Pastor’s Blog

Sometimes the things you learn, even at the Doctor of Ministry level, surprise you.

Last week I went to Chicago to attend a Doctor of Ministry course at Trinity International University. I’m actually taking my D. Min. program at Dallas Seminary, but I attended Trinity (where I did my master’s work) as a visiting student.

The course I was taking was called ‘Christ-Centered Preaching’ by Dr. Bryan Chapell, author of a book with the same name. It’s a good book, but some of the best material Dr. Chapell shared wasn’t in his book but was in his lectures.

One of the key areas he expanded on in a lecture was motivation. Specifically, what can a preacher or teacher teach that will help motivate people to do the things God desires. For example, Ephesians 6:1 says “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” But how do we motivate this obedience?

Chapel says there are basically four motivations: self-protection; self-promotion; dependence on God; and love for God. Let’s examine these briefly:

(1) Self-protection. This is essentially the fear motive ‘if you don’t obey you will be punished.’ This is not necessarily a bad motive, but it can lead quickly to rebellion or legalism. It can lead to a view of God as an ogre who is out to get us if we mess up. It’s possible to take the last four words of Ephesians 6:1, ‘for this is right’ as citing this motive. (Do right; don’t do wrong).

(2) Self-promotion. This is the reward motive, and is in fact a motive that God cites in Scripture. Ephesians 6 goes on to say “Honor your father and mother”–which is the first commandment with a promise– 3″that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” A blessing is promised as a result of obedience. Again, this is a legitimate motivator, but has the same faults – it can lead to legalism. It can also lead to a ‘what’s in it for me?’ view of righteousness – I’ll be good so you’ll give me stuff.

Excessive use of these two motives leads to what Chapell calls ‘the Killer b’s of preaching’, in which we only say “Be like; be good; be disciplined” These are deadly because ultimately they give the impression that we can satisfy God’s requirements out of our own power, in our own selves. Scripture clearly teaches us that a righteousness before God achieved by works is impossible.

(3) Dependence on God. The next motive has fewer problems. We are called in Scripture to live in utter dependence on God. As we recognize our own need and turn to him in faith, he empowers us for right living. Specifically he gives us the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us in our weakness, cries out with us in prayer, gives us His fruit and empowers witness. Even in the Old Testament God taught that doing His work was ‘not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit.’ We teach our children this motive when we show them from Scripture that they cannot ‘be good’ in themselves, but that they need God’s help and strength in order to obey him.

(4) Love for God. But Chapel would say that the best motive for Christian living and the best empowerment for Christian living is love for God; not God’s love for us, though he would acknowledge that God’s love does motivate our love. But it is our love for God that motivates us: ‘for Christ’s love compels us . . .” As Jesus himself taught “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

Love motivates obedience, and every other Christian virtue. The example Chapell uses is to ask what motivates a mother to go back into a burning building after her child: it’s not fear or selfishness – it is only love that can motivate such action. And in fact the love empowers such action.

So the question I had to ask myself was ‘as a preacher and teacher, what motivations do I use?’ I think you would agree that I often use number 3, dependence on God, though I do occasionally use fear of consequences or expectation of blessings as motives. But the embarrassing thing is that I don’t think I have much used what Chapell would call the best motive, love for God, in my preaching. I’ve probably used God’s love for us more frequently, but I agree with Chapell that that lacks the power of a love that we have.

I’ve often said that the best sermon I never read was one titled ‘The expulsive power of a new affection.’ This course made it plain to me that love for God (affection, in an older version of English) has the power to change me.

I’m thinking hard on this, and I expect it will show up in my preaching.

Gail and I had a great trip to Canada. Here are a few pictures (with captions).

