Pastoral Notes for Sunday, July 19, 2020

Dear Cornerstone Family,

Those who have the peculiar suffering of listening to me preach multiple times on a Sunday have often remarked how each sermon is different. You’d probably expect that some aspects of communication might change from sermon to sermon, and that is certainly true. More times than not, however, the differences aren’t just phrases or word choices but textual notes, cultural insights, theological elaborations, and practical applications.

For instance, in the noon service sermon last week, I took a rabbit trail into the attributes of God. I noted that God’s anger toward sin, though true of Him, is not an essential attribute of who He is but rather circumstantial. Let me explain how this works, and why this is important.

Holiness is an essential attribute of God. It’s essential because it’s always and necessarily true of God at all times and circumstances. We could point to many places to prove this, but Isaiah 6:3 is one such place, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of the hosts.” Notice, God is holy. Holiness is so central to who God is He can’t choose not to be holy. In short, God is not God without holiness.

The same thing can be said about love. When the Apostle John says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8), he’s making the point that God is in His very essence love. Jesus notes in the high priestly prayer, that love was the basis of His relationship with the Father before the world existed (see John 17:24). Why? Because love is essential to who God is.

Never do we see the Scripture speak of God’s anger in this way. Rather, God’s anger or wrath is the expression of the attribute of holiness toward sin. In other words, God’s anger arises or appears only under certain circumstances—when His holiness is confronted with man’s sin. This is why, of course, the Triune God is never described as sharing in or experiencing anger before the foundation of the world.

Now, this must be nuanced, of course, when it comes to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. God pours out His wrath on Jesus Christ on the cross, but He is only able to do this because the Son of God added to himself a human nature and “became sin for us,” to borrow a line from Paul (2 Cor. 5:21). The Father could never have been angry at His Son if the Son hadn’t first taken the guilt of our sin on himself.

Finally, this is also why—and this is very important—God’s anger can be averted. Unlike His love, God’s anger can be quenched if the sin that provokes His anger is removed. This is what happened on the cross! When Jesus took the guilt of our sin on himself, the anger of God that was pointed at us turned to him. When Jesus offered himself up on the cross as payment for that sin, the anger/wrath of God toward our sin was satisfied. So much so that if you’re in Christ, God has no anger toward you. None. Zilch. Nada. It’s been completely removed. Because of what Christ has done, the only thing left God has for you is love.

So, let’s worship like that’s true.

Your servant,

Pastor Nate

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, July 12, 2020

When you think of spiritual growth or change, what would you say makes the most difference? There’s lots of potential good (right) answers. But when I look back on the seasons of the most significant spiritual growth, there’s always been a loving person delivering God’s Word to my heart. It really is that simple, and that profound.

On the surface, that may sound like a defense of pastoral ministry or the activity of preaching and, in a sense, it is. But that’s not the point I’m making right now. For interestingly, the people who have made the biggest spiritual impact in my life have only occasionally been pastors.

This week in staff meeting we took time to personally apply the first point of last week’s sermon from Psalm 44, namely, that God’s ordinary means of passing on the faith to the next generation is the family of faith, the church. I asked each staff member to tell us about someone in their past who made a big spiritual impact. We named mothers, Sunday School teachers, youth volunteers, and, yes, a pastor or two. But it was noteworthy that for almost all of us, the single biggest spiritual influencers were ordinary Christians who loved us enough to minister the truth of God’s Word to where we needed it most.

At staff meeting, I mentioned the name Chuck Thompson. He helped lead the 3rd-5th grade boys’ class on Wednesday nights at my home church in Laurel, MS. I remember one night in particular. Chuck told us he’d had a long week and didn’t have much time to prepare a lesson, but that he wanted to teach us about thanksgiving.

He had each boy—probably 4 or 5 of us—retell all the events of our day. From the moment we woke up, to the moment we stepped into the room for Bible study that night. As we painstakingly rehearsed the day’s activities, Chuck would stop us and say, “How can you give thanks to God for that?” From brushing our teeth to playing catch in the backyard, Chuck was calling us to pause, consider, and give thanks to God.

Little did we know, he was teaching us the life transformative truth of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” The teaching was so simple. It was even unprepared! But thirty years later I remember it and am still learning the lesson of it. In fact, I’m sharing the lesson with you! Chuck has gone on to be with the Lord, but the impact of Chuck’s ministry remains with me to this day. That’s how God loves to work.

Who has God used in your life to make a spiritual difference? Go ahead and stop right now and give thanks for them. Then, for God’s glory alone, ask the Lord to use you to lovingly minister the truth of God’s Word to someone else. Trust me, that’s the kind of prayer He’s inclined to answer.

