Everything You Need to Know About Church: Steve Lawson
The target audience of this post is those familiar with the ministry circles of John MacArthur Jr., G3, and Ligonier. Hence, this post will not include a lot of background about the close relationship that “Lead Teacher” Steve Lawson had with those ministries. Suffice to say this circle of ministry is a substantial representation of the evangelical church. The internet is fraught with digital placards displaying profound unction by those who represent these ministries.
A lot could be said about the depths of this latest church scandal, but I want to focus on their rules for thee, but not for me mentality. This is because the church is an authoritative institution that has placed itself as an additional mediator between God’s children and God himself. Additionally, the church is not even a sanctified hierarchy, but obviously, a caste system where moral theological principles are not evenly applied on each level.
In this circle of “ministry,” which could also include TGC, G4, and many others, there is a very strong emphasis on the church commoners being willing to “place themselves under the authority of godly men” via the local church. The likes of John Piper and John MacArthur continually call into question those unwilling to be active members of a local church. John Piper has even stated that a willingness to be a member of a church and under its authority is synonymous with loving Jesus. This blog has posted the receipts for over 10 years and will not belabor the point here.
So, now, what do we find out? We find Trinity Bible Church, Ligonier, Master’s seminary, Grace Community Church, G3, et al, accepted a special designation for Lawson referred to as “Lead Preacher,” which excluded him from being a member of a church (and he wasn’t) or an elder. It is unclear how many leaders of these ministries knew about his 5-year relationship with a very young lady, but for certain they all knew that he wasn’t a member of a church, while demanding church membership for the church commoners. Furthermore, the only reason we know any of this is because the girl’s father threatened Steve Lawson with public discloser. Meanwhile, remember that the Reformed church has ruined thousands of lives via church discipline, and Mark Dever became a hero for placing 256 church members under church discipline for nonattendance.
So, how many parishioners will begin to rethink church in leu of this stunning hypocrisy? Few, because parishioners are getting what they want. For all practical purposes, Lawson was a hired entertainer at Trinity and everyone was fine with that. Furthermore, there is a human tendency to find assurance of salvation through expertism rather than Christ. Lawson was an expert theologian and proficient entertainer, that’s all that mattered.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, apparently, Lawson is living in Tennessee and is estranged from his wife. But, the beat goes on. This is business as usual in the church. Some could demand that leaders like Voddie Baucham confess about what they knew and when, but that’s what church discipline is for…
…those who ask relevant questions.
paul.
Where’s Steve? How Lawson’s Response Could Salvage the Church and Glorify Christ
Even though I believe church is a lie and nothing but a salvation marketing business, the church ought to consult me on many matters. I would even do it for free because I am a nice guy. As you know, the latest scandal trending in the church is the Steve Lawson disaster. This one is so bad that the ministries involved are trying to move on ASAP, and the usual clichés seem woefully worn-out and hollow. This one is really, really bad.
Or is it? When I went to church back in the day, a Reformed church, a respected elder had to resign under similar circumstances. The actions of this elder after his “fall” still speak to me today, about 24 years later. First of all, his post-actions emphasized the fact that he was still a member of that church and that was important. After the morning “worship service” (I believe the whole of our lives are worship and service) where he publicly confessed, he never missed a so-called “service” and remained faithful to the choir and other non-leadership ministries that he was involved in. If he wanted to send a message that everything else he did as a church member was important…the message was received loud and clear.
Also, when he walked forward to address the congregation with his confession, his wife was right behind him and sat in the front row while he spoke. I remember her powerful demeanor like it was yesterday, and I picture it in my mind some 24 years later. She was overtly defiant, as in, “Nothing is going to stand between me and this marriage.” The former elder and his family modeled godliness in that congregation for many years afterward. She later supported him in a significant professional endeavor.
So, where’s Steve? Imagine if his response was the same, and what a powerful testimony it would be. That’s where the focus would be, not the damage that has been done. These guys (the Reformed crowd in general) constantly preach about our response to trials, but I can tell you, so far, their response is becoming worse than the original sin.
paul
Feelings
When the Bible speaks of “sinful desires,” that is best interpreted as “emotions,” and better yet, “feelings.” Sin makes its appeal through the emotions. Christians must learn to separate feelings from truth. The wise Christian is an investor. He/she will decline an immediate payoff for the pure gold of good feelings based on truth. Often, the Christian will endure suffering for the sake of truth that produces the “joy set ahead.”
When I was a teenager, my stepdad tried to teach me how to fly his Piper Cub. My problem was that I could not disassociate my feelings of how the plane was flying from what the instruments were actually telling me. Have you ever noticed that airplane pilots tend to be emotionally level? That’s why. If you were a passenger in the plane at the time, the bickering between my stepdad and I would have undoubtedly made you very nervous. “We are coming in nose down.” ‘No we aren’t.’ “yes we are, look at the horizon gage.” ‘The gage is wrong.’ “You better let me take over.” ‘Why? This is fun.’ “I’m taking over before it’s too late.” ‘Whatever.’
