AGC's SPECIAL GUEST

This months blog features one of AGC's finest senior Chaplains: Chap (CAPT) Steve Brown.  Chaplain Brown is the 2 MEF Chaplain and oversees most of the military religious ministries in Afghanistan.  As you read about his vision and ministerial experience, please pray for him and those who are serving in Harm's Way. 
  Our second feature is a book review by Chaplain (COL) Ken Lawson on "Theological Liberalism and the Church."  Enjoy Chaplain's Lawson's mature views on a controversial subject. 

God bless.

CHAP STEVE BROWN:

“That One be Found Faithful”

 
“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”

(1 Cor 4:1-2 / NKJV)

  Regional Command (Southwest) Afghanistan has 47 Chaplains (30 US, 14 British, 3 Danish) who provide ministry to over 30,000 Coalition Forces and those who serve with them.  These chaplains are responsible to their Commanding Officers, but more importantly to “the Commander” above in providing for the Spiritual needs of those who serve in this arduous combat zone.  Hundreds have been grievously wounded and over 60 have given their last full measure of devotion since our Transfer of Authority in March 2011.  Freedom is not free.  We battle an enemy who would seize the freedoms we take for granted and enslave us as the people of this land were once enslaved.  What is the cost to prevent this enslavement?  Our Commanding General said it this way, his Marines are our country’s “National Treasure.”       

I continue to marvel at God’s providence in placing me here as the senior Coalition Chaplain in RC(SW).  It is not a job I sought.  God put me here.  God has moved here.  The “distractions of life” are removed when one deploys for 12 months.  Marines begin to think about things they have long ignored, to include life, death, and God.  It is a great opportunity to share Christ with them, His word and His will.

 What is so special about this deployment?  Really, nothing!  All we have sought to do is faithfully serve our Lord in this very difficult and dangerous place.  There are no ministerial discounts.  Ministry in a combat zone is just plain hard work.  God does not require success on our part, but simply our faithfulness in the work.  Our success is measured by God “in” our “faithfulness.”  God has drawn men and women to himself here, not us.  We just wanted to be “in the way” and He chose to use us.  It is all of Him, (For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen). 

 The human heart hungers for that which only God can satisfy.  With the distractions removed, some of the toughest Marines have examined the claims of Christ and found in them and in Him a wholeness they have never known.  The work is not just done by chaplains.  Every Christian has the responsibility to be light and salt.  You discover what a person is really like after six months of arduous duty.  Those whose faith is genuine shine in this dark place.  Others are drawn to the source of that light, Christ.       

  set the expectations of our team of Chaplains before we deployed.  We set the conditions for thriving Chapel Programs at our main camps.  Our Chapels have become an Oasis in this Desert.  Men and women have given their hearts to Christ almost every week and 5 - 7 are baptized each month publically professing their faith in Christ.  How has this happened?  Solid consistent Biblical preaching and teaching!  We consistently exalt Christ, the Text, Grace and Faith.  God does the rest.  Something is offered every day at Camp Leatherneck Chapel sometimes several times a day.  We also comprehensively cover the battlefield utilizing the” Holy Helo” to reach difficult places.

So what is the “secret” to the successful ministry out here?  One thing, faithfulness to Christ!   Seizing the opportunities He has placed before us and faithfully using the gifts and talents with which He has graced us to serve as stewards of the mysteries of God. 

Book Review by Chap Ken Lawson

A Handful of Pebbles: Theological Liberalism and the Church, (The Banner of Truth Trust, 2008), by Peter Barnes. 88 pages.

This little book has caused quite a stir in Christian scholarly circles. Used as a supplementary textbook in many conservative evangelical and fundamental colleges and seminaries, Peter Barnes has found a niche for his timely book.

In eight short chapters, the author discusses the dangers of theological liberalism and its detrimental effects upon biblical Christianity. He begins by discussing the attributes of theological liberalism, essentially calling the movement scholarly unbelief with a presupposition against the supernatural. While claiming to be objective and open-minded, liberals reject most or all of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. With serious presuppositional bias, the liberal scholar assumes the Bible is just an old, interesting but ordinary book. Some liberals openly attack the Bible and boldly proclaim their unbelief in the God of scripture. Other liberals are more subtle, using biblical language but changing the meaning of key theological words, neutering their distinct historical and theological meaning.

The author is quite clear in his short but accurate summary of biblical warnings against false prophets, and against those who would try to alter or diminish the eternal word of God. He then traces the rise of Christian liberalism, from its European origins to its full manifestation in the majority of colleges, universities, and seminaries in Europe and America today. This rise of liberalism originated in the academies of Europe, as non-Christian scholars dissected and micro-analyzed the Bible with an anti-supernatural bias. That meant their academic speculations centered on such things as what did Jesus actually say, or was Moses really a person, or was there ever really a historical leader named King David. All miracles were disavowed. The resurrection of Jesus was rejected. Christianity to the liberal became a benevolent organization, or a social club. The blood atonement of Christ was rejected as revolting.

Peter Barnes then weaves his narrative around the reactions to Christian liberalism. First, he details American fundamentalism and its restating of historic biblical doctrines, in defiance of liberalism.  Barnes then introduces us to Neo-Orthodoxy, a movement that grew as a middle position between liberalism and fundamentalism. He then discusses how Neo-Orthodoxy failed, and how that compromised movement was quickly absorbed by Christian liberalism.

The book then discusses key biblical doctrines from the view of the liberal and the fundamentalist. The doctrines discussed are scripture, the nature of God, the person of Christ, salvation, the resurrection of Christ, concluding with comments on heaven and hell. Barnes shows samples of liberalism’s view of these fundamental doctrines, and how these critical doctrinal issues are explained away, ignored, or attacked by liberals. He then sites biblical support for affirming and defending these vital biblical teachings.

Barnes concludes his small book by stating how he believes a biblical Christian should respond to liberalism. Essentially, Barnes states that liberalism should be exposed as a fraud and separated from by biblical Christians. On these points I agree. Although there are other books that cover this material in more detail, I recommend this book.