live blogged by Chipper Flaniken

February 9th, 2010

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The Henry Center for Theological Understanding welcomes Wayne Ogimachi as a part of the ongoing Timothy Series. Pastor Ogimachi will be speaking at the TEDS chapel services on February 9th and February 11th.

A graduate of UCLA and Fuller Theological Seminary, Wayne Ogimachi has experience in youth, campus, and pastoral ministry in southern California. He also served for 17 years as the Pastor of Christian Layman Church in Oakland, CA, during which time he also helped start the Asian American Christian Fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2000, he moved to Seattle to plant Lighthouse Christian Church in Bellevue, Washington, where he currently serves as Lead Pastor.

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Scripture passage from John 21:15-23 (read by TEDS student)

Pastor Ogimachi

Introductory comments:

Born in Chicago…moved to southern California when two years old. Pastored for 17 years in the Bay area. Then moved to Seattle to plant a church that he is still with (Lighthouse Christian Church). Attended Fuller Seminary…tough experience for him spiritually. Lots of new learning for a lifetime of ministry, gained a broader perspective of church history, gained a better understanding of theological controversies, rubbed shoulders with bright faculty and professors.

Spent seven years at Fuller doing his MDiv.

Did lots of different ministries during that time. Including prison ministry. Began to fall in love with the church as the vehicle for God’s kingdom.

Went to seminary with no intention of becoming a pastor. Thought he was going to do campus ministry (didn’t have a positive view of the institutional church during college years at UCLA – was involved in a vibrant parachurch organization).

Hard times during seminary: financial crises, relational issues, feelings of inadequacy, academic struggles. During those years, would often doubt God’s call on his life. Wondered if God could use someone like him effectively in ministry.

On the the passage:

Peter in a crisis of faith in John 21 – Peter had claimed he would die for Jesus rather than forsake him. Then he had a “humpty-dumpty” moment where things fell apart.

We have all had these types of moments. Like during Pastor Ogimachi’s experience in youth ministry.

But remember, Jesus wanted to help Peter pick up the pieces. Wanted to be sure Peter would meet him in Galilee. And they had breakfast together…which signified relational warmth in that culture.

But there was still an “elephant in the room” between Jesus and Peter. This is a common experience among many of us!

And for Peter…the elephant was his denial of Jesus! This is the same Peter that Jesus wanted to use to help build the church (Matt 16:18).

Jesus never tries to shame or blame Peter. Instead Jesus decides not to dwell on the past…but he didn’t minimize the sin either.

So Jesus asks, “do you love me?” (John 21:15)

This question just hangs in the air…and everything in Peter’s life hangs in the balance. This is a “defining moment” – the day that changes your life forever.

How do we know if we love Jesus?

1. If we love Jesus, we will long for personal communion with him and to be with him.

2. We will love the things he loves (Micah 6:8).

3. We will hate the things that he hates (Proverbs 8:13). There are things that Jesus hates!

4. We will long for Jesus to return. Has this longing been put on the back burner? What about in your life? If we love Jesus, we will long for his returning. Paul does! (2 Tim 4:8)

5. We will keep his commandments. This is a tangible outworking of love!

Regardless of past failures, those who love Jesus can be recommissioned like Peter was. We can rejoin the mission and take up the cause! We can serve the King and his kingdom!

Main point about loving Jesus: Jesus will only entrust his sheep to those who love him and his people. To those who deeply and absolutely love him! These are the only safe shepherds!

One of the things about seminary is that it can make you discerning, but it can also make you cynical. Are you becoming critical thinkers, or just becoming critical?

Anecdote: The church will be changed and renewed by people that love the church and are deeply committed to it! Pastor Ogimachi heard this in seminary and it profoundly impacted his life. Would he then stand on the periphery and criticize, or throw his hat in the ring and try to be a part of the solution?

So our prayer should be that God would protect us from cynical attitudes.

Wouldn’t you give your children to someone that you trust? That also love your children? Jesus is the same way. He will only entrust people into the care of people that love Jesus Christ and his sheep.

Quote: “There are two kinds of people…those who takes risks for God, and those who criticize and malign the first group.”

Back to the passage:

Jesus tells Peter that loving the kingdom will not be easy! Love brought Peter a task AND a sacrifice! We don’t love Jesus unless we are prepared to take up his cross.