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, July 5, 2020

Dear Cornerstone Family,

I had a lovely conversation this week with a thoughtful young man in our community. He overheard the final minutes of a phone conversation I shared with a friend. In that conversation, I referenced a line of thought in Charles Taylor’s book, Sources of the Self. Taylor argues that in late modernity a seismic shift in understanding about the human person took place. The historic Christian understanding of the human soul was in large part replaced with a secularized concept of the human self. Taylor goes on to note how this shift moved society over time away from traditional understandings of human identity arising from within the moral framework of the universe to radically individual self-conceptions of human identity rooted in personality and psychology. (Yep, a little heady, but a very important observation.)

When I hung up, the young man at the table next to me introduced himself. He apologized for eavesdropping on my phone conversation, but the cultural shifts I referenced fascinated him. He noted the civil unrest we’re presently experiencing in America, expressing real concern about whether the fabric of the nation can maintain itself much longer (alluding specifically to the presidential election in November). He then asked, “Do you think the shifts you mentioned are part of the reason we’ve lost the ability to have meaningful dialogues on social issues today?”

I could tell he sensed a connection but couldn’t quite put his finger on it. I told him that anytime we jettison a divinely created, morally framed understanding of reality and opt for a subjective, psychological-sociological framed understanding of reality—where each person is free to forge or create their own identity and meaning—societal fragmentation is inevitable. “In my opinion,” I said, “one of the evidences that such fragmentation is well underway in America is our inability to have reasonable, respectful discourse when we disagree on social issues.”

He nodded, so I continued. “If we embrace subjective self-conceptions of personal identity; one where the individual is free to determine who he or she is, then we necessarily cut ourselves off from the possibility of a commonly held understanding of reality. We’re all living in our own worlds so to speak. Furthermore, if we determine self-identity, then it necessarily follows that we can choose our own morality. This in turn necessarily cuts us off from a commonly held sense of what is right and wrong and thus a vision for moving forward together.”

Now, I didn’t think of it at the time, but it’s worth noting now. In his book, Culture Wars, James Davison Hunter argues that whenever a nation’s communal life and habits of social connection erode, the nation becomes increasingly dependent on the exercise of power to hold things together. This is why, Hunter suggests, American society is looking increasingly to governing officials, laws, and the exercise of political power to provide solutions for our social and cultural problems. Hunter wrote that in 1991. It’s truer today than it was then.

On this July 4th weekend, in the midst of great concern for our nation, it’s right for us to give thanks to God for the freedoms we still enjoy. Chief among them, the freedom to do what we’re doing right now— worship! Friends, that’s a tremendous blessing. Don’t take it for granted! But as we exercise our freedom to worship today, let’s remember WHO we look to for help and hope. Not to princes who cannot save (Psalm 146:3) but to our God (Psalm 121:1-2) who has set His son, Jesus Christ, on the throne of heaven and given Him the name above every name (Philippians 2:9). Only under His blessed rule are we free indeed (John 8:36).

Your servant,

Nate

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, June 28, 2020

Dear Cornerstone Family,

It was encouraging to see that a good number of you tuned in to the livestream conversations on Thursday evening June 11th and 18th. Given the current unrest, your pastoral staff believed it important to take time to reflect in an intentional way on this cultural moment in light of the Scripture’s clear teaching on the Holy Spirit and the mission of the church. We strongly believe that by taking off the spectacles of media and politics and putting on the spectacles of the Word we’re better prepared to (1) rightly interpret what’s going on around us and (2) bear witness to the power of the gospel with winsomeness and wisdom. We sincerely hope these conversations helped in that regard.

If you missed one or both conversations, please take time in the next week or two to get caught up. You can find the conversations on the video archive page on our website or on our YouTube channel. As always, we love hearing from you. Tell us what you learned. Tell us what questions you still have. We’d love to keep the conversation going.

Also, I’d like to remind you to pray for our officer candidates as they enter the homestretch of officer training. They’ve just finished a detailed study of the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Book of Church Order and will enter this week into the final phase of training. This last step in the process will focus on the specific roles and duties of elders and deacons. Lord willing, if all goes according to plan, the Session will exam the candidates in August and will shortly thereafter present to you, the congregation, a slate of recommended new officers for election by mid-August. In the meantime, please remember these brothers in prayer: Will Kesler, Brent Roberts, John Millard, Ron Moffat, Casey Taggert, Matt Faulk, Wes Pittman, Carl Ware, Matt Suits, and Dan Fiedler.

Finally, two weeks ago the Finance Committee gave a financial update and a 2020/2021 budget summary report. If you missed that report, please visit our website, cornerstonepresfranklin.org, and scroll to the bottom of the homepage to read the June 14th edition of the Pastoral Notes. Though we’ve seen a 20% dip in giving over the last nine weeks, we remain hopeful that as the economy comes back online we’ll begin to see our giving rebound. We are deeply grateful to God for continuing to maintain our needs through your faithful giving during this difficult season, and we look forward to seeing how He will continue to faithfully take care of us in the days ahead as He promises us in Philippians 4:19: And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Your servant,
Nate

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, June 21, 2020

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth”—Psalm 121:1 

Dear Cornerstone Family,  

For those of you who may have missed the big news coming out of the Shurden household, let me take a moment to get you up to speed. Much to our surprise, Christy (my wife) and I recently found out that we’re expecting a fifth child. Yes, you read that right. #5! And, yes, we’re as surprised as you. Check that: we’re more surprised than you! Thankfully, God has given us a deep love for children, so it didn’t take very long to start getting excited about a new little Shurden (Due date is Dec. 30th). 

