Communion of the Saints and Invisibility

In recent weeks the reality of social invisibility has resonated in my mind as I commune with saints of European descent. Yesterday I had the pleasure of participating in a worship service at an African American Baptist church focusing on manhood. I spoke for 23 minutes on "The Purpose of a Christian Man." That's not the point here. My point is that when I told people what church I go to, no one knew about it. The large Orthodox Presbyterian church I have made my home is invisible to African Americans who are Baptists and non-denominational Evangelicals.

This hurts my heart especially as the line in the Apostles' Creed echoes in my head: "I believe in the holy catholic church; the communion of the saints." Also there's an entire chapter in the Westminster Confession of Faith devoted to the communion of the saints. Here's a brief snipet that's operative to this issue: "Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification." When it comes to the practice of this truth as it pertains to communion outside of ethnic enclaves we fall way short. It seems as though we are comfortable with our distance. We can nod to the belief in the communion of the saints, but we just lack the gumption to put it into practice. It seems as though our sociology takes precedent over our theology.

Our lack of true community as Christians is sin. Our indifference is sin. Our mutual arrogance and aloofness is sin. Let's pray for holy boldness like Paul who confronted Peter's sin of racism recorded in Galatians 2. I have news for everyone: heaven is integrated! Lord God, let thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.

Reformed Worship is Biblical Worship

We have another Winter Storm rolling through W. Michigan today and now into the evening. No PM service at church. Besides sleeping for over 3 hours I've listened to a sermon, and watch Tenth Pres's live stream. I just finished reading a chapter in D. G. Hart's Recovering Mother Kirk. For anyone serious about worshiping God in spirit and truth this book is a must read. This my second time reading the book, and Chapter 4, "Reverence and Reformed Worship" has struck me once again. Hart laments the fact that then (early-mid 1990s) there were Evangelicals leaving their Evangelical churches to join Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches because of their dissatisfaction of the onslaught of contemporary worship practices and styles in their churches. They prefered the majesty and dignity of Roman Catholic and Orthodox liturgies. Hart's argument is that Reformed worship offers the same in its historical liturgy. He wonders why these folk bypassed Geneva on their way to Rome, or Athens.

Since I've been Reformed my whole theology of worship has changed. I was locked in the cultural captivity of my Missionary Baptist upbringing and failed to appreciate historic worship let alone liturgical worship. I mocked liturgical worship as being dead to the Spirit, and being "European." As a Reformed Christian, I realize that God has provided liturgy for his people. Liturgy is a gift to the Church so that we can worship as he proscribes. What we have in Reformed worship is the dialogical cadence and rhythm: God speaks, we listen, we respond. All must be tempered in godly fear.

Some may criticize this as worship that is dull and staid. If someone responds such as this, he/she fails to recognize that even regenerate people cannot approach God on our own and with our own program. The starting point of Reformed theology is God's holiness and our unqualified (on our own) position to even offer him one iota of praise from our own. This is why our worship is mediated by Christ and the Spirit. This implies that we must worship God on his terms. He has dictated that we sanctify him in our worship. Our posture must be that of humility, but also joy in the fact that God has drawn near to us by Christ and the Spirit.

As one who believes that God has commanded us to sing psalms exclusively in the praise, psalm-singing offers us a variety of ways to offer the sacrifice of praise to God. Many psalms are sung prayers, others are majestic hymns, and some are laments and confession of sin. All of these elements of praise must be part of the entire corpus of liturgy. To neglect these elements time and time again means that our praise will be limp and will fail us.

The Heavenly Father invites us to worship him, but we must do so "acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Heb 12:28).

Luke's Birth Narrative and Christmas

Christmas has passed. It is the middle of February and no one has his/her mind on Christmas. This is a perfect time to remind people that there is no biblical warrant to observe Christmas as a holy day. It is a secular holiday cloaked in Christian garb. That aside I am reading the birth narrative in Luke's gospel and savouring it. I'm reading it slowly, and focusing upon key things such the angel's announcement to the shepherds. The poetry of Luke's narrative as it is translated in the KJV. I love Luke's birth narrative.

We historic Reformed folk who know that Calvin and the Puritans could care less for Christmas may project to the rest of the Christian world that we disdain reading the birth narratives and speaking with joy about the birth of Christ. Nothing could be further from the truth. How could a Christian read this text and feel no joy welling up in his/her heart?

Well, let me get back at Luke 2 and read with joy, passion, and eagerness. Sola Scriptura!

