Is Whosoever Will a book by "Arminians?"

Roger Olsen, Professor of Theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, associated with Baylor University, in Waco Texas is a self-described "five-point-Arminian." I had the privilege of lecturing in one of his classes at Truett several years ago and found my time with him to be warm and cordial. We obviously disagree on the Arminian-Calvinism debate, but I remain deeply appreciative of his kindness to me and of his willingness to speak plainly not only about theological issues in general but also about his own views and where he fits historically.



It was with great interest that I read his review of David Allen's and Steve Lemke's book, Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism (B&H Academic, 2010). This edited volume is largely based on presentations from the John 3:16 Conference held in 2008.

Olson's review, which appears on the Baptist Theology website of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, is worth reading. It is no surprise that he finds the arguments in the book to be so "devastating" that they "demolish" Calvinism. The upcoming issue of the Founders Journal will, again, unsurprisingly, take a different view. What I most appreciate about Olson's review is its honesty and forthrightness. Southern Baptists ought to be willing and able to have rigorous theological discussions without mincing words. We should all seek to be honest with Scripture, theology and history. Whenever I read Olsen, I have no doubt that this is exactly what he tries to do, regardless of how significantly I may disagree with him.

Olsen calls the contributors to Whosoever Will "a collection of anti-Calvinist authors." In fact, he goes on to describe them as follows:

The first essay is a sermon on John 3:16 by Jerry Vines. (Many of the essays are versions of papers delivered at a 2008 conference of Southern Baptists entitled "The John 3:16 Conference.") There the author rehearses the history of Calvinism and the contemporary dispute over it and defends diversity about subjects such as predestination and free will in Southern Baptist life. As a classical Arminian I was stunned to read him saying of the conference and book that "none of the authors in this project is Arminian or a defender of Arminianism" (5). I was stunned because I read much of the book before going back and reading Vines’ sermon that introduces it. In fact, as I will discuss more later, all of the authors are Arminians in the classical sense. I don’t know why Vines and they run from the label. Perhaps because it has been so hijacked and misrepresented by Calvinists? But they don’t seem to be afraid of Calvinists. So, why so much distance from Arminianism? I can only assume it is because Vines, and perhaps some of the other authors, have bought into the pejorative polemics against Arminianism by its Calvinist enemies.

At the end of the published review online, the following editorial notation appears under the Editor's Notes: "The authors of Whosoever Will would not describe themselves as "anti-Calvinists."

Duly noted.

Collin Hansen on New Media and the Local Church

Collin Hansen, the new Editorial Director for the Gospel Coalition, has written a thoughtful post about the interaction of new media and local church ministry. It is easy either to dismiss the new forms of internet media or to overestimate their significance instead of doing the hard work of trying to understand the new dynamics that are emerging between the interplay of real life and online life. As Hansen notes, the lines cannot be neatly and starkly drawn.

A pastor who draws his primary identity from his internet associations is in need of some serious reevaluation of his life and priorities. On the other hand, a pastor who has the ability and opportunity to leverage the new media for kingdom purposes should not underestimate the good that his investment of time and energy can do.

Here is the money quote from Hansen's article:

God has instituted the local church for our good the the glory of Jesus Christ. He has revealed to us standards of character for Christian leadership. At its biblical best, the church enforces those standards with loving concern that the gospel would sink deeper and deeper into our whole lives, manifested in our words and deeds. We should be concerned that our online voices find that gracious support from their local churches. And our local churches should realize that online leadership is real leadership in a new media age, so they would be wise to identify and encourage the bloggers among them.

Read the whole post here.

Preach Christ crucified, no matter what

Why don't men preach Christ crucified? John Stott offers some profound insights on this question with his analysis of the offense of cross, from his commentary on Galatians. I am humbled and challenged by this reminder.

