The Importance of Pastors Praying For One Another

Mike Leake

I had no idea when I started reading the writings of Gregory the Great that it would be so pastorally enriching.  I started reading them to look for various developments in Catholic theology.  One thing that has become evident early on is that Gregory had the heart of a pastor.  Consider this:

…cases of such importance hang over me daily as to overwhelm the mind, while they kill the bodily life.  Wherefore, most holy brother, I beseech thee by the Judge who is to come…help me, who am growing weary under this burden of pastoral care, with the intercession of thy prayer, lest its weight oppress me beyond my strength…For, while we are joined to you through the aid of prayer, we hold as it were each other by the hand while walking through slippery places, and it comes to pass, through a great provision of charity, that the foot of each is the more firmly planted in that the one leans upon the other.  (Gregory the Great, Book I, epistle xxv, p81)

All pastors can certainly feel what Gregory was lamenting.  As such I take great encouragement in his admonishment to pray for one another.  Yes, I believe the Lord encourages pastors to pray for one another, and I also believe that prayer is powerful and effective and that we are in some wonderful way held up not by the prayers themselves but the King whom they invoke. 

Top 11 Books from 2011

Mike Leake

I lost track of how many books I actually read in 2011.  I know that I reviewed 46 and I have a decent sized list of books that I’ve either finished and haven’t reviewed or I have almost finished and will soon enough review. 

Here are the Top 11 Books that I read in 2011.  I filtered through all of the books that I read from 2011 based on two criteria.  First, lasting influence.  If the book is still jostling around in my brain then that gives it some points—especially if it was something I read in February.  Secondly, sheer enjoyment.  If I remember reading it and loving the read then it’s probably on this list.  Many books I read were excellent.  But these were the best:

11. Night of the Living Dead Christian by Matt Mikalatos

I read this one last month and it was a very entertaining read.  It actually inspired me to read more works of fiction.  It’s a tremendous allegory, fun read, and actually makes you think.  Read my full review here. 

10. Think by John Piper

There is a difference between learning, studying, remembering things, and actually thinking.  John Piper inspired me early in the year to give myself to vigorous thinking and not simply coasting by on what the Lord has given me but instead fanning into flame the gift of God.  Read my full review here.

9. Christians Get Depressed Too

This is a very helpful resource for those that struggle with depression. I’ve consulted this book a few times over the course of this year.  One of the greatest things about this book is that it is short.  For those battling depression a short, practical, Christ-centered book is helpful.  Read my full review here.

8. 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible

This entire series of 40 Questions is worthy of looking into.  This edition by Dr. Plummer is an excellent resource on biblical interpretation (hermeneutics).  I used this book liberally while teaching a series on Biblical Interpretation at our church.  It’s certainly one that every serious student of the word needs to consider purchasing.  Read my full review here. 

7. The Greener Grass Conspiracy

Once I discovered that this book was not actually about global warming (no idea where I got that idea), I decided that I would give it a read.  It was excellent.  Oddly enough I think this book did more for my writing than anything else.  Altrogge’s writing style is one that I have tried to emulate.  Read my full review here.

6. Perspectives on Family Ministry

This book, coupled with my class with Dr. Timothy Jones on Family Ministry, has finally provided answers to questions I had stirring in my head for a couple of years.  It is a wonderful help to those ministers attempting to figure out how to do family ministry.  Read my full review here.

5. Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller

Tim Keller writes a whole book on idolatry.  Enough said.  I have yet to review this book but it will certainly receive five stars.  Keller is an excellent writer and he applies the gospel to our idol factories better than most other authors. 

4. Redemption by Mike Wilkerson

I first heard about this book while it was in the beginning stages of publication.  Wilkerson spoke in one of my classes at Southern.  I was immediately hooked and anticipated the books arrival in stores.  I was not disappointed.  A helpful grid both for personal transformation and for small group settings.  Read my full review here.

3. Wise Counsel (John Ryland, Jr. and John Newton) by Grant Gordon

A book full of Newton’s letters, that’s enough to sell me.  This book has proven very helpful for me throughout the year.  Ryland is a young minister and Newton provides counsel to him all throughout the book.  These letters span almost the entire life and ministry of both Newton and Ryland.  It’s helpful historically but even more helpful pastorally.  I have yet to write a review but hope to soon. 

