TOO MANY PHARMACISTS AND NOT ENOUGH SURGEONS

by Todd Tillinghast

we usually approach the human dilemma as something that needs to be cured.  Sure there’s a problem in the world but it’s not man.  Man does many foolish and unhealthy things, that we readily admit but he can change and do many great things if he is just shown the way, just given the right formula, just taught how.  So many of our churches are led by pharmacists.  Pastors and bible teachers who treat man’s problem as a sickness or a malady that can be cured by exercise and the right kinds of prescriptions.  So by necessity they treat the word of God like an encyclopedia of medications for all of life’s maladies.  But when we treat the Bible, God’s living word, His redemption narrative, His holy revealed oracle to us today as nothing more than an encyclopedia meant to be leafed through to find the answers or the prescriptions for a better life we necessarily do violence to the Scriptures.  Now prescriptions by nature are simple little concepts.  They are characterized by phrases like:  

• Take two of these and call me in the morning
• Take this with food
• Take one in the morning and one at night

Prescriptions aren’t meant to be complicated they are meant to be easy solutions to problems.  So, in order to create the prescriptions that give us the quick answers that we want and think we need we have created a devotional culture in the church.  We read our Psalm and proverb for the day or we read someone Else's devotional in a devotion book and we say our little prayer and off we go living a better life by the minute.  

The problem is that when I read the Bible I don’t see it described by itself as

• A dictionary for life’s maladies
• An encyclopedia of prescriptions for a better life
• A road map for life
• God’s little prescription book

No, I see it described as things like:

• A sharp two edged sword.  Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 6:17
• A mirror that reveals my weaknesses.  James 1:22-25
• Something that by knowing sets me free.  John 8:31,32
• A belt that girds me up with strength and prepares me to fight.  Ephesians 6:14
• Something I have to work at and be disciplined in studying in order to rightly handle.  2 Tim 2:15
• Something that, in it’s entirety, is breathed out by God and is profitable for correction, rebuke, teaching and training in righteousness. 2 Tim 3:16

Too many teachers of God’s word seem to fancy themselves as pharmacists dolling out portions of scripture, a verse here and a verse there in order to make their constituents feel better about themselves when the real issue is that the problem is their selves.  We don’t need our egos to be medicated, we need to be extricated from our egos.  This is what the teacher of God’s word is to address in His teaching because this is what God’s word deals with.    

For those of us who have been given this awesome and fearful responsibility to teach God’s word every week, we must be ready to bring our scalple to the pulpit on Sunday morning rather than a prescription pad.      

BAD TIMING

it was the evening before Christ’s death and it was also the time for the passover meal to be eaten according to Jewish custom.  John 13:1 sets the scene for us as John explains how Jesus knew that it was the hour that he would depart from the world and that “he loved those who were his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”  So these words immediately draw us into the kind of evening Jesus had in store for his own, his disciples those who he loved.  Luke tells us in chapter 22:15,16  that he had earnestly desired to eat the passover meal with them and that it was to be the last meal he would eat with them on the earth.  The last supper.  So we understand by just the introduction of this story that this was a very important evening for Jesus and the men that he would use to start his church and spread the gospel through out the world.  Then, what he goes on to say and the events that unfold are heavy to say the least:  

• He tells them that Judas will betray him and Judas leaves
• He tells peter in front of everyone that he will deny him
• He tells them that he is going to die
• He shares the first communion with them and tells then that the bread and wine signify his broken body and shed blood.  
• He washes their feet in a demonstration of servant hood and how they are to treat each other.
• He prays His high priestly prayer over them.  

During this special and somber evening Jesus was more focused on his disciples then He was on himself.  And he was trying to impart to this group of men who were to carry on His legacy and be the forerunners of this new movement that looked and sounded and tasted different than anything the world had ever known the characteristics they were to have as leaders.  How did the disciples, the men who would become the apostles of the church, the men, some of which would write the New Testament, who would be used by God to heal the sick and cast out demons and who would carry the gospel across the known world respond?  

