By Walker Moore
For someone who isn’t a writer, coming up with an article each week is a daunting task. One of the problems I face is that I have only one mind, 10 ten fingers and 26 letters to work with. I sometimes think if we just had a few more letters in our alphabet, my job would be much easier. The Germans have 30 letters, the Armenians have 38; and when I lived in Budapest, Hungary, I was jealous because they have 44 letters in their alphabet. Oh, what could I do with 44 letters.
I still feel a little slighted that I don’t have as much to work with as the Hungarians. Sometimes I think if I can’t have more letters in the alphabet, a couple more fingers would help. But I have a hard time getting the 10 I have to cooperate; and the older they get, the less they want to act like team players.
I have to admit, the mind I have is not normal. It runs at 100 miles an hour with gusts up to 200. Trying to get my thoughts through a set of lips with a governor that keeps them from going over 40 miles per hour can be interesting. So with a hundred mile an hour brain, 40 mile an hour lips, three mile an hour fingers and only 26 letters to work with, you can see the challenges I face each week.
I love to read. My eyes go faster than my brain—well, at least it seems like they do. Sometimes, I’m reading a book, and a couple of seconds after I read something, my brain says, “Whoa, did you understand what you just read?” At that point, my eyes remind my brain that it’s their job to read and the brain will take care of the understanding.
I’ve thought about going back to school and taking a writing course. But I’m afraid I’d have the lowest grade in the class and would then have to confess my failures to you, my readers. That would be like finding out that your doctor graduated at the bottom of his class in medical school. In that case, you’d be justified in seeking a second opinion.
A person who has as many challenges as I do is extra-grateful for the blessing of Jesus. I was at a meeting once where someone told me I was shallow. That kind of derogatory remark used to offend me. But now, I agree with the comments and tell my critics (as Paul Harvey used to say) the rest of the story. I am shallow, but that’s only a half-truth. The whole truth is that I am shallow, but Jesus is my depth. According to 1 Corinthians 2:10, I have a tutor called the Holy Spirit who’s on the job 24 hours a day. He searches the depths of God and brings this shallow person everything I need.
Not only am I shallow, but also I am also weak. But again, that is only a half-truth. Yes, “I am weak, but He is strong.” Remember the children’s song? When we learn it as little children, we sing, “Little ones to him belong, they are weak but He is strong,” and then we add the special reminder, “Yes, Jesus loves me.” But somehow on the journey of life, we forget that in the truest sense, all of us are weak.
At any given time, it doesn’t take long for me to remember how weak I am. I bet you’re the same way. An unexpected illness, a financial crisis, children who go astray and we can do nothing to stop them, a divorce, and the list goes on and on. When these things hit us, we stand there underneath a tidal wave of helplessness. But in your weakness, I want you to know how strong my Jesus is: “I pray that … you may know … his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1: 18-20).
Did you get that? “Jesus is more powerful than” … anyone. I know many of you are going through some huge struggles. I want to remind you that “Yes, Jesus Loves You.”
You are weak, but I also want to say to you, “He is strong.” Call me shallow if you want, but that’s the truth.
“You are weak, but I also want to say to you, “He is strong.””
So true. Thanks for this encouragement.
Also, when can we expect the follow-up on the Ralph Green and curriculum post?
Thanks.
I think we can all agree with this post. I find that when I “think” I’m strong is the most dangerous moment for me.
I would also like to hear some kind of projected time table for when we can expect to read this interview with Bro. Green.
Learning to lean on the promises of God doesn’t make one weak; it makes one wise.
No, you are not shallow….but I’m beginning to think that the accusations against TGP are.
I too keep checking back for the specifics on TGP. I am definitely a “trad” and was drawn in by the marketing, even gave the promo to my youth pastor, then heard here about the authors, etc… I really want to know why it could be thought a Calvinist curriculum… I am sure they will post something soon…
Hey Clay, I agree that you need to know. I will tell you from what I have seen of it that there are quotes from many different people given in the margins that are of various views, and I think some of the reaction is to WHO is quoted. In the margin in each lesson, there are quotes called “voices from church history” or “voices from the church.” In session 1 of the adult curriculum, Francis Schaeffer is quoted: ““If God has made us to be communicators on the basis of verbalization, and given the possibility of propositional, factual communication with each other, why should we think He would not communicate to us on the basis of verbalization and propositions?”
Others quoted in the first 4 sessions are…
Herman Bavinck, D.A. Carson, C.S. Lewis, Augustine of Hippo, Charles Spurgeon, Tim Keller, Diodore of Tarsus, John of Damascus, Carl FH Henry, Basil of Caesarea, Gabriel Fackre, James M. Hamilton, Jr., Benjamin B. Warfield, Archibald Hodge, WA Criswell, Herschell Hobbes, AW Tozer, James Montgomery Boice.
The Augustine quote… “You called and cried out loud and shattered my deafness. You were radiant and resplendent, you put to flight my blindness. You were fragrant, and I drew in my breath and now pant after you. I tasted you, and I feel but hunger and thirst for you. You touched me, and I am set
on fire to attain the peace which is yours.”
