuine affection toward the saints that is deeply rooted in the commandments of God.

The Apostle Paul, who—if any—embodies the grounds for a hyper-charismatic outlook, charges the saints to "[let] love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord" (Rom. 12:9-11).  All of this in the context of "the renewal of your mind" (Rom. 12:2). Again, the manifestation of the Gospel is an authentic treasuring of Jesus that expresses itself in profound ways through the ordinary confines of life. The exhortations given through the New Testament epistles are objective evidences for Gospel centered living among the saints.

"Again, the manifestation of the Gospel is an authentic treasuring of Jesus that expresses 

itself in profound ways through the 

ordinary confines of life."

Former Days:

In the letter to the church of Philippi Paul refutes the false doctrines that are being presented by "the dogs" (Phil. 3:2). The grounds of his argument is not based upon his apostolic authority in terms of signs and wonders, but rather the righteousness that is found in Christ (Phil. 3:7-8).  His conversion from Judaism, in which he was a man of rank, was the basis to show the valuable worth of God's transforming power in Christ Jesus.  For Paul the manifestation of the Gospel is played out in his miraculous conversion from Judaism to full submission in Christ.  The Apostle Paul "[counts] everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" (Phil. 3:7-8).

The manifestation of the Gospel in the life of the organic church does not fundamentally consist of dramatic displays of signs and wonders, though God can operate in such a manner, but is rooted in the transformation of life that is lived for His glory. Yes, the Gospel is not merely intellectualism that is confined to the institution or academy. Yet the Gospel is also not restricted to a display of power from the standpoint of majestic presentation.  The manifestation of the Gospel finds it's footing in the transformed life that is grounded in conversion, propelled through love, and marked with perseverance.  This life is expressed in the confines of everyday living which seeks to make much of Him through ordinary means.

What is supernatural in the scope of the New Testament is dead men coming to life through the proclamation of the Gospel!

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McYoung Yang is the husband to Debbie Yang and the father to McCayden (8), McCoy (7), McColsen (4), and DeYoung (1).  He graduated from Crown College in Saint Bonifacius, MN with a Youth Ministry degree and has served as a Youth Pastor in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota for over 8 years.  He is currently studying at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY for his Masters of Divinity.  He hopes to use his training to serve the local church in living life through the Gospel lens.

What is Love?

Romanticism with a Blend of Relativism: 

I have, for some time now, wrestled with the meaning of love from the standpoint of how the ideological notion is expressed within the contours of the Christian faith. Simply put, I am seeking to garner a clear biblical perspective on the matter of love.  This is important because love is a central component to the Christian belief system, and is the marker of our inward transformation.  The biblical ideal is articulated in the fourth Gospel saying, "By this [love] all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).  Simple, clear, concise, and practical.  End of story, right?

Wait a minute.  In reading such a passage like the one found in the Gospel of John, have we superimposed an ideology of love into the text and, consequently, into the narrative of redemptive history that does not allow us to see the biblical mandate clearly? Have we romanticized the concept of love to the point where Hollywood (or K-drama—hence the picture) has highjacked the biblical formula?  Have we interjected modern concepts into the biblical text and read them to suit our own feelings, motives, and agendas?  Has the Bachelor (as I have commented to my wife) given us a skewed lens into the concept of love with their fancy helicopters, exotic palm trees, and glamorous beachside dinners; while, at the same time, negating to picture love via the cross in self-sacrifice, commitment, steadfastness, suffering, and truth?

The Essence of Love:

In a day and age where relativism fertilizes the soil in which we operate, hard discussions and tension ridden relationships are hard to come by.  Yet the biblical theme within discipleship is a constant, dare I say, push toward conformity to Christ (Rom. 8:29) that is not for the faint of heart.  Conversations that shape and reshape the core belief systems of our worldview is indicative of the love that Jesus encompassed during His earthly ministry.  The Scripture indicates that as "[iron] sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Prov. 27:17).  With relativism structured to appease everyone's sensibilities, will the love of Christ be expressed, exposed, and experienced authentically?