Luke 22:24 tells us how.  “A dispute arose among them as to who was to be the greatest.”  Bad timing guys!!!  Jesus must have been thinking “here we go again.”  Now we don’t know for sure based on a study of the parallel accounts what the order was of all of these events.  Maybe Jesus responded to this dispute by humbling himself and washing their feet or maybe he washed their feet before the dispute arose. The order of events does not matter.  The point is that they were still discussing these things which seemed to be a regular concern of theirs even now in this desperate hour before Christ’s death.  He was sharing His last supper, the very first communion with them and praying for them and telling God how much he loved them and telling them how much he loved them and in the vicinity of all of this they are still concerned about who would be the greatest?  

Now no doubt there were a few things happening at this supper that made this concern rise to the surface.  With all the talk of Jesus dying they must have been very agitated at the fact that he said nothing about who would take over after he left.  Who was going to be charge after Jesus died?  I mean, how could Jesus not understand that this was an important matter?  

They also must have been concerned, in the event that they would die with Him the next day, about who would sit at his left and right hands in heaven?  I mean, Jesus hadn’t answered that old question adequately to their satisfaction either.  And here it was, the night before he was going to die.  It was time to put everything on the table (no pun intended) and stop procrastinating on these important issues.  

And there was one more issue that presumably had them perplexed and that was where everyone was seated around the table.  Now in the ancient world (the Jewish culture was no exception) the order at which people sat at the table had a great level of significance.  The guest of honor or the head of the family would sit at the head of the table.  And the next important people in order of age (especially if it was a family) would sit at his right and left sides. Well we know from John 13:23 that the disciple whom Jesus loved, which was John was sitting there at his side close enough to lean back against him.  Now John was one of the youngest among the disciples, maybe the youngest.  So this must have caused a great deal of consternation here because they must have been thinking “is Jesus going to make John one of the youngest the leader after he leaves us?”  And of course this would not be fair or culturally sound.  

Now, Jesus does two things in response to this kind of behaviour.  He tells them that the greatest is the youngest and the one who serves.  Then he demonstrates that by taking all of his garments off and wrapping himself with a towel in the manner of the lowest servant in the household and he washes their feet.  Imagine the impact of that visual on the disciples.  The incarnate, God--man Jesus Christ, the king of glory, wrapping himself in the garment of the lowliest servant of the household, doing the lowest, most detestable and demeaning job there was, cleaning another person’s feet.  And they still didn’t get it!!    

It is very easy for us to look at the disciples with judgement but don’t we usually do the same things?  Aren’t we concerned with the same questions?  But notice that Jesus never answered their question.  He never said, “Peter is in charge” or “John is in charge.”  One would think that it would behoove him to do just that considering the fact that he was entrusting the building of His church to these men.  But he did not focus on what their titles would be. He concentrated on what their character needed to be.  

It is so easy for us to get caught up in our status.  Most of us aren’t as bold as the disciples and just blurt out our fears, concerns and questions.  Most of us know how to pretend like we really don’t care who is on the worship team at church or we don’t care if they failed to ask us to teach a bible class because hey... we are just servants.  But the reality is that we are all struggling with the same things the disciples were.  

The disciples exhibited a classic case of bad timing.  They were more concerned with themselves than with what Jesus was saying.  How many times have we sat through a bible study or church service and have been more concerned with who was on the stage and who was not on the stage and who we thought should be on the stage or in the front or in the spotlight rather than focusing on the message of life God was trying to communicate to us at that specific moment?  I know I have, how about you?  

Our response, when we see this in ourselves should be identical to that of Christ’s.  Just humble ourselves and strip ourselves of all the garments and titles that make us feel important and find a way to serve.  God help us, because we all know how difficult that truly is!!!!!!   

The Tillinghasts Panama Update January - February 2011

The Tillinghasts Panama Update - December 2010

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GETTING BOGGED DOWN IN THE BLOGOSPHERE The Christian on the net”

       By Todd Tillinghast

It has been said that the Internet and particularly the Blogosphere has redefined the way we disseminate information from being lecture oriented to being conversation oriented.  If this is true then the way that we search for, receive and process the truth has necessarily been altered as well.  Is this something that we as Christians should be concerned with and if so what we can we do about it?  