And the Bible is not wrong. God has not left his children without a full philosophical statement for life and godliness. It has a self-sustaining power source, and communicates reality through words and their arrangement. God set the standard for epistemology when he created the metaphysical world with words. Feelings don’t interpret reality, words do. Feelings are not our authority; feelings must be brought to the court of law for a hearing and a judgment.
Feelings can invoke thinking and thinking can invoke feelings. It works both ways. A feeling arises, like maybe chest pain, and we think, “I could be having a heart attack.” That thought brings a feeling of fear, and then we think, “I’m going to die.” That might be true, and then again it might not be true. As Christians, we must function by truth. More times than not, worry is a lie. An extremely small amount of what we worry about actually happens. The apostle Paul tells us to bring every thought into captivity and bring it under the authority of Christ. Then we are to “dwell” on what is true.
The world dresses up lies to appeal to our desires. “If it feels good, do it.” Therein, feelings are the authority and not truth. I have noticed in our day that Christians rarely bring pithy truisms into the court of truth. There is simply no mental discernment policeman to arrest the thought and interrogate it. Pithy truisms are designed to stimulate the chemistry of the brain with an entertaining poetic ring. “If it feels good, believe it.” Then, eventually, you will do it. Perhaps the most apt example is Doris Day’s rendition of Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be). Who can watch that video and keep from humming that lie to ourselves throughout the rest of the day?
In all of this, God’s word teaches us an important principle: Christians can change their desires through investment. “Where your treasure is, your heart will be there also” Our treasure needs to be the truth. Paul said to “hate what is evil and cling to what is good.” Can you learn to hate someone or something? Sure you can. You ignore it, and you focus on the truth regarding it. That thing you are thinking of may make you feel good, but what is the truth regarding it? Not investing in it and thinking truthfully about it will eventually change our feelings about it. Often, how we feel about something is the only good thing about it, and that has death written all over it. Right doing leads to right feeling (Philippians 4:9).
Joy does not always walk with obedience at every moment, but it will always show up later, if not sooner.
paul
Doctrine
Manuscript for Wednesday evening Bible study, Germantown Baptist Chapel, February 9, 2011
I begin this message tonight with some angst that has probably become normal among teachers of our day because it seems that the whole subject of doctrine has become taboo. A basic definition of doctrine from Dictionary.com is: “A particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion or government….something that is taught; teachings collectively….a body or system of teachings relating to a particular subject.” Doctirne is a word in the Bible and concurs with the definitions just cited in regard to its biblical use. Doctrine is not to be confused with theology which is the study of deity, and may include information concerning the doctrines (systems of thinking) of many different religions.
My first point tonight will be: every living human being has, and operates by a doctrine – whether they are conscience of it or not. Here is a quote from an article I posted recently:
“….everybody on earth lives by a doctrine. Everybody that breaths. Atheism, for example, is a doctrine. Secondly, doctrine determines how you live, no exception. For instance, Nihilism is the doctrine of nothing. But yet, this was the doctrine embraced by the young man who recently tried to assassinate a US senator while murdering nine others. Lyrics from the song, ‘The Nothing Doctrine’ by Neaera, a rock band that promotes Nihilism, might give some insight into his actions: ‘Almighty uncreator, I am your eyes, I am your ears, I am your mouth, let your grandest hatred echo in my deprivation, a willing bearer of your creed to consecrate the void.’”
Romans 2: 21-23 validates the view that all live by a belief system, or doctrine:
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.”
In verse 22, their supposed wisdom is their doctrine, which resulted from their thinking (verse 21); specifically, “futile” thinking. There are only two choices presented here in verse 21: knowledge of God and all other knowledge. It starts with thinking apart from God’s knowledge, and leads to false wisdom/doctrine.
This brings me to my second point: thinking forms our life. When we choose a path of thinking apart from God, that thinking is futile by the very definition of being apart from God, a system of false doctrine is formed, whether a religious flavor or not, and the thinking thereof forms our life. Proverbs 23:6 states it this way:
“Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies; 7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is….”
Proverbs 27:19 says: “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart [mind].”
As can be seen in Matthew 9:4, “heart” is an idiom for the mind: “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, ‘Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?” Luke 9:47 says, “But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side….” Therefore, Proverbs 27:19 says that a persons life reflects their thinking.
The fact that thinking forms life can also be seen in the previous text we were looking in, Romans chapter 1. In verse 21, they reject the knowledge of God. In the latter part of verse 21, their thinking becomes futile, dark and foolish. In verse 22, they are deceived into thinking that are wise. Then, further descriptions of their thinking is interwoven with a downward spiral concerning life. In verse 24, their minds are consumed by lust. In verse 25, this all happens because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie. In verse 26, the mind becomes totally dominated by passions. And in verse 28, since they did not see fit to knowledge God, they are given up to a debased what?….Mind. Get the picture? In Genesis 6:5, we read the following:
“ The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.”