What is there about the cross of Christ which angers the world and stirs them up to persecute those who preach it? Just this: Christ died on the cross for us sinners, becoming a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). So the cross tells us some very unpalatable truths about ourselves, namely that we are sinners under the righteous curse of God's law and we cannot save ourselves. Christ bore our sin and curse precisely because we could gain release from them in no other way. If we could have been forgiven by our own good works, by being circumcised and keeping the law, we may be quite sure that there would have been no cross. Every time we look at the cross Christ seems to say to us, 'I am here because of you. It is your sin I am bearing, your curse I am suffering, your debt I am paying, your death I am dying.' Nothing in history or in the universe cuts us down to size like the cross. All of us have inflated views of ourselves, especially in self-righteousness, until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there, at the foot of the cross, that we shrink to our true size. And of course men do not like it. They resent the humiliation of seeing themselves as God sees them and as they really are. They prefer their comfortable illusions. So they steer clear of the cross. They construct a Christianity without the cross, which relies for salvation on their works and not on Jesus Christ's. They do not object to Christianity so long as it is not the faith of Christ crucified. But Christ crucified they detest. And if preachers preach Christ crucified, they are opposed, ridiculed, persecuted. Why? Because of the wounds which they inflict on men's pride.

You can receive daily quotes by Stott via email from the Langham Partnership International.

The SBC and our Ongoing Need for the Gospel

One of the most encouraging outcomes of the recent gathering of Southern Baptists in Orlando is the adoption of a resolution on the centrality of the gospel. While some Southern Baptists--including academics and pastors--have scoffed at the idea that we need to recover the gospel in our day, this resolution, together with language in the GCR Task Force report, recognizes that we do have a need to recover the gospel and to see it restored to its proper priority in the church. What God has done for sinners in His Son, Jesus Christ, is not only good news for unbelievers, it is good news for Christians, as well. Believers need the gospel just as much as unbelievers.

The gospel is not only how we get into a right relationship with God. It is how we live in that relationship. It not only brings us to God, it keeps us in God. It is not only the threshold to the house of salvation, it is the whole house. The Christian life does not begin with faith in Christ and then progress on techniques and principles. It begins with faith, continues in faith and will end in faith when, upon our seeing Him, our faith will become sight.

That is why I am so encouraged by the SBC resolution. It recognizes this explicitly in the third "resolved" that

we encourage churches in preaching, teaching, and discipleship to proclaim the gospel to unbelievers, showing them how to find peace with God, and to proclaim the gospel to believers, that through the renewing of our minds we might continually be transformed by the gospel; (emphasis added)

It is the assurance of a crucified, risen Savior that sets a believer free to keep repenting and believing--to keep growing--the rest of his life. I do not need to hide my sin or try to justify it or whitewash it in any sense, because Jesus has died for it! He forgives and in Him, I am forgiven. This fact also sets me free from the self-defeating effort of trying to avoid or refute any criticism that comes my way.

What can possibly be said about me that is worse than what God Himself has already said? The Scripture is quite clear about the condition of every man, woman and child outside of Christ. Read Romans 3:10-18 to see how God has written everyone's resume.

Even more, have you ever stopped to consider what Jesus' death on the cross says about you? Everyone who is trusting in Christ needs to understand and remember this. The cross is God's public (very public!) declaration that I am such a wicked, evil person that it took the very death of His only begotten Son to save me! My sins are so great that nothing less than the blood of the God-man could rescue me. No matter how harshly or unjustly I may be criticized the truth is always far worse than the charge.

This truth is incredibly practical for spiritual growth and health. When someone is feeling so overwhelmed by his sin and failures that he is tempted to despair, what should we tell him? That he is not so bad? That he has done a lot of good things as well as bad? No. We need to tell him the truth. The way that I have often put it is like this, "The truth is, you are far worse than you know and your sin is greater than you can ever conceive....But the good news is that this is exactly why Jesus died on the cross. Your sin and failures do not disqualify you from salvation. They are precisely the reason you need to be saved. This is why Jesus came. As you trust Him, you can be sure that every last one of your sins has been paid for. You are free."

No matter what accusations come against me, and no matter their source (the devil, enemies, my own conscience) they can never charge me with more than I have already been charged with by God in the death of Jesus on the cross. So my sin, rather than being an excuse to keep me from seeking God's grace and mercy should spur me to run to Him. He already knows and He gave up Jesus to rescue me from it.