How Reformed Theology has Made Me More Catholic

To all of my followers, let me apologize for the long period between posts. This will be quick since I'm sitting in my office on a frigid Friday morning with a few flurries penetrating the sky with plenty of other things to occupy my time.

In a previous post, I revealed that I received Christian baptism as an infant in the Roman Catholic Church. I received "believer's baptism" only 6 1/2 years later in a Baptist church! I have a Roman Catholic context to fall back on in addition to receiving my elementary and high school education from Catholic schools.

Since I've been a Reformed Christian, I'm becoming more Catholic (not Roman). Since I'm a teaching historian, I've realized through studying the Reformation was that was the point of Luther, Calvin, and others. They were interested in bringing the Church back to its biblical, apostolic, and ancient history. When Calvin writes of the Church in his Institutes, does he use the term Reformed, or Presbyterian? No. He calls the Church the Holy Catholic Church.

As a Reformed Christian, I fully embrace my Catholicity as defined by my Reformed forebears. I lustily recite the Apostles Creed in church, and I've begun to pray through the Belgic Confession of Faith. I'm claiming the words Paul wrote first to the Church at Corinth, "all are yours." The apostles are mine, Alexander of Alexandria is mine, Ambrose is mine, Augustine is mine, Luther is mine, and Calvin is mine. For African American Christians, especially Protestants, this is a crucial point. Owing to our unique historical context, we tend to be parochial in our thinking and our approach to church matters. Almost by nature we attend African American churches. I understand the history, but are we being truly Catholic in spirit? Have we given up the fight on this front? We complain about racism in the church universal, but we stand aloof from fighting for inclusion and integration in the most important institution in the world.

I think the Spirit is grieved how we place culture above biblical Catholicity. Let's not wait on large numbers of white brethren to initiate discussions, or to invite persons of color to their churches. Where we see the marks of a true church, let's join no matter what. Why? Because it glorifies our Christ who died for Jews and Gentiles alike. His death tore down that middle wall of partition that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 2:14. In fact, the Apostle states(2:15)that the Church consisting of all nations is "one new man!"

Ecclesia Semper Reformanda means in part that we pray and work for local churches to reflect Paul's words.

What the Reformed Can Learn From Black Preaching

Every Lord's Day evening I take time to reacquaint myself with my heritage of hearing and appreciating traditional Black preaching. The late Dr. Olin Moyd wrote a book that called Black preaching the Sacred Art, and traditional Black Preaching has been just that--a sacred art. Black preachers have been able to hold worshippers on edge with their sense of capturing the drama of Holy Writ. Their preaching has been full of power, passion, and pathos that causes one to tremble. It is a visceral experience to hear good Black preaching, and by good I mean preaching that is faithful to the Scriptures and to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I believe African American preaching has something good to offer traditional Reformed preaching. There is no doubt that Reformed pastors can preach, but much of the preaching lacks pathos that is able to resonate with worshippers. As I alluded to in the above paragraph, Black preaching is dramatic. It builds, and with it the worshippers rise with the preacher. He leads them through the text--pushing them and prodding them to understand it and connect to it. The "amen's" from the congregation feed into the sense of drama before there is the climax with exultation. This exultation in classical black preaching is rooted in the fact the Jesus has died, has been buried, but now lives! Black preaching at its best is centered on the cross of Jesus Christ--his sacrifrice on behalf of his people.

In Reformed circles, we need to hear preaching with passion. It would be fine for Presbyterians to get loud sometimes in proclaiming the work of Christ; it would just dandy if a Christian Reformed pastor asks "can I get a witness?" when making a wonderful point about our justification through faith in Christ alone. Let's not use culture as an excuse. The biblical record is clear that the church is to respond to prayers with "amen." If the truth is proclaimed, let the church say, "amen."

Lessons from Eternity

After reading Revelation 4, the thought came into my mind regarding the mode of praise rendered by the 24 elders who sit around the throne of God. Do they dance? Do they play pretty tunes on instruments? Do they mime? Do they run and "shout?" In reading the text with answering the questions posed, the answer is clearly no. Is this pattern for our worship now when we gather in the name of the Lord on the Lord's Day? I say, yes.

The mode of praise here in this chapter is spiritual words, perfect words. Are spiritual and perfect words available to us? Why, yes. We find them in the Word of God in the Book of Psalms. The Book of Psalms contains the spiritual songs referred to by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3.

