By Matt Proctor

“I remember being in the bars at 3 years old with my mother singing in the bands,” says Juliet Rose. Juliet was born into addiction. Her mother drank heavily, and her dad was a drug addict.

Her mother married another man when Juliet was 4, and “that’s when monsters became real.” Her new stepdad molested her for the next five years.

She always felt alone. “I had no friends, so I quit school in the ninth grade. I had no education, no life skills.” At 16, she fled to Las Vegas, where she survived as a prostitute. That chapter of her life ended with her beaten-up, used-up, robbed at gunpoint, and left for dead on the street.

Then things got bad.

By age 32, she had been married three times and had two children. She became “a functioning addict,” using and manufacturing methamphetamine. When the Jasper County Drug Task Force kicked down her door and arrested her—for the ninth time—on 11 felony charges, prison seemed a sure bet.

Worst of all, her boys—ages 4 and 8—were taken from her. For Juliet, that was rock bottom.

“I was broken. They took the only two people in the world who had ever loved me unconditionally,” she says through tears. “I fell on my face before God, and I said, ‘I’m sorry, God. I want my babies back. Whatever it takes, I’m gonna serve you!’”

Over the next eight months, Juliet surrendered her life to Christ, turned her back on drugs and alcohol, and welcomed her boys back home. Though prison seemed likely, miraculously all charges were dropped. That’s when she heard God say, Now I can use you, Juliet. I’m going to use every vile thing that has happened to you to serve other women.

She enrolled at Ozark Christian College, and I’ve never had a student more joyful in the Lord than Juliet. She graduated with a psychology and counseling degree, and today, Juliet leads Guiding Light Ministries, a faith-based residential treatment program for women with addictions.

I asked Juliet to share her testimony as a trophy of grace in our college chapel. When she closed—“I’ve been clean and sober for six years and three days today!”—the college family stood to their feet in a thunderous ovation.

Tears streamed down her cheeks and the cheeks of six of “her girls” from Guiding Light on the front row. Jesus had taken what was “vile” and turned it into victory.

A better story indeed.

Matt Proctor is president of Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri.

Matt Proctor

Matt Proctor challenges parents to seize their opportunity to create a lasting legacy through their children. Get his tips for parenting in this exclusive interview with Editor Mark Taylor at the 2016 North American Christian Convention.

By Matt Proctor

1. Preach on the need for full-time kingdom workers.

All Christians are ministers, no matter their vocation. There is no clergy/laity distinction in God’s church, and all believers are called to witness, lead, and serve. “You got into the ministry when you got out of the baptistery.” May we never water down the biblical teaching on the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).

But this too: may we never water down the need for vocational Christian leaders. Preach on the need for those who will give their working lives to leading the church, reaching the lost, preaching the Word (1 Corinthians 9:14).

I have a “road sermon” I’ve preached in many churches on Matthew 9:37, 38. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Too many times, after challenging the church to raise up vocational Christian workers, people say to me, “I’ve never heard a sermon on that before.”

Remind your church that without full-time kingdom leaders, most Bible translations would never exist and most pioneering mission work would never happen. Without vocational leaders, too many churches are never planted, too many congregations never grow, too many children are never taught, marriages never mended, addictions never broken, hungry never fed, nations never reached, and souls never saved.

The harvest is still plentiful; the workers are still few. Preach the need.

2. Make this a dial on your church’s dashboard.

Every church has a set of stats they monitor—worship attendance, offerings, baptisms, small group participation, volunteer numbers—to check their congregation’s health. Add a dial to your dashboard: number of young people sent into vocational ministry.

We measure what matters, so count how many students you’ve sent to Bible college in the last three years. Then decide to raise that number. Put “kingdom recruiter” on everybody’s job description, and set a goal. As Andy Stanley says, “Clarify the win.”

For 35 years, Henrietta Mears taught the college Sunday school class at First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood, California. Five foot four inches tall, thickset, with “Coke-bottle” glasses and a deep love for Christ, this passionate woman made “vocational ministers raised” a measure of her ministry. She sent out more than 400 young men and women into Christian service. Among them: Young Life founder Jim Rayburn and Campus Crusade for Christ founder Bill Bright. Those two leaders alone represent hundreds of thousands of lives reached for Christ!

That’s a win.

3. Plant seed thoughts in the minds of potential kingdom leaders.

They might be the brightest students in the youth group, because God’s mission in the world needs the best leaders. Or they might be the C students, because God has a habit of choosing unlikely folks to make a big difference (1 Corinthians 1:27). Wherever you find them, plant the idea that God might be calling them to ministry. Say something.

Eighty-year-old D. P. Shaffer was still preaching in Conneautville, Pennsylvania, when he heard a first-grader quote a large portion of John 14 in front of the congregation. After the service, D. P. patted the boy’s head and said, “You are going to make a good preacher someday.”

That little boy’s name was Bob Russell, who never forgot those words and went on to lead Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, to great kingdom impact.

Never underestimate the power of your words.

4. Speak of the joys of ministry.

Yes, ministry is hard, people can be frustrating, and the paycheck can be small. But don’t let difficulties be the only things young people overhear about ministry.

Let them also hear of the blessings. In 25 years of ministry, I’ve helped a child find John 3:16 for the first time. I have held the hand of a precious saint as she passed out of this world and into the arms of Jesus. I have lowered an obedient body into a liquid tomb and brought him back up to new life.

I have stood to preach on an ordinary Sunday—with 10,000 angels leaning over the balconies of Heaven, holding their breath, 10,000 demons glaring up through the gates of Hell, human eternities hanging in the balance—and I have seen proud spirits broken, wounded hearts healed, spiritual adrenaline surge through weary souls, and final destinies forever changed. Glory to God! In the great drama of the ages, we get to play a part!

Let young people hear: there are greater paychecks than those you cash at the bank. Speak of the joys of serving Jesus.

5. Involve young people in ministry now.

Take prospective kingdom workers on mission trips. Let them lead worship. Take them with you on a hospital visit. Help them prepare a lesson or sermon. A taste of ministry may whet their appetite for full-time service.

At a megachurch minister’s conference, Bob Russell was assigned the topic, “If I Had My Ministry to Do Over Again.” He mentioned seven things he’d do differently. One of them: Bob would start a junior high preacher’s club to recruit future ministers. Not a bad idea.

When Christian school principal Larry Leathermon saw preaching potential in a skinny, smart-alecky seventh-grader, he assigned him a topic to preach in the school chapel. That junior higher may be the only person in church history to preach his first sermon on the subject of “Jesus: A High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek”! But that eight-minute, very forgettable sermon lit in his heart a passion to preach which still burns today.

That young man was me.

6. Connect them to kingdom heroes.

Our culture holds up athletes, models, business tycoons, and entertainers as heroes. Who will the young people in your church aspire to be?

Bring in missionaries to share their stories. Invite Bible college professors to preach in worship or youth group. Introduce young people to kingdom servants—at Christ In Youth gatherings and camp and conventions—and tell your students the backstory on each one. I know a church whose main hallway is lined with 8-by-10-inch photographs of each Timothy the congregation has sent out over the last 35 years.

I’ve had my own children read biographies of great saints of the past, taken them to a local nursing home to meet one of my spiritual mentors, and included them on trips to meet ministry leaders I admire.

An ancient Greek proverb says, “A people are known by the heroes they crown.” Connect your young people to men and women who have given their working lives to kingdom work.

Teenagers worship at an Ozark Christian College weekend event planned especially for them. Ozark hosts three such events each year—two for older teens and one for younger teens. The events not only help the teens dig deeper into the Word and faith, but also introduce them to a Christian college campus.

7. Take young people to visit a Bible college.

Let them sit in classes, worship in chapel, and sleep in the dorm. Introduce them to college students who will share their stories of God’s call. Sit in a professor’s office or two, and let them paint a picture of how God uses Bible colleges to shape people for life and ministry.

Young people who had never considered ministry suddenly find themselves immersed in a culture focused on full-time kingdom leadership. A vision is caught, and these teenagers begin to ask, “Would God want to use me in this way?”

Oswald Chambers, author of My Utmost for His Highest, was also a Bible college professor. The purpose of a Bible college, he wrote, is “for God to help Himself to lives.”

That can even happen on a campus visit.

8. Challenge parents to give their children to the Lord.

It’s often harder to convince parents to consider ministry than to convince students. Many are unsettled when their child shows interest in leadership ministry.

“Ministry is so stressful.” “The pay is so small.” “You need a degree that will help you in the real world.” “What if you (and my future grandchildren) are called to Africa?” It’s one thing to send a check to the mission field; it’s another thing to send a child.

Part of discipling the parents in your church will be challenging them to give their children fully to the Lord. Listen to their concerns. Then remind them of God’s care for their children. Give them a good ministry biography to read. Connect them to kingdom heroes, and share the joys of ministry. Connect them to other parents who have a child in ministry. Challenge them to pray, and pray with them.

Help parents set their children free to respond to God’s call in their lives.

9. Support ministry studies financially.

West Point trains leaders for our nation’s battles, and we as taxpayers underwrite a cadet’s education because a prepared military leadership matters. The church has Bible colleges and seminaries to train leaders for the spiritual battle, and it is fitting that the church underwrite that education because a prepared spiritual leadership really matters.

Financially support the schools themselves, but also consider paying for a particular student’s education.

Lexington preacher Wayne Smith once led a young man in the U.S. Army to the Lord and wrote faithfully to him during his enlistment, asking him to consider ministry when he was finished. When the soldier was discharged, he discovered Wayne had already enrolled him at Cincinnati Bible Seminary and paid for his first year’s tuition! That young man’s name was Joe Wright, who saw thousands come to Christ during his ministry at Central Christian Church in Wichita, Kansas.

Kingdom leaders are a good return on investment.

10. Pray.

Jesus commanded, “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field.” Do you pray this prayer?

My testimony: I grew up knowing I was called to be a preacher. But when I was named a National Merit finalist in high school, I pulled a Jonah and ran from God’s call. I enrolled at the University of Iowa as a journalism major. (Tom Brokaw went to the University of Iowa.) I was going to make my name in the world, and that year at the university, I was a prodigal son in a far country.

The following summer, I worked at a Christian camp—dishwasher, trash collector, woodchopper—and during the evening chapel services, I would stand in the back during worship. I liked the music and thought the band was cool, but when the preacher stood to preach, I would leave. I didn’t want to hear it.

During the ninth-grade camp, the week’s preacher was an unassuming little guy named Bob Martin. Bob was not what you’d call a dynamic youth speaker, but when he began to preach, I couldn’t leave. His words reached out and grabbed me, and the Holy Spirit began a weeklong blitz on my heart.

At Thursday night’s invitation, after Bob’s message, a crowd of crying ninth-grade girls walked down the aisle to rededicate their lives to Jesus (for the 17th time), and so did one college freshman guy. In front of that camp, I repented. It was time to get right with God and follow his call. I was heading to Bible college to be a preacher.

What I did not know at the time: Bob Martin knew my story. (My hometown preacher was his brother-in-law.) He knew I was a Jonah.

What else I did not know at the time: Bob had fasted that entire week and prayed for me every single day by name.

The only reason I’m writing this article is because Bob Martin prayed me back into the kingdom . . . and right into ministry.

Who is waiting for you to pray them into ministry?

Matt Proctor serves as president with Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri.

(Clockwise from top left) Mark Taylor, Matt Proctor, Jennifer Johnson, and Ben Cachiaras

CHRISTIAN STANDARD hosted a workshop about the future of the movement it has served for 150 years. Hear the discussion, conducted during the North American Christian Convention in Anaheim in 2016, with Matt Proctor, Jennifer Johnson, and Ben Cachiaras, hosted by editor Mark A. Taylor. Complete workshop here.

