Winter 2018 Volume 4, Issue 2 JARED WILSON ON HOW TO BETH MOORE ON GOV. BILL HASLAM ON 52 FALL IN MINISTRY AND WHAT 28 THE CHRISTIAN’S NEED 18 MAINTAINING CHRISTIAN TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY INTEGRITY IN LEADERSHIP ERLC.COM/EVENTS SPEAKERS RUSSELL MOORE | JACKIE HILL-PERRY | JENNY YANG JON WARD | MIKE COSPER | JEN WILKIN | GARRETT KELL DEAN INSERRA | ERICK ERICKSON | VANCE PITMAN ERIC TEETSEL | MICHAEL WEAR | AND MORE FROM THE PRESIDENT A Call for Christian Congruence As we were preparing for this issue, American evangelicalism has led to a crisis of well-earned Christianity lost a cherished sage with the cynicism. Ugly revelations have become all to death of pastor and author Eugene Peterson. common: doctrinal aberration, political idolatry, In the days that followed his passing, I found and cover-ups of the most awful forms of abuse. myself pulling many of Peterson’s books off my Many ask whether Christianity is just a cover shelf, looking at tabbed pages and highlighted for a national identity, political movement, or sentences in a visual reminder of how much I worse, a scheme for power. Christianity seems had learned from this man. more Darwinist than Darwinism. One passage that struck me particularly was in In this, Christ calls us to congruence, how- the opening pages of one of Peterson’s last books, ever halting or imperfect, with the life of Christ As Kingfishers Catch Fire. As Peterson reflected revealed in Scripture and lived in the Spirit. on the life of a man who had taught him much, Such congruence will require distance from the word that came to mind was “congruence.” It cultural expectations of Christianity—whether was also, Peterson noted, the word that summed those of secular culture or the “Christian” sub- Aup what he most needed in his pastoral work cultures that wish to oppose secular culture ONLY WITH THE LIVES Congruence. The life defined by this word while mimicking it. This entails a commit- OF CONGRUENCE, OF would, Peterson offered, demonstrate “no slip- ment to forming the conscience that is painful. page between what he was saying and the way Carrying a cross always is, and that’s what Jesus HOLINESS, OF CHRIST- he was living.” He wrote: has called us to do. CONFORMITY, WILL WE The Christian life is the lifelong practice of But that sort of cross-shaped congruence is attending to the details of congruence— the only place where we find freedom from FIND JOY AND REST AND congruence between ends and means, . our “roles” as consumers, constituents, voting LIFE AND PEACE. the congruence of the Word made flesh in blocs, and audiences. We find our humanity Jesus and what is lived in our flesh. in those who have been created for something more: to “conform to the image of Christ, that Peterson identified congruence in everything he may be the firstborn of many brothers” from a child lost in play to an athlete in motion. (Rom. 8:29). In that, we will find that authen- And he saw it in the poem by Gerard Manley ticity is not just more real than artificiality, that Hopkins that notes the congruence of created genuineness is more compelling than pretense, nature—kingfishers, dragonflies, and falling but it is the only exit from the exhaustion and stones—between identity and action. The poem alienation of this present darkness. ends, of course, with those majestic words: Only with the lives of congruence, of holi- “Christ plays in ten thousand places, Lovely in ness, of Christ-conformity, will we find joy and limbs, and lovely in eyes not his, To the Father rest and life and peace. Only there will we see through the feature of men’s faces.” clearly that Jesus is Lord, and that his lordship is “But what kingfishers and falling stones do not just a multiplication of the sort of dour and without effort requires development on our part, miserable power we see in the would-be lords a formation into who we truly are, a becoming in all around us. Christ plays in 10,000 places. which the means by which we live are congruent with the ends for which we live,” Peterson wrote. It seems to me that this is precisely the challenge of this and every hour on this pil- Russell Moore grim path we walk together. Market-driven President, ERLC ERLC.COM 3 CONTENTS COMMENTARY Staying in the Fight 10 JOHN M. PERKINS Civil rights hero John Perkins calls Christians to be courageous and persevere in the work of racial unity. 28 Who Do You Love? 12 STEVE TIMMIS What pitfalls should young Chris- tian leaders avoid? Steve Timmis, CEO of Acts 29, says that fighting these temptations starts with the question: Who do you love? When Loss Means Gain 16 LINDSAY NICOLET What would you do if you realized your motivations for leadership were all wrong? Nathan Velasquez faced the same question while pastoring a church and chose the narrow path of obedience. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 07 From The Editor 08 Book Reviews 58 Resources Designer Ben Stafford illustrates the elder Paul’s exhortation to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16: “keep a close watch on your life and doctrine.” 4 LIGHT SPOTLIGHT Maintaining Christian Integrity in Leadership 18 RUSSELL MOORE AND GOV. BILL HASLAM How should a Christian lead in public office? Outgoing Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam shares about the promise and peril of political leadership and why Light Magazine integrity matters. Volume 4, Issue 2 Copyright © 2018 The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Fear, Faith, and the Fatherhood of God CHARLES W. SMITH JR. 24 Stepping out into arenas of leadership can be scary because failure is possible. Editor-In-Chief Russell Moore Charles Smith says the solution is to take initiative, secure in the Father’s love for us. Editor Daniel Darling Managing Editor Lindsay Nicolet When Godly People Do Ungodly Things BETH MOORE Staff Editors Marie Delph 28 ‘Authenticity’ is a buzz word in our culture, but it’s not quite the same as Alex Ward ‘accountability.’ Beth Moore urges leaders to exhibit “see-through lives” for Creative Director Jason Thacker their own protection. Graphic Designer Jacob Blaze The ministry of the Ethics & How Reflecting on Judgment Day Religious Liberty Commission (SBC) 34 Can Save You from Sin Today RUSSELL MOORE is made possible by the sacrificial What should motivate leaders to lead ethically in both their personal and profes- gifts of Southern Baptists to the sional lives? Russell Moore says it’s Judgment Day. Cooperative Program. We are grateful for the Cooperative Program and the prayerful support of Southern Baptists Staying Engaged in Cooperative Mission J. D. GREEAR around the world. 40 The newly elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention shares his SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION vision for intergenerational partnership in the SBC and his desire to see unity Light Magazine is a semiannual around the mission of God. publication of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Print subscriptions are available for Without a Vision the Family Will Perish JOHN ONWUCHEKWA $10/year at erlc.com/light. Electronic 44 Families can become casualties of ministry. John Onwuchekwa shares his story versions, as well as previous issues, and gives advice on safeguarding your marriage and children. are available at ERLC.com. CONNECT ONLINE From #MeToo Moment to Movement PHILLIP BETHANCOURT /erlcsbc @erlc 48 The stories of abuse that have been reported out of the #MeToo movement are @erlcsbc heartbreaking. Phillip Bethancourt shares important lessons for evangelical www.ERLC.com churches and institutions. How to Fall in Ministry JARED WILSON 52 What should pastors do when they fail and fall? Jared Wilson shares personal, candid, biblical insights on restoration and grace. Finishing Strong & Investing in Others PAT HOOD 55 Sadly, it seems few leaders model how to finish their ministries well. Pat Hood esteems his mentor who was an example of living and dying to bring honor and glory to Christ. ERLC.COM 5 Is your church prepared? Unsuspecting churches have been sued, simply for acting like a church. The question is not if, but when this will affect your church. Find focused and practical legal help. ADFChurchAlliance.org ADFD_CA_ChurchAllianceAdFullPage_ERLC_v1_20171207.indd 1 12/11/17 4:22 PM FROM THE EDITOR The Gravity of Leadership Every day it is your job to wake up and see You might notice that we have changed how you can make my life better.” quite a few things in this issue of Light. We Yes, those were words actually spoken by a have revamped the design to aid in readability, pastor for whom I worked early in my minis- aesthetics, and overall quality. Each issue has try. At the time, it seemed kind of weird, but been expanded by a few articles in order to pro- I was young and didn’t know what I didn’t vide you with more content that will help you know. Looking back, I realize this leader lead engage the culture with the unchanging mes- with fear and more than a bit of narcissism. sage of the gospel. EVERY FALL HURTS AND As I’ve reflected on that season of my life, Russell Moore writes about the purifying SHOULD CAUSE US TO I’ve been struck, not just by the way that man’s power of Judgement Day, and Beth Moore leadership had the potential to damage those discusses the necessity of accountability. LOOK INWARD AND ASK he served, but by the temptation I’ve had in John Perkins, the civil rights hero, calls for GOD FOR GRACE IN OUR my own leadership to behave the same way.