There is no question that the Blogosphere has positive attributes.  It has given voice to many people and has encouraged involvement in arenas ranging from politics to religion to charitable giving.  In many ways it has enhanced our connectedness.  It can also be said that it has increased our level of intelligence as a people as we are becoming researchers by nature and delving deeper into issues than maybe ever before.  

But on the other hand, the case can be made that the Blogosphere has created more confusion than good.  That it has not engendered a conversation but an ongoing argument and debate in which all parties involved simply dig in and defend their own positions.  And in an ironic turn of events, some believe that the blogosphere and all social networking for that matter have had the opposite effect of what we thought.  It has made us more disconnected and close-minded. 

Personally, I am leaning more toward the second option when I gauge my own reactions to the blogging that I have gotten involved with.  If I write a blog and someone comments and disagrees with it I find myself digging in and at all costs and defending what I already wrote.  I also, ashamedly, find myself at times looking for someone to appose on the Blogosphere.  I have a sneaky feeling that I’m not the only one who does that.  

At its best the Blogosphere seems to offer a great idea forum in which to express and discuss issues.  At it’s worse it seems to be an instrument that highlights sentiments of  intellectual superiority and causes unnecessary arguments devouring hours and hours of people’s time that they could be utilizing for more important things like parenting, earning a living or eating a meal in order to sustain life.    

The real question I would like to pose here is “What should the Christian’s response to the blogosphere be?”

Without a doubt the Blogosphere offers evangelistic opportunities unlike any other medium.  Now we can all be armchair missionaries not even needing to leave the comfort of our own home to communicate the gospel.  I have to believe that the blogosphere would fall under Paul’s “become all things to all people category” in 1^st Corinthians 9:19-23.  “To the bloggers I have become like a blogger, multitasking so as to win the multitaskers to the lord.”  

But how successful is this ministry of evangelism?  How effective can it be when every truth that is uttered and every idea that is thrown into the blogging machine is immediately cut to pieces and examined and reexamined and reconfigured in a million different ways?  I wonder if evangelizing on the Blogosphere is liken to throwing our pearls before swine. (Mathew 7:6)

Well, we know that in any forum and every forum people will disagree and reject the gospel.  We also know that in any forum and in every forum it is only the Goodness of God that will ultimately lead someone to repentance anyway RM. 2:4).  So it seems imperative that we view the blogosphere as a mission field.  Our task however is to do it without getting bogged down in the mire that can be the blogosphere.  After many wasted hours of getting tangled up in threads and saying many things that I later regretted I have decided to place some restrictions on myself when it comes to the Blogosphere.  

1.  Only write blogs that have a purpose beyond just inciting a debate.  

Argument and debate will most definitely ensue no matter what the topic to some extent.  But many of us have thrown topics out there or downloaded videos onto our blogs that we know will stir up the pot.  And many of us have taken a guilty pleasure in watching people go at each other over it.  This, in my opinion, although completely acceptable within approved blogosphere culture, is not what Christ would have us to do.  Sure Jesus had no problem engaging in public debates with the Pharisees.  And he wasn’t always polite either,.  But usually they would come to him with a question in an effort to try to trip him up and make him look like a fool.  The instances in which He challenged them on His own accord were times when he had a definite purpose in mind.  Paul admonishes us that “if it is possible live peaceably among all men.”  (RM 13:18) The reality of the matter is that sometimes it isn’t possible when there is real truth at stake to be defended.  But it is possible to not argue constantly for the sake of arguing.  

2.  Only engage in other blogs that you are passionate about.  

Again, when I feel that there is a truth that needs to be defended in a blog or I believe that there may be something I can contribute that might actually help someone then by all means I should engage in that particular blog.  If it is a subject that I am passionate about then it will be something that I am knowledgeable about and won’t need to spend too much time researching in order to authenticate my statements.  If it is just something that really doesn’t matter beyond the possibility of me being able to show my intellectual prowess or an opportunity to irritate somebody it is probably a waste of my time.  It is the truth that we know that sets us free (John 8:32) and it will be the truth that we know and that we can effectively communicate that God can use to set others free.  