Personified:

At the onset it must be expressed, simply, that the biblical understanding of love is not confined to a mere emotion, affection, or feeling; but rather finds its consummation in the work and Person of Jesus Christ.  The Apostle John writes in his first epistle, "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 Jn. 4:8).  This has enormous implications in regards to the theological framework that finds its footing in the practical application of daily living.  What cements our belief systems will ultimately inform our lifestyle.  More on this later.

This means that love is not merely a perspective that is to be learned or meditated upon, nor is it purely an action that is to be practiced.  Love, within biblical formation, is a Person to which we, His followers, are to be conformed to (Col. 3:10).  We are to be so infused into His love that His character, or dare I say His Person, begins to permeate forth in our integrity, thought patterns (worldview), desires, and more.  Jesus affirms this notion in John's Gospel by saying, "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me" (Jn. 14:21, italics added).  The expressive nature which aligns itself to the commandments of God is indicative of a heart that is filled with the love of Jesus Christ.  The psalmist would describe the holy person as an individual whose "delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night" (Ps. 1:2).  Therefore, this individual "walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers" (Ps. 1:1, italics added).

A love that is biblical is a love that personifies our Savior Jesus Christ.

Hand and Glove:

What does it look like to personify Jesus Christ?

First of all, it is clear that Jesus Christ entered into the tapestry of creation through His glory, "glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (Jn. 1:14, italics added).  Love, from the biblical standpoint, incorporates an intrinsic link to truth that is derivative of the triune God.  The biblical evidence shows that when Scripture depicts the notion of love, truth is near by.

The Apostle John portrays this image in saying, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments" (1 Jn. 5:2, italics added).  In the fourth Gospel Jesus comments, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him" (Jn. 14:23, italics added).  The psalmist affirms this thought by saying, "I will lift up my hands toward Your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on Your statutes" (Ps. 119:48, italics added).  Love cannot be comprehended biblically without truth; truth cannot be embraced without love.

Above I have indicated that God, in His essence, is love (1 Jn. 4:8).  Additionally, truth is not simply based upon precepts, principles, ideas, or abstract thoughts; but rather is personified in the God-man Jesus Christ.  According to the Apostle John Jesus remarks, "I am the way, and the truth, and and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (Jn. 14:6).

The biblical notion of love and truth is not purely emotive nor preceptive in nature, but is a Person—Jesus Christ!

False Dichotomy: Theology and Proxy:

AW Tozer rightly contends in his book Knowledge of the Holies, "Without a doubt, the mightiest thought the mind can entertain is the thought of God, and the weightiest word in any language is its word for God." As followers of Christ we are called to be His disciples.  This means that we must continuously strive to learn and dive into the unquenchable knowledge of the infinitely glorious God.  Our theological development is not meant to merely terminate on our educational endeavors, but rather be an authentic experience that engages the depth, width, and power of the triune God.

If the church is to encompass the love of Christ, she must allow the Scriptures to shape and direct her cognitive awareness in order to inform her expressive gestures of love, compassion, and mercy.  Belief systems are intrinsically linked to the lifestyles that pertains to the individual or institution.  It is imperative, then, to feed into those belief systems a proper dosage of truth—namely Scripture.

Therefore, our theology will most definitely inform our proxy.  The convictional truths will drive our hearts, through the power of the Spirit, to respond in obedience for the glory of His Name.  True disciples will not neglect the proper study of Scripture, but the same diligent follower will not neglect the extension of hands that have been transformed by the Word.  "But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (Jas. 1:22).

Love compounded by truth—through the Holy Spirit—will drive a person to live faithfully for the Kingdom of God.  Love from a Christian worldview is not standardized by how the world responds to its expression, but rather how faithful it is to the revelation of the triune God.  Biblical love may not always be well received by the world—even Jesus was put on the cross—but it is necessary if the church is going to faithfully love in the midst of a depraved world.

