Come Down, Lord!

The previous post on schism has been misunderstood even by some who agree with me in principle, so I have decided to offer here some brief clarifications. 1. First , the schism I am calling for is not the sinful schism that churches rightly loathe.  Really, I probably shouldn't have used the word schism.  Those guilty of the sin of schism are typically those who depart from the truth.  If we must separate ourselves from those who abandon the truth, the responsibility lies with them not with us.  What I was advocating was not schism as such but division and that only temporarily .   2. Second , I am not yet calling for pastors, elders or laypeople to leave their churches and/or denominations.  That time may come.    If the lockdowns continue and churches continue to close their doors permanent separation will become necessary.   3. Third , what I am calling for is quite innocent and simple.  It is simply this: that God's people...

In the last weeks I have observed something strange and troubling. Christians across the continent have been weighing in on two figures: Ravi Zacharias and James Coates. I have been amazed at the number of Christians coming to Ravi's defence. Many of those who do are willing to admit (with sorrow that) they believe the reports are true and that Ravi was probably guilty of all kinds of sexual immorality. Still they defend him. They don't defend his actions but they are quick to say things like: he was still a great apologist; he was wonderfully used of God; he needed help as we all do; he was a sinner as we all are; he was saved by grace. At the same time I have been amazed (and sickened) by the number of Christians attacking James Coates. They know he has acted in the service of Christ, they know that he is morally above reproach, and they know that he is in prison for gathering his congregation for worship. Still, they criticize him. They say things like: he wants to be a ...

The following deserves to be shared everywhere.  I am grateful to my brother and (new found) friend for these strong and faithful words.   When a minister of the gospel is locked up for gathering his congregation "... you know its bad" "Such a thing has never been seen..."   "... problem behind the problem is that the sheep are without shepherds..." "We're in a leadership crisis.  The leaders have become a joke.  They're a combination of all the characters of the Wizard of Oz.    Scarecrows with no intellect or critical thinking skills...  Tinmen with no passions in their hearts, no jealousy for the truth, no anger over evil, no sickness over the abuse of the body and His blood bought bride.   And they're lions with no courage... they cower in fear... [in the words of C.S. Lewis they are] men without chests.  Its a failure of leadership at all levels."  These are strong words, but we are well past the time for dipl...

 Praise God for the faithful witness of our FRC brethren in BC.  Here is Rev. John Koopman a minister who has continued to gather his church even in the face of stiff opposition from the government.   You will have to watch on YouTube.  The link is provided in the video.  Or you may simply go here . Some other recommended resources on the same: This is James Coates' final sermon preached before he was imprisoned.  It is well worth listening to. Here is a tremendous article by Dr. Joe Boot on Christian liberty.   Children of God and Lockdowns: A Response ...

  "Let me go out on a limb a little bit and prophesy. I see the time coming when all the holy men whose eyes have been opened by the Holy Spirit will desert worldly Evangelicalism, one by one. The house will be left desolate and there will not be a man of God, a man in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, left among them… I hear Jesus saying… Mat 23:37-38: 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is left to you desolate' As the Church now stands, the man who sees this condition of worldly evangelicalism is written off as somewhat fanatical. But the day is coming when the house will be left desolate and there will not be a man of God among them. I would like to live long enough to watch this develop and see how things turn out. I would like to live to see the time when the men and woman of...

  “While all things are quiet and comfortable, we live by sense rather than faith. But the worth of a soldier is never known in times of peace.” James Coates is a pastor in Edmonton Alberta arrested and currently in prison for gathering his congregation for worship.   James' wife shared the following:  "James has been in isolation in a cell block since yesterday morning.  His hearing didn't go very well.  The Crown went for the jugular.  The JP say he didn't want to detain him, he wasn't interested in making a martyr of him.  He could walk if he just sets aside his God-given pastoral duties but he can't do that .  He has a hearing today to set a court date for his charges.  It's very possible that they will remand him until his court case.  The Crown has called him a danger to the health and safety of Albertans.  May God have mercy on our nation.  I read to my children the work the Lord is doing in peoples [lives] through...

  * If I could live anywhere I would choose a place like this, somewhere among the meadows and wildflowers of the Swiss Alps.  Ever since I first read Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John   and  Heidi by Johanna Spyri , I have thought that that life was about as good as it gets this side of heaven.   But I have learned with Paul "in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content."  And I have discovered that there is a heaven on earth more beautiful and more satisfying than anything this world can afford.  That 'heaven' is far more wondrous than any of the sights or scenes which these eyes can see.  The heaven of which I speak is the favour of God.  It is the nearness of the Saviour whose lovingkindness is better than life, and under whose wings the saints rejoice.  That heaven is the joy of being in the fire with One like the Son of God.   If I had a cabin and a home in the Alps I would be afraid of losing it. ...

February 9, 2021 For decades the church in West did not suffer much persecution and was accustomed with easy life. They had liberty to gather, to preach and became too accustomed to such easy Christianity. They looked with appreciation upon the persecuted church in Communist countries in Europe, like my country. But now there came this unexpected threat from the state, shutting churches. And many pastors were so easily intimidated. They quickly accepted to close churches, to preach in empty churches or in their home, the members listening via internet. Where are the old faithful pastors, who obeyed the Lord and were ready to gather with great risk?  The church in the West is weakened by those years of ease , and the pastors are now not ready to suffer. They teach their members to compromise and to obey quickly the state, as many pastors in Communist countries did the same back in those years. All these became, as Ian Paisley liked to say, “jellyfish Christians.” Now the Lord brin...

  "Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion."   Yes, indeed it does. Praise waits for Him.  The Lord's Day is coming!  And oh how eagerly we anticipate the opportunity to gather with the saints and to lift up your voices in praise, in wonder, in thanksgiving, in love and joyful song.  Is He not worthy? What is the cry of every child of God?  What is our answer? Yes!   With   all   our hearts, with   all   our being,   yes !! He is worthy . Did He bleed for us? Did He suffer for us?  Ah, more than that, was this for   me ??  That I  - worm as I am - might appear with Him in glory??  And shall I not sing? Shall I not join with the angels and saints in their songs to Him who was slain?   What a question! There is no need to deliberate, no need to consult with kings and kingdoms. No , we know what our King deserves.  And we love Him.  Oh, He is our beloved.  He is that Friend ...

  * I have chosen the picture with its background deliberately.  More on that later. I think often of the presbyters who disagree with me.  I love them and pray for them regularly.   Actually, this is true of many more outside my presbytery.  I am thinking of ministers and elders from other denominations whom I have grown to love and respect who have taken a different approach to government regulations and lockdowns.  Some of them agree with me in principle, but for the sake of the unity of the Church they have decided to submit to their brethren.  Others disagree with me in principle.    Though I am deeply disappointed by the actions of these men, my esteem (for many of them) has not diminished.  I believe they love the Saviour, and I am hopeful that even now despite our differences that these men remain committed to His renown.   Still, I believe they are guilty of sinful compromise .  Whether they know it or not th...