3.  Stick to just the facts and don’t be afraid to actually say something.  

Many blogs and bloggers do a whole lot of talking but really don’t say anything.  This  idea of “just putting it out there for discussion.” Often times has the effect of watering down anything of substance.  Don’t be afraid to say what you believe and stand your ground.  Provide the necessary authentication for your statements but then don’t just morph into the “just saying” kind of attitude.  Say something and then defend if you are going to say anything at all.  

4.  Don’t go to the Blogosphere seeking truth go there to speak the truth.

Conversation is not the best means to arrive at truth.  It is a great way to work out the implications and personal applications of truth but it is not an effective way to obtain it.  Conversation causes us to arrive at conclusions which are based on consent of all opinions offered.  Consent is not truth.  This is a form of subjectivism and usually results in more confusion than enlightenment.  As Christians we do not need to consult the popular opinions of the gurus on the blogosphere to arrive at a truthful synopsis of any subject.  We need to go to scripture for that. (2nd Tim 3:16) 

At first glance this statement sounds arrogant but if you think about it this is less arrogant than the idea that we can all sit around and pontificate with our intellectual musings and somehow arrive at the truth.  This makes our source for truth ourselves.  When we allow the bible to be our baseline of truth we are humbly submitting ourselves to a higher enlightenment than just our own minds and emotions.     

When Paul steps into the ancient equivalent of the blogosphere the “Aeropogus” in which “the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to hear or to tell a new thing.” (Acts 17:21) he doesn’t pull any punches.  He is not informed by the philosophers but to the contrary he speaks the truth into their context. 

Well I am hoping that these new guideline will help me as a Christian blogger to waste less time getting bogged down in the blogosphere.  I am very interested in knowing what you think about this blog which I have no doubt you’ll tell me that is, I hope,  if you are passionate enough about this topic.

THE BEREAN PROCESS “How you can ensure that you are in a good church.”

By Todd Tillinghast

Many Christians struggle with questions like these as much as anything else concerning their faith:

{     “Am I in the right church?”

{      “Is this a good church?”

{      “Is the Pastor teaching the word of God correctly?”

{      “How do I find a good church?” 

Unfortunately, this issue of finding a good church has caused many Christians to become disenchanted with Christianity and in many cases stop going to church altogether.  First of all we must remember that it is important that we continue to meet together (Hebrews 10:24,25) for the very reasons listed in these verses.  When we meet together we stir each other up to love and good works.  When we meet together we are expressing the Body of Christ. But how does one find the right Church?  Maybe you are currently in a church that makes you feel uncomfortable and would like to know how to be sure that it is a solid Bible teaching church.  Or maybe you currently aren’t attending a church and are looking for one.  In the Bible we see an example of a thriving, Bible centered church in Berea.  We also see demonstrated by the Bereans the means by which one can know that they are in the right church.  

In Acts 17: 1-15 we have the account of two churches.  And these two churches were indeed very different.  But what is it that delineated the Church of Thessalonica from the church at Berea?  Why was the church at Berea so much more successful than the church at Thessalonica?  What was different?  Was it the preacher?  No, Paul and Silas were the preachers in both locations.  Was it the message?  No, the message was also the same, the gospel.  Maybe it was the process.  No, we see that in both vs.2 and vs. 10 Paul and Silas employed the exact same approach as “was their custom” in all the cities where they planted churches. They went to the Synagogue of the Jews first.  So what was the difference? 

Well in vs. 11 we see the delineating factor.  The Bereans were the difference.  The fact that they were more fair-minded than the Thessalonians is what made all the difference.  Now the reason why they were more fair-minded was not due to any form of cultural superiority or social-economic distinction between the two groups.  Both groups were Jews.  Likewise it wasn’t because the Bareans had any kind of intellectual or even spiritual edge.  They needed the gospel to be saved just like everyone else.  Let’s take a look at what set them apart.

