PD#10:

Lil Wayne’s new album Tha Carter III has now gone double-platinum, selling two million copies in the first nine weeks of its release. It passed one million copies in the first week alone.

These are huge sales, especially in our day of digital music purchasing where people buy singles but not albums.

Speaking of singles, the success of Tha Carter II seems to be driven by the incredible demand for the first single off the album, “Lollipop.”

Music Choice reports that “Lollipop” is now its most popular music video - ever. Damon Williams, VP of Programming for Music Choice said, “Wayne has done an incredible job of consistently delivering what today’s hip-hop fans want. The milestone of realizing over 10 million views for a single video speaks to the power of Lil Wayne’s fan base. Lil Wayne is the best in the game.”

And there is crossover appeal in the song. It not only reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs, it also reached #1 on the “Hot 100″, and #2 on Billboard’s “Pop 100″.

Obviously, a lot of people are buying, listening, and enjoying.

Not bad for a 5 minute song about oral sex.

And when I say “song”, I am referring to the insanely-repetitive, crass, in-your-face musical pornography that comprises “Lollipop.”

At this point, should I type in a few of the lyrics so you’ll believe me when I say they are awful? No, better keep the blog PG.

Where is Tipper Gore when you need her? 2008 doesn’t appear to be 1985 (Gore’s testimony before Congress with Frank Zappa). Cultural moral crusaders, from both the political left and right, are completely absent.

Does anyone besides me remember when “booty rap” musicians from 2 Live Crew were considered anti-social deviants, peddling lyrical porn? Sure, the controversy drove up sales of “As Nasty As They Wanna Be” (1989), but at least the music wasn’t automatically mainstreamed into the culture. But now, something is different. Where once there was cultural agitation leading to thoughtful reflection, now there is nothing but silence. Maybe some of the protests of the past were ill conceived, but at least there was a protest.

No matter what your religious affiliation, would you really want your son to grow up to be the next Lil Wayne? Would you desire your daughter to aspire to be one of the women sexually objectified in these songs and videos?

I’d really like to know whether anyone agrees with me when I state what seems to be blatantly obvious - we have become desensitized to degradation and are apathetic to our moral duty to critique and challenge.

Has our pluralistic sophistication negated our prophetic indignation?

Porn culture is here to stay, singing, “Veni, vidi, vici” all the way to the bank.

I am sitting out on my back porch this morning as the sun gets ready to inaugurate a new day. Birds sing and dance in the dew-laden grass, looking for that proverbial early worm they are entitled to. Maybe they can forget about the worms for awhile and feast instead on the big hairy spiders that roam my backyard grass.

Jesus once preached a sermon, and talked about birds. Standing on the side of a hill in order to be heard by the large crowd, he said,

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26).

The answer to this question is obvious. Yes. We are of more value than birds. And God, creator of both birds and man, provides for both. The clear purpose of Jesus’ words here is a warning against anxiety, worrying about material provision.

But this is not Pollyanna optimism built on a naïve view of the world. Jesus isn’t advocating bird-brain theology, as though birds never die and babies never starve. He knows this present world is not how it was created to be. The curse of sin and death hovers over all creation.

So, a few chapters later, birds once again take center stage in Jesus’ teaching as he says:

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, you are more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:28-31).

“Kill,” “hell,” “destroy,” “fall,” – this is the working vocabulary of the one who knows that this life is not all there is.

Indeed, God is benevolent and kind, pouring out a world of blessing on His creation, whether they acknowledge Him or not. Because He is powerful and wise to provide for what He has made, He does not want us to be overly concerned about our own material provision, as if we ourselves are God, makers of our own destiny.

Instead, God wants us to take time in this world to consider eternity, the life that is to come. In contrast to the concerns of this present world, Jesus wants us to focus much thought and attention to the world to come.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33).

St. Louis is my hometown, and always will be in my heart. For the last seven years I have pastored the most wonderful group of Christians at Providence Baptist in Rock Hill.