By Mark A. Taylor

In recognition of CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s 150th birthday earlier this year, the North American Christian Convention featured a workshop led by three of the magazine’s contributing editors. We asked each of them to think about hopes and challenges they see for the future of the churches served by this magazine for a century and a half. 

The comments below are edited from the hour-long workshop. See the whole session here.

Ben Cachiaras, Jennifer Johnson, and Matt Proctor discuss the hopes and challenges they see for the future of the church served by CHRISTIAN STANDARD, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. (Photo ©Tom Patrick)

Matt Proctor

What will be the future of the independent Christian churches? As I considered the churches I’ve seen, I thought of three answers to that question:

Diversify or die—As a guy from the Midwest, I rejoice when I visit the West Coast and see the amazing racial and ethnic diversity the Lord has brought together in some of the churches out here. For example, when I get to visit Shepherd Church where Dudley Rutherford, one of our graduates, preaches, I rejoice to see the little glimpse of Heaven reflected there.

When I go back home to a lot of the churches in the Midwest, I don’t see that, and it breaks my heart. You know that about four years ago, the tables turned, the scale tipped. There are now, every year, more non-Caucasian babies born in the United States than there are Caucasian babies. That’s a wonderful and beautiful thing.

If we want to be a movement on into the 21st century, we have to diversify or die. That’s true for us biblically and missionally but practically as well.

Develop or die—By that I mean, develop the next generation of leaders. I see a vocational leadership vacuum today. As you know, the baby boomer generation is stepping into retirement right now. We’re not even keeping up at replacement levels. More churches call me for names of prospective ministers than I have names to give. And just replacing workers is not enough. We’re supposed to be working for growth; we’re supposed to be increasing the numbers of vocational Christian workers.

Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest field. There’s a generational shift coming even among our megachurch ministers; several of them will be stepping into retirement soon. Who will follow them? The answer to that question will greatly influence whether that congregation will continue to identify with our tribe.

Discuss or die—Let’s be willing to discuss our differences.

I’m a small church guy. I ministered in a small church. I attend a small church in Joplin, 150 folks, some of God’s best saints there. At the same time, I am so proud and so grateful for the men that God has raised up to lead the megachurches in our movement. I count it a joy and a blessing to get to know these guys and see how God is using them.

But I also get to interact with a lot of smaller church guys, and there are some differences—differences in methodology and sometimes even differences in philosophy, how we approach doctrinal issues. Not that any of them are compromising doctrinally, but they may differ in how they approach doctrine.

At times I sense a bit of divide, a bit of a shift between some of the folks in some of the smaller churches and some of the guys in the megachurch. I don’t want to see that potential rift widen any more.

The only way I know to bridge such a divide is through relational context. We need more discussions where we can talk honestly and not label each other and not throw inflammatory words at each other. If we want to remain a tribe, a movement, a connected body of churches, we must keep talking. We can’t let some family member stop coming to the reunion.

Jennifer Johnson

As I thought about this topic I thought about my house. I live outside of Philadelphia in a house that was built in 1902. When you restore an old house, as we have done with part of ours, it’s not just about bringing it back to the original condition.

You might strip off the wallpaper that was put up in 1973. You might rip up the ugly shag carpeting to get back to the original nice floors, but you don’t just leave it there, right? You repaint, you polish those floors, you sand them down. It’s about taking the skeleton of the original and making it workable for a new generation.

Sometimes it also means getting rid of some things—that addition that was added that you no longer need, or the basketball hoop installed two families ago.

Process—At a certain point the analogy breaks down, but the idea is that restoration is an ongoing process for every generation. The same thing is true, I think, when it comes to restoring the church. We’re not trying to get back to every facet of the New Testament church, because culturally and sociologically we’re not the same people they were.

Of course, some of the ongoing dialogue about what it means to be the Restoration Movement is which of the things are eternal, which of the things are cultural, which of the things are temporal. Each new generation of leaders must grapple with that. As we do that, we must understand our heritage, which has always wrestled with unity on the one hand and truth on the other.

In case you haven’t noticed, those things are not easy to combine, right? It’s really difficult to hold a balance between unity and biblical truth. It was always hard. It was hard for Stone and Campbell. Stone said, “Let Christian unity be our polar star,” right? This is the same guy who rejected substitutionary atonement. He didn’t really get onboard with the idea of the Trinity. He thought Campbell was kind of a stick-in-the-mud.

And Campbell thought Stone was just out there, right? I mean these guys had significant differences even at the very beginning of what we think of, maybe sometimes idealistically, as the glory days of the Restoration Movement. It was always messy— from the very beginning.

We have to wrestle with that same messiness and we have to do it in our context and we have to be able to dialogue about what that looks like.

Some things make that especially difficult for us. One is that we live in a culture and in a time in which it is possible to avoid conversation with anyone who disagrees with us. We don’t have to have unity because we can seek unanimity and just talk to people who think exactly like we do. It’s possible in every area of life whether we’re talking about politics, religion, or parenting.

We must be intentional about reaching across some of those divides and having some of those conversations and letting them be messy. I’m not the scholar that my brothers here are, but my understanding is that there are differences that Stone and Campbell went to the grave with, that they just never resolved.

Sometimes we’re frustrated because we believe unity means that everybody else in the independent Christian churches has to agree with us on every facet. Our essentials need to be the same as their essentials, or otherwise we can’t have unity. I think we need a bigger definition of unity; it doesn’t always have to mean agreement on everything.

Motive—Finally, I believe we need a motive for unity and restoration. The goal is not just getting along or feeling good about ourselves as the independent Christian churches. We need a reason to deal with this messiness between unity and truth because it is a very hard balance to find. Our motive for that is not doctrinal purity, because that was never achieved by anybody. Their goal was evangelism.

We have to wrestle with whether or not we can find that as our goal for unity and for restoration in this century. If that’s not our goal then we need to figure out why we’re so concerned about unity. Because it’s really about reaching the rest of the world for Christ.

We need to be able to reach more people for Jesus because of what we’re doing. Our goal for unity has to be about mission.

Ben Cachiaras

Good things—I used to believe everybody knows about all the really good things happening in our tribe. Now I’ve come to see that not everybody does. I go places where there’s a very deep pessimism. Sometimes this comes from some negative encounter a person has had with someone legalistic in our tribe. And they’ve allowed that experience to tell them, “That’s how those Christian churches are.”

But there are many good things happening among us.

I believe it’s still true that our group has more megachurches per capita than any other denomination. And these congregations are reaching a whole lot of people for Christ.

We continue to excel in church planting, and the church planting conference Exponential, which was birthed in our movement, attracts thousands of attendees every year. The growth of global missions is soaring in certain ways as it never has. Our colleges, while they have their struggles, are still putting out tremendous students. CIY is booming off the charts and involving hundreds and hundreds of students every week all summer.

I have conversations all the time with leaders in the denominational and the nondenominational free-floating worlds. These are pastors looking at us and asking, “How can I get in?”

Much of this is because of our open spirit that rewards creative spiritual entrepreneurship. You can try stuff even if it’s dumb. No one can tell you no.

At the same time there’s enough of a network to help you succeed. I have some nondenominational friends who are solo Christians out there with churches that are not connected to any tribe. And they’re desperate for a way to make a bigger imprint. They can’t plant churches or do effective missions work by themselves; they’re free-floating and stuck.

But we have this network where everybody knows many others; we have connections, and those relationships are how churches get planted, colleges funded, and mission still happens.

Concerns—I have several concerns, but they start with the fact that even defining our tribe is difficult. We are not uniform or homogeneous. And many of us are sensing that the cohesive elements that have defined us and allowed us to cohere together are weakening. Some of those were culturally bound or time bound in certain ways.

We don’t have some of the common enemies we used to have. We don’t have some of the institutions that have bound us historically. Our colleges aren’t the unifying factors they once were. This convention isn’t a convention that many people feel is that important. And the magazine whose 150-year anniversary we’re celebrating has seen a decline in readership.

Every movement goes through a life cycle that begins with a need to fill and a problem to answer; then it moves through a bureaucratization stage. The movement will decline after that unless it is renewed.

But the renewal efforts within our tribe aren’t bought into by everyone. There’s no clear sense of who’s going to help lead us collectively forward. This is a tenuousness that has always been part of us but is intensified by our times.

Challenges—Several factors present a crisis that also contains an opportunity.

First, I see us evolving hermeneutically. Everyone loves the Bible, but figuring out what the text actually means and how to apply it today is not something that everyone agrees on. We’re starting to admit that a little more than maybe we did in our earlier days. God-fearing, smart, honest, Bible-trusting, Jesus-fearing people are reading the same text and coming up with different understandings about how to obey it in a way that will be faithful to Jesus today.

We see this conflict in many discussions: women in ministry, creation care and the environment, race, LGBT. My plea is for us not to take our ball and go home every time someone disagrees with us on something we think is important.

And we’re broadening politically. It wasn’t that long ago that someone came up to me at an NACC and said, “I feel like I just attended the Republican National Convention.” And most people liked it that way. Nowadays that’s not true. And when you have a different political frame of reference, it changes how you read the Bible about such issues as poverty or race.

Follow-up

Johnson—Since we don’t have the common enemy that united us decades ago, maybe we’re finding each other to be enemies. We’re creating submovements within our movement—probably not intentionally, but I see it happening. We’re creating dividing lines within our movement on such issues as what women can and can’t do, or the homosexual issue, or even racial concerns.

Some of the people on different sides of these issues consider them very much to be doctrinal essentials. It is black and white. And when people’s perspectives are that different, it can be hard to find common ground.

Proctor—I think Bob Russell used to put it something like this. It’s the soldiers in the barracks that get into fights with each other, not the soldiers on the battle line. They’re all focused that way, together, shoulder to shoulder.

Mark Taylor is publisher and editor of Christian Standard. Matt Proctor is president of Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. Jennifer Johnson is a freelance writer, editor, and speaker whose home is outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ben Cachiaras is senior pastor with Mountain Christian Church, Joplin, Missouri.

Four biblical principles about our earthly citizenship

By Matt Proctor

Full confession: I love America.

I was born on an overseas U.S. Army base where my father served, and I respect the office of president, sing the national anthem, salute the flag, and own the movie Captain America.

But my study of God’s Word has led me to decide how I should view my love of country in terms of my higher calling.

Two summers ago, I took my 10- and 12-year-old sons on a weeklong U.S. history tour. We imagined being an immigrant at Ellis Island, marveled at the Statue of Liberty, stood silent at the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero, and learned about Jackie Robinson at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

We read the inscriptions on the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, visited the U.S. Capitol, the White House, Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian, the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin’s grave, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, and we recited the Gettysburg Address on the Pennsylvania battlefield itself.

Patriotism is not a bad word in my book.

But What About . . . ?

But the idea of patriotism leaves many Christians uneasy. When our nation celebrates the Fourth of July, many preachers wonder if it’s right to plan a “patriotic service,” for several reasons:

• It could unintentionally exclude those from other countries. No Christian wants to make a fellow believer feel left out, but an American missionary back on furlough tells of attending a Sunday worship service:

“We were singing patriotic songs. At one point, the congregation pledged allegiance to the American flag. My wife, a Romanian citizen at that time, did not participate in the singing or pledging, of course. Neither did a recently converted girl from overseas who was visiting that weekend. In that moment, the oddness of the scene struck me. We were in a worship service with fellow believers, including one just-baptized, who could not participate.”