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McYoung Yang is the husband to Debbie Yang and the father to McCayden (8), McCoy (6), McColsen (4), and DeYoung (1).  He graduated from Crown College in Saint Bonifacius, MN with a Youth Ministry degree and has served as a Youth Pastor in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota for over 8 years.  He is currently studying at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY for his Masters of Divinity.  He hopes to use his training to serve the local church in living life through the Gospel lens.

A Cry for Redemption

The Stand:


The NFL ranks have drawn a great deal of attention in regards to the injustices that have been prevalent across the landscape of our great nation.  Mar-key players such as Colin Kaepernick, Arian Foster, Brandon Marshall (DEN), and the likes have taken a stand, or rather a kneel, to bring forth awareness to the inconsistencies that have plagued our law enforcement as well as our judicial system.  Their influence have stretched to the likes of college and high school athletes.  The social tensions have been felt between both young and old.  Inequality and racism has been a constant theme threaded across the historical narrative of America, and the expression of oppression continues to find its footing in our current day and age.  The necessity to address such matters is clear and poignant, but how do believers engage in social justices in order to make light of the Gospel? How do believers embark in the tension while keeping the truth of the Gospel at the forefront? How is the church to think through these epidemics and be an agent of hope for a broken world?

Resolution:

The appeal that most secular socialist have taken is to heighten awareness and to educate on diversity in hopes of counteracting the injustices that are infecting our streets, homes, and neighborhoods. The remedy is easily infused by a committed stance to enlighten both sides in regards to the differences and similarity shared in order to exemplify a harmonious existence.  There are essential truths that must be embraced by this particular pledge, but the undergirding dilemma that is being negated in light of the well-intended effort is clear—sin.

Insufficient for Long-Term Change:

The quandary in which we find ourself in has an innate linkage to the depravity that is rooted in our human existence.  The long-term trajectory of restoration cannot be accommodated by humanistic strategies, because the battle that is being forged is spiritual.  We can not seek for transformation by mere modification! Not that awareness or education are inherently wrong for they are necessary to a certain extent, but they will not remedy the inner depravity that drives the human inclination to serve the self despite the deterioration of the whole.  Only the cross of Christ can usurp that! It is in the illuminating work of the cross where the Apostle Paul charges the believers by saying,

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Phil 2:1-4).

As the church, we must be aware of the overarching narrative that is being expressed through the social movements.  We must understand the social development in light of the redemptive formula that has been revealed to us through the Scriptural text.  If we are to be of any assistance to our community, nation, and the world we must root ourselves in the biblical narrative understanding that Jesus Christ is the climatic figure of hope. All of our redemptive and restorative hope, then, is centered in what Christ has accomplished for us on the cross and through His resurrection.  The social dilemmas that we face are not contrary to the spiritual dilemma, but rather are grounded as Gospel-issues.

A Longing for Eden:

The paradoxical tension that we find ourselves in outside of Christ is an intrinsic desire to connect with the Creator (Rom. 1:21), and yet due to sin we "suppress [that] truth" (Rom. 1:18). In part, there is an innate longing for perfection and idealism that marks humanity's desires.  This is played out within history through the search for an utopian existence in one form or another.  Yet what is not grasped is that humanity cannot obtain such idealistic realities outside the rulership and reign of God. Those cravings point back toward God's fingerprint within the creative order.

This innate longing is still apparent within the brokenness of humanity.  It was formed into the very fabric of mankind to live in perfect harmony with God.  The creation narrative is clear that Eden was the canvas in which God created Adam for work.  Adam and Eve were to be God's representatives within the creative design in order to display His reign and rule.  Sin interrupted this perfect domain, but the desire for Eden continues to remain.