Our first camp-site, on Prince Edward Island

The home which inspired 'Green Gables'

Second campsite, in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia

The ferry from Prince Edward Island to Nova Scotia

Part of a peninsula thrust out into the Atlantic on Cape Breton Island

One of many lobster boats off Cape Breton Island

Low tide on the Bay of Fundy at Blomindon Provincial Park

Cliffs at low tide, Blomindon Provincial Park, Nova Scotia

Cliffs at high tide, Blomindon Provincial Park, Nova Scotia

The beautiful wife and the cliffs, Blomindon Provincial Park, Nova Scotia

After Low Tide, Halls Harbor, Nova Scotia

Before High tide, Halls Harbor, Nova Scotia

Before low tide, Halls Harbor, Nova Scotia

Gail enjoying her lobster at Halls Harbor, Nova Scotia

The lobster fisherman, Halls Harbor, Nova Scotia

Gail and I are getting ready to go to Nova Scotia.  We leave tomorrow, July 7th, and we’ll be back on the 15th.  Bob Rowley, Superintendent of the Texas Oklahoma District of the Evangelical Free Church will be preaching on the 12th.

Since this blog has been way too serious lately, I offer the following:

There have been a number of contests, recently (especially on the Houston Chronicle) involving haiku, the popular form of three line poetry. I would like to propose a much more elaborate and fun poetic structure, the Pieku.

Details of a pieku:
Line 1 always consists of the same three words: We were singing
Line 2 has eight syllables.
Line 3 has fourteen syllables
Line 4 has eleven syllables
Line 5 has one to three lead in syllables and then 8 syllables
Line 6 is a repeat of the words of line 5, but without the lead in syllables.
Lines 2 through 6 rhyme

As an example of the genre I offer the following, written in the car Saturday afternoon:
We were singing:
Bye bye gotta go now to Frye’s
Gonna get ourselves a hard drive ‘fore the hard drives run dry
Them geeky toys will bring such joy to the eye
So say good-bye we’re going to Frye’s
Say good-bye we’re going to Frye’s

Style points are given for the repetition in line 3 and the rhyme with ‘oys’ in line 4.

I hope it’s obvious, but kudos will be given to the first commenter who quotes the original, very first, pieku.

Dear Trinity Family;

Our ministry plan this year identifies ‘building community’ as a key goal. One of the ways we do that is to help each other in times of need – and there have been no shortage of needs lately. The purpose of this note is to identify four current needs and ask that you prayerfully consider giving above and beyond your normal church support to help meet these needs.

You’re probably aware of some of these, but possibly not all four:

Reed’s Education. Donna’s illness means that Joshua and Olivia need a good school situation, preferably close to home. The charter school they were in last year was good, but is far away. The commute has been hard on Josh and Olivia, and the drivers who volunteered to help. Therefore the Reeds have looked closer to home, and the kids have now been accepted into the Living Stones (church) school in Alvin. The school has generously offered to pay half the tuition and fees. We need to provide the Reeds with the other half.

Laura’s move. We have been helping Laura with medical and financial needs, and the Lord has really been blessing that. Now, because she has primary custody of her boys, she needs to move to a two bedroom apartment. She has been accepted at an apartment complex here in Friendswood (on 2351) for an August move. We’ll need to help with the physical move, but also with paying for re-carpeting of her old apartment so that she can leave it in the agreed condition.

Walliser’s home. We praise God that so much help has been given to the Wallisers after the rain caused so much damage. The roof has been replaced and a lot of work has been done to repair the interior. However, these repairs involve quite a bit of expense, and there is no insurance coverage. Also, the economy has reduced Jim’s work hours and thus the family’s income. We would like to be able to help with these expenses.

Rask family expenses. Church members and other friends have already been very generous toward the Rasks, but even without medical expenses (which they may not be responsible for) they’ve had to spend significant amounts through this time. We want to be able to provide what is needed.

There are few firm cost estimates associated with these needs, but a back-of-the-envelope calculation shows that the total might be as much as $16,000.

So what are we asking? First, and foremost, that you will seek God to learn if he wants to give you the joy and satisfaction of meeting some of these financial needs. Ask Him how you can help, and how much He would have you give.

Second, give. One way to do that would be to place your check in an envelope and mark it with the specific name of the need you would like to help with. A second way, and our preference, is that you simply mark the check or the envelope ‘benevolence’. This will give us the freedom to use the money where it is most needed in these four situations.

Thanks so much for your prayer and help.

In Christ

Bob DeGray, for the elders