• It could unintentionally communicate that God has a special affection for America. I saw a bumper sticker: “Jesus loves you . . . but I’m his favorite.” Could a patriotic worship service accidentally communicate the idea that God loves America more than other nations?

Herman Melville wrote, “We Americans are the peculiar chosen people, the Israel of our time,”1 and while some use American exceptionalism to point to our history as a unique experiment in democracy, others use it to mean we are anointed uniquely by God—a position hard to defend from Scripture.

Many pastors want to avoid anything that could unintentionally feed an American “superiority complex.”

• It could unintentionally deify our country. Christians would say their first allegiance is to God. But could singing praises about America in worship accidentally confuse folks about their primary loyalty?

Paul Minear quotes an Ohio minister: “In our early service, it’s customary for the congregation to remain seated during the second hymn, but after our July 3rd service, I just about had a rebellion on my hands because I did not ask the people to stand up this time. The hymn was ‘America the Beautiful.’

“It’s perfectly all right, apparently, to sit down for ‘Our God, Our Help in Ages Past,’ but irreverent to do so when we sing about our nation.”2

Some preachers want to avoid the appearance of singing the glories of America louder than the glories of Christ.

Romans 13 vs. Revelation 13?

To be clear, many believers wrestle with questions deeper than “Should we have a patriotic service?” For them, the real issue is, “Should a Christian be a patriot at all?” After all, Scripture itself seems uneasy about a Christian’s relationship to his nation. On the one hand, we are commanded to submit to the governing authority who is “God’s servant for your good” (Romans 13:4). On the other hand, we are warned about the idolatry that happens when earthly governments demand our primary allegiance (Revelation 13).

What does the Bible really teach? Are God and country allies? Famous evangelist Billy Sunday said, “Christianity and patriotism are synonymous terms, and hell and traitors are synonymous.”3 Is he right—is being unpatriotic actually opposing God?

Or are God and country enemies? Trevin Wax, a millenial-generation Southern Baptist leader, says, “Older Southern Baptists are more likely to see the U.S. as Israel. Younger Southern Baptists are more likely to see the U.S. as Babylon. As we witness the quickly shifting tides of morality, [they] are less likely to see the U.S. as the de facto ‘good guy.’”4 Is patriotism actually an act of compromise with a corrupt culture?

These questions are important and deeply emotional, and with a presidential election just weeks away, they take on fresh significance. As you seek to answer them, let me suggest four biblical principles to consider.

1. God calls us to see ourselves as part of a multinational people.

In the Old Testament, Israel is certainly God’s chosen nation, but Israel’s purpose is ultimately to be a blessing and a light to all nations (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 49:6). In the New Testament, the church is the New Israel, the new “chosen people” (Galatians 3:7-9; 6:16; 1 Peter 2:9), and because the church is multicultural from its very first day (Acts 2:8-11), God’s people are not confined to any one country. God desires a church made up of all nations (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8; Revelation 7:9).

What does this mean? Since we belong, by God’s express design, to a faith family that crosses national lines, we must be careful of associating being Christian with being an American or a Westerner. Kevin DeYoung says, “While American churches are in America, they must never be only American churches.”5 We have brothers and sisters all over the world, and we must never cease reminding our fellow believers of the international scope of God’s people.

What binds us together as believers is not the blood of our ancestors, but the blood of Christ—so following Jesus is a red thing, not a red, white, and blue thing. In fact, when we think about this biblically, we realize that “American believers have more in common with Arab believers in Iraq and Syria than they do with their unbelieving next-door neighbors.”6 We must see ourselves first and foremost as part of the multinational people of God.

2. God gives us our ethnic and national identity.

Yes, we’re part of a global people. But since the Tower of Babel, God in his wisdom has divided humanity into differing ethnic and national groups (Genesis 11), and he has placed each of us in our specific culture (Acts 17:26).

Paul says that in the church “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). But becoming a Christian does not erase a Jew’s ethnic identity (or a Greek’s) any more than it erases a man’s identity as a male. When John sees the great multitude worshipping at Heaven’s throne in Revelation 7, he does not see an ethnically homogenous group, a bland blend of people “in matching khakis and white polos.”7

Instead John sees distinct and recognizable people groups—Maasai and Chinese, Maori and Iranians, Mexicans and Germans. God is not color-blind. He delights in the full spectrum of colors, languages, and nationalities, and our cultural identity is part of his gift to us. So as one author puts it, “If you don’t have to renounce being an American in heaven, you shouldn’t have to pretend you aren’t one now.”8

What does this mean? First, we should certainly be grateful to God for whatever good gifts we enjoy because we live in our particular country (James 1:17). Second, we should think about God’s purpose in our given national identity—what does he want to teach us through the group in which he placed us? Perhaps God uses aspects of each worldwide culture to reveal some aspect of himself, and we should seek to discern those.

More broadly, though, C. S. Lewis argued that God might use patriotism toward any country to teach us something. “As the family offers us the first step beyond self-love, so [patriotism] offers us the first step beyond family selfishness. . . . It involves love of our neighbors. . . . All natural affections, including this, can become rivals to spiritual love; but they can also be preparatory imitations of it, training (so to speak) of the spiritual muscles which Grace may later put to a higher service.”9

When we are not part of a particular community—whether family or clan or city or nation—our sinful selfishness tends to flourish. We look out only for ourselves. But God made the human heart for community, and being part of a group puts a check on our ego.

History is full of stories of those who learned self-sacrifice for the sake of their “tribe.” Perhaps God uses our national identity to pull us out of self, teach us to love something bigger than ourselves, and prepare us to love him and his church sacrificially.

3. God commands us to be good citizens of our earthly home.

When the Israelites were taken into Babylonian exile, they were not to conform to the pagan practices of their new neighbors, but they were to be productive citizens—building houses, planting gardens, growing families (Jeremiah 29:4-6). God commanded them, “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7).

In the New Testament, Peter tells his readers that they too are exiles—citizens of Heaven who are also temporary citizens of an earthly nation—and that they too should be good citizens, even in an empire as wicked as Rome (1 Peter 2:11-17). Such citizenship includes:

• praying for government leaders (1 Timothy 2:1, 2)

• showing respect to government leaders (1 Peter 2:17)

• obeying the laws of the land (Romans 13:1)

• paying taxes (Romans 13:6, 7)

• doing good works in the community (Titus 3:1)

• living courteously with neighbors (Titus 3:2)

• taking advantage of the rights afforded us (Acts 16:37, 38; 25:11).

What does this mean? Simply put, saints should make the best citizens. It is, in fact, an act of Christian witness (1 Peter 2:15). Certainly we may need to civilly disobey the state if it directly contradicts the command of God (Acts 4:18-20). But when Jesus said, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17), he showed that allegiance to God is not inherently incompatible with allegiance to country.

God and country are not always allies, but they need not be enemies either. It is possible to be a good Christian and a good American (or Brazilian or Kenyan). While you are a citizen of Heaven first (Philippians 3:20), you can “seek the peace and prosperity” of your earthly home. You can vote, sing your national anthem, pay taxes, salute your flag, and tell stories of your national heroes and still honor God above all.

4. God warns us about the danger of national idolatry.

In Revelation, Satan enlists three allies in his war against believers: two beasts and a prostitute. Evangelical scholars like John Stott say that—while the prostitute represents Rome’s hedonistic culture and the second beast represents Rome’s false religion—the first beast represents Rome’s godless government.10 Christians were being pressured to swear primary allegiance to Rome and her emperor, to call him “Lord” instead of Jesus.

Understand: Roman citizens—even Christian ones—were proud of their country. The Roman Empire was the premier power in the world, with an unmatched military, unprecedented freedoms, and unparalleled economic opportunities. To her citizens, Roman patriotism didn’t feel wrong, and pledging loyalty to the emperor seemed like a right and proper thing. But John warned that placing country above Christ was idolatry (Revelation 13:4).

What does this mean? While careful patriotism may be Christian, careless nationalism is not. Uncritical nationalism—a blind commitment to country above all else—is not unique to America.

C.S. Lewis once spoke to an old English clergyman who believed his nation to be markedly superior to all others. “But sir,” asked Lewis, “aren’t we told that every people thinks its own men the bravest and its own women the fairest in the world?” Lewis said, “He replied with total gravity—he could not have been graver if he had been saying the Creed at the altar—‘Yes, but in England it’s true.’”11

Like every other earthly love, the virtue of patriotism can become a vice when it takes too high a place in our heart. Throughout history, people have done terrible things in the name of country—treating foreigners with prejudice, oppressing other nations, killing innocent people—and at times, even Christians have let their love of country compromise their obedience to Christ. As Lewis said, patriotism “becomes a demon when it becomes a god.”12

So be on guard. Fly the American flag, but never higher than the cross. Take pride in the beauties of your homeland, but keep your eyes fixed firmly on Heaven, our true home. Be grateful for the sacrifice of our servicemen, but may it never move you more than the sacrifice of our Savior.

As this election cycle approaches, let’s remember that, as believers, we do not follow a donkey or an elephant. Nor do we follow an American eagle, a British bulldog, or a Russian bear.

No. Until the day we are gathered in that great heavenly multitude “from every nation, tribe, people and language,” we follow a Lamb.

________

1Herman Melville, White Jacket (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1970), 161.

2Paul Minear, I Pledge Allegiance: Patriotism and the Bible (Philadelphia: Geneva Press, 1975), 30.

3Brandon O’Brien, “Is Patriotism Christian?” Christianity Today, accessed July 25, 2016, at www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/spiritualformation/patriotismchristian.html.

4Trevin Wax, “Why Younger Evangelicals May Feel Uneasy in a Patriotic Church Service,” The Gospel Coalition, July 2, 2014, accessed July 25, 2016, at https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/trevinwax/2014/07/02/why-younger-evangelicals-may-feel-uneasy-in-a-patriotic-church-service/.

5Kevin DeYoung, “5 Thoughts on Patriotism and the Church,” Church Leaders, accessed July 25, 2016, at www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/152006-kevin-deyoung-patriotism-and-the-church.html.

6Wax, “Why Younger Evangelicals.”

7DeYoung, “5 Thoughts.”

8Ibid.

9C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1960), 24.

10John Stott, The Cross of Christ (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 243; originally published in 1986.

11Lewis, The Four Loves, 26.

12Lewis, The Four Loves, 6.

Matt Proctor serves as president of Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri.

Matt Proctor

By Matt Proctor

As a leader, I wear many hats: team builder, decision maker, fund-raiser, and problem solver. But my favorite leadership hat—and perhaps the most important—is storyteller.

A leader’s primary job is not to fulfill a mission, but to create a mission-fulfilling community. A leader’s task is not simply to get a job done, but to mobilize and inspire a group of followers to get the job done. Of course, forging a hodgepodge group of individuals into an effective team with common values and a shared mission isn’t easy. So how do we get people “on the same page”? How can we help them buy into our core beliefs, embody our values, and catch our dreams? One powerful answer I’ve discovered: stories.

Everybody loves hearing stories. They grab the imagination and can be nearly impossible to forget. A good story can smuggle in truth so that, almost unconsciously, people absorb the lessons woven into the narrative. That’s why wise communicators through the ages have used stories to teach. Fully one-third of Jesus’ teaching was packaged in parables.

What’s all this got to do with leadership? Simply this: as leader, I am the communicator-in-chief of our “mission-fulfilling community.” I must constantly articulate who we are, what we do, and why we do it. So I make it my business to ruthlessly search for and repeatedly tell stories—anecdotes that capture our values and communicate our mission.