But not only does the cross criticize me, it also justifies me through the complete payment for every last one of my sins! By His stripes we are healed. "Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us" (Romans 8:33-34). God has judged me, condemned me and justified me all in Jesus Christ. That means that I am free. I do not have to pretend to be something I am not. I do not have repudiate every criticism brought against me, nor do I have to be crushed by it. God has already criticized and justified me through the person and work of His Son (for an excellent article on this read Alfred Poirier's "The Cross and Criticism" here).

This truth is both liberating and empowering to believers. It frees us from the accusations that the devil constantly makes against us. John Bunyan illustrates how this work in my favorite scene from Pilgrim's Progress. When Apollyon first meets Christian he entices him to turn back and return to his old life. When Christian refuses, the devil then begins to make accusations against him, reminding him of his real sins and failures. Christian's response is brilliant and is exactly what every Christian ought to remember when faced with his failures and sins. He does not try to argue with Satan. He does not try to justify or make excuses for his sin. Rather, he simply responds with this gospel-motivated truth: "All this is true and much more, which you have left out. But the Prince whom I serve and honor is merciful and ready to forgive."

Mark Altrogge poetically expresses this in his song, "I Look Up," when he writes,

When I'm standing accused and I'm guilty as charged and I've nothing that I can defend,
I will trust in the righteousness given to me, by Jesus my Savior and Friend.

When a Christian stumbles, or even when he falls profoundly, what he needs is what he has always needed--the grace of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ who shed His blood for real sinners. Any attempt to mitigate our sin, to doll it up with euphemisms or to downplay it in any way, cuts us off from the only remedy that we have. No one needs a Savior for "misstatements" or "mistakes" or "unfortunate choices." But we all need a Savior for dishonesty, blasphemy, thievery, adultery and every other sin.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus is a real Savior for real sinners who commit real sins. If we to reduce our sin to some lower-grade personality disorder or mistake, then we inevitably remove ourselves from the foundation of the gospel by trusting in our own ability to patch things up.

When politicians do this we call it spin. When Christians do it, we must call it what it is, sin--the sin of unbelief. To sin and then downplay it in hopes of making it appear less than it really is is to compound the initial sin with the sin of unbelief, and that is a failure to live by the grace of God in the gospel.

The gospel sets believers free to do more than merely apologize. It sets us free to repent and make restitution. Consider the way that Paul spells this out as he commends the repentance of Corinthian Christians in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11,

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Paul could tell that the Corinthians' sorrow was godly and their repentance was real because of the fruit that it produced. Such fruit only grows on a tree that is firmly grounded in the grace of a crucified, risen Savior. I am hopeful that the SBC is reorienting to such ground. As we do, we can look forward to a fresh wind of gospel-inspired-humility and gospel-inspired-boldness blowing across our denominational life. This in turn will lead to the gospel message that we preach being authenticated by the gospel lives that we lead, providing a powerful testimony to a gospel-needy world.

GCRTF Report passes, good spirit predominates at the SBC

The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force Report (GCRTFR) passed with relatively little change. The expected fireworks never materialized despite ominous predictions by those on all sides of the issue. Component 3, on Great Commission Giving, had some language amended to reiterate that the Cooperative Program is still a valued means of supporting the work of the convention and is the most significant method that Southern Baptists have to work together for the advance of the gospel.

Johnny Hunt's convention sermon was an impassioned apologetic for the GCRTFR and Morris Chapman's final report as President and CEO of the Executive Committee was equally impassioned against it. Some people were a bit unnerved by the strong language that both men employed and more than one messenger referred to the "tensions" or "divisions" that marked the debate about the report.

As one who lived through the Conservative Resurgence battles in the 1980s and 90s, I found the alarm a bit amusing. Strong words were used, but there were no personal attacks and the debate was kept on a high level. That was greatly aided by the fact that some folks (who have repeatedly demonstrated a tendency to make unfounded and personal attacks on those with whom they disagree) were left standing at microphones, unable to speak before the final vote was taken.

