Pastoral Notes for Sunday, July 21, 2019

Let me take a brief moment to update you on a few recent transitions in our leadership at Cornerstone. First, our dear brother Mr. Marty Smith recently stepped down from the diaconate. Marty has served faithfully for three years as a deacon. Some of his chief contributions during that time were regular maintenance of the churchyard and serving as chairman of the Welcome Team. After a season of transition in life, Marty decided to move home to Bowling Green, KY, to be close to his family. But don’t worry! Marty is not going to disappear. He will be in Nashville regularly for work, and so expect to see him worshipping fairly regularly at Cornerstone. For that, we are very thankful.

Secondly, we’re thrilled to welcome Mr. Gene King back to active duty on the diaconate! Very wisely, Gene requested a sabbatical this past year in order to better meet the increased needs at work and home. Thankfully, Gene and his wife, Damaris, both believe now is the time for him to ease back into the work of the diaconate. In consultation with our deacon chairman, Mr. Larry Thompson, the elders agreed and unanimously voted last week to reinstate Gene King to active service. We are glad to have him back on the team! 

Finally, the elders also voted to reinstate Terry Cheney to active service on the eldership. Hearing that might confuse some of you. “Terry Cheney was on a sabbatical?” Well, yes. Sort-of. But not really! What do I mean? At Cornerstone, there is a regular sabbatical rotation (or rest cycle) for all officers. Ordinarily, after four years of active service, an officer is eligible for a sabbatical. As the word indicates, the purpose of the sabbatical is to allow officers the opportunity to rest spiritually and recharge and hopefully return refreshed to active service on the officer core.

This past year was Terry’s regular sabbatical, and though he stepped away from a few things, he maintained a very active presence among the elders. He did this, in large part, because we needed him! Some of you will recall that we lost two elders unexpectedly this past year. Mr. Brian Phillips was called away to be an Assistant Pastor at our mother church, Parish Presbyterian, and Mr. Steve Green moved away to Atlanta, GA. Being shorthanded, Terry sacrificed his sabbatical to serve the church in its time of need. I’d like to publicly thank Terry for the way he stepped up this year, for how he took up the interests of the church ahead of his own interests. It’s a beautiful picture of what true love for Jesus Christ and the church looks like.

It is true that I could say what I just said about Terry about each of our elders and deacons. True, these men are not perfect. Far from it! They have faults and flaws like the rest of us. They are only men after all. But, they love God and the church. They really do. It brings joy to my heart to witness it. Even more, it brings joy to our God. And that’s most important, isn’t it? Yes, but I do hope it brings more than a little joy to you, too. Let us pause now and thank God for faithful shepherds.

Before I go, it’s appropriate for me to briefly update you on our search for an Assistant Pastor. We believe we’re nearing the finish line! God has brought us some really excellent candidates, and in the deliberate process we’ve undergone to find the right man, God seems to be rewarding with his grace. Please continue to pray for us. We hope to be able to share more with you very soon!

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, July 7, 2019

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) met in Dallas, TX, on June 25-28. It was, in my opinion, one of the more encouraging assemblies in recent years. In saying that, I’m not suggesting that all is well in the PCA. Like any branch of the visible church, we have our issues. Taken as a whole, however, I see many reasons to be encouraged. In the space below, let me highlight two reasons.

First, the assembly took a strong stand for truth. This could be illustrated in a number of ways, but one of the clearest evidences was the assembly’s decision to commend the Nashville Statement (https://cbmw.org/nashville-statement/) as a biblically faithful declaration on human sexuality. As expected, this action didn’t please everyone. Some expressed concerns about the statements lack of pastoral care. Others questioned the way sexual identity is conceptualized in article VII. Still others suggested it was unnecessary and redundant, since the PCA already has strong confessional standards in support of the Bible’s teaching on gender and sexuality. At the end of the day, a strong majority of the assembly were unconvinced by these lines of thought and voted instead to commend the Nashville Statement, believing that reaffirming what we believe in this way is needed in a time where biblical distinctions of gender and sexuality are being jettisoned and the church is increasingly confused on such matters.

Further, the assembly also commended the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America’s statement on sexual orientation http://www.pcahistory.org/topicalresources/sexuality/RPCNA_Study.pdf. Still further, the assembly erected it’s own study committee on the issue of sexuality in order to bring together our best minds and create our own statement. So, more on this topic is coming in the year(s) ahead. 

Second, the assembly took a stand for grace. Again, I could point to three or four assembly actions, but one case in point would be the overwhelming support to erect a study committee on domestic abuse, oppression, and sexual assault. With the rise of the #metoo movement and growing prevalence of these sins in society and, sadly, even in the church, the PCA committed itself to study the issue and supply the assembly with a report that will include best practices and guidelines for protecting against these sins and responding to them biblically and pastorally.

If you have specific questions about these issues or other business at the General Assembly level, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. If enough of you have questions, we can organize a GA debrief. Seriously, I’d be happy to reserve a room at the church and talk through any particulars over coffee.

Before I sign off, it’s worth noting that whenever pastors and elders from all over the world gather in one place to debate and decide matters of business on controversial topics, there’s bound to be disagreements. That was certainly true this year. But the spirit in which the disagreements were discussed were, on the whole, temperate and gracious and focused on what will glorify God and best serve the mission of the church. That makes me proud (in a good way!) to be a part of the PCA.