Do you love Jesus? Our seminary years should increase our hearts for the Lord! Beware of coming out of seminary with a cold heart!

Will you follow Jesus to the end of your life? Will you get discouraged when the road gets hard, or will you be distracted by what God is doing in the lives of others?

Peter had this “distraction problem”. He looked at the apostle Jesus loved and asked Jesus about him. Do you get distracted by how God is using other people in ministry!

Again, sacrifice is going to happen in ministry!

Pastor Ogimachi: My hardest year in ministry was in 1996. Staff conflict. Several months of terrible discouragement. Lots of humbling moments and discouragement. Things I thought were going well were not going as well. Then the Lord told him, “if this is really going to be a good church, someone is going to have to lay down their life!”

When you see a healthy church – or even a healthy marriage or relationship – you can assume that it came at a major cost to someone. Even the healthiest churches and marriages have high costs!

If we don’t love God, we will be a danger to a church. But the more we love Jesus, the more ministry he will entrust to us.

Jesus trusts leaders that fall in love with him!

End live blog…thank you for joining us! Pastor Ogimachi will speak again during the TEDS chapel on Thursday, February 11th.

The Henry Center is pleased to announce that videos of talks presented at the 2009 Conference on Short-Term Missions are now posted free of charge for the viewing of the general public.

In the summer of 2009, building on the momentum of the Henry Center’s Lima, Peru conference in 2006 (henrycenter.org/international), Dr. Robert Priest (TEDS) led a conference on Trinity’s campus on the topic of short-term mission. The conference brought together scholars, pastors, missiologists, anthropologists, youth pastors, missionaries, students and laity to think biblically and practically about short-term missions.

Miriam Adeney — Associate Professor of Global and Urban Ministries, Seattle Pacific University
“What We Can Learn From China: Short-Term Missions in the Dragon Kingdom | Video

Eric Iverson — Multicultural Integrity Director, Youthworks
“One Cross at a Time: The Mission Agency’s Role in Building the Missional Church” | Video

Oscar Muriu — Pastor, Nairobi Chapel, Nairobi, Kenya
“Short-Term Missions from a Kenyan Pastor’s Perspective” | Video

Kara Powell — Executive Director, Fuller Youth Institute; Assistant Professor of Youth and Family Ministry, Fuller Theological Seminary
“Deep Justice Journeys and STM for Youth”| Video

Robert J. Priest — Director, PhD Progam in Intercultural Studies, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; Professor of Mission and Intercultural Studies, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
“Megachurches and Short-Term Missions: New Priorities and Paradigms of Mission” | Video

Kurt Ver Beek — Assistant Professor of Sociology, Calvin College
“Different Soils and Different Seeds: Review of Research on STM and Study Abroad” | Video

Robert Wuthnow — Director, Center for the Study of Religion, Princeton University; Chair and Professor, Department of Sociology, Princeton University
“Short-Term Missions and the Global Reach of American Christianity” | Video

Panel Discussion | Video

The Henry Center is pleased to announce that Dr. Josh Moody’s recent Timothy Series lectures and Q&A sessions are now posted free of charge for the viewing of the general public.

October 20 & 22, 2009 | Dr. Josh Moody, College Church, Wheaton, IL

Dr. Moody was born in Surrey, England and holds undergraduate and doctoral degrees from Cambridge University. He currently serves as Senior Pastor of College Church in Wheaton, Illinois and served previously as Senior Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in New Haven, Connecticut beginning in 1999. He has authored three books to date: The God-Centered Life: Insights from Jonathan Edwards for Today; Jonathan Edwards and the Enlightenment: Knowing the Presence of God; and Authentic Spirituality.

“The Necessary Foundation for Biblical Ministry”: 2 Timothy 3:10-17 | Audio
“The Necessary Vision for Biblical Ministry” 2 Timothy 4:1-8 | Audio
Interview Pt. 1 | Audio | Video
Interview Pt. 2 | Audio | Video

Registration for the October 14-16, 2009 Gospel Growth=People Growth conference at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, IL) is rapidly rising.

Make sure that you visit the specially created event website.  Click here to register for the conference.  $59 for students, $99 for pastors.

