Rediscovering the Gospel
Following a quotation in Jerry Bridges' new book, The Bookends of the Christian Life (pp. 75-76), I read a moving article that I urge all of you to read. I think many of you will relate. Personally, this is the most helpful thing I've read about the gospel's transforming impact on a person's life. This man's story helps me better grasp what God has been doing in my life the past 4 years. I will be re-reading this several times.Pastor Joe Coffey, How a Mega-Church is Rediscovering the Gospel. Themelios. Volume 33 Issue 1.An excerpt:
To be specific, I have found it to be incredibly challenging to give upthe belief system that has sustained me so long, one built on aninitial forgiveness and then fed through a powerful combination ofpride and fear. This pride stemmed from the performance of spiritualdisciplines, pointed to the obvious signs of success (we were, afterall, named in the fastest-growing one hundred churches!), and most ofall was fueled by the approval of others. But fear may have been aneven greater motivator: fear of being exposed as less than what peopleexpect; fear of not being as smart, spiritual, or competent as I shouldbe; fear of not measuring up; and fear of Luke 12:48, "to whom much wasgiven . . . much will be required."
The belief system of a pastor is bound to come out in his preachingat least in subtle ways. My emphasis was always on grace, but it wasalso laced with the discipline of effort and inner strength to be whatGod called us to be. The result was either pride or defeat. Mypreaching has changed as a result of the Gospel going deeper inside ofme.
The truth is I have existed as a pastor with gods in my closet.There were times when these gods sustained me. Giving them up hascaused more death this year than I would like to admit. The closet isstill not empty, but the death of these gods has made me ravenous.Without the Gospel as my source of security and significance, I woulddie. So as one who has vacillated between self-sufficiency anddepression, Gospel-driven transformation is both liberating andterrifying.
There are some in our church who have not yet rediscovered theGospel this way. There are others who hear the terrifying part but notthe liberating part, and they sit on pins and needles. Many of themwill leave soon, I think. But there are many others who have felt theshackles start to fall off, and, like me, they are filled with aninexpressible and glorious joy.
Rediscovering the Gospel is an ongoing process. Our church is a bigship to turn. I would never attempt to turn it if the approval ofothers was as vital to me now as it was a year ago and if I hadn't beenchanged by love, by Good News. In the midst of news this good, there isno better place to be—even if Iam rejected by some and even ifattendance falls. As a sinner-pastor, I stand in dependence on grace toplant and water Gospel seeds, recognizing that God himself gives thegrowth. In 2008, I will endeavor to preach an ever-clearer message thatis faithful to the Scriptures—and woe to me if I do not preach theGospel. Indeed.
You must read the whole thing.