Now my third point: Thinking also forms the life of a Christian for better or for worse. Regarding the spiritual life of a Christian, how we think is everything. In fact, the mind is the battleground of the Christian faith, and doctrine organizes and defines those thoughts; therefore, doctrine is of paramount concern. Christ’s mandate to the church was to make disciples, and then teach them to observe all that He commanded. Throughout the Gospels, Christ prefaced his teachings constantly with this statement: “What do you think?” In Matthew alone we see: Matthew 5:17 “Do not think….” Matthew 9:4 “Why are you thinking evil….” Matthew 10:34 “Do not think….” Matthew 17:25 “What do you think, Simon?” Matthew 18:12 “Do not think….” Matthew 21:28 “But what do you think?” Matthew 22:42 “What do you think….” Matthew 24:44 “….do not think….” Matthew 26:53 “Or do you think….” Matthew 26:66 “What do you think?”
Ephesians 4:20-24 makes it clear that as Christians we endeavor to transform our mind through the Spirit and His word:
“That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
These verses are the crux of sanctification. Old thinking is to be put away and replaced with new thinking which renews the mind and results in righteousness. To the degree that we do that, we grow spiritually. Everyone here tonight has an ample supply of thinking that needs to go bye-bye, and as far as new thinking, the mind of Christ is the goal.
In John 16:7, Christ said that He would send us the Helper, and in John 17:17, He said that we are sanctified with the truth, and God’s word is that truth. So, we have all we need – the Spirit and the truth, God’s word. Matthew 4:4 says we live by every word that comes from the mouth of God – not some words from God and some from Oprah Winfrey. Not some from God and some from Sigmund Freud. Again, if we revisit Ephesians 4, prior to verse 20, and 21, it is implied that there are only two ways to think, or two ways of life to be learned: the way of Christ and all other ways.
This whole concept of thinking being the primary battleground of sanctification can be seen in 2Corinthians 10:3-6:
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.”
We take every thought captive (our own thoughts and the thoughts of others) and make them obedient to Christ. Every bit of knowledge that doesn’t align with God’s truth is a pretense against His word, and we are to demolish them. That’s the warfare. Paul also said the following in Romans 12:2:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind [how are we transformed? By the renewing of what? And the condition of our minds are determined by what? Our….thinking. And Ephesians 4 says we change that by….]. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” We read the following in 1Peter 1:13-15 [Read 1Peter 1: 13-15 ]. Why is it always important to prepare our minds for action? Because that’s where the battleground is. And what is the battle? That our thinking would not be conformed to anything but the truth of God’s word. Period.
Therfore:
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1Timothy 4:16).
Sound doctrine organizes God’s truth and reveals old thinking that needs to be demolished. It is shocking that Christians have bought into the whole idea of tolerance towards pretenses that set themselves against the knowledge of God. It is shocking that Christians have bought into the idea that there are appropriate / inappropriate venues for sound doctrine. Our venue is anywhere thinking is going on.
Fourthly, our doctrine must be what Peter called the “pure milk” of the word in 1Peter 2:2:
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation”
Not tainted, and nothing mixed in. In John 16:7, Christ said that He would send us the Helper, and in John 17:17, He said that we are sanctified with the truth, and God’s word is that truth. So, we have all we need – the Spirit and the truth, God’s word. Matthew 4:4 says we live by every word that comes from the mouth of God – not some words from God and some from Oprah Winfrey. Not some from God and some from Sigmund Freud. Again, if we revisit Ephesians 4, prior to verse 20, and 21, it is implied that there are only two ways to think, or two ways of life to be learned: the way of Christ and all other ways. Therefore, doctrine must be apart from the world, and it must be according to pure biblical truth. Religious doctrine always contains truth tainted with unbiblical thinking. Therefore, Paul instructed Timothy accordingly:
“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer “ (1Timothy 1:3).
Hence, pastors must be able to defend doctrine:
“He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9).
It is shocking that Christians are defensive when their thinking is challenged, as if they have very little thinking to put off and put on. A growing Christian can point to consistent markers in his life where wrong thinking is exposed by the word of God and replaced with true thinking, and applied to life accordingly. This is why we are always in the word and sitting under sound doctrine: because we are looking for old thinking to put off, and new truth to put on, and instruction regarding how that truth is skillfully applied to life. As a Christian, can you point to those markers and say it is true of your life?
As a church, can we point to markers where old thinking doesn’t align with God’s word and new truth is applied accordingly, or have we arrived? If we haven’t arrived, where is the old thinking? Brothers and sisters, in our minds and In the church, it is surely lurking about somewhere. Where there is change, there is life, where things stay the same, death. Christ is serious about this. He was teaching one day when his family came to speak with Him:
“Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.’ 21 He replied, My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.’”
In Luke 11, we observe the following:
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Jesus is well aware of His own greatness, what He wants is the perfect will of God proven on Earth.
Learning the word to expose old thinking, learning new, and applying it to our lives; that’s the primary business of a Christian. Again, noting Romans 12:2, when we are doing this as individuals, and together as a church, that is when we can prove the perfect will of God, but only when that is, in fact, what we are doing.
At salvation, we are given a love for the truth as noted by contrasting us with the world in 2Thessalonians 2:10. We have been given the Helper, and we have been given God’s pure milk. Let us take these and prove the perfect will of God.
Let us pray.
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
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