But when the sun rises tomorrow morning, a moving company crew will show up at my family’s house and pack up our belongings to move us into our new home in Louisville, Kentucky. The last six weeks have rushed by  - acceptance of a job, beginning work, finding and buying and remodeling a home, and packing up a house - all of this has added up to a fast-paced June and July.

Although it is bittersweet to leave parents, friends, and family behind here in St. Louis, there is also an accompanying great amount of excitement in my new work as Director of Research for Dr. Albert Mohler, the President of my alma mater, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Most readers of this blog do not need an introduction to Dr. Mohler, so you can understand the enthusiasm I have in my heart as I begin this new avenue of ministry.

Please keep my family in your prayers as we make the transition, especially for my wife who is “great with child.”

I will be gone for the month of June. Big changes are taking place in the life of my family right now - exciting and wonderful events. And, with those changes comes a press on my time and schedule for the next 4-5 weeks. I may see many of you at various Southern Baptist events and places, but for the rest of you - see you in July.

Grace and Peace,

Scott

O MY GOD,

Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects,

my heart admires, adores, loves Thee,

for my little vessel is as full as it can be,

and I would pour out all that fullness before Thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with Thee

ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,

ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,

ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,

crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless Thee for the soul Thou hast created,

for adorning it, sanctifying it, though it is fixed in barren soil;

for the body Thou hast given me,

for preserving its strength and vigor,

for providing senses to enjoy delights,

for the ease and freedom of my limbs,

for hands, eyes, ears that do Thy bidding;

for Thy royal bounty providing my daily support,

for a full table and overflowing cup,

for appetite, taste, sweetness,

for social joys of relatives and friends,

for ability to serve others,

for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,

for a mind to care for my fellow-men,

for opportunities of spreading happiness around,

for loved ones in the joys of heaven,

for my own expectation of seeing Thee clearly.

I love Thee above the powers of language to express,

for what Thou art to Thy creatures.

Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.

Arthur Bennett

“The Valley of Vision - A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions”

Click HERE for story.

Sources say that Johnny Hunt will be announcing on Tuesday (May 6), Ted Traylor nominating.

PD#9:

Wow! There is a lot of buzz in the “religion & politics” news this week regarding Barack Obama and his pastor former pastor Jeremiah Wright I understand that a pastor feels a burden to show courage and boldness in the face of hostility towards personally-held beliefs, but you’ve got to be amazed at his absolute inconsideration to his friend Barack, knowing the impact his statements might have on Obama’s campaign.

Ok, that ends my armchair-politics talk (an area I know little of, and care even less about).

Now, onto what I find even more interesting about all this – the theological element.

Liberation theology is getting a lot of air time these days (see here for today’s Google news search of the term). I’m not so sure all the pundits know what they are talking about when they use the term. Nevertheless, there is a lot of talk about Wright’s own liberation theology. As I’ve read some of the analysis, it seems as though there is an unspoken assumption that liberation theology is the only brand of theology fit for the African American Christian. Further, with great historical blindness, it is also nearly assumed that this is the only type of theology African American Christians have ever held.

So, Wright’s comments come at a great time for me personally, as I am in the middle of reading two books written by one particular African-American pastor, currently serving a church in the Cayman Islands (must be tough).

His name is Thabiti M. Anyabwile (click the link to read his personal blog, including a fresh post about the Jeremiah Wright events).

The two books by Anyabwile are:The Faithful Preacher: Recapturing the Vision of Three Pioneering African-American Pastors andThe Decline of African American Theology: From Biblical Faith to Cultural Captivity

I recently had the privilege of hearing Pastor Anyawile preach on the topic of Christianity and race.You can hear the message here, or see the video here. Regarding The Decline, here is a blurb:

“Anyabwile offers a challenging and provocative assessment of the history of African American Christian theology, from its earliest beginnings to the present. He argues trenchantly that the modern fruit of African American theology has fallen far from the tree of its early predecessors.”

Anyabwile discusses men like Howard Thurman, Jupiter Hammon, James Cone, Marcus Garvey, and T.D. Jakes. In so doing, he provides us with great analysis of the history of African American theology.