But don’t just take my word for it; take Rev. Andy Young’s word on it. Andy is a church planter from Oxford, England. Andy is not ordained in the PCA, and this was his first General Assembly to attend. At the end of his time, he wrote a short piece entitled, “An Outsiders Take on the PCA GA 2019.” In that piece, he made several helpful observations, but none more helpful than his comments on disagreement and debate. He wrote, “…I simply give thanks to God that both on the floor of GA, in discussions afterwards, and in the various online postings since, PCA men are expressing their views, engaging with the issues, and debating the truth. This is encouraging and long may it continue. In addition, the tone of debate has been congenial and compassionate. Of course it is easy to find exceptions to this, but let’s not overly focus on the negatives. The vast majority of interactions I personally heard and have read online have exuded a tone befitting men of God. Let us pray for our brothers that they will know humility, discernment and courage as they debate together, and that through their debates they may stand for the truth and maintain the peace and unity of the PCA.”

I couldn’t agree more. Let me urge us to take up Andy’s prayer for our denomination—that we would stand on the truth of God’s Word, striving by every means of grace to maintain the peace, purity, and unity of the church. That, I pray, is a prayer that God would be pleased to answer.

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, June 30, 2019

 

It’s early Thursday morning at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) in Dallas, TX. Even early in the morning, it’s as hot as blue blazes in Texas, which is why I’m glad to be typing this brief message from the cool confines of the hotel lobby.

 Let me say first how thankful I am for your prayers this week. I’ve probably received a dozen or more e-mails or text messages from Cornerstone members this week letting me know they are praying for us. We need your prayers! As always, there are lots of important matters facing the church, and, as always, we’re in desperate need of God’s grace, wisdom, and direction. The most important items of our business will be debated and voted on today, so I can’t yet share highlights from any of the key items of business. I will do that soon, however.

For now, what I want to share is how thankful I am for faithful ruling elders like Mr. Jim Payne and Mr. Terry Cheney. These two brothers have done a fantastic job representing you and the Nashville Presbytery on general assembly committees. Both men were prepared and principled in their work, and it was an honor to lock arms with them in the work of the denomination this week. I thank God that we have ruling elders who care deeply for the health and growth of not just our church but also the whole denomination. I urge you—please take time to thank them for their tireless efforts!

 The assembly reconvenes in a half hour; so let me wrap this up. Before I do, however, let me offer one more encouragement. On Tuesday this week, we attended the Gospel Reformation Network lunch. If you’re not familiar with the Gospel Reformation Network (GRN), check it out online. It’s a great resource. I’m truly grateful for the role this fellowship of pastors and elders is playing in helping to nurture and provide resources for healthy churches in the PCA.

At the lunch we enjoyed, we were given a wonderful little booklet entitled Mere Presbyterianism by Jon Payne. Some of you will catch the echo of C.S. Lewis’ classic work, Mere Christianity, in the title. That’s intentional, of course. For just as Lewis was setting to set forward the commonly held beliefs of Christians throughout history regardless of tradition, so Jon Payne is seeking to advance a recovery of the commonly held beliefs of historic Presbyterianism throughout the centuries. As the title and aim of the book indicates, Jon is not looking to revamp our beliefs and practices to address modern challenges, but to instead call us to remain committed or return, as the case may be, to our historic confessional beliefs and practices as the tried and true paths for addressing the challenges of every era.

 It’s easy to drift, isn’t it? It’s easy to be blown along by the cultural winds (Eph. 4:14). It’s actually more difficult to stay put. Which is why in the midst of the storm, your most valued asset is an anchor. By God’s grace, we are laboring at Cornerstone to anchor ourselves in the Bible and the historic confessions, rejoicing that in an ever-changing world, we have the never-changing truths of Christianity on which to rest.

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, June 23, 2019

This is an important week in the life of our denomination. The 47th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) convenes this week in Dallas, TX. The General Assembly is the largest annual meeting of the PCA. Pastors and ruling elders from all over the world will gather to conduct the necessary business for the spiritual health and growth of the whole denomination. This week includes:

·      Transacting ecclesiastical (church) business

·      Deliberating and deciding significant theological issues

·      Reviewing the work of the denomination’s ministries

·      Receiving training through seminars

·      Connecting with resources in exhibition halls

·      Networking and fellowship with pastors, churches, seminaries, and other organizations

In addition to me, Cornerstone is sending Rev. Tony Giles and ruling elders Terry Cheney and Jim Payne to represent our church and presbytery at General Assembly. Jim Payne, Terry Cheney, and I were elected by the Nashville Presbytery to serve on General Assembly committees. Jim Payne will be serving on Mission to the World, Terry Cheney on Overtures, and yours truly on Mission to North America.   

Please take time this week to pray for the General Assembly and the PCA. Pray for peaceful proceedings that honor and glorify God. Pray for the health and the growth of the PCA. Pray that we would remain true to stated mission—“Faithful to the Holy Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, Obedient to the Great Commission.” 

Before I wrap up, let me share some bittersweet news. Today is Sara Nixon’s last Sunday with us. Sara is a New College Franklin graduate and has served in years past as an intern on staff with Women’s Ministry and Missions. Sara is one of the dearest souls you’ll ever meet, and I know she will be missed by so many of you. Why is Sara leaving? Well, she has a strong desire to serve the church as a missionary. Over the last year, she’s been looking at seminaries for formal training for ministry, and I’m happy to say that Sara has settled on the counseling program at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, FL! In this program, she’ll receive thorough biblical and theological foundations for the work of counseling and discipleship that will equip her for work on the mission field.

As we’ve done previously with others preparing for full time ministry, the elders are partnering with Sara for a percentage of her tuition cost. But, as you know, higher education is expensive. Sara could use the help of her church family, too. If you have a desire to learn more about how you can partner with Sara, feel free to drop her a line at scnixon19@gmail.com or make a donation online https://pay.cornerstone.cc/rts/ using her Student ID number 000091786. Sara will be stationed out front this morning with a table of information. She would be happy to answer your questions. Let’s pray for our sister as she takes a big step of faith toward God’s call on her life!