Those are best able to bear witness for Christ that have themselves been with him, by faith, hope, and love, and by living a life of communion with God in him. Ministers must first learn Christ, and then preach him. Those speak best of the things of God that speak experimentally. It is particularly a great advantage to have been acquainted with Christ from the beginning, to understand all things from the very first, Luke 1:3. To have been with him from the beginning of our days. An early acquaintance and constant converse with the gospel of Christ will make a man like a good householder.

Matthew Henry, A Commentary on the Whole Bible, Volume 5, on John 15, p. 1133.

This single witness powerfully drives away, scatters, and overturns, all that the world rears up to obscure or crush the truth of God. All who are endued with this Spirit are so far from being in danger of falling into despondency on account of the hatred or contempt of the world, that every one of them will obtain glorious victory over the whole world. Yet we must beware of relying on the good opinion of men; for so long as faith shall wonder in this manner, or rather, as soon as it shall have gone out of the sanctuary of God, it must become involved in miserable uncertainty. It must, therefore, be brought back to the inward and secret testimony of the Spirit, which, believers know, has been given to them from heaven. The Spirit is said to testify of Christ, because he retains and fixes our faith on him alone, that we may not seek elsewhere any part of our salvation. He calls him also the Comforter, that, relying on his protection, we may never be alarmed; for by this title Christ intended to fortify our faith, that it may not yield to any temptations. When he calls him the Spirit of truth, we must apply the term to the matter in hand; for we must presuppose a contrast to this effect, that, when they have not this Witness, men are carried about in various ways, and have no firm resting-place, but, wherever he speaks, he delivers the minds of men from all doubt and fear of being deceived.

John Calvin, in his Commentary on John 15.

A PREFACE.

To them that seeke (as they tearme it) the reformation of Lawes, and orders Ecclesiasticall, in the Church of ENGLAND.

The cause and occasion of handling these things, and what might be wished in them for whose sakes so much paine is taken.

Though for no other cause, yet for this; that posteritie may know we have not loosely through silence permitted these things to passe away as in a dreame, there shall be for mens information extant thus much concerning the present state of the Church of God established amongst us, and their carefull endevour which woulde have upheld the same. At your hands beloved in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (for in him the love which we beare unto all that would but seeme to be borne of him, it is not the sea of your gall and bitterness that shall ever drown) I have no great cause to looke for other then the selfsame portion and lot, which your maner hath bene hitherto to lay on them that concurre not in opinion and sentence with you. But our hope is that the God of peace shall (notwithstanding mans nature too impatient of contumelious malediction) inable us quietlie and even gladly to suffer all things, for that worke sake which we covet to performe. The wonderfull zeale and fervour wherewith ye have withstood the received orders of this Church was the first thing which caused me to enter into consideration, whether (as all of your published bookes and writings peremptorilie maintaine) everie christian man fearing God stand bound to joyne with you for the furtherance of that which yee tearme the Lords Discipline. Wherein I must plainely confess unto you, that before I examined your sundrie declarations in that behalfe, it could not settle in my head to thinke but that undoubtedly such numbers of otherwise right well affected and most religiouslie enclined mindes, had some marvelous reasonable inducements which led them with so great earnestnes that way. But when once, as neere my slender abilities woulde serve, I had with travaile and care performed that part of the Apostles advise and counsell in such cases whereby he willeth to try all things, and was come at the length so farre, that there remained only the other clause to be satisfied, wherein he concluded that what good is must be held: there was in my poore understanding no remedie, but to set down this as my finall resolute persuasion, Surely the present forme of Churchgovernment which the lawes of this land have established, is such, as no lawe of God, nor reason of man hath hitherto bene alleaged of force sufficient to prove they do ill, who to the uttermost of their power withstand the alteration thereof. Contrariwise, The other which in stead of it we are required to accept, is only by error and misconceipt named the ordinance of Jesus Christ, no one proofe as yet brought forth whereby it may cleerely appeare to be so in very deede. The explication of which two things I have heere thought good to offer into your owne hands, hartely beseeching you even by the meekenesse of Jesus Christ, whome I trust ye love; that, as ye tender the peace and quietness of this Church, if there be in you that gracious humilitie which hath ever been the crowne and glorie of a christianlie disposed mind, if your owne soules, heartes, and consciences, (the sound integritie whereof can but hardlie stand with the refusall of truth in personall respects) be, as I doubt not but they are, things most deere and pretious unto you. Let not the faith which ye have in our Lord Jesus Christ, be blemished with partialities, regard not who it is which speaketh, but waigh only what is spoken. Thinke not that ye reade the words of one, who bendeth him selfe as an adversarie against the truth which ye have alreadie embraced; but the words of one, who desireth even to embrace together with you the selfe same truth, if it be the truth, and for that cause (for no other God he knoweth) hath undertaken the burthensome labour of this painefull kinde of conference. For the plainer accesse whereunto, let it be lawfull for me to rip up to the verie bottome, how and by whome your Discipline was planted, at such a time as this age we live in began to make first triall thereof.