Judging from Revelation 4, our praise must be and can only be spiritual words rendered unto the Lord God. What do we see in churches, especially African American churches? We see dancing? We see whirling about? We see "mimestry?" We hear all sorts of dead instruments? We do hear singing, but are the words spiritual? I'm not referring to do the words reflect spiritual realities, but are the words themselves from the Spirit of God? Some may claim to have a special gift by which the written inspired songs, but such claims are erroneous.

In African American churches, reformation and revival is needed in the mode of praise rendered to our thrice holy God. May God be pleased to grant his Spirit to these churches to follow the commandments pertaining to praise.

The Mount Calvary Primitive Baptist Association October 2009

Here is an example of singing in an African American (Primitive) Baptist Church without the aid of musical instruments. I am in no wise endorsing the song itself, but the a cappella style.

What if the Hammond Organ was Removed from African American Churches?

I'm back. It's been a long couple of months in which I have had no time to blog. This one will be short. As I watch church services on the internet, I often wonder what would African American churches be like without musical instruments? This is no question without a glimpse. There are Primitive Baptist churches predominately in the Southeast that have historically worship without musical instruments. Why? Tradition? Well, yes and no. No, in that it is not because of a man-made tradition. Yes, because of apostolic/biblical tradition. Primitive Baptists as did other Baptists in history argued that there is no NT warrant for the use of musical instruments in NT worship. That's it.

Is pure worship replete with organs, pianos, keyboards, drums, etc.? No. We have added what delights us rather than what delights God.

Calvin and Holy Days

This is by no means an exhaustive treatment of Calvin's view on Christians celebrating holy days. With so many of Calvin's theological progeny observing holy days (other than the Lord's Day-Sabbath), I have to write something on this.

First, there is an interesting statement from the French Confession worthy of quoting on this issue of the observance of ceremonies, which I believe is connected with the observance of holy days: "We believe that the ordinances of the law came to an end at the advent of Jesus Christ; but, although the ceremonies are no more in use, yet their substance and truth remain in the person of him in whom they are fulfilled." Calvin co-wrote this confession with one of his students, and it was published in 1559. This article (23) teaches that all of the ceremonial law has been rendered obsolute because it has been fulfilled in Christ.

Christ is the end of the law, according to Paul. Tied with the ceremonial law is the observance of Jewish festival days such as Passover, Pentecost, etc. Since God had commanded that the Jews keep these days they were in effect until changed. We have apostolic testimony that these feasts no longer have currency with the people of God. Paul makes this clear in two passages of Scripture: Gal 4:9-10 and Col 2:16-17. Calvin comments on the latter passage with some clear instruction: But some one will say 'We still keep up some observance of days.' I answer, that we do not by any means observe days, as though there were any sacredness in holidays, or as though it were not lawful to labour upon them, but that respect is paid to government and order--not to days." The immediate context of the passage has to do with Jewish mystical teachers (possibly Gnostics) who implored Gentile Christians to be circumcised and observe the Law including holy days. If it was wrong for Jewish teachers to impose upon Christians the celebration of biblical (OT) holy days, it is wrong for the Church to impose on Christians the celebration of holy days that have no warrant in NT.

Calvin's teaching (and Reformed teaching) was that Christians have been freed from the annual observance of festival days. The OT days have been abrogated owing to Christ's coming in fulfillment of the types and shadows. Christ is our Prophet, Priest, and King has given us no more annual festival days to celebrate. Where are they? Christmas, Easter, etc. are the creations of man, and have no binding power on the conscience of any Christian.

As Reformed Christians (or Reforming Christians) we must examine in the light of Scripture the things we do and celebrate in the name of Christ. Christmas and Easter diminished the weekly Sabbath. I know that Easter is always on the Sabbath, but Easter is celebrated as though it is holier than any other Sabbath. This is unbiblical. Every Lord's Day is a commemoration of Christ's resurrection from the dead because that represents his finished work of redemption for all of his people. Let us delight in the Sabbath always.

Biblical Worship

I've said it once and I'm re-stating this biblical principle that I believe with all of my heart: God commands us to worship him according to his Word. This has been re-affirmed in my heart by reading Exodus 34:12-17. In this passage, the Lord commands Israel through Moses that when they go into the Promised Land they are to destroy all of the altars, images, etc. of the people who dwelled in the land. They must worship God. How? This command implies that Israel is to worship the Lord his way.