The Remedy in the Cross:

The utopian existence felt within the internal desire of the heart is grounded in the person of Christ Jesus who will bring forth the "new heaven and [the] new earth" (Rev. 21:1).  The desirous aim for a harmonious unity between the brotherhood of humanity is personified in the God-man Jesus Christ who reconciles us, first, to our Creator and, secondly, to one another. The heinous outpour of racial tension coupled with the gratuitous governmental debacle is crying out for Gospel restoration.  The world is crying out for a Savior regardless if they know it or not. Will the church become aware of the signs?

The church is to be the beckon of hope which holds high the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In doing so, the church must participate in being a unifying agent which bleeds forth Gospel blood.  The assembly of saints must work hard, then, to embrace the truth that God in Christ Jesus "has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility" (Eph. 2:14).  When the Gospel transforms the landscape of our indigenous assemblies, we can become a mouth piece of God's redemptive plan.  When all nations come under the rulership and authority of Christ, it will be a testament to His saving work in fulfilling all His promises that "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 12:3).

Harmonious union can only be obtain through the Gospel.  Will the church acknowledge, equip, and empower her people to be agents of change in a society longing for redemption?

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McYoung Yang is the husband to Debbie Yang and the father to McCayden (8), McCoy (6), McColsen (4), and DeYoung (1).  He graduated from Crown College in Saint Bonifacius, MN with a Youth Ministry degree and has served as a Youth Pastor in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota for over 8 years.  He is currently studying at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY for his Masters of Divinity.  He hopes to use his training to serve the local church in living life through the Gospel lens.

The Gospel and Healing May Be Misleading

Unhealthy Obsession:

I remember it like it was yesterday.  The words jumped out like a lion charging ferociously toward my chest as my mind raced to find categories to store the very concepts that was being communicated through the pages of this book.  I had embarked on a fixation to love Jesus with my mind and had sought, in prayer, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do the work of illumination.  It was my contention and commitment to the Lord to leave no stone unturned in the pursuit to know Him and His majesty.  Relatively young in the schemes of ministry and life, I had longed to unpack the sweetness that accompanied a life of intimate union with Christ.  The Spirit did not hesitate to wreck the very fabric in which my understanding of the infinite and triune God was ordered.  Through one concept that was confined in a book I was broken, and my only response was repentance.

John Piper had become a mentor of some sort through the medium of books.  I was a year out of college and ultra sensitive to the realization that I was completely clueless to the formation of Gospel ministry.  Yet the Lord used Piper and the preached Word to stir in me an appetite for the Word of God, and my life has never been the same since.  Reading through his book, God is the Gospel, the Spirit unearthed in me a pool of sinful understanding:

If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ were not there?

Though my mind knew the Sunday school response, my heart—in all its wickedness—was testifying to the reality that my satisfaction would be filled in these scenarios.  I had idolized heaven by neglecting Jesus.  I had viewed eternity without understanding the infinite union I shared with the King.  I had enjoyed His gifts more than His presence.  I was guilty of sin.

Re-Centering the Gospel:

A similar endeavor is breaking forth within the local churches of the district.  It is clear to see that a rise of healing and deliverance ministries is taking precedent within the Hmong community.  I am in no way suggesting that one should stand against such a work that is being done by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The trinitarian God has every right to operate in accordance to His good pleasure.

My fear is not cemented in His movements, but rather how the community of saints are responding intellectually and practically to them.  Are our affections directed toward the gifts, or the gift Giver?

The supremacy of Christ is displayed through His work and person by the very fact that all things are united with the Father through the Son.  When the philosophical foundation of the church shifts from the proclamation of the Gospel to the implications of the Gospel (ex. healing, community, social justice, etc.), a re-centering has occurred.  Healing has taken a precedent or has become equivalent to the cross and resurrection of Christ.  Instead of communicating that the Gospel brings forth healing, the language begins to be "the Gospel and healing."  Healing begins to be apart of the antidote to redemption, rather than the result of Christ's salvific work.  The reference to the Suffering Servant in Isaiah, regardless of how you interpret this text, is the clear depiction of how healing is brought about: "But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed" (Isa 53:5)

Healing is the product of Christ's salvific work; not the redemptive remedy.