Preface to Richard Hooker’s Of the Lawes of Ecclesiasticall Politie, Volume I in the Folger Library Edition of his Works. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press: 1977, pp. 1-3. Originally published in 1593.

26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me,  27 and you will bear witness also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.  1 ¶ “These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling.  2 “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.  3 “And these things they will do, because they have not known the Father, or Me.  4 ¶ “But these things I have spoken to you, that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

John 15:26 - 16:4

7 ¶ The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.  8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.  9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.  10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  11 Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:7-11

O GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thy Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Okay, I’m going to repost this sermon on church membership since our new audio feature only picked up one sermon in the post and not two. That way, this sermon will show up in the RSS feed and on iTunes for you to have on your iPod or iTouch.

Here is the second sermon with warning signs–what you may find in churches where elders are behaving badly. Also detailed is the role of the laity in the Church. This sermon was preached two weeks after the first one which you can download in the previous entry.

Additionally, and closing this series, is a sermon on church membership and what it means to be a member of a church.

 I preached this sermon approximately a year ago at Trinity.

Want to know what to look for when facing elders behaving badly? Want to understand better what to watch out for? How to deal with these things and what the rationale is for understanding that ministers do not have unconditional power in the lives of people?

This sermon may well be for you.

1 There dwelt a man in Babylon, called Joacim:

2 And he took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, a very fair woman, and one that feared the Lord.

3 Her parents also were righteous, and taught their daughter according to the law of Moses.

4 Now Joacim was a great rich man, and had a fair garden joining unto his house: and to him resorted the Jews; because he was more honourable than all others.

5 The same year were appointed two of the ancients of the people to be judges, such as the Lord spake of, that wickedness came from Babylon from ancient judges, who seemed to govern the people.

6 These kept much at Joacim’s house: and all that had any suits in law came unto them.

7 Now when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went into her husband’s garden to walk.

8 And the two elders saw her going in every day, and walking; so that their lust was inflamed toward her.

9 And they perverted their own mind, and turned away their eyes, that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments.

10 And albeit they both were wounded with her love, yet durst not one shew another his grief.

11 For they were ashamed to declare their lust, that they desired to have to do with her.

12 Yet they watched diligently from day to day to see her.

13 And the one said to the other, Let us now go home: for it is dinner time.

14 So when they were gone out, they parted the one from the other, and turning back again they came to the same place; and after that they had asked one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust: then appointed they a time both together, when they might find her alone.

15 And it fell out, as they watched a fit time, she went in as before with two maids only, and she was desirous to wash herself in the garden: for it was hot.

16 And there was no body there save the two elders, that had hid themselves, and watched her.

17 Then she said to her maids, Bring me oil and washing balls, and shut the garden doors, that I may wash me.

18 And they did as she bade them, and shut the garden doors, and went out themselves at privy doors to fetch the things that she had commanded them: but they saw not the elders, because they were hid.

19 Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders rose up, and ran unto her, saying,
painting by Anthony Van Dyck: Susanna and the Elders» more

20 Behold, the garden doors are shut, that no man can see us, and we are in love with thee; therefore consent unto us, and lie with us.