At a faculty retreat not long ago, I commiserated with our professors. I know what it’s like to pour myself into a lecture forged out of years of experience and study, to deliver it passionately, and then to see a student in the front row picking at a hole in his jeans the entire class hour, completely unaware of any educational activity happening around him.

In response, I told this true story.

Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian was a theology professor at Trinity College in Chicago, and every day in class, he would dream out loud about the Acts 2 church. “Wouldn’t it be great if there were a church that would have an Acts vision to reach the world for Christ?” yearned Dr. B. “A church where people truly loved each other, studied Scripture deeply, and preached Christ fervently?”

His passion was contagious, and one day after class, a 20-year-old student named Bill Hybels came up to Dr. B and said, “With God’s help, I want to build that church.” Of course, Hybels planted Willow Creek Community Church, now one of the largest and most effective congregations in the nation.

A few years ago, Willow Creek held an Easter service at the United Center arena in Chicago. As 20,000 people came in that morning, each person was given a keychain flashlight, and at the end of the service, creative arts director Nancy Beach stood on stage and said, “I’d like to try something.” The arena lights were turned off and it was pitch black. Then Beach said, “If you were introduced to Jesus Christ because of the ministry of Willow Creek, please turn on your flashlight.” A moment’s pause, and then lights started flashing on. Soon thousands of tiny lights dotted the darkened arena, each representing a life forever changed by that one church.

Beach then said, “Please keep your lights on. We’re going to take a picture.” The photographer used a wide-angle lens to take a panoramic picture of the thousands of lights. I don’t know the odds of it happening, but just as the photographer snapped, someone near the front took a flash picture. When you look at that photograph today—that panoramic scene in the darkened United Center with thousands of twinkling flashlights—you will notice the little flash from the second camera illuminated one face on the front row.

That one face is Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian. You can see him turned around, tears streaming down his cheeks, as he looks at all those lights—lives touched by the gospel because just one of his students caught the vision.

“That,” I told our professors, “is why we keep coming back to teach.” Afterward, one young faculty member, looking a little weary, came up to me with a smile and said, “Thanks. I really needed that.”

So tomorrow morning when I walk in my office, one of the first things I’ll do is reach up to my leadership hat rack and pull off a hat. Guess which one it will be . . .

By Matt Proctor

Someone wrote that 10 years ago our world had Bob Hope, Johnny Cash, and Steve Jobs. Now we have no Jobs, no Cash, and no Hope! Maybe you’ve experienced those moments of “no hope.”

The normal challenges of life—financial shortfall, physical illness, family conflict—are tough enough. But for believers, life can be even harder. In John 16:33, Jesus promised, “In this world you will have trouble.” In Acts 14:22, Paul said, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” You may know those hardships very well:

You’ve struggled to get free of a sinful habit that won’t let you go.

You’ve ached through a painful church conflict that tore your congregation in half.

You’ve poured yourself into a promising young leader, only to see him walk away.

You’ve prayed for a lost friend for years, spent countless hours building a relationship, but your heart breaks because she remains resistant to the faith.

Every spiritual leader I know has experienced discouragement. Ministry is a contact sport, and after a painful season of serving, many of us limp off the field . . . not sure whether we’ll return. When life is hard, it’s easy to feel defeated.

That’s why I want to personally invite you to the 2013 North American Christian Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Our theme is “Victorious,” and we’ll be preaching through the book of Revelation. I am confident God will use his Word to encourage us, inspire us, and challenge us to be overcomers in Christ!

Why in the World Are We in Revelation?

If the New Testament were a neighborhood, then at the near end of the street would stand the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are familiar territory with warm, well-lit, welcoming homes. But at the far end of the street, shrouded in darkness, stands the haunted house of . . . Revelation! The last book of the Bible can seem scary, and not everyone wants to go in there.

But Revelation proclaims a powerful message of hope: No matter how bad things get, at the end of the story we win.

Revelation was written to believers besieged by a corrupt and hostile culture. They were tempted to conform to the world around them or be singled out for persecution. (Sound familiar?) So the apostle John challenges them to persevere, to join in the “suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). In doing so, he pulls back the curtain on the spiritual world to show them that hardship is temporary, and God is all-powerful, and Heaven is real, and a day is coming when Jesus will return and Satan will be defeated and we will go home.

When we know the end of our story, we can make sense of the story’s middle where we live right now. Revelation gives us the glorious news: if we’ll be faithful in the middle, we’ll be victorious in the end!

An Outstanding Company of Preachers

To proclaim that message at the 2013 NACC, I get to stand in the company of some great preachers. You’ll want to come Tuesday and stay through Friday as we walk through every chapter in Revelation. Here’s a preview:

• Encounter Christ Powerfully.
On Tuesday evening, I will open with Revelation 1, reminding us that if we are to be victorious, we need a powerful vision of Christ. In Revelation 1, Jesus is not a meek and mild-mannered “Mr. Rogers” Messiah. He is a huge and towering figure, the Lion of Judah who will not be tamed, powerful enough to confront our sin and to comfort our fears.

• Love the Church Honestly.
On Wednesday morning, Aaron Brockett of Trader’s Point Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, will walk us through the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3. The churches are a mess—just like the ones we know. But Jesus still loves these churches, and we’ll be challenged to love our own imperfect congregation.

• Worship God Selflessly.
Also on Wednesday morning, Randy Harris of Abilene (Texas) Christian University, will usher us into Heaven’s throne room in Revelation 4 and 5. As we enter this cosmic corporate worship service, we will suck in our breath, shield our eyes, and drop to our knees before a God so glorious we can only describe him with thunder, lightning, rainbows, and jewels. He is the reason we will be victorious.

• Endure Suffering Patiently.
On Wednesday evening, Jon Weece of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, will take us through the trials of Revelation 6 to 9: war, famine, murder, earthquakes. When we suffer, we sometimes ask, “How long, Sovereign Lord?” (Revelation 6:10). But God’s people endure patiently because we know a time is coming when “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).

• Bear Witness Boldly.
On Thursday morning, Frank Smith of Christ’s Church for Our Community in Louisville, Kentucky, will hold up for us God’s spokesmen in Revelation 10 and 11—the apostle John and the two witnesses. They each speak God’s message, despite persecution. Their actions are courageous, their example is contagious, and we’ll be challenged to be bold witnesses for Christ in a hostile world.

• See Evil Clearly.
On Thursday night, Kyle Idleman of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville will show us how evil is personified in Revelation 12 to 18 as a violent dragon, two grotesque beasts, and a prostitute. We need these shocking images because the world seeks to dress up ugly realities in beautiful disguises. To be victorious, we must see evil as it truly is, avoid being seduced by our culture, and remain fiercely faithful to Jesus.

• Welcome Salvation Joyfully.
On Friday morning, Rick Atchley of The Hills Church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas, will bring us to the story’s climactic moment in Revelation 19 and 20—the final showdown between our adversaries and our Hero. The good news: Christ will return, the dragon will be defeated, and God’s eternal kingdom will be established! That coming salvation prompts in Revelation 19 the only New Testament usage of “Hallelujah!”

• Desire Heaven Deeply.
To close the convention on Friday morning, special guest Joni Eareckson Tada will take us on a tour of the new heavens and new earth in Revelation 21 and 22. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up thinking about this world that we fail to focus on the next. But when this lady who has spent the last 45 years in a wheelchair as a quadriplegic speaks, I think we will all find our hearts stirred with a longing for Heaven. As we head home, we’ll all be looking forward to Home!

If You Need a Big Dose of Hope . . .

Because Revelation was written to persecuted believers, we thought it would be good to remember our brothers and sisters in the persecuted church around the globe. In each of our six main sessions, we’ll hear a testimony from an international believer, many of whom have suffered for their faith. We will then have a special time of prayer in each service, praying for the victorious advance of Christ’s church around the world.

We’ll also have special musical guests, the African Children’s Choir, on Thursday night. These children have lost one or both parents to AIDS or other poverty-
related diseases, but they have now been given a home, an education, and the life-changing love of Christ. When you see their joy as they sing, you’ll want to join them in celebrating our victory in Jesus!

So put July 9-12, 2013, on your calendar now, and bring your family to Louisville next summer. If you’ve ever felt those moments of “no hope,” the 2013 NACC will be just what you need. You’ll pray, worship, connect with old friends, make new ones, eat, laugh, learn, swim with your kids in the hotel pool, and look forward in victorious anticipation of Heaven. Join us, and let God’s Word shoot the adrenaline of hope through your soul!

View the 2013 NACC Schedule of Events

Matt Proctor is president of Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri. He serves as a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor and as president of the 2013 NACC.

By Matt Proctor

Effective leaders are not born; they’re made. At the 2013 NACC, you’ll have a chance to sharpen your own leadership. On Thursday afternoon, we’ll have our normal schedule with dozens of helpful workshops, but on Wednesday afternoon, we’ll have just four large workshops. At Wednesday’s “leadership conference within a conference,” we’ll welcome nationally known speakers for each of four large leadership workshops.

Les and Leslie Parrott

Les and Leslie Parrott will speak about “The Leader’s Marriage.” These New York Times best-selling authors have shared their Christian perspective on marriage on CNN, The View, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, Fox News, and The Today Show. Their blend of biblical background, clinical experience, practical insights, and real-life humor will help you keep your marriage strong in the crucible of leadership.

Wayne Cordeiro will explore “The Leader’s Soul.” Cordeiro is the founding pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu, Hawaii, with more than 15,000 in weekend attendance. He is also a best-selling author of several books, including Leading on Empty, about his own journey through burnout and back. A speaker at events like Catalyst, Exponential, and Willow Creek’s Leadership Summit, Cordeiro will encourage you to keep your own soul healthy as a leader.

Eric Metaxas will delve into “The Leader’s Mind.” How can we do our best thinking to engage culture with the gospel? Metaxas has written best-selling books on two men who did this well: Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery. Metaxas himself has influenced culture at a popular level as a writer for VeggieTales, and in the intellectual arena as founder of Socrates in the City—a Manhattan speakers series that seeks to engage New York City’s professional class with Christian thinkers such as Dinesh D’Souza, Os Guinness, Sir John Polkinghorne, and Francis Collins. As Chuck Colson’s successor on the daily Breakpoint radio commentary, Metaxas will challenge you to think clearly and deeply about our leadership task in a fallen culture.

Ken Davis will tackle “The Leader’s Communication.” A Christian comedian and one of the country’s most sought after inspirational speakers, Davis’s side-splitting humor and insight has delighted audiences of all ages. A Gold Medallion Award-winning author, Davis has been the keynote speaker for major corporate events, Promise Keepers, and Focus on the Family. His daily radio show, Lighten Up!, is heard on more than 1,500 stations. As president of Dynamic Communications International, he has also taught speaking skills to thousands of ministry and business professionals, and he will help you hone your communication skills as a leader.

Leadership ability is the lid on any organization’s effectiveness. You won’t want to miss Wednesday afternoon’s “leadership conference within a conference” as it helps take your leadership to the next level in your family, your business, or your church.

Matt Proctor is president of Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri. He serves as a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor and as president of the 2013 NACC.

By Mark A. Taylor

Months ago Matt Proctor chose the topic for the sermon he preached Monday evening (February 25) to kick off Ozark Christian College’s annual Preaching Teaching Convention. But he had no idea then how personal his message, titled “Trust Completely,” would become.