Casting a Shadow:

When the emphasis is upon the gifts, or rather healing and deliverance; a shadow is casted over the heralding of the Gospel message—the cross and resurrection of Christ. The supremacy of Christ is undermined by the notion that philosophies, miracles, and human effort can validate the finished work of Christ on the cross.  Conceptually and practically the Gospel is voided of its power, because another gospel is being proclaimed (Gal 1:6-7).  The desires of the parishioners are allocated toward healing rather than the Healer; this life rather than the life to come; and the benefits of the Savior rather than the Savior Himself.

The mere nature of the Gospel is good news.  What is the news?  That the cross of Christ has ransomed His people back to God the Father.  The notion that the Gospel needs a demonstrating power in healing and deliverance subverts the reality of the resurrection while supplanting the very essence and reason for proclaiming; the finished work of Christ.

Undermining the Eschaton:

The overemphasis and unhealthy pursuit toward healing now (not saying that we should not desire to be healed) dims the contentment that is produced by positionally being made right with God in Christ. The Gospel is the gateway and the sustaining source that enables the saints to experience the fullness of the eschaton.  Hope that is centralized in Christ is diminished, then, when the emphasis of the church's philosophical aim terminates on the here and now.  The essence of faith is rooted in the greater reality that will come through the fulfillment of Christ Jesus.  To this end the author of Hebrews writes, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Heb 11:1).  The greater joy and reality of the new heavens and new earth cannot grant a narrative for the saints to comprehend when prosperity clouds their view.  This theological approach within the local assembly is not conducive to the suffering that the Word has called the believers to endure.

With this theological ideology undergirding the local church's ministerial philosophy, what will be the response when God does not grant healing?  A lack of faith?  A wrong methodological approach to prayer?  An inability to appease God by one's own effort?  Or a greater hope in Christ that transcends one's life circumstance?

Supremacy of Christ:

All this to say, ministers are not to be insensitive to their congregations' current sufferings.  Prayer for divine intervention is appropriate and viable. Yet the hope that we have in the midst of all the chaos and brokenness is to point them toward what the cross has purchased for us, and the overwhelming satisfaction that we have in knowing that He is greater than life itself.   Healing is desired, but the Gospel is the foundation.  We stand with the Apostle Paul and say, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil 1:21).  We do so out of the sheer fact that the Gospel grants us access to the ultimate gift of redemption—God Himself. We point our people toward the Gospel in knowing that even though we suffer now, there is coming a day where God will destroy all of sin's ramifications—death being the main culprit.

The church expresses the supremacy of Christ in the midst of suffering by living lives of joy that is beyond the confines of this world.  Life circumstances, though troubling, do not shake the foundation in which the saints build their hope.  The assembly of God, mounted upon the truth of the Gospel, can echo the Apostle Paul by saying, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.  For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor 4:8-11).

The church conveys the primacy of Christ by setting their eyes upon Him as the all satisfying Lord who transcends the joy of this world.  Jesus Christ is made much of when the church acknowledges His sufficiency and defends the authentic biblical Gospel.

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McYoung Yang is the husband to Debbie Yang and the father to McCayden (7), McCoy (6), McColsen (4), and DeYoung (1).  He graduated from Crown College in Saint Bonifacius, MN with a Youth Ministry degree and has served as a Youth Pastor in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota for over 8 years.  He is currently studying at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY for his Masters of Divinity.  He hopes to use his training to serve the local church in living life through the Gospel lens.

What Are We Teaching Our People Without Knowing It?

Gospel Thirst:

The unequivocal response received by the HLUB attendees is indicative of the hunger and thirst that is resonating throughout the local churches of the Hmong District.  The excitement and energy that has been circulating in response to all the workshops and sermons clearly indicates that the next generation is seeking to understand the Word emotionally as well as intellectually.  Their urgency to see and understand the intricacies of the Scriptures grant a great deal of encouragement for the district and beyond. This next generation stands with the Reformers in living by the motto, "faith seeking understanding."