The next book, The Faithful Preacher, contains biographical information and some excellent selections from the preaching and writing ministry of three African American preachers from a bygone era. Lemuel Haynes, Bishop Daniel A. Payne, and Francis J. Grimke each receive compelling attention.

I’m not through reading these books yet, but I thought I’d put them out here (and Anyabwile’s message) for your own consideration.

PD#8:

A short video clip of John Piper’s gem from 2000… “the seashell story”… Don’t Waste Your Life.

PD#7:

On the cross of Calvary, God poured out his wrath on Christ, in the place of sinners.

Do you think that such a notion is a “twisted version of events,” or “morally dubious,” or a “huge barrier to faith”?Do you think that the doctrine of penal substitution, God punishing Christ in our place, is a form of “cosmic child abuse”?

Did you know that there is an ongoing debate among some in the evangelical camp who are embarrassed and even hate the truth claim that Jesus’ death was a divine wrath-bearing event?

A brand new book by Zondervan brings forth part of this discussion, focusing on the controversy as it appeared in the UK in the Evangelical Alliance. The Atonement Debate: Papers from the London Symposium on the Theology of Atonement is a collection of papers from a symposium held by the Evangelical Alliance and the London School of Theology. Here is the description of the book:

When a popular British evangelical leader appeared to denounce the idea that God was punishing Christ in our place on the cross as a “twisted version of events,” “morally dubious,” and a “huge barrier to faith” and suggested the idea should be rejected in favor of preaching only that God is love, major controversy was stirred. Many thought the idea of penal substitution was at the heart of the evangelical understanding of the cross, if no the only legitimate interpretation of the death of Christ.The public debate which resulted was often heated. In order to act as reconcilers, the Evangelical Alliance and the London School of Theology called for a symposium which advocates of the different positions could engage each other. The symposium, which was attended by some 200 participants, drew together many of Britain’s finest evangelical theologians. This book contains the collection of papers given at the symposium, supplemented by a few others for the sake of rounding out the agenda, and grouped in convenient sections.

The undermining penal substitution is not new. Attacks and redefinitions of this core doctrine have been around for ages. However, in recent times, it was the book The Lost Message of Jesus by Steve Chalk that sought to take away the doctrine of propitiation while at the same time claiming a place at the evangelical table.

The Atonement Debate is a response to Chalke and others within the EA. It is long (360 pages), substantial, and contains chapters by numerous authors, including Chalke himself. Sections include “Biblical Foundations,” “Theological Contributions,” “Historical Perspectives,” and “Contemporary Perspectives.” In other words, biblical, systematic, historical, and contemporary apologetic angles are all addressed in this book.

Make no mistake, mixing up and altering the doctrine of the atonement is an offense against the gospel itself. This is a doctrine of first-order importance. The Bible is clear that sins must be atoned for, and it is equally clear that we cannot make that atonement for ourself. Only a sinless savior can become the “curse” for sinners. Only Christ’s atonement can fulfill the work of both substitution and satisfaction. He substituted himself on behalf of sinners. He satisfied the demand of divine punishment (wrath, propitiation). And all that was done by Christ in suffering for us was done as a work of Trinitarian harmony.

Pastors, we must especially deepen our understanding of the biblical doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement, as well as the historical and contemporary attacks on it. This will involve diligent study and hard work. But the reward is found in knowing and defending and preaching a gospel that truly leads to life and salvation.

Here are some additional resources on penal substitutionary atonement:A recent audio message by Dr. Al Mohler, delivered at Together for the Gospel 2008, titled “Why do They Hate It So: The Doctrine of Substitution.”

R.C. Sproul audio message, “The Curse Motif of the Atonement”, delivered at Together for the Gospel 2008.

Adrian Warnock, “Steve Chalke and the Lost Message of Jesus”.

John Piper, “Defending My Father’s Wrath”.

Mark Dever’s Christianity Today article on the atonement.