Between hearing from Carson, Dever, Jensen and others, and being encouraged in your ministry to be faithful to the gospel, this conference should provide much opportunity for growth, reflection, and upbuilding.

Cosponsored by Matthias Media, the Henry Center, The Gospel Coalition, and the Simeon Trust.

a report live-blogged by Andy Naselli

March 24 and 26, 2009 | Dr. Greg Waybright | Lake Avenue Evangelical Free Church, Pasadena, CA

The Center is pleased to welcome Trinity’s former president back to campus.  Dr. Waybright will cover the subject of ecclesiology through consideration of two passages in Ephesians. His talks are entitled “The Dream Church.”  His first sermon will cover Ephesians 1:3-14 and is entitled “God’s Idea–Not Mine,” while his second will cover Ephesians 2:11-22 and is entitled “From Dream to Reality.”

Introduction

You should learn to love the church as she is, not just as you want her to be! You should have a renewed sense of thrill of being in God’s family. God has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3).

Paul shares four thrilling realities in Eph 1:3–8: (more…)

Several weeks ago, the Henry Center had the privilege of sponsoring a number of talks by New Testament theologian D. A. Carson of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. In these incisive and moving addresses, Dr. Carson studied the cross from different angles and genres of Scripture.

The Henry Center, in conjunction with our friends in the Resurgence network, is pleased to offer all five sessions to our readers for free. Below you will find both video and audio of each address. We do hope that these resources will inform your worship of the crucified and risen Christ and we encourage you to look for the Crossway RE:Lit book, tentatively titled Scandalous, that will feature them in written and edited form.

Also: the Henry Center, which was represented in person at the event, makes a brief and slightly delayed cameo in the first few minutes of the first session.

SESSIONS

Session #1 “The Center of the Whole Bible” Romans 3:21-26
Video
Audio

Session #2 “The Strange Triumph of a Slaughtered Lamb” Revelation 12
Video
Audio

Session #3 “A Miracle Full of Surprises” John 11
Video
Audio

Session #4 “Why Doubt the Resurrection of Jesus” John 20:24-31
Video
Audio

Session #5 “The Ironies of the Cross” Matthew 27:27-51
Video
Audio

A report live-blogged by Andy Naselli

Dr. Tom Nelson will be preaching in chapel here at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School on Tuesday and Thursday this week. Here’s how the Henry Center has described his sermon series:

February 3, 5, 2009  |  Dr. Tom Nelson, Christ Community Church, Leawood, KS
In these two messages we will briefly explore together the rich and robust doctrine of Christian vocation, focusing on the topic of work. Examining primarily the first three chapters in Genesis we will seek to build a theological framework regarding work and bring to light its vital contribution to our pursuit of Christian faithfulness in our times. The first message is entitled, “The Sunday To Monday Gap (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15).” The second message is entitled, “Is Work A Four Letter Word? (Genesis 3:17-19).”

Scripture Reading

• Gen 3:17–19
• Ecc 2:18–23

Introduction

Tom accidentally mowed over a sprinkler head in his yard. “Work sometimes makes me want to curse. How about you?” Work can be one big pain. But why?

Gen 3:17–19

• In part 1, we looked at the “before” picture in Gen 1–2. Now in part 2, we will look at the “after” picture in Gen 3, and it’s not a pretty picture.
• Work is not a result of the curse, but the curse impacts work in every dimension.
• “Curse” in Gen 3:17–19 describes this new reality and its effect on work.
• Illustration: C. S. Lewis captures what the curse means with the chilly curse of winter in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. “Always winter and never Christmas.” “How dreadfully awful.”
• Cf. the sense of groaning in Rom 8:23–34.
• Workaholism (i.e., excessive devotion to work) is idolatry. It destroys our relationship with God and others.
• Some wrongly think, “Some work is more important than other work.” This is a distorted picture of work, seeing religious work as a higher calling and secular work as a lower calling. This work-dualism is faulty. The term “full-time Christian work” sometimes contributes to this faulty dualism. Another dualistic distortion is one that exalts a monastic life.

Ecc 2:18–23

• Cf. the Rolling Stones lyrics: “I can’t get no satisfaction, but I try and I try and I try.”
• Cf. Ecc 3:12–13.
• Work in this broken and fallen world is a mixed bag: it is cursed, but it is a true gift at its creation-core.