The Proctor family

The challenge to trust came into sharper focus for Matt when his wife, Katie, was diagnosed with endometrial cancer two weeks ago. “Not exactly the news a 44-year-old mother of six kids was hoping to hear,” Matt said, according to last week’s e-newsletter from the North American Christian Convention.

The NACC made the announcement as part of a prayer request for Matt and his family, a request made even more urgent by the fact that Matt is president of this year’s convention in Louisville, July 9-12.

As we reported in Matt’s post at this site last week, the 2013 NACC theme is “Victorious,” with preaching through the book of Revelation. NACC publicity has included the tag line, “When life seems hopeless, read the end of the story.” And while the Proctors’ situation is anything but hopeless, it reminds us all of times when life’s hurdles threatened our own confidence in victory.

The fact is that all of us will benefit from the fine preaching and special fellowship of this summer’s convention. Several new touches will add to the exceptional experience we’re anticipating.

The convention will include a global perspective as several share how God is bringing victory even in the darkest corners of the world.

And special guests include nationally known speakers and leaders some of us will get to hear for the first time.

After you’ve clicked on the above links for more details, go to the NACC site for information about housing and registration. There you’ll also see the schedule for the week and news about other dimensions of the convention’s multifaceted program: networking breakfasts, ladies programming, children’s and youth conventions, Bible studies, and so much more.

Year after year we promote the NACC as “the connecting place” for nondenominational Christians. This year’s convention has a special draw—not only because of the unique and powerful program planned, but also because of the way its president is modeling its message of trust.

NACC President Matt Proctor reflects on the convention theme, the convention’s contribution, and his feelings about the future of our movement. See his interview with Editor Mark Taylor here.

Meet Our Contributing Editors: This month we talk with Ozark Christian College President Matt Proctor about the impact of a convention theme, the health of the churches in our fellowship, and the genius of the Restoration Movement.

Well, two big things have been part of your life this past year: the North American Christian Convention and your wife’s cancer. Of course, that’s in addition to your work leading Ozark Christian College. I want to talk about all of it—let’s start with the NACC. What have you discovered about our churches this past year?

Matt Proctor preaching on opening night at the 2013 North American Christian Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.

It’s been an honor to serve as the North American president. The travel schedule took me to some new places, and I’m really encouraged by what I see. I visited lots of churches with a strong outreach mind-set that want to touch their communities with the love of Christ. I see a strong missions heart, people who want to know what God is doing around the world and how they can be part of it. I see preachers who have really embraced preaching and teaching through books of the Bible.

I would stack the leaders in our movement with the best anywhere. We also have a ton of healthy midsize churches. They may not be the ones making the headlines, but this year I was really encouraged by the ones I got to know.

Some folks worry we’re going to compromise on baptism or try to find the lowest common denominator with the Evangelical world, and I don’t find that to be true at all. If anything, in recent years I’ve seen a stronger emphasis on baptism. Honestly, I think some of our megachurches have waved that banner better than ever.

 

I’m sure you’ve been asked this question before—what led you to choose Revelation as this year’s NACC theme?

Two reasons. First, Revelation tells us we’re part of a bigger story. I studied the book with Dr. Robert Lowery and he turned my world upside down—which I think apocalypse is supposed to do. It set my imagination on fire to reenvision the world through Christ’s eyes. Sometimes we think our lives are so ordinary, and we forget we are all playing a part in an epic story.

We had an apologetics professor at Ozark who loved Star Wars. (He liked to say he was training “apolojedi.”) Every morning he would listen to the theme music to remind him that even though he was going off to do regular professor stuff—give lectures, meet with students, grade papers—he was actually part of this grand cosmic conflict with very high stakes, the battle for immortal human souls. And that’s what Revelation is meant to do. So I wanted people who were scared of the book to read it and, even if they didn’t understand every little detail, be able to reimagine their world and their lives as part of the grand salvation drama of the ages.

Second, Revelation tells us we’re part of a hopeful story. Everybody needs a strong dose of hope. Little did I know, of course, that the message of hope for suffering people was something I would need because of situations in my own family. Looking back on it, God was working upstream and he knew I was going to need to live with the message of Revelation this year.

 

When did you get the diagnosis that Katie had cancer? 

February 15 was the day the doctor dropped the cancer word on our family. She had been sick since the beginning of the year; still, that diagnosis was a punch in the gut. But I married a woman of faith, and we held onto the constancy and goodness of God. We knew that whatever happened, he was going to take care of our family.

 

Not that there’s ever a good time to face cancer, but this was not the year.

In a lot of ways it’s turned out better than I could have planned, because we needed the North American theme in our lives. The word victorious was all over our house because I had NACC displays and literature I carried with me everywhere, so we were constantly reminded that no matter what happened, we would win in the end.

And we are already surrounded by a great church family and college family, but because of my role this year we were also surrounded by the Christian church family, and literally thousands of people and hundreds of churches mentioned my wife’s name in prayer during that time. If there was ever a reminder of why the NACC is important as a way to connect us, this was it. We were overwhelmed and humbled.

I was scheduled to speak at a big teen convention the weekend after the diagnosis and couldn’t attend. All the teens at the convention signed a huge card and sent it to our house and it just blew our kids away. My son tweeted a picture of it and wrote, “I love the church.” My kids got to see the church at its best. I’ll forever be grateful for that.

 

How is Katie doing? 

We’re celebrating that at the moment Katie is cancer-free. She’ll have to take meds for the rest of her life because this particular cancer has a fairly high recurrence rate. There are some side effects, and there’s a new normal for us. But we’re so grateful for answered prayers, and we’re just going to trust God every day to keep leading us.

 

Everything else pales in comparison to that experience, but another unpleasant moment this year must have been that Business Insider article ranking Ozark as “not worth the money.”

I’m sure they were well-intentioned, and the issue of escalating costs in higher education is certainly a legitimate one. The point of the article was to compare the cost of a school’s education to the expected salary of a school’s graduates.

I think our cost is very reasonable. I think the average cost nationally of a four-year private college education is $36,000 a year, and we’re less than half that. But because we are a Bible college, unlike other schools on the list, the vast majority of our graduates go into ministry, which isn’t exactly a ticket to riches. So they are right that our graduates aren’t going to make as much as a graduate from, say, Harvard.

But I don’t think the effectiveness of our mission is measured by the size of a paycheck. Our effectiveness is measured by things like churches planted, Bibles translated, missionaries sent, marriages mended, children taught, teenagers mentored, and lives changed by the gospel. Our graduates get to see some paychecks more important than the ones you deposit in your bank account.

 

It’s part of a larger conversation we’re hearing more and more about the rising costs of college. The debt load is a real issue, especially for people in ministry. 

And it’s an important conversation to have. We try to operate really lean and stay pretty efficient so we can keep those costs down while offering a quality experience. I think of Bob Russell’s line—“excellence without extravagance.”

It’s always a balancing act because we want to provide a quality education, which means quality people. But when health insurance costs for our staff go up by 20 or 40 percent, that either gets paid for by gift income or by a raise in tuition.

We also encourage students to work hard and not just take out their maximum loans every semester, so they can leave school with the least amount of debt possible. And we’re continually trying to raise scholarship funds. That’s one of our development office’s main goals.

 

What’s going on at Ozark that you’re especially excited about? 

I’m really excited about our partnerships, like the one with Orchard Group. For the last few years we’ve sent students to New York City to take classes, visit church plants, and explore urban church planting. Some of the kids who participate in this will become church planters and some will become leaders who have a heart for church planting. A few recent grads are planting in Japan and having amazing success—that’s a direct result of this program.

We’re in discussions with Christ In Youth and Good News Productions about partnering to train students in media and storytelling and using those tools for gospel work.

We also started a new BA in Biblical Justice this fall. The name is intentional—we’re taking a biblical approach that means caring for the whole person, body and soul. We’re partnering with some churches like Southland Christian in Lexington that are doing a great job combining evangelism and compassion ministries.

 

I love the way we work together. All of these good things for your students are happening because our churches and parachurches are working with you.

It’s the genius of the Restoration Movement. We call ourselves “independent Christian churches” but actually we’re interdependent. Even though we have more than 5,000 congregations, it just feels like a small town because everywhere I go I meet someone who knows someone I know.

I also love how nimble we are, because we can respond to needs without the bureaucracy. So many of our organizations began because someone saw the need, had the freedom to take the initiative, and worked with others to make something happen.

One of my goals this year was to really wave the banner with the younger generation, not just for the NACC but for our movement. So I tried to get into as many of our colleges as I could and share the value of staying connected, because ours is a great family to be part of. I love our tribe.

 

Jennifer Johnson, herself one of CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s contributing editors, is a writer living in Levittown, Pennsylvania.

Matt and Katie Proctor and their six children, each wearing a “Cancer is bad, but God is good” T-shirt, thank worshippers in the opening-night NACC crowd for their prayers in the months that have followed Katie’s February cancer diagnosis.

By Darrel Rowland

The February weekend Matt Proctor found out his wife, Katie, had cancer was filled with tears, fears, and scary portents.

The Sunday morning lesson he had to teach didn’t help; it was on Ruth and Naomi, both widowed when their spouses died.

Emotionally wrung out by Sunday night, he suggested his kids pick out a movie and they would all gather downstairs and watch it together.

The choice was the Disney-Pixar animated film Up.

Within the first few minutes of the movie, the husband loses his wife.

“I had tears rolling down my cheeks,” Proctor says.

Less than five months before he was supposed to preside over a North American Christian Convention with the theme of “Victorious,” Proctor didn’t know whether his wife would still be around to accompany him and their six children.

“I was just watching the movie thinking, What if? What if I do lose Katie and I have to raise these kids on my own? And who knows what will happen if this happens quickly with the convention? There were a lot of those question marks that swirl around in your head.”

The most important of those questions was answered following Katie’s surgery in April. As the family movingly proclaimed on the convention’s opening night—with help from T-shirts and signs designed by Katie—doctors have proclaimed they can find no evidence of cancer.

“Here’s what I came to say in a sentence: Never, ever, ever un-derestimate Jesus,” he told a crowd that included many a wet eye.

Could the cancer have struck at a worse time, with Proctor not only preparing for the convention but busy with his “day job” as president of Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri, along with teaching and speaking engagements?

That’s not how Proctor sees it.

“Honestly, I couldn’t think of a better year if it was going to happen. Because we were not only surrounded by our family and the college family and our own church family, but because of this role as president of the North American, we were literally surrounded by family that was nationwide and worldwide,” he says.

“To be honest, as hard as these months have been, there’ve been a lot of blessings in it. My kids have been able to see the church at its best . . . And you can’t put a price tag on that.”

Darrel Rowland is public affairs editor of The Columbus Dispatch and an adult Bible fellowship teacher with Worthington (Ohio) Christian Church.

By Matt Proctor

Your theology of the incarnation matters. It affects how you view your body, your
problems, your ministry—and your celebration of the holiday before us.

Your theology of the incarnation matters.

Santa Claus thought so. Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Myra in Asia Minor in the early fourth century, is the historical basis for the Santa myth. Born to a wealthy family, Nicholas used his entire inheritance to help the poor, sick, and children in need. Stories of Saint Nick describe him saving young women from slavery, providing grain in a famine, and sparing innocents from execution. It’s not hard to see why he was revered as a kind and generous soul.

But Nicholas also cared deeply about Christian doctrine. In AD 325, he attended the pivotal Council of Nicaea, a gathering of church leaders from throughout the Roman Empire to address the Arian heresy. Arius, a teacher of great influence, insisted that Jesus was a created being and not fully God. Nicholas strongly disagreed, and during the council meeting, one tradition tells us Nicholas and Arius got into a heated debate on the nature of the incarnation and the full deity of Christ. However, the debate ended suddenly when Nicholas punched out Arius right there on the floor of the council!