If this is clearly written in the Scriptures, why do Protestants believe they can worship God in ways he has never proscribed? On the Lord's Day, I saw (live streaming) a church service at an African American Baptist church (a large one) where kids were engaged in stepping--the kind I used to do in college when I stepped representing my fraternity at Greek Shows. These kids stepped during worship; it was meant to be an offering to God. How can any Protestant who holds to Sola Scriptura believe that stepping is an appropriate sacrifice to the Lord!

Listen to God's Word regarding how he is to be worshiped, not the worship gurus of the day.

Remaining Protestant

In our day of religious pluralism, there is a tendency among Christians to be more inclusive than Christ. Who are Christ's people? Those who have repented from their sin and turned to Christ for the forgiveness of sin based upon his work on the cross. These have been baptized; therefore, they are members of the Church.

Should we be inclusive of Roman Catholics into the Church? There are two responses to this question: first, institutionally the Reformers of the 16th century declared convincingly that Rome is apostate. It has modified the gospel of grace and faith and turn it into one of grace, faith, and works to maintain justifying grace. Roman Catholics readings this may cry foul! It's okay. Second, I believe that there are members of Roman Catholic churches who are part of the Church; yes, they have repented from sin and have trusted in Christ alone for their salvation.

In 1545-1563, the Council of Trent (an ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church) declared that those who believe in justification by faith alone, or those who believe in two sacraments are anathema---accursed. The Canons of Trent are still operative and binding and dogmatic. How can Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Reformed speak of rapproachment with Rome when Rome has never retracted those anathemas against Protestants laid it in the Canons of Trent?

This is a gospel issue, not merely an intramural disagreement. Luther stated that the doctrine of justification of faith alone is the article by which the Church stands or falls. He was right. If a Church denies this doctrine, is it still a Church? No. Let us heed Paul's inspired declaration rather than Trent's: "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Compare the gospel revealed in the inspired Scriptures to what Rome promotes as the gospel. You will find that Rome, not historic Protestantism, is accursed.

I write this to help we who claim to be Protestant to preach the gospel clearly and with love, but also to encourage us to pray for Roman Catholics we know; let us pray that God would be pleased to gather his own from the ranks of that apostate church. Lord, have mercy!

Has our Culture become an Idol?

Big question. I'll make this point short though. I have noticed African American Christians (I can't speak for European-Americans, or other hyphenated Americans) have a rather chauvinistic view when it comes to church and worship culture. I have been criticized for teaching my little one psalms set to "European" tunes. I had to think: is this a sin? At the same time, we have sung a psalm set to an African tune. Go figure.

Does the communion of the saints mean that ethnic groups remain segregated and worship in cultural ways nullifying the commandments of God? Can we draw from reverent and appropriate tunes from the global church?

If churches reformed their worship to the elements we see in NT, maybe the cultural questions and chauvinism will fade away.

Worship that is a Covenantal Dialogue

For readers who are African American Baptist or outside of the Reformed tradition, the title of this blog entry may sound strange, or may seem as though I'm referring to the traditional "call and response" mode of worship in traditional African American Baptist worship. What I am referring to is an ordered way of liturgy. In the annals of this blog, I've written about liturgy so I'll refrain from warming cold soup this time. What is behind this worship principle is the covenant. The Church is a covenant community and worship is covenantal. God greets us, we respond through praise and prayer, and God speaks to us (Scripture read and preached). This is biblical call and response.

I want to focus on the response. We respond in prayer and praise as a covenant community, a community of priests. This is why I believe the Scriptures teach that worship song is congregational, not choir or soloist alone. In African American Baptist churches, the choir has near top-billing. While the choir does its thing, the congregation has an option to sing with the choir (granted if it is a song known), or just to clap and stand and encourage. In this we have a bifurcated priesthood.

Oh, would African American church return (yes, I said return) to congregational singing. That would mean going back to singing psalms and doctrinally correct hymns. Return, my people, return.

Regulative Principle is Biblical

A friend of mine told me that his pastor upon learning that we coming here to Grand Rapids to study and worship told him "to watch out for that regulative principle." The pastor is a Calvinist, and offers words of warning about the regulative principle. In my estimation, to be a Calvinist is to hold to the regulative principle. In posts long ago, I made the case (convincingly, I pray) that historic Baptists do hold to the regulative principle in agreement with the Calvinistic wing of the Reformation.