21 If thou wilt not, we will bear witness against thee, that a young man was with thee: and therefore thou didst send away thy maids from thee.

22 Then Susanna sighed, and said, I am straitened on every side: for if I do this thing, it is death unto me: and if I do it not I cannot escape your hands.

23 It is better for me to fall into your hands, and not do it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.

24 With that Susanna cried with a loud voice: and the two elders cried out against her.

25 Then ran the one, and opened the garden door.

26 So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the garden, they rushed in at the privy door, to see what was done unto her.

27 But when the elders had declared their matter, the servants were greatly ashamed: for there was never such a report made of Susanna.

28 And it came to pass the next day, when the people were assembled to her husband Joacim, the two elders came also full of mischievous imagination against Susanna to put her to death;

29 And said before the people, Send for Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, Joacim’s wife. And so they sent.

30 So she came with her father and mother, her children, and all her kindred.

31 Now Susanna was a very delicate woman, and beauteous to behold.

32 And these wicked men commanded to uncover her face, (for she was covered) that they might be filled with her beauty.

33 Therefore her friends and all that saw her wept.

34 Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people, and laid their hands upon her head.

35 And she weeping looked up toward heaven: for her heart trusted in the Lord.

36 And the elders said, As we walked in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, and shut the garden doors, and sent the maids away.

37 Then a young man, who there was hid, came unto her, and lay with her.

38 Then we that stood in a corner of the garden, seeing this wickedness, ran unto them.

39 And when we saw them together, the man we could not hold: for he was stronger than we, and opened the door, and leaped out.

40 But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us: these things do we testify.

41 Then the assembly believed them as those that were the elders and judges of the people: so they condemned her to death.

42 Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, O everlasting God, that knowest the secrets, and knowest all things before they be:

43 Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me, and, behold, I must die; whereas I never did such things as these men have maliciously invented against me.

44 And the Lord heard her voice.

45 Therefore when she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young youth whose name was Daniel:

46 Who cried with a loud voice, I am clear from the blood of this woman.

47 Then all the people turned them toward him, and said, What mean these words that thou hast spoken?

48 So he standing in the midst of them said, Are ye such fools, ye sons of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth ye have condemned a daughter of Israel?

49 Return again to the place of judgment: for they have borne false witness against her.

50 Wherefore all the people turned again in haste, and the elders said unto him, Come, sit down among us, and shew it us, seeing God hath given thee the honour of an elder.

51 Then said Daniel unto them, Put these two aside one far from another, and I will examine them.

52 So when they were put asunder one from another, he called one of them, and said unto him, O thou that art waxen old in wickedness, now thy sins which thou hast committed aforetime are come to light.

53 For thou hast pronounced false judgment and hast condemned the innocent and hast let the guilty go free; albeit the Lord saith, The innocent and righteous shalt thou not slay.

54 Now then, if thou hast seen her, tell me, Under what tree sawest thou them companying together? Who answered, Under a mastick tree.

55 And Daniel said, Very well; thou hast lied against thine own head; for even now the angel of God hath received the sentence of God to cut thee in two.

56 So he put him aside, and commanded to bring the other, and said unto him, O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda, beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thine heart.

57 Thus have ye dealt with the daughters of Israel, and they for fear companied with you: but the daughter of Juda would not abide your wickedness.

58 Now therefore tell me, Under what tree didst thou take them companying together? Who answered, Under an holm tree.

59 Then said Daniel unto him, Well; thou hast also lied against thine own head: for the angel of God waiteth with the sword to cut thee in two, that he may destroy you.

60 With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and praised God, who saveth them that trust in him.

61 And they arose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false witness by their own mouth:

62 And according to the law of Moses they did unto them in such sort as they maliciously intended to do to their neighbour: and they put them to death. Thus the innocent blood was saved the same day.

63 Therefore Chelcias and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, with Joacim her husband, and all the kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her.

64 From that day forth was Daniel had in great reputation in the sight of the people.

I started typing this post in the combox on another blog, but I feel that the time for silence on these matters is over and these things deserve wider consideration and publication.