That’s right. Santa Claus punched a heretic.

Maybe we shouldn’t call him “jolly old Saint Nick” any more.

While his conflict resolution methods may have needed improvement, one thing you must admire: Nicholas was passionate about doctrinal orthodoxy. He believed your theology of the incarnation matters.

Usain Bolt in a Three-Legged Race
So here’s a theology of the incarnation in a nutshell: “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). Jesus of Nazareth was fully God and fully man. The second person of the Trinity—who has existed eternally—entered history as a human baby one night in Bethlehem. In meditating on this mystery, we should avoid two mistakes.

On one hand, we should not think, by becoming human, Jesus became something less than God. Sometimes Philippians 2:6 and 7 are misunderstood to mean Jesus emptied himself of his deity. A better understanding: Jesus did not empty himself of his God-nature, but he did empty himself of some of his God-privileges during his time on earth.

If Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt entered a three-legged race—running with one leg tied to a partner’s leg—it wouldn’t diminish his innate running ability or change his status as the world’s fastest sprinter. But he would certainly be voluntarily limiting the use of his abilities. Likewise, Jesus’ status as fully God was not diminished in the incarnation. He did limit his omnipresence by taking on a human body. He limited his omniscience by experiencing normal human growth—including a gradually growing intellect and consciousness (Luke 2:52).

But Jesus did not surrender his “God-ness.” Theologian Millard Erickson says, “The incarnation was more an addition of human attributes than a loss of divine attributes.” The second person of the Trinity was fully God for all eternity past, was still fully God when he took on a physical body and a human name, and remains fully God today, having returned to his Father’s right hand (John 1:1; Acts 7:56).

The Only One to Taste Full Humanity
On the other hand, we should avoid the mistake of thinking that, because he was God, Jesus couldn’t have been really and truly, fully human. The Gospels paint the picture of a Jesus who got hungry, thirsty, and tired. He got callouses, blew his nose, and instinctively rubbed his bug bites. He bled when he got cut, and he wrestled with all the powerful emotions of the human experience. He felt joy, sorrow, affection, anger, compassion, astonishment, loneliness, distress, and grief. (See John 15:11; Matthew 26:37; John 11:33; Mark 3:5; Matthew 9:36; Luke 7:9; Mark 15:34; Luke 12:50; and John 11:35.)

One scholar, A. E. Taylor, contends Jesus couldn’t have been fully human because he never sinned. Hebrews 4:15 tells us Jesus “has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” But Taylor casts doubt on the genuineness of Jesus’ temptations: “If a man does not commit certain transgressions . . . it must be because he never felt the appeal of them.”1

But Leon Morris argues that the reverse of Taylor’s assertion is true. Because of his sinlessness, Jesus felt a more intense temptation, not a less intense one. “The man who yields to a particular temptation has not felt its full power. He has given in while the temptation has yet something in reserve. Only the man who does not yield to a temptation, who as regards that particular temptation is sinless, knows the full extent of that temptation.”2

Jesus was the one who withstood the temptation that Adam could not; it was he who finally lived out God’s original intention for mankind. So the question, then, is not, “Was Jesus fully human?” The question is, “Are we fully human?” The answer, of course, is that we are fallen, a broken version of God’s original design. Ironically, only the one who was fully God has tasted what it means to be fully human. Jesus knew the human experience better than any previous human.

Meaning to the Cross
It is the incarnation that gives meaning to the cross. Without the doctrine of the incarnation, Jesus’ death on the cross would either be unable to atone for sins (if Jesus weren’t fully God) or unavailable to apply to mankind (if Jesus weren’t fully human). The cross has significance only because Jesus was both fully divine (his sacrifice is powerful enough to save) and fully human (his sacrifice is pertinent enough to apply to us). Because he was God, the cross is redemptive. Because he was man, the cross is relevant.

Saint Nicholas was right: your theology of the incarnation matters.

“Happy Incarnation Day”
Perhaps it matters more than we know.

I know a Bible college professor who—instead of offering a “Happy Holidays” or even a “Merry Christmas”—made his December greeting every year a cheery, “Happy Incarnation Day!” Yes, people looked at him weird, but I loved it. He wanted to encourage people to do more than simply nod in Jesus’ direction. He wanted them to actually reflect on the central doctrine of Christmas—the incarnation.

These days, Christmas seems to be a holiday aimed more at the heart than the head. The weeks leading up to December 25 are filled with sentimental images, warm emotions, and caroling services—not doctrinal discussions. But during this holiday season, in addition to feeling grateful about the incarnation, we would also be wise to think carefully about the incarnation.

Specifically this: we know the theological implications of this doctrine, but are there other, more practical, implications of a God-who-came-in-the-flesh? Could our theology of the incarnation shape more than just our understanding of salvation? Let me suggest how the incarnation can inform many other areas of life.

Our Physical Bodies Are Essential to Our Humanity
When the Word became flesh, he demonstrated that our physical bodies are an essential part of our humanity. We are a strange mixture of physical and spiritual, a weird alchemy of material and immaterial, an inseparable combination of body and soul. We are inextricably intermixed, and as someone said, “The body and soul live so close to each other that they catch each other’s diseases.”

That’s true: when our bodies experience fatigue or sickness, it can affect our soul’s outlook. When our souls are troubled, our bodies might manifest the distress in ulcers, headaches, or high blood pressure. The reverse is also true: when our bodies are healthy, it can lighten our spirit. When our soul is full, we might not even notice weariness or fatigue. (By the way, this psychosomatic human nature means we would be wise to try different bodily postures in prayer because they can actually affect our spirit’s attitude.)

In fact, our physical bodies not only affect our spirits, they can affect other’s spirits. In a famous study of interpersonal communication, psychologist Albert Mehrabian discovered we decide how we feel about a speaker based largely on physical—not verbal—cues. He said 7 percent of a speaker’s emotional impact comes from the words he says, 38 percent comes from tone of voice, and 55 percent comes from facial expressions and bodily posture.

All of which is to say: when God wanted to demonstrate his love for us, he chose to do so by taking on a body. Jesus looked directly at people, touched people, held children in his arms, and used his physical frame to communicate God’s care and compassion.

Ministry Is Best Done in Person
Given our amazing communication capabilities in this high-tech chapter of world history, it’s interesting to note that Jesus chose to enter history in a low-tech, high-touch chapter. He could’ve decided to be born at a time with the advantages of television, radio, the Internet, Facebook, and Twitter. (Although I can hear him now, “That’s not what I meant when I said, ‘Follow me.’”) It seems he would’ve been able to spread the message of the kingdom much more quickly.

But instead, he chose to step into world history at a time when he had to physically talk to every person who would hear his message, to physically touch the individuals who needed his healing, to physically walk to every ministry location. Japanese theologian Kosuke Koyama entitled his book Three Mile an Hour God because Jesus entered time when the chief mode of transportation was walking, and our average walking speed is three miles an hour.

In choosing the moment of his historical appearance, Jesus was deciding his ministry would have to live within the time and space limits of his physical body. When he wanted to “multiply his ministry,” he did not choose to do so through leveraged technology. Instead, he chose to do so by being physically present with 12 disciples, preparing them in person to carry his message to the places he could not bodily go. His incarnation carries this implication: ministry happens best in person.

I know a preacher who, rather than making a personal visit, texted his condolences to a grieving family. Please hear me: I myself text, tweet, and Skype. I am no Luddite, and I believe the “dominion” mandate in Genesis 1:28 includes harnessing technology for good. But if I ever catch one of my students texting a family in a funeral home when he could’ve made a personal visit, I will track him down and revoke his diploma.

The fact is, we are embodied beings, and there is something about being physically present with another person that communicates the greatest attention. Often the greatest moment of ministry is the three mile an hour act of simply walking in someone’s door. Every minister knows when folks express gratitude for their preacher’s care in the midst of a crisis, they usually don’t say, “Thank you for your wise words.” Instead they say, “Thanks for being there.”

So in a day of DVD sermons in church and youth group devotions on Twitter (which can be good things), the incarnation reminds us that the personal touch matters. If I can call someone instead of e-mailing, I will. If I can have a face-to-face conversation instead of picking up the phone, I will. The more personal the ministry, the better.

Christ Understands Our Fallen World Struggles
Indeed, a personal visit from another person is a way of entering into their experience. When the young priest Ezekiel arrived in Babylon to preach to the Israelite captives there, he did not walk in and immediately start sermonizing. Instead, he “sat among them for seven days—deeply distressed” (3:15). Ezekiel was wise enough to know that the exiled Israelites would hear him better if he took the time to enter their pain. He identified with them.

The incarnation was God’s way of “sitting among us” and feeling our struggles in a fallen world. Hebrews 4:15 tells us, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses.” When you encounter painful trials, Jesus understands. Because Jesus experienced the same kinds of physical, emotional, and spiritual tribulations as we do, he can be the very best pastor for your soul.

When my boys were younger, they loved it when I would dress like them. After 5-year-old Carl and 3-year-old Conrad would put on jeans and a blue T-shirt, they’d come ask me to wear jeans and a blue T-shirt. When I did, they had a saying. They would survey me, survey themselves, and say, “Look, Dad: same, same.” For my birthday, Carl bought me a North Carolina blue mesh shirt . . . because he had a North Carolina blue mesh shirt. We could be “same, same.”

When I played living room football with my boys, Conrad would not let me play standing—so big and scary and towering above him. The theological term for this is “completely other.” Instead he insisted I get on my knees. When I was down at eye level, Conrad would put his hand on my shoulder and say, “There. See, Dad—same, same.” They liked it when I entered their world. (To be honest, it’s not that hard because I mostly do life at a grade-school level. When I laugh like a fourth-grader at my little boys’ burping, my wife shakes her head and mutters, “Same, same”).

One time I scraped my leg working on my house. When Conrad fell down and scraped his leg, he pointed at my scab, then showed me his and said, “Hey, Dad—same, same.” Here’s the point: in the incarnation, God chose not to stay “completely other.” He got down at eye level and experienced what it’s like to be tired and discouraged, to feel abandoned and betrayed. He knows what it’s like to hurt and bleed.

In your pain, you may be tempted to say, “Jesus, you have no idea what I’m going through. You have no idea how bad I’m hurting.” But Christ can respond, “Yes, I do.” He can point to your wounds and then to his own and say, “Look: same, same. Me too. I have entered your world, and I know how you feel. I have been there, I am with you now, I care, and I can help.”

Wow.

Your theology of the God-who-became-flesh can quite literally be life changing. Meditating on the implications of the God-man can shape your ministry and feed your soul. So this holiday season, don’t risk the wrath of Saint Nicholas. In the midst of all the warm feelings, take time to think deeply and think well on the central doctrine of Christmas.
Happy Incarnation Day!
________

1A. E. Taylor, Asking Them Questions, ed. Ronald Selby Wright (London: Oxford University Press, 1936), 94.

2Leon Morris, The Lord from Heaven (Downer’s Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1974), 51, 52.

Matt Proctor serves as president at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. He also served as president of the 2013 North American Christian Convention.

By Matt Proctor

In the book Children’s Letters to God, one young girl wrote: “Dear God, are boys better than girls? I know you are one, but try to be fair.” It’s an age-old question: what does God think about women and, specifically, women’s roles in the church?