I think there has been a mention of John Piper being quoted at some point as well. The major themes of the 1st 4 sessions are…
GOD
Table of Contents
Unit 1: The God Who Speaks
7 Session 1:
The God Who Speaks
19 Session 2:
God Is Not Hiding: The God Who Reveals Himself Through Creation
31 Session 3:
God Is Not Mute: The God Who Reveals Himself Through His Word
Unit 2: Our Fallen Response to God’s Word
43 Session 4:
In God We Trust? God’s Perfect Word and His Imperfect People
53 Session 5:
God’s Law for Life: God Reveals His Standard of Obedience
65 Session 6:
Numb to the Word: Disobedience Leads to Death
Unit 3: Christ’s Perfect Response to God’s Word
77 Session 7:
Jesus: The Faithful Son Who Obeys God’s Word
89 Session 8:
Jesus: The Faithful Teacher Who Explains and Fulfills God’s Word
101 Session 9:
Jesus: The Faithful Servant Who Submits to God’s Word
Unit 4: Our Redeemed Response to God’s Word
113 Session 10:
Trusting: Trusting the God Who Speaks
123 Session 11:
Submitting: Submitting to the God Who Speaks
135 Session 12:
Understanding: Understanding How God Speaks
147 Session 13:
Listening Together: Listening Together to the Voice of God
There you go. Perhaps that will help. The first 4 sessions are available online.
I think the most reformed sounding quote in the whole thing is this from Charles Spurgeon…
“No real faith was ever wrought in man by his own thoughts and imaginations; he must receive the gospel as a revelation from God, or he cannot receive it at all.”
I don’t think any traditionalists would disagree with that sentiment, but perhaps they would take offense. I’m not sure, to be honest.
Thanks Darryl!
You’re welcome Clay. I don’t blame you for wanting to know more about this thing. We should all be conscientious about anything our people are studying and learning. It’s very important. I will be teaching this material personally this fall to our students are Sunday evenings.
The design of this material looks excellent to me and the approach is very good as well. I love the fact that the Gospel is tied into every single lesson. That is huge to me. But I’m sure it’s not for everyone- no material is. If the advisory council scares people away, I think that is sad. But I don’t blame anyone for rejecting it after viewing it if they find legitimate reasons for doing so. I simply think that if someone is going to reject it and then make a spectacle of it while recommending everyone else reject it, they should at least give real examples of why it’s unacceptable.
Curious you didn’t mention ALL the notable quotables in the margins of TGP. If the list you gave were all-inclusive, it may have read in analogous fashion like this: “Here is the list of herbs and spices in my kitchen. I have salt, pepper, cinnamon, arsenic, cumin, thyme, ricin, cilantro, garlic powder, anthrax, etc.” — Norm
Norm, I listed every person quoted in the sections entitled “voices from church history” or “voices from the church.” There are also commentary notes listed in the margins which list the commenter along with their quotes. I’m not in any way trying to be deceptive here if that’s what you’re getting at, though I wouldn’t be surprised that you’d assume that. I only have the first 4 sessions to refer to and I’ve listed every single person who is quoted in the sections I mentioned above in the first 4 sessions. I also fully quoted the 2 most reformed sounding quotes above, the ones by Augustine and Spurgeon.
I tell you what, though. Since it’s becoming clear we’re not going to get a real critique here, I will gladly offer one when I get the material in a couple weeks. I’ve just ordered the student material for use on Sunday evening with our students. Our church is not using the material church-wide because it is a bit more expensive than the regular materials. The youth material is a bit different from the adult material, obviously, but I will gladly offer what I can.
But I tell you this. I’m about done for good around here. It is going to take face to face communication for anything to get done. People say things here that they’d never say in person, and the arguments have only become more and more contentious over the last 2 months. But if you would like, I would come back when I get the GP materials and give some specific examples of the most “reformed” things I find. And perhaps I could also provide some quotes from traditionalists in it as well if anyone would want that.
So, Mr. Moore has his post hijacked for the Gospel Project.
Mr Moore, Just think, Koine Greek had about 20,000 words to use and we have over 600,000 to describe things. And you do a great job with them!
Yes, it’s true. Some people just aren’t going to let this one go.
You know, when they first posted about Green’s problem with TGP, the editors said they would post the interview with Green ‘tomorrow’.
So I got to thinking…..tomorrow??? So I went over there and I didn’t see anything. Then my skeptical side thought that perhaps the “tomorrow” thing was a joke and the whole posting here was just scintillating journalism; trying to make news by posting wildly unsubstantiated claims like…..tomorrow.
But then I realized that I was being ungracious and that I should sit back and wait.
Still patiently waiting.
Hey there, abclay! My “shut your pie-hole, Mark Driscoll impersonator”, friend.
I do not blame Green a bit. He touched the Holy Grail: The Gospel Project. He might be on the rack as we speak. Reformed tradition, you know. (wink)