Yesterday as I thought about defending the practice of congregational psalm-singing using the NT I re-read portions of 1 Corinthians 14. To refresh some memories, the regulative principle asserts that God must be worship according to his commands; we must worship God within the confines he has set. In NT we see Jesus and his apostles regulating worship. Jesus regulates the Sabbath Day, and he renders the Passover obsolete by insitutionalizing the Lord's Table that points to him. Paul in Corinthians regulates the worship practices of the Corinthians. Note in this chapter that Paul approves of the singing that took place at the Church of Corinth. He approves of psalm-singing. He deems psalm-singing a part of New Covenant worship never to be neglected. Also note that he mentions no other type of singing. The Church at Corinth practiced exclusive psalm-singing.

For those who rail against exclusive psalm-singing, would you substitute coffee for the fruit of the vine at the Lord's Table? Would you substitute good Christian literature for reading the Scriptures in corporate worship? Why not? We know that there are clear commands behind our rituals in worship, and we have no liberty to do as we please. This is all the regulative principle argues. Is this something to be warned about? Or is it something to be joyful about?

Can We Do Better?

As Christians in this world we must live in the very presence of sin all around us. We must also live with the reality that sin dwells in us. I wish I would never sin now that I am in Christ, but Christ and the apostles teach us that we do. This is why the doctrine of justification is so vital, and Luther called it the article by which the Church rises or falls. Without justification, Christians are left to attempt to earn our salvation. This is impossible. Without justification, all will go to hell. Thank God that by the merits of Christ all believers are justified.

In light of this, I'm referring to the day-to-day struggle with indwelling sin, two psalms come to my mind immediately. As I have stated over and over again, the psalms are for singing not only for reading. Psalm 51 and Psalm 32 come to my mind. Since I began to sing psalms in my devotional life, I've sung Psalm 51 the most. The gospel is there; forgiveness through the gospel is there. The assurance of a sinner's salvation is there.

As I ruminated on this today, I said to myself: "Can we do better?" What I meant is that we can write nothing better that gets at the heart of our sinful condition and the remedy provided by God through Christ. Psalm 51 is sufficient if read, and it is sufficient when sung and prayed. This is why I love to sing the psalms, and this is why I believe we should sing the psalms to the exclusion of all humanly written and devised compositions. We can do no better; it is no contest. The Holy Spirit is God Almighty, and he inspired David, Asaph, Moses, and other psalmists and prophets to write spiritual songs. God has given us these to praise him with, to pray, and to learn of our conditions. If we believe in the sufficiency of Scripture we must believe that the psalms are sufficient for our praise of God. Oh, would the words of the Holy Spirit rest upon our lips as we praise our God! Think about it: is Charles Tindlay greater than the Spirit? Is Thomas Dorsey? Alex Bradford, Andre Crouch, Donald Lawrence, etc.? These gospel song writers are fallible and subject to error. What the Spirit has written is inerrant. Every word is pure; the doctrine is perfect. Perfect praise available to the imperfect.

Pray and sing with me: "God, be merciful to me, On Thy grace I rest my plea; Plenteous in compassion Thou, Blot out my transgression now; Wash me, make me pure within, Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin."

Calvin, Singing, and African American Praise Service

Very few African American Baptists realize how indebted we are to Calvin and the Protestant Reformation for many of our cherished beliefs. Those who know a little about Calvin have a narrow view of him, and see him as overly cerebral, stuffy, cold, and too intellectual. On the surface Calvin's Institutes, seems to be monstrous and too heady for the average Joe or Jane Christian. Not so. It is full of sharp intellect, yes; but also Calvin's personal winsomeness shines.

One aspect of Calvin's theology that is often overlooked is his theology of worship. Obviously Calvin is consumed with the doctrine of God in the Institutes, and his theology of worship emanates from this. Two things are important to consider regarding Calvin's theology of worship: first, God is sovereign and must be worshiped; and second, God commands how he is to be worshiped. Within this, reverence and humility in worship is a necessity and commanded as I wrote of last week.

With this stated, Calvin's remarks on singing reflect the above mentioned emphases. In Book 3 Chapter 20, Section 32, Calvin states that singing must "be tempered to that gravity which is fitting in the sight of God and the angels" because singing helps us to pray. Elsewhere, Calvin would assert that singing is a second type of prayer. Anyone would say that there is a humility and reverence inherent in prayer; therefore, Calvin recognizes that such should mark singing since it is a type of prayer.