It’s also a controversial question. The April 2013 article “Women Preaching” generated more comments on CHRISTIAN STANDARD’s website than any other article last year. The article mentioned that Ozark Christian College offers a preaching class for women, and some readers wondered about the biblical rationale for such a class. (By the way, I’m grateful for all who want to hold our Restoration Movement colleges accountable. May their tribe increase.)

After all, in 1 Timothy 2:12, Paul says, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man.” Are we (I use we because I am president of OCC) simply disregarding this text from God’s Word? If we are a true Bible college—teaching what the Bible teaches, prohibiting what the Bible prohibits, and allowing what the Bible allows—then what possible scriptural warrant is there for a women’s preaching class?

To answer that question, let me tell you a story.

Katie and Matt Proctor

By Matt Proctor

(From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I’ve Ever Received.”)

I worked for a time at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, and in a talk with church staff, senior minister Bob Russell once described the inevitability of conflict, “We’re not always going to get along. Someone said, ‘Where two or three are gathered in my name . . . there’s going to be an argument.’” He then pointed out the human tendency, in the midst of conflict, to suspect the worst about the other person. We assume their motives are malicious, or at least less-than-trustworthy. So Bob gave the staff a simple guideline for maintaining a healthy relational culture: “Trust good intentions.”

This advice has served me well in Christian leadership. When someone’s behavior is frustrating, I try to remember not to “mind read” their motives. If an employee critiques a decision I’ve made, I’ll be wise if I avoid labeling him “negative,” and instead believe he spoke because he cares about the college’s effectiveness. If a Christian brother disagrees strongly with my understanding of Scripture, I try not to brand him a “legalist,” but to instead appreciate what I assume is a desire to honor God’s Word. When my wife points out my faults, I’m learning to trust she’s not intentionally trying to hurt me, but instead trying to make me a better man. (Good luck with that, Katie.)

I’ve led long enough to know that, on occasion, a few people don’t have good intentions. But on the whole, “trusting good intentions” has kept me from interpreting people through my pain or frustration, from seeing their actions through an unfairly negative lens, and from responding out of fear or anger. In the midst of conflict, it has helped me to listen better, understand people more accurately, practice kindness more often, and learn more from what others have to say—however hard it may be to hear.

Where two or three are gathered in my name . . . trust good intentions.

Matt Proctor serves as president of Ozark Christian College.

By Matt Proctor

One of my favorite Christmas pastimes is sitting with my kids and looking through family photo albums. Almost every picture sparks a story about their ancestors:

• “There’s your Great-Grandpa Weede. Oh, he loved to joke. One time, he painted faces on his two big farm-fuel tanks. One had a smiley face that said, ‘I’ve got diesel.’ The other had a frowning face that said, ‘I’ve got gas!’

“The whole county knew his laugh . . . and his faith. He prayed every day for every grandkid by name.”

• “And there’s your Granny Ruth. A strong, energetic lady, and the glue that held the big Bunton farming clan together. For 20 years on her tax forms, she wrote ‘matriarch’ on the occupation blank!

“But always a servant. She was still teaching the special-needs adult Sunday school class at 84 years old.”

The pages turn, the stories flow, my kids learn what kind of people they come from—the good and the bad—and they discover that God’s hand has been writing our family story for generations.

Boring List or Interesting Photos?

Judging from the Scripture readings in the average Christmas Eve service, the Christmas story begins for many Christians at Matthew 1:18. We tend to skip the genealogy in verses 1–17, afraid the droning drumbeat of forty-some generations of Jesus’ ancestors will put the congregation to sleep. It’s not exactly a gripping introduction to Matthew’s book, and besides, it doesn’t seem that important.

But are we missing something? Second Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,” so could there be something to learn from this ancestral roll call? Could there be gospel in this beginning to the Gospel?

Matthew’s readers thought so. For his Jewish audience, the genealogy was an immediate attention-grabber. The famous Hebrew historian Josephus starts his own autobiography by tracing the names of his ancestors—Jewish audiences love these lists! So for Matthew’s readers, it is not simply an ancient record of unknown dead guys. Instead, almost every name triggers stories, emotions, or warm memories. This is not just Jesus’ backstory, after all. This is their entire nation’s history, their own personal lineage.

It feels to them like sitting on the couch with the family photo album, as dad shows the pictures and tells the tales. And what a collection of famous photos it is! On the title page of Jesus’ family album, Matthew tells his audience this is the story of the Messiah, and they lean forward to the edge of their seats. As Matthew begins to turn the pages, they can’t help but point at the pictures:

• “Look! There’s Abraham.” Matthew’s audience knows Messiah would be Abraham’s seed (Genesis 22:18).

• “And there’s Judah!” They know the prophecy in Genesis 49:10, “The scepter will not depart from Judah . . . until he to whom it belongs shall come.” Their excitement is palpable now.

• “And here’s David!” Messiah, of course, would be descended from Israel’s greatest leader (2 Samuel 7:12).

By the time Matthew gets to the last page of the album—with the photo of baby Jesus in Mary’s arms—his readers know: this child is indeed the Christ, the Promised One of God.

God Has a Perfect Master Plan

They also notice something else important. Matthew is an accountant by trade, and accountants are by nature a little
obsessive-compulsive. They like things neat and tidy. (Do you know why accountants wear gray suits? To bring a little color into an otherwise drab existence.) Accountants deal in numbers, and they always want the books to balance.

So it’s not surprising—his audience notes—that Matthew has divided his genealogical photo album into three perfectly ordered sections, 14 generational pages in each section.

But Matthew is also a preacher, and this careful arrangement is not just an attempt to compulsively “balance the books.” This is a sermon. What message is Matthew preaching?

God is in control.

Matthew shows his audience something remarkable. Though history may seem hodge-podge, random, and meaningless in its endless cycle of births and deaths, it is in fact under the careful guiding hand of God. In his genealogy, the organizationally oriented accountant shows his audience that there is order in the midst of the chaos, a divine plan patiently at work over millennia, quietly but relentlessly moving world events toward a single moment—the arrival of the Savior.

In his summary in 1:17, mathematically minded Matthew “shows the believer that, when you ‘add up’ the meaning of history, the ‘bottom line’ is Jesus Christ.”¹

This neatly organized photo album reminds the readers that, even when he seemed absent, God had been at work all along. He is ever-present, he is sovereign, he is faithful to keep his promises, and his hand has been writing their family story for generations. God is still in control.

That’s good news.

God Has Some Seriously Messy People

But Matthew’s not done preaching, and in putting together this album, the policies-and-procedures-loving tax guy does something that is definitely not by the book.

He includes women.

Though not completely unprecedented, it is still highly unusual for women to appear in a Jewish genealogy. Imagine picking up a West Point yearbook from 1950—when the U.S. Military Academy was still all-male—and scattered among the black-and-white photos, you find four female cadets. You would be confused, even shocked. Who are these women, and how did their pictures get in this book?

That’s exactly the reaction of Matthew’s readers. Oh, they might have expected to see Mary’s picture on the last page, but the other four ladies? Completely unexpected.

And the women he chose! If Matthew just wanted female representation in his album, he could’ve chosen the honored Hebrew matriarchs—Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah. But he didn’t.

Instead, it’s as if Matthew has rifled through all the old boxes in Israel’s attic, until he finally dug out the four most shocking family photos he could find. These women are all tainted, and his readers can hardly contain their dismay:

“Why is there a picture of Tamar?” In Genesis 38, when Judah fails to provide her a husband as promised, Tamar seduces her former father-in-law. She ends up pregnant with twin boys, making Judah both their father and (legally) their grandfather!

“I can’t believe he included Rahab!” Yes, she acted courageously to hide the Israelite spies in Joshua 2, but that didn’t change her occupation. She was a prostitute, a common hooker.

“Ruth? OK, but. . . .” No, Ruth wasn’t like the two women just mentioned, but sexual sin still stained her family history. As a Moabite, she was the product of Lot’s incest with his daughter, prompting God to command that no Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord, “not even in the tenth generation” (Deuteronomy 23:3).

“Not Bathsheba too!” This picture seems completely unnecessary, a gratuitous reminder of King David’s greatest failure. Why would Matthew insert a photo of the infamous adulteress—a pre-modern Monica Lewinsky?

These women are not squeaky clean Evangelical role models, like Beth Moore or Anne Graham Lotz. You won’t see them on TBN . . . but you might see them on TMZ! They’re notorious—a hot mess—and that’s why you don’t meet a lot of girls today named Tamar, Rahab or Bathsheba. What exactly is Matthew up to here?

God Uses Messy People in His Master Plan

He’s still preaching, that’s what. Matthew includes these four women—each with a messy backstory—to communicate a powerful message: God loves using imperfect people to accomplish his perfect plan.

When President George W. Bush gave the 2001 commencement address at Yale University, he began, “To the A students who are graduating with honors, I say: well done. And to the C students I say: you too can be president of the United States!” God has a long history of using both A students and C students, the eloquent and the slow of speech, the dressed-up and the messed-up, the weak and the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27).

You see that in these four ladies. God chooses them to help save the world, and their contribution is not simply giving birth (as significant as that is). No, each lady is an active agent in God’s plan.

Tamar has to trick Judah into fathering the next generation of the Messianic bloodline.

Rahab has to covertly redirect the king of Jericho’s soldiers to protect the Israelites.

Ruth has to take an aggressive step to get Boaz moving toward the wedding altar—proposing to him herself!

Bathsheba has to make a shrewd, even dangerous, political move to protect Solomon’s right to the throne.²

Each woman takes some kind of risky initiative to accomplish God’s purposes and, in so doing, keeps the redemption story alive. As one scholar puts it, “Israel’s history would have been cut short prematurely had these women not seen it as their task to map out alternative pathways to the future.”³ To Matthew’s readers, these are surprising heroes, because . . .

In all four stories, God uses women instead of men. In Jesus’ day, a woman was a second-class citizen, more property than person. A common rabbinic prayer began, “Blessed art thou, O God, for not making me a Gentile, slave or woman.” In the Greco-Roman world, there were about 140 men for every 100 women. Why? What happened to the other women? They had been left to die as infants, viewed as having little value. Women were literally disposable . . . but not to God.

In the book Children’s Letters to God, one young girl wrote: “Dear God, are boys better than girls? I know you are one, but try to be fair.” In Jesus’ genealogy, God answers the question. He wants to use all of his children to do his work, not just the boys.

In all four stories, God uses Gentiles instead of Jews. Tamar was an Aramean, Rahab a Canaanite, Ruth a Moabite, and Bathsheba was a Hittite, at least by marriage, if not by blood. Though Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience, he pointedly inserts these ladies at the beginning of his book to foreshadow the message at the end of his book: God is not just out to save the Israelite nation.

Shocking as it may seem to Jewish ears, God wants disciples from “all nations,” every ethnic group on the globe (Matthew 28:19). And in the very bloodstream of the Messiah, we can already see God gathering the nations together in Christ. God wants to use all of his children to do his work, not just the Jews.

In all four stories, God uses “scandalous” sinners instead of respectable ones. Of course, everyone is a sinner, but in these four ladies, God picks some of the most scandalous sinners he can find. (Even though Ruth is not as egregious a sinner, her story still carries the stigma of sin.) The stain on these ladies’ lives is clearly visible, but God chooses messes to bring his Messiah. He wants to use all of his children to do his work, not just the respectable ones.

In August 2001, at a jazz club in New York City, world-renowned trumpeter Wynton Marsalis was playing a song called “I Don’t Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You.” The audience was mesmerized, when suddenly the sound of a cell phone sliced through air, marring the drama of the moment. A jazz critic in the audience scrawled on his notepad, “MAGIC, RUINED,” and people began to chatter.