Just as the excitement was taking hold, some difficult news broke. We learned last week that the prenatal blood screening test indicated a high probability of a chromosome abnormality in the baby. To be more specific, the doctor said there’s a 90% chance the baby will be Down Syndrome.  

That news knocked the wind out of us.  

After the appointment, we took the evening and next day to prayerfully let this news sink in. We took time to speak with our kids, parents, and a few close friends. We asked questions. We worried. We cried. Then, we’d collect ourselves and be fine for a while. And then something would be thought or said, and the cycle of questions and worries would start back over.  

Thankfully, with each passing day, the questions and worries lessen, as we learn (again and again) not to face tomorrow’s troubles with today’s grace. Jesus tells us not to be anxious about tomorrow for a reason. For starters, we’re not there yet. Moreover, we’re not even promised tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). This is why we must do what Christians have done for centuries, drawing near to the throne of grace in our time of need knowing that His mercies will be new each morning (Lamentations 3:23; Hebrews 4:16).  

During an anxious season a few years ago, I penned what I’ve come to call the five R’s.  

  • Remember God’s promises (Isaiah 26:4) 

  • Rest in God’s providence (Romans 8:28) 

  • Redeemed by God’s love (Romans 8:37-39) 

  • Release all worldly fears in prayer (1 Peter 5:7) 

  • Relax into God’s perfect peace (Philippians 4:6-7) 

 As you might expect, Christy and I revisited these precious realities this week when we sensed our heads falling below the water line. As we meditated, talked and prayed, we were slowly lifted out of the waves until we finally regained our footing on the Rock of our salvation. We’ll undoubtedly be rehearsing these truths again and again as the waves of fear and sadness come in the days ahead.  On that note, I’d ask you to pray for us in five specific ways:  

  1. Pray for a healthy baby.  

  2. Pray for unwavering trust in God and ever-increasing peace and resolve in whatever path He has for our family. 

  3. Pray for wisdom on decisions we have to make on future testing, since the most confirming test also has increased health risk for the baby. We’ve got a few weeks to think and pray about it before we have to make a decision.  

  4. Pray for God’s good and perfect will to be done. 

  5. Most of all, pray for God’s glory to be put on beautiful display no matter what!  

We’re so grateful to be a part of a church family that loves us. We’re especially thankful right now for the opportunity to lean on your love and be assured of your prayers on our behalf.  

Love you all. 

Your servant, 

Nate 

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, June 14, 2020

We have all seen the numbers. It’s patently clear: the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown has dealt quite a blow to our economy. For more than a few us, this downturn hit our pocketbooks hard. Retirement plummeted, business deals dried up, hours cut back, and jobs were lost. As encouraging as it was to hear this week that 2.5 million jobs were added in the month of May—the largest one month jump in U.S. history—unemployment still stands at 13% nationwide. Needless to say, we’ve got a long road ahead of us.

Whenever there’s a downturn in the economy, it’s typical for churches and other nonprofit organizations to experience a dip in giving. Even though we’ve seen our ups and downs economically over the years with, at times, sizable rises and falls in our month to month giving, the Cornerstone family has always stepped up to meet the needs of the ministry. Witnessing this over the years has blessed my socks off! Why? Because generous and cheerful giving to the church is among the leading marks of spiritual vitality and commitment to Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 9:6-7). As our Savior put it, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

As we near the end of this budget year (June 30), I asked the Finance Committee to give us a brief report on the fiscal health of Cornerstone and our budget plans for next budget year:

On the behalf of our leadership, we want to thank you for continuing to support the worship and work of Cornerstone during this difficult season. We also want to share with you that we’ve seen a substantial dip in our giving over the last two months. If you compare April and May last year with April and May this year (the same 9-week period), we’re down roughly 20% in giving. Due to our healthy cash position going into these months, we are holding on our own. We will keep a close watch on things as we go throughout the typically lean summer months. Though we don’t know what the future holds, we are hopeful that as the economy comes back online and as more of us are able to get back to work we will see a gradual increase in giving. Please pray for that.

In our budget planning for next year, we thought it wise to be very conservative. This past Tuesday at our Leadership Meeting we approved a 0% budget increase across the board. Below you will find a big picture summary of where we are currently and our projection for the 2020/21 budget year. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact Susan Bumpus in the church office at office@cstonepres.org

Financial Update 2020

11 Month Actual 11 Month Budget Difference

Total Giving $823, 595 $825,182 ($1,587)

Total Expenses $810, 763 $815,549 $4,786

Difference $12,832 $9,633 $3,199

2020 Budget $889,790

2021 Budget $889,790