This has enormous implications for young ministers and their duty in establishing sound biblical teachings at the local level.  We must become intentional in centering our efforts to ground the next generation in Word ministries as well as being aware of the implicit teachings that may derive from our attempts to establish effective ministries.  Regardless of whether we are aware of it or not, how we structure our ministries will have a great impact on the next generation's views on doctrine, theology, and the nature of the church.  What is taught implicitly may do more harm to the community of saints than what we give it credit for.  An unwillingness to be attentive to these realities may lead us toward a ditch we most certainly would like to avoid.  I would like to challenge how we view four crucial pillars within the church: (1) Expository Preaching, (2) Worship, (3) Discipleship, and (4) Community Fellowship.

The Church Life:

The nature of the church has come under fire in recent years within the Hmong District.  Some have moved away from the traditional model of corporate gatherings while others have taken more contemporary approaches.  Within the scheme of the local assembly, it is helpful to hold in tension the nature of the church as institution and organism.  Abraham Kuyper, the late Dutch Reform Theologian, grants us language to understand these two concepts while contextualizing these principles to the modern day church.  Either way, the institutional element of the church (in one's mind) will feed into the organic expression of the congregation.

Regardless of where we stand in these endeavors, our aim here is to address some of the implicit teachings that glean from our approach to the institutional establishment of the church and how our approach can then have an effect on our people's daily engagements.

Expositional Preaching:

In 2011 I attended Desiring God Conference in Minneapolis, MN where Mark Dever, lead pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington DC, was teaching a break out session.  This encounter broke me, theologically, on many different levels, but one statement has continued to resonate with me.  Dever calmly articulated, "How you preach will indirectly communicate to your congregation how you read your bible."  My mind was blown!

Expositional preaching is not merely a method among other strategies, but rather the laying bare of the text to the congregation.  It is not the communication of human intellect; expositional preaching is expounding the Word as faithfully as possible in order to hear the voice of God.

Faithful exposition week in and week out will give the community of saints a lens into the work which is done to understand and decipher the text.  It will teach, indirectly, hermeneutical skills that will foster a mindset, a posture, and an attitude toward the holy Scriptures.  Expositional preaching will serve as a catalyst to faithful reading of the Scriptures within its particular context, genre, and fuller narrative of redemptive history.  With expositional preaching these things are caught, and not merely taught.  Under this discipline the saints will begin to build a biblical framework and establish biblical literacy for generations to come.

Topical preaching, though strong in tackling relevant issues, does not ground the congregants in the biblical storyline and does not foster a God-cetnered approach toward Christian living.  It terminates the ideals, methodologies, and efforts on man rather than painting a robust view of God.  This is what some would call a "Self-Help Approach." Topical preaching is insufficient to root the body of believers in the biblical framework of life.  It is a counter-intuitive approach in teaching the community of saints how to read their bibles.

Worship:

The modern day approach to worship via the medium of music has become a consumeristic entity that seeks to entertain rather than focus on the object of worship—God Himself.  The current trends tend to live by the motto, "bigger is better."  Worship leaders see themselves as artist who book gigs with local churches in order to entertain and draw a crowd.  This type of approach will lead the assembly of saints down a path which terminates on the experience rather than the encounter.

First, it must be said that worship through music is an agent of teaching.  The lyrics and precepts that are sung are meant to bring substance to the musical flavor.  The Apostle Paul encourages the church of Colossae to "[sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Col 3:16b).  Yet this must not be divorced from the undergirding reality that Paul begins this verse by saying, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom" (Col 3:16a).  Worship songs are meant to be saturated with a deep theological conviction that is rooted in the Word.

Worship leaders are not merely paid musicians, then, but rather pastors who teach through the medium of music.  Therefore, songs from Hillsongs, Bethel Music, and others must be prodded and searched, theologically, before entering the Sunday morning service.  An unwillingness to take on such responsibilities will in turn teach our people false doctrine.