But at that moment, the masterful Marsalis improvised. He played back the notes of the cell phone ring tone—first slow, then fast, and in different keys—and when all ears were back on him, he seamlessly transitioned the silly cell phone tune back to the ballad and finished the song. In the words of the jazz critic, “The standing ovation was tremendous.”

The message of these four surprising females in Jesus’ family photo album? God can take weaknesses—even failures—and weave them seamlessly into the song of salvation. He turns messes into masterpieces, and that’s good news.

This Christmas, don’t skip Matthew’s genealogy. There is gospel in the beginning of this Gospel.

And who knows? Someday, when a future generation is flipping through a photo album of God’s children doing his work in the world . . . maybe they’ll find your picture too.

________

¹Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007), 22.

²Read Genesis 38; Joshua 2; Ruth 3; and 1 Kings 1.

³R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007), 38.

Matt Proctor serves as president with Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri.

By Matt Proctor

Someone wrote that 10 years ago our world had Bob Hope, Johnny Cash, and Steve Jobs. Now we have no Jobs, no Cash, and no Hope! Maybe you’ve experienced those moments of “no hope.”

The normal challenges of life—financial shortfall, physical illness, family conflict—are tough enough. But for believers, life can be even harder. In John 16:33, Jesus promised, “In this world you will have trouble.” In Acts 14:22, Paul said, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” You may know those hardships very well:

You’ve struggled to get free of a sinful habit that won’t let you go.

You’ve ached through a painful church conflict that tore your congregation in half.

You’ve poured yourself into a promising young leader, only to see him walk away.

You’ve prayed for a lost friend for years, spent countless hours building a relationship, but your heart breaks because she remains resistant to the faith.

Every spiritual leader I know has experienced discouragement. Ministry is a contact sport, and after a painful season of serving, many of us limp off the field . . . not sure whether we’ll return. When life is hard, it’s easy to feel defeated.

That’s why I want to personally invite you to the 2013 North American Christian Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Our theme is “Victorious,” and we’ll be preaching through the book of Revelation. I am confident God will use his Word to encourage us, inspire us, and challenge us to be overcomers in Christ!

Why in the World Are We in Revelation?

If the New Testament were a neighborhood, then at the near end of the street would stand the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are familiar territory with warm, well-lit, welcoming homes. But at the far end of the street, shrouded in darkness, stands the haunted house of . . . Revelation! The last book of the Bible can seem scary, and not everyone wants to go in there.

But Revelation proclaims a powerful message of hope: No matter how bad things get, at the end of the story we win.

Revelation was written to believers besieged by a corrupt and hostile culture. They were tempted to conform to the world around them or be singled out for persecution. (Sound familiar?) So the apostle John challenges them to persevere, to join in the “suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). In doing so, he pulls back the curtain on the spiritual world to show them that hardship is temporary, and God is all-powerful, and Heaven is real, and a day is coming when Jesus will return and Satan will be defeated and we will go home.

When we know the end of our story, we can make sense of the story’s middle where we live right now. Revelation gives us the glorious news: if we’ll be faithful in the middle, we’ll be victorious in the end!

An Outstanding Company of Preachers

To proclaim that message at the 2013 NACC, I get to stand in the company of some great preachers. You’ll want to come Tuesday and stay through Friday as we walk through every chapter in Revelation. Here’s a preview:

• Encounter Christ Powerfully.
On Tuesday evening, I will open with Revelation 1, reminding us that if we are to be victorious, we need a powerful vision of Christ. In Revelation 1, Jesus is not a meek and mild-mannered “Mr. Rogers” Messiah. He is a huge and towering figure, the Lion of Judah who will not be tamed, powerful enough to confront our sin and to comfort our fears.

• Love the Church Honestly.
On Wednesday morning, Aaron Brockett of Trader’s Point Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, will walk us through the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3. The churches are a mess—just like the ones we know. But Jesus still loves these churches, and we’ll be challenged to love our own imperfect congregation.

• Worship God Selflessly.
Also on Wednesday morning, Randy Harris of Abilene (Texas) Christian University, will usher us into Heaven’s throne room in Revelation 4 and 5. As we enter this cosmic corporate worship service, we will suck in our breath, shield our eyes, and drop to our knees before a God so glorious we can only describe him with thunder, lightning, rainbows, and jewels. He is the reason we will be victorious.

• Endure Suffering Patiently.
On Wednesday evening, Jon Weece of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, will take us through the trials of Revelation 6 to 9: war, famine, murder, earthquakes. When we suffer, we sometimes ask, “How long, Sovereign Lord?” (Revelation 6:10). But God’s people endure patiently because we know a time is coming when “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).

• Bear Witness Boldly.
On Thursday morning, Frank Smith of Christ’s Church for Our Community in Louisville, Kentucky, will hold up for us God’s spokesmen in Revelation 10 and 11—the apostle John and the two witnesses. They each speak God’s message, despite persecution. Their actions are courageous, their example is contagious, and we’ll be challenged to be bold witnesses for Christ in a hostile world.

• See Evil Clearly.
On Thursday night, Kyle Idleman of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville will show us how evil is personified in Revelation 12 to 18 as a violent dragon, two grotesque beasts, and a prostitute. We need these shocking images because the world seeks to dress up ugly realities in beautiful disguises. To be victorious, we must see evil as it truly is, avoid being seduced by our culture, and remain fiercely faithful to Jesus.

• Welcome Salvation Joyfully.
On Friday morning, Rick Atchley of The Hills Church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas, will bring us to the story’s climactic moment in Revelation 19 and 20—the final showdown between our adversaries and our Hero. The good news: Christ will return, the dragon will be defeated, and God’s eternal kingdom will be established! That coming salvation prompts in Revelation 19 the only New Testament usage of “Hallelujah!”

• Desire Heaven Deeply.
To close the convention on Friday morning, special guest Joni Eareckson Tada will take us on a tour of the new heavens and new earth in Revelation 21 and 22. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up thinking about this world that we fail to focus on the next. But when this lady who has spent the last 45 years in a wheelchair as a quadriplegic speaks, I think we will all find our hearts stirred with a longing for Heaven. As we head home, we’ll all be looking forward to Home!

If You Need a Big Dose of Hope . . .

Because Revelation was written to persecuted believers, we thought it would be good to remember our brothers and sisters in the persecuted church around the globe. In each of our six main sessions, we’ll hear a testimony from an international believer, many of whom have suffered for their faith. We will then have a special time of prayer in each service, praying for the victorious advance of Christ’s church around the world.

We’ll also have special musical guests, the African Children’s Choir, on Thursday night. These children have lost one or both parents to AIDS or other poverty-
related diseases, but they have now been given a home, an education, and the life-changing love of Christ. When you see their joy as they sing, you’ll want to join them in celebrating our victory in Jesus!

So put July 9-12, 2013, on your calendar now, and bring your family to Louisville next summer. If you’ve ever felt those moments of “no hope,” the 2013 NACC will be just what you need. You’ll pray, worship, connect with old friends, make new ones, eat, laugh, learn, swim with your kids in the hotel pool, and look forward in victorious anticipation of Heaven. Join us, and let God’s Word shoot the adrenaline of hope through your soul!

View the 2013 NACC Schedule of Events

Matt Proctor is president of Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri. He serves as a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor and as president of the 2013 NACC.

By Matt Proctor

Effective leaders are not born; they’re made. At the 2013 NACC, you’ll have a chance to sharpen your own leadership. On Thursday afternoon, we’ll have our normal schedule with dozens of helpful workshops, but on Wednesday afternoon, we’ll have just four large workshops. At Wednesday’s “leadership conference within a conference,” we’ll welcome nationally known speakers for each of four large leadership workshops.

Les and Leslie Parrott

Les and Leslie Parrott will speak about “The Leader’s Marriage.” These New York Times best-selling authors have shared their Christian perspective on marriage on CNN, The View, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, Fox News, and The Today Show. Their blend of biblical background, clinical experience, practical insights, and real-life humor will help you keep your marriage strong in the crucible of leadership.

Wayne Cordeiro will explore “The Leader’s Soul.” Cordeiro is the founding pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu, Hawaii, with more than 15,000 in weekend attendance. He is also a best-selling author of several books, including Leading on Empty, about his own journey through burnout and back. A speaker at events like Catalyst, Exponential, and Willow Creek’s Leadership Summit, Cordeiro will encourage you to keep your own soul healthy as a leader.

Eric Metaxas will delve into “The Leader’s Mind.” How can we do our best thinking to engage culture with the gospel? Metaxas has written best-selling books on two men who did this well: Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery. Metaxas himself has influenced culture at a popular level as a writer for VeggieTales, and in the intellectual arena as founder of Socrates in the City—a Manhattan speakers series that seeks to engage New York City’s professional class with Christian thinkers such as Dinesh D’Souza, Os Guinness, Sir John Polkinghorne, and Francis Collins. As Chuck Colson’s successor on the daily Breakpoint radio commentary, Metaxas will challenge you to think clearly and deeply about our leadership task in a fallen culture.

Ken Davis will tackle “The Leader’s Communication.” A Christian comedian and one of the country’s most sought after inspirational speakers, Davis’s side-splitting humor and insight has delighted audiences of all ages. A Gold Medallion Award-winning author, Davis has been the keynote speaker for major corporate events, Promise Keepers, and Focus on the Family. His daily radio show, Lighten Up!, is heard on more than 1,500 stations. As president of Dynamic Communications International, he has also taught speaking skills to thousands of ministry and business professionals, and he will help you hone your communication skills as a leader.

Leadership ability is the lid on any organization’s effectiveness. You won’t want to miss Wednesday afternoon’s “leadership conference within a conference” as it helps take your leadership to the next level in your family, your business, or your church.

Matt Proctor is president of Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri. He serves as a CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor and as president of the 2013 NACC.

By Mark A. Taylor

Months ago Matt Proctor chose the topic for the sermon he preached Monday evening (February 25) to kick off Ozark Christian College’s annual Preaching Teaching Convention. But he had no idea then how personal his message, titled “Trust Completely,” would become.

The Proctor family

The challenge to trust came into sharper focus for Matt when his wife, Katie, was diagnosed with endometrial cancer two weeks ago. “Not exactly the news a 44-year-old mother of six kids was hoping to hear,” Matt said, according to last week’s e-newsletter from the North American Christian Convention.

The NACC made the announcement as part of a prayer request for Matt and his family, a request made even more urgent by the fact that Matt is president of this year’s convention in Louisville, July 9-12.

As we reported in Matt’s post at this site last week, the 2013 NACC theme is “Victorious,” with preaching through the book of Revelation. NACC publicity has included the tag line, “When life seems hopeless, read the end of the story.” And while the Proctors’ situation is anything but hopeless, it reminds us all of times when life’s hurdles threatened our own confidence in victory.

The fact is that all of us will benefit from the fine preaching and special fellowship of this summer’s convention. Several new touches will add to the exceptional experience we’re anticipating.

The convention will include a global perspective as several share how God is bringing victory even in the darkest corners of the world.

And special guests include nationally known speakers and leaders some of us will get to hear for the first time.

After you’ve clicked on the above links for more details, go to the NACC site for information about housing and registration. There you’ll also see the schedule for the week and news about other dimensions of the convention’s multifaceted program: networking breakfasts, ladies programming, children’s and youth conventions, Bible studies, and so much more.

Year after year we promote the NACC as “the connecting place” for nondenominational Christians. This year’s convention has a special draw—not only because of the unique and powerful program planned, but also because of the way its president is modeling its message of trust.