Best Sermon EVER! This Past Sunday

Yesterday – Sunday, January 24 – we had to cancel Celebration's worship service on short notice, but I still heard one of the best sermons EVER!  CLICK HERE if you want to hear it as well.  I strongly encourage you to find 40 minutes and listen.  It is gold and worth your attention.

The Whole Story

Boy, was I disappointed yesterday when we were not able to meet or even livestream our worship services because of COVID exposures and positives among my co-workers.  It was a good decision for health reasons, and I am fully supportive.  But you folks of Celebration know me:  I love being together, worshipping in whatever setting is safe and preaching the Gospel of God’s Grace!

So, Mary Lynn and I were there at home with the snow on Sunday morning considering how best to honor God on His sabbath.  Long story short: among several things, we listened together to a sermon by Tim Keller called “Meditation.”  It was the beginning in a series about Spiritual Formation called Psalms: Disciplines of Grace that he preached on April 7, 2002.  Yes – that’s “2002.”  But God used it to alter my “2020!”

So  .  .  .

CLICK HERE to hear the entire 40-minute sermon.

CLICK HERE it watch a recent 8-minute YouTube video made during the COVID lockdown in New York City where he summarizes a portion of the sermon material.  Bonus: you will get to hear from his wife Kathy on this video as well.

CLICK HERE for a letter from Martin Luther – yes, the 16^th century reformer – to his barber about prayer.  Dr. Keller refers to this in his sermon.

CLICK HERE for a blog post by an author I do not know, but who helpfully lays out with pictures the process for meditation that Dr. Keller mentions learning from Martin Luther.

CLICK HERE to email and let me know if you have other questions or ideas.

For Next Sunday, January 31: Because we have more time for planning and preparation, Harderwyk will indeed have an online worship option.  We are waiting for a number of test results to figure out how to do that most safely and what form that will take.  But I look forward to seeing you again next Sunday, either onsite or online as we determine later in the week.

In the meantime, join me and hear one of the best sermons I’ve ever heard.  We all need this one.

Grace Abounding,

Pastor Bill

"So What Do You Mean By 'Evangelical'?"

I am ordained in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, so when people use the term “evangelical” I listen up and get a bit particular.  Depending on the circles you run in, the word “evangelical” can have a variety of associations and meanings.  Let’s dig into that a bit.

National Association of Evangelicals

Who should know better what “evangelical” means than the National Association of Evangelicals?  CLICK HERE for their website.  This organization, founded in 1942, now represents 45,000 local churches in the United States from nearly 40 different denomination, including the Christian Reformed Church of North America to which Harderwyk belongs, and the EPC where I am ordained.

From the NAE website:

Historian David Bebbington also provides a helpful summary of evangelical distinctives, identifying four primary characteristics of evangelicalism:

• Conversionism: the belief that lives need to be transformed through a “born-again” experience and a life long process of following Jesus
• Activism: the expression and demonstration of the gospel in missionary and social reform efforts
• Biblicism: a high regard for and obedience to the Bible as the ultimate authority
• Crucicentrism: a stress on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as making possible the redemption of humanity

For more information:

CLICK HERE for a 2 minute NAE video

CLICK HERE for the NAE webpage “What Is An Evangelical?”

Historically, these convictions can be seen as a distinct segment within in many denominations and traditions through centuries: Charles Spurgeon – a 19th century English Baptist, John Newton, William Wilberforce and the Wesley brothers in the 18th century.

Our Current Confusion

I call them “Political Evangelicals.”  As it turns out, there are people who identify their religious conviction as “evangelical” when they are surveyed in an exit poll during an election.  Unfortunately, it is well-known though rarely talked about that upwards of 40-60% - actual research is fairly rare and varies in findings – of people who choose “evangelical” in an exit poll have not been to a church gathering of any sort in over one year – and this is pre-COVID!  If pressed to respond to Bebbington’s “Four Points,” these people will not hold to one OR MORE of those core convictions.  