I’ve been silent long enough about why we specifically left the CREC and Emmanuel Covenant Church in Phoenix, AZ. Emmanuel Covenant Church is pastored by Jeffrey D. Niell. Niell graduated from Fuller Seminary and is very close to Randy Booth–one of the head honchos in the CREC. Not only was his church a plant guided originally by Randy Booth and his church (and then ushered into what was the fledgling CRE at the time), but Booth preached at his church only weeks ago.

I’ve stayed away from the raging debates at Green Baggins and elsewhere for some time and even took down a web site that I had up for awhile because it was just too much and I have more important things to attend to. However, I have long hoped for and wanted to see repentance from these men that would in turn result in their forgiveness and our reconciliation, but I’m so sick of the corruption as well as continuing to witness the damage they do to families, individuals, and churches.

As an example, at one of the first CREC meetings, I’ve personally watched Wilson bend the rules of his own denomination for the sake of convenience. I’ve also seen him needlessly interfere with the due process of other congregations. I’ve been at the receiving end of lies and character assassination and no doubt such things will continue as long as there are those of us who are brave enough to speak out about it.

Wilson said there’s no one willing to put his name (or the names of other men like Jeff Niell, Richard Klaus, or Randy Booth) to charges or concerns concerning lies or deception. I beg to differ and I charge them all to repent of their sin and leave the eldership and ministry so the people of God may finally be free of their ministerial oppression.

I would charge them today in the church courts they have set up IF I was confident that I would not only have a fair hearing but also that my own rights (and the rights and reputations of those I would likely have to call to witness to these things) as a minister and brother in the Church were protected. Others have tried and obviously failed. Is it any wonder that the CREC is no place for judicial fairness or protection of the rights of anyone who is not already an elder in their churches or someone else in their good graces or a place where a case can be capably heard by educated and appropriately trained men who have a wise ear for the truth of a matter? I am not here talking about weighing in on the Federal Vision controversy because that whole debate and how they have performed in it is merely a symptom of the deeper issues at work in and among these men.

A few years ago we opted to do what we considered at the time to be the gracious thing and back out of Niell’s church quietly. The elders at that time neglected to return the favor and broke their promise to forego comment regarding our departure to the congregation the next week citing “unresolved issues” on our part. Then, in a clear effort to do damage control, they directed that any questions or concerns about our situation should be directed solely to the elders. Things like this were merely the tip of the iceberg. To those unacquainted with this sort of operation, these things sound so inconsequential or maybe even petty–and so they are–until they are added onto a thousand other things that demonstrate a pattern and increasingly come to your attention as the years go by.

Now–after all that I have seen both before and since that time–I wonder if we shouldn’t have pressed our case even though it would have likely failed as I outline above. I wonder today if we wouldn’t have been party to saving some from undue heartache and pain–these things sadden me almost as much as the broken relationships caused by our untimely departure from that church because we really loved (and still dearly love and continue to pray for) the people in the congregation itself.

The work of evil and unjust men can be such a burden to the church and to those who have the providential trial of suffering “under their care”. Mark my words–the truth will come out sooner or later. May our Lord preserve his people even in the midst of wickedness, may He have mercy on those who do wrong, and may He work His Spirit in and among the people of God so that they may rightly discern the truth about these matters and have the courage to stand up to wicked men at the right and providential moment as the holy and individual priests that they are in our Lord’s kingdom.

It is easy to get worked up about these things if you have experienced any of what I describe above either as a member in a CREC church or in another communion. There have been times when I’ve been absolutely enraged by these things–but the one thing I come back to after all that emotion is the people who are under the care of men like this. Even if you don’t agree with anything I’ve written above–I ask you to pray for the people in the congregations of men who behave this way. They are the ones in need of real ministerial care and I pray our Lord will provide it.

If there is anything I can do to help anyone affected by men in the ministry who do not act as they should–even if we have disagreed in the past–please do not hesitate to contact me at the email address below.

Kevin D. Johnson, Pastor
Trinity Evangelical Church
Phoenix, AZ

kj@trinityphoenix.com