1.  They received the word in all readiness.  Vs.11 

This speaks for itself but I will allow Commentator John Gill to unpack this idea in his own words… “This they did with all readiness, as an hungry man receives his food, and greedily feeds upon it, or as a man ready to perish receives and lays hold on anything that offers for his safety.”  That’s intense.  That’s beyond just showing up to church and settling into the weekly ritual.  That’s saying I’m here to learn, I’m hungry for the word.   Is that the attitude that you and your fellow parishioners have at your church?  

Now notice here that it doesn’t say they received Paul readily.  It doesn’t say anything about Paul.  It says that they received the word readily.  They had a reverence for the Old Testament and when anyone began to talk about it they adopted the attitude of listening out of respect for the truth.  

2.  They searched the scriptures daily.  Vs.11 

They listened to Paul and Timothy and allowed them to have their say but they didn’t just take their word for it.  They went home and “searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”  Why did they do this, so that they could find a reason to discredit Paul and Timothy?  That is not implicit in the text.  They did it because they were truth seekers and they wanted to know the truth.  Now if they had found something that was not true they would have had grounds to dispel Paul and Timothy.  But their reasons would have been more fair-minded than the reason the Thessalonians had in vs.5 to insight a mob in an attempt to throw them into prison or worse to stone them.  The Thessalonians’ reason was envy.  They envied Paul and Silas.  All too often we focus on the messenger rather than the message.  If we are truth seekers and if we love the word of God then how we receive it shouldn’t matter.  What matters is that it is correct.  All too often we get into personality conflicts in the Church over leadership issues and envy issues because we are too focused on man and gifts rather than on learning and growing in the word of God.  This works both ways.  If we immediately become suspect or envious of all leaders who have influence we may miss an opportunity to receive some very good teaching.  We have here in this account a process of accountability that can hold all parties involved to the same standard.  The truth is the standard.  If the person preaches and teaches the truth and we have verified it ourselves then we should receive what they say with all readiness.  If they do not then we are not obligated to listen to them or allow ourselves to be influenced by them.  We also need to be careful that our motives are not driven by envy of anyone who seems to have more influence than we do or who seems to be more gifted than we are.  Let the word and its truth be the litmus test for who we allow to teach us and who we do not listen to. 

3.  Are there new believers coming into the church?  Vs.12. 

The next verse tells us the result of the Berean’s response to the word being preached.  Many of them believed.  Not just Jews but prominent Greeks as well.  Evangelism is a foregone conclusion when the truth is being preached and received correctly in any place.  The truth sets people free.  When people are abiding in His word (Searching the scriptures daily) and the unadulterated, undiluted truth is being taught then people will be set free.  (John 8:31, 32)  This is exactly what happened in Berea.

4.  Is there controversy?  Vs.13

“The Jews from Thessalonica came and stirred up the crowds.” One indicator that the truth is not being diluted is when it causes a certain amount of controversy.  If someone isn’t getting upset and if there isn’t any disagreement and or healthy debate taking place within your congregation the chances are the truth either isn’t presented or it is unrecognizable amidst a mixture of tolerance soaked ideas and liberal theology.  Christ understood this implicitly when He shockingly reveals in Mathew 10:34-36 that He came to bring a sword.  The truth divides as much as it unites.  It creates clear delineations and makes it obvious where people stand on issues.  This is the nature of truth.

While certainly not an exhaustive list these principles should give us a clear idea of whether or not a church is a good one. Certainly childcare, location and other preferential issues are important.  But if the truth is not being taught, the people are not abiding in the word and there is not an agreed upon accountability process between the teachers and the congregation then all the preferential items don’t matter.  On the other hand, one could endure a longer commute or even less than perfect sounding music in order to be involved with a group of truth lovers who work it out and live it out as a community.  Remember, according to our text today the difference between a good church and bad one is not the preacher or the message but whether the people are Berean in their attitude towards the word or not.  That’s good news, because that means having or finding a great church begins with you.