Suffice it to say that conclusions about “evangelicals” based on exit polls are worth doubting if you want to know what people who regularly worship in churches with those four convictions are thinking.

There is A LOT of background on this question of "political evangelicals" and the confusion with exit polls.  As always, I'm happy to talk more with anyone about this.  Simple contact me through Harderwyk Ministries and we can make arrangements.  As a start, here are three resources:

• "What Is An Evangelical?" - Christianity Today, Nov 2015 - CLICK HERE
• "Defining Evangelical" - The Atlantic, Nov 2015 - CLICK HERE
• "Where is Trump's Evangelical Base?  Not in Church" - The Washington Post, March 2016 - CLICK HERE

Look at the dates and sources and you will see why said this question has been around for a while.  It continues.

Marching With Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

From the 1963 book Why We Can't Wait by Dr. Martin Luther, Jr. - p. 64

Every volunteer was required to sign a Commitment Card that read:

I hereby Pledge Myself - My Person and Body - to the nonviolent movement.  Therefore I will keep the following Ten Commandments:

1. Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus. 
2. Remember always that the nonviolent movement in Birmingham seeks justice and reconciliation — not victory. 
3. Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love. 
4. Pray daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free. 
5. Sacrifice personal wishes in order that all men might be free. 
6. Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy. 
7. Seek to perform regular service for others and for the world. 
8. Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue or heart. 
9. Strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health. 
10. Follow the directions of the movement and of the captain of a demonstration.”

I sign this pledge, having seriously considered what I do and with the determination and will to persevere.

 

This Commitment Card speaks for itself in reflecting the influence of the Gospel and a biblical worldview on Dr. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in their Civil Rights work.

It also begs the question: How different is this from the commitments driving the leaders and participants of all the various expressions of social unrest over this past year?

Heavenward - Daily Prayers With Scotty Smith

I often refer to and use portions of the daily prayers by Scotty Smith in our Celebration Worship Services here at Harderwyk.  Here are linked instructions on how you can make these prayers a part of your daily life - receiving them either by email or as a feed in the PrayerMate app for smartphone or tablet.

Receiving Daily Emails

1. Open Web Browser and go to: www.TheGospelCoalition.Com
2. Click “Explore” in the top left corner of the webpage
3. Scroll down the list on the left and click “Blogs”
4. Scroll down the list on the left and click  “Scotty Smith – Heavenward”
5. On the right of that page, look for “Subscribe to Scotty’s Blog”
6. Enter your email address in the box above that and press Enter on your keyboard
7. That will clear as it registers your address and now you should receive each morning into your email inbox an email from addressee “Scotty Smith” with the title of the prayer for that day in the subject line.  If you do not see it within a day or two, you may want to check your filters or spam folder before trying the process again.

As a Daily Feed in the PrayerMate app on your smartphone or tablet

This is Pastor Bill’s favorite method.  The PrayerMate app is a central part of my daily prayer routine and I highly recommend it.

1. Install the PrayerMate app by Discipleship Technologies from your Apple or Android App Store.
2. There are a number of learning helps when you first open the app and even more on their website: CLICK HERE.  Check out this intro from YouTube: CLICK HERE  as well as this step-by-step start-up: CLICK HERE
3. Once you have installed the PrayerMate app:
1. Tap “Add Subject” from the menu at the bottom of the page
2. Type “Heavenward” in the field below “What would you like to pray for?”
3. This should bring up the Suggested Resource  “Heavenward by Scotty Smith.”
4. Tap “Subscribe To This Feed” and follow instructions.
4. Call Pastor Bill at the church or email him at Bill@Harderwyk.com to let him know that you are interested in using PrayerMate in your own prayer life.  You may also be interested in knowing about some ways that Harderwyk may begin sharing prayer requests using PrayerMate.

If You Prefer a Book Format

Everyday Prayers: 365 Days To A Gospel-Centered Faith by Scotty Smith – CLICK HERE

Every Season Prayers: Gospel-Centered Prayers for the Whole of Life by Scotty Smith – CLICK HERE