Secondly, the presentation of worship with the glitz and glamour of lights speak an indirect reality to the congregation.  Church service has become more of an entertainment center rather than a place to encounter the living God in the corporate setting.  This style of worship teaches the community of saints a Hollywoodized notion of the Christian life. This misconception is not indicative of the daily grind that is experience throughout the Psalms and with the saints of old.  This type of style does not impart a framework to deal with the slow process of sanctification. It paints a fallacious precept that will handicap the body of believers in the long haul.

Discipleship:

Jesus' mandate upon His disciples was to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Mat 28:19-20).  This is a decree that was handed to all disciples—current and future.

Within the institutional order of our ecclesiastical make-up it is imperative that discipleship is engrained in such a way that the organic expression takes root.  Where discipleship lacks within the local setting the congregation will overly depend on professionals to do the work that was given to the saints.  It cannot be overstated, then, how professionalism has tainted the church's approach toward ministry.  Instead of empowering the people of God to "let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matt 5:16), evangelicalism has negated the biblical mandate given by the Apostle Paul which states: "[God] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ" (Eph 4:12).

When intentional discipleship is not fostered within the DNA of the local church, the community of saints do not function in accordance to God's creative design as the church.

Community Fellowship:

Fellowship of the saints is a vital piece to the sanctity of believers.  One of the key components within the early church's development was rooted in the gathering of the saints.  "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42).  This type of fellowship was not merely a gathering of individuals focused on an outward event (ex. volleyball, bowling, or potluck), but rather an intentional pursuit toward Christ-conformity.  It was an endeavor that centered its efforts on magnifying Christ, and in doing so, fostered a high view of God as Savior.  Much of what unified the early church was due to the persecution that was undergirding their faith.  In a post-Christian nation today, there is a need within the church to view their fellowship as a means to pour into, develop, and edify the body of believers.

When fellowship does not happen within the confines of the local assembly, or when the coming together is merely met within the ritualistic Sunday morning service, fellowship begins to operate out of routine rather than necessity.  Necessity is birthed out of substance, depth, and meaning.  When fellowship is merely basketball, boardgames, or potlucks; then the urgency to gather will be lost.  When Christ is the central figure that links the community of saints together (with the vision of discipleship and missions), then the gathering will be filled with encouragement, edification, and Gospel-centeredness.

A lack of fellowship will breed into the body of believers a spirituality that will terminate on a certain day of the week—in particular Sunday.  The Christian faith will not transcend beyond the confines of the four walls of the building, but will be compartmentalized to events, programs, and services.  To foster an environment that would produce a Christocentric aroma would be to mount the church in developing authentic fellowship that would encourage the saints.

Feed My Sheep:

The charge to the Apostle Peter from his Lord was to "Feed My sheep" (John 21:17).  This same mandate resounds as we find ourselves in a similar predicament.  Students within the Hmong District and beyond are plagued with questions concerning the purpose of life, the identity of the self, and the nature of the church.  The church must come alongside these starving young people and feed them the Word of God.  In doing so, His Word will shape the way that they think and fuel the way that they live.

Ministers, elders, and leaders must be aware of the strategies that are used to impart into saints the truth that is from the Word of God. Much of what we will teach will flow out of the implicit actions that we take.  It is the duty of the church to think long and hard on how to most effectively reach the next generation by staying faithful to the biblical text.  In our endeavors to remain faithful to God, may He grant us the wisdom, grace, and mercy to proclaim His Gospel message for the glory of His Name.

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McYoung Yang is the husband to Debbie Yang and the father to McCayden (7), McCoy (6), McColsen (4), and DeYoung (1).  He graduated from Crown College in Saint Bonifacius, MN with a Youth Ministry degree and has served as a Youth Pastor in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota for over 8 years.  He is currently studying at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY for his Masters of Divinity.  He hopes to use his training to serve the local church in living life through the Gospel lens.