2. Washed and Waiting by Wesley Hill

I do not share the same specific struggle as Wesley Hill.  But I do share his same struggle with sin.  This book is still something that I am chewing on.  It is helpful in ministering to homosexuals but it is even more helpful in ministering to your own soul.  Wesley’s view of redemption, brokenness, and healing is one that will inspire and help any reader.  Last I checked you can get this on Kindle for pretty cheap.  Read my full review here.

1. Tempted and Tried by Russell Moore

I absolutely love Crossway.  They have put out a myriad of excellent books.  I had heard from someone that had read this that it was one of the best books ever published by Crossway.  I thought that a pretty lofty statement.  But after reading this book I lean towards agreeing with them.  The writing is phenomenal.  The chapters are lengthy but reading them is never laborious.  In fact I will probably try to read this book in 2012 as well.  Read my full review here.

There you have it.  My Top 11 books for 2011. 

A helpful (for me) tip: If you ever decide to purchase a book that I have reviewed or one from this list has finally motivated you to buy the book.  Be sure to click the link and buy from there.  Anytime you see borrligh-20 in the URL that means that I get a little kickback from Amazon as a referrer.  It doesn’t cost you anything, it doesn’t add any steps to your order, but it helps me out considerably.  If enough people buy books referred from this website then I have enough to buy books each semester. 

The Weariness of Wrong-hearted Study

Mike Leake

I’m missing something…

In Philippians 1:15-18 Paul, from prison, writes this:

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
    Yes, and I will rejoice,

I know that Paul is not rejoicing in those that are preaching some form of a false gospel that are merely throwing around the name of Jesus.  They are probably preaching the true gospel of Jesus but they seem to be personally at odds with Paul.  My guess is that they get the gospel but they are a little weak on the periphery elements of the good news of Jesus. 

Paul rejoices. 

I can’t seem to. 

Even though he is referring to those with a different problem I find myself identifying with those C.S. Lewis laments in this quote:

But you cannot go on `explaining away’ for ever: you will find that you have explained explanation itself away. You cannot go on `seeing through things for ever. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it. It is good that the window should be transparent, because the street or garden beyond it is opaque. How if you saw through the garden too? It is no use trying to `see through’ first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To `see through’ all things is the same as not to see.  -C.S. Lewis from The Abolition of Man

I think Lewis is really only saying what the Preacher said centuries ago when he said, “Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh”.  (Ecclesiastes 12:12)  There is a type of studying and learning where all you do is “see through things”.  I feel like I have been guilty of that. 

I hear somebody preach and I “see through” certain elements of what they say.  I see a brother or sister in Christ spill out their heart and I “see through it” and analyze it according to a strict theological grid.  It’s like I say to myself, “Yeah, they are preaching Jesus but I can tell their eschatology is messed up.” 

I’m not like Paul.  Paul was able to “see through things” so as to “see something through it”.  And that is why he was able to “see through” the preaching of those that were seemingly his enemies.  He can see through it and see that the gospel is still being proclaimed and the sovereign Lord of the universe is being glorified even with them having shoddy motives.  What a robust view of the power of God that Paul must have had. 

I have to confess I am so weary of myself in this regard.  Ecclesiastes is true, all of my study (because I have often done it so wrongly) has given me a weariness of the flesh.  One of my prayers for the New Year is that the Lord would rescue me from “seeing through things” and help me “see through things to see something through it”.  Indeed to see Someone through it.  If I don’t see Jesus through my labor of study then I’d be just as well served digging holes in my yard looking for buried pirate treasure.  

Now That’s a Missionary Mindset…

Mike Leake 2 Comments

Commenting on the invasion of the barbarians in the early 400’s Paul Orosius remarked:

If the only purpose for which the barbarians were sent within the Roman borders was that throughout the entire East and West the Church of Christ would be filled with Huns, Suebi, Vandals, Burgundians, and many other peoples of believers, let the mercy of God be praised and extolled, for so many nations have attained to the knowledge of truth which would not have been able to do so without this occasion, even if this has taken place through our own destruction. 

In case you aren’t familiar with Orosius, he was a friend of Augustine.