If such would be applied in African American church circles, a great reform would occur. This reform would dismantle much of the performances characteristic of singing in African American churches. Some may argue that it is our culture to sing with such bravado and passion, but is it biblical? No Christian would argue that zeal and emotion should be left out of our corporate praises, but it is wrapped up in reverence and humility. Paul commands Christians to sing with the spirit and the mind. This assumes a type of sobreity in praise, and also a type of moderation. That's the key. Moderation. Calvin states, "when this moderation is maintained, it is without any doubt a most holy and salutary practice." Is this cultural? No, it is biblical. It is worthy of following and applying in African American worship.

Return to Reverence

On the Lord's Day I attended a United Reformed Church in the Grand Rapids area, and the pastor preached on the second commandment articulated in the Heidelberg Catechism. For those unfamiliar with Reformed confessions, the Heidelberg Catechism is confessed by churches of the Dutch Reformed family---Reformed Church in America, Christian Reformed Church, and the United Reformed Church among others. The biblical passage used by the pastor was Hebrews 12:25-29. Verse 28 has struck me since I became Reformed. It reads: "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."

I know I've commented on this issue before, but I feel the need to re-iterate one thing. First, when discussion of worship in an African American context takes place there lacks discussion of what pleases God in our worship and what God requires. This verse clearly teaches the how of our worship, and this regardless of what ethnicity we are. Reverence and godly fear must pervade every aspect of our worship. Reverence refers to a sense of awe---an awe that results in a type of humility before God. Our praying should have this quality, our singing, our reading of the Scriptures, and our preaching. The music should be reverent, not upbeat but not sorrowful. We can rejoice while remaining reverent. We should do as the psalmist sings in Psalm 2 "rejoice with trembling."

I'm sorry to say that worhip in African American churches have little reverence. Often what I see is that man is the audience, not God. The emotionalism, the histrionics, the performances, etc. Are these reverent? Oh, God; give thy people a fresh sense of thy holiness when they gather to worship thee.

Why Reformed Theology is Particularly Suited for African Americans

This is big title, but I have only a few moments to write. Why do I believe this? First, let me state that I believe that Reformed theology is Biblical theology. So many people, especially professing African American Christians, are ignorant of Reformed theology and scoff at what they are ignorant of. I believe Reformed theology answers the question of why African Americans are here. God's sovereign purpose and his gracious and merciful purpose. We are the descendants of slaves. European slave traders were implicit in the kidnapping of millions of Africans. The vast majority had done nothing to deserve enslavement. At the same time, millions of African slaves would turn to Christ in true faith. Look at this: European slave traders had a bad intention, but God had a good and glorious intention. On Reformed theology keeps these contrasts in tension believing that man is sinful and all of his ways are sinful, but that God has ordained whatsoever comes to pass while maintaing second causes such as human sinful actions.

Nothing happens by chance. God is sovereign. To argue against this is to lend oneself to atheism.

Happy Reformation Day

As the world (and many Christians) celebrated Halloween, Oct 31 marks the anniversary of Martin Luther's nailing of his 95 Theses to the door of the Church at Wittenberg. This is the official beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

For African American Baptists and all Protestants, do we realize how connected we are to the Reformation? Those of us who are Baptists, we are very much Protestant. Our confessions and declarations are steeped in Reformation theology.

We are to make sure that we are continuing to preach the gospel recovered during the Reformation: the gospel of grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Are we telling this old Story?

Let us remember the true gospel this Reformation Day.

Psalm-singing particuarly suited for African Americans

Yesterday, I sang the middle portion of Psalm 22 during my private devotion. After my devotion ended, I realized how suited this psalm is for African Americans to sing. Most of the psalm is a lament in which David believes that the Lord has forsaken him during a dark period in his life. This psalm points to God's abandonment of his Son on the cross and the suffering the Lord endured at the hands of sinful men. The Spirit sung with clarity even denoting that Christ's hands and feet would be pierced.

Why do I believe this psalm is particularly suited for African Americans? First, when African Americans sing this psalm they sing with their Savior. There is a communion with the suffering of Christ in singing this psalm. Second, as a lament primarily it speaks to the historic existence of African Americans. Having endured slavery, legal segregation, and even now as African Americans face racism of all sorts we have warrant for singing laments.

The Church in general has moved away from singing laments. The assumption is that we must sing all joyful songs under the New Covenant. Wrong; everything in the Christian life is not joy even though we must count it all joy. There are times when we feel abandoned by God and everyone else. This is the time to take up Psalm 22; it's commanded even for New Covenant believers.