Cultivating Hopeful Realism About Work

1. Remain hopeful in the midst of work’s inevitable difficulties. Stay-at-home moms, for example, don’t get a lot of accolades and recognition, but that work is an act of holy worship. Cf. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of James 1:2–3 in The Message.
2. See your work as an opportunity for personal growth and influence.

Conclusion

Cf. the example of Christ, without whom life and work are deeply unfulfilling.

A report live-blogged by Andy Naselli

Dr. Tom Nelson will be preaching in chapel here at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School on Tuesday and Thursday this week. Here’s how the Henry Center has described his sermon series:

February 3, 5, 2009  |  Dr. Tom Nelson, Christ Community Church, Leawood, KS
In these two messages we will briefly explore together the rich and robust doctrine of Christian vocation, focusing on the topic of work. Examining primarily the first three chapters in Genesis we will seek to build a theological framework regarding work and bring to light its vital contribution to our pursuit of Christian faithfulness in our times. The first message is entitled, “The Sunday To Monday Gap (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15).” The second message is entitled, “Is Work A Four Letter Word? (Genesis 3:17-19).”

Scripture Reading

• Gen 1:26–Ps 90:12–17

Introduction

• The office cubicle recently turned fifty years old.
• “The Office” is one of Tom’s favorite TV show. Work is an essential part of being human, but work is not what it ought to be.
• Some of us are exhausted in our work and dissatisfied with it.
• People often ask Tom, “What does my everyday job have to do with God anyway? Does it really matter?”
• Cf. David Miller’s excellent book God at Work.
• Tom neglected this important topic early in his ministry.
• Cf. Tim Keller’s parallel experience. Most churches teach Christians how to be Christians merely in their private life.
• For centuries the church has framed work in the language of vocation.
• Cf. Martin Luther’s rich theology of vocation, i.e., it is a divine calling: “God does not need our good works, but our neighbor does.”
• Bumper sticker: “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.”
• “Are we simply workin’ for a living?”

Genesis 1:26–28

• We were created to image the triune God.
• God is seen in the early Genesis text as a worker, as a Creator. He is not a cosmic do-nothing deity.
• We were created to work, and we were created with work in made. God designed us to work. We work because the one in whose image we are made also works.
• Cf. Paul’s bold statement that those not willing to work should not eat.
• Illustration: The recent Pixar film “WALL-E” depicts lazy people in luxury in such a way that Tom finds disgusting.
• Work is an integral aspect of being human.

Genesis 2:15

• We were created to cultivate and keep God’s creation, to prepare and protect it. God created us to be stewards of his creation.
• God wants our work and worship to be seamless, connecting our Sunday-to-Monday living. Worship is not something we do exclusively on Sunday, and work is not something we start doing exclusively on Monday. Both Sunday and Monday should be days of glorious worship.
• Illustration: Someone asked three masons the same question: “What are you doing?” Their three answers reveal three different perspectives: (1) I am cutting stone. (2) I am making a living. (3) I am building a cathedral for God and his people.
• Dorothy Sayers: “The only Christian work is good work well done.”

Three Diagnostic Questions

1. Do I see my work as an act of worship? Are you blooming where you are planted right now?
2. How has God uniquely made you? Illustration: In the movie “Chariots of Fire,” Eric Liddell says, “God has made me fast, and when I run, I feel his pleasure.”
3. What contribution am I called to make? How have I been called by God to accomplish his redemptive mission in the world?

Conclusion

Embedded in Jesus’ earthly life is a transforming truth. He not only glorified his Father on the cross. He glorified his Father in his work in a carpenter’s shop. Are not we called to do the same? “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work you have given me to do” (John 17). May we be able to say the same when we bow before our Lord.

[After Tom finished the sermon and prayed, he directed our attention to a video on the screen about a lady who is a member in his church. She reflects on her vocation, noting how she agonized over whether she should be a medical missionary in Africa. Her heartbeat is medicine, and she realized that this was her vocation, her mission field, her ministry. This transformed her perspective of medicine. Doug Sherman and William Hendrick's Your Work Matters to God helped change her perspective on this.]