At one point, at the request of a messenger, Dr. Hunt led the convention in prayer and expressed that he did not see any improper emotions being vented, but merely strong passion for competing visions about the future of the SBC. He mentioned Morris Chapman by name, thanking the Lord for him and acknowledging his love for the SBC and desire to see the gospel advanced. It was a gracious expression of the kind of attitude that disagreeing Southern Baptists ought to have.

A few parliamentary knots had to be untangled by Barry McCarty, the convention's parliamentarian. He navigated the chairman carefully through some muddy waters with grace and charity. I am convinced that the kindness and goodwill of Dr. Hunt and others on the platform ultimately won the day for the report. When the final vote was taken, it was an overwhelming majority that voted to adopt the report. I would estimate at least a 70%-30% margin.

What is perhaps even more surprising than the majority by which that report was adopted is the fact that in a 4 man race, Bryant Wright of Georgia garnered more votes that the assumed favorite of the GCR crowd, Ted Traylor. My take on that is that the vote was a clear indication of the numbers of younger Southern Baptists who participated. The runoff vote has not been tabulated as I am writing this. But I noted that many of the younger crowd had left the room when the second ballot was taken.

As I wrote last week, I support the Task Force report, though I listened to some compelling arguments against it over the last two days. I believe it is a step in the right direction. If it is not regarded as a type of panacea to all that ails us as a convention, it may provide a helpful road map forward for the next several years. At least it provides some talking points that involve things more important than programs and policies. The report is loaded with the language of the gospel.

Nearly everyone said that today would be a historic one in the life of the SBC. And it was without a doubt. Not necessarily for the GCRTF vote, though--at least not only for that. For the first time ever, a motion was made in rhyme (or hip hop, or rap, or lyrically--forgive me for not knowing the exact designation). Josh Shank, a church planter from Ohio, made a motion that we express appreciation to Acts 29 for the help that they have given to many of our Southern Baptist church planter. It was funny, and received in good spirit. Once it received a second I almost went to a microphone and to ask the chairman to repeat the motion for the messengers. Now that would have made history.

Why I am voting for the GCRTF report

Loads of bandwidth has been occupied with debate over the upcoming vote on the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force Report that will be recommended to the Southern Baptist Convention next week in Orlando. Arguments both pro and con have at times bordered on the apocalyptic. Trevin Wax has done all Southern Baptists a favor by distilling the issues involved in the debate into easily-digestible portions. As he wisely notes

GCR supporters have sometimes spoken as if this resolution will be the spark of a worldwide revival which will send renewal through the SBC. GCR detractors have sometimes spoken as if these resolutions would end the SBC as we know it and destroy all our cooperative efforts.

I recommend reading his concise analysis for balanced perspective of what is at stake and what elements in the report are proving to be the most controversial.

I intend to vote for the report because there is nothing in the recommendations that alarm me and several things that encourage me. If my enthusiasm is curbed at points it is because of what the report does not recommend. While I have read the warnings of many who fear that the proposals are too radical, to me they are not radical enough.

For example, the recommendation to increase allocations to the International Mission Board from 50% to 51% is a step in the right direction, but too tentative in my estimation. I know that some believe any greater increase would be irresponsible by virtue of the funding crises that could result for other agencies and institutions, but I think that in some cases such challenges could be extremely healthy. I am encouraged at the prospect of the Executive Committee's budget being cut and believe that other agencies (most notably, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission) could do with less money for the sake of increasing our international missionary forces.

Furthermore, I am not in the least alarmed by the "Great Commission Giving" component of the report. The arguments set forth by those who fear that this will diminish Cooperative Program (CP) giving are not compelling. In fact, I find it amusing that some of the staunchest supporters of all things related to the Conservative Resurgence (CR) are employing arguments that were used against leaders of the CR. Several of those men pastored churches that gave very small percentages to the CP.

Jerry Vines recently recalled that kind of criticism and explained how he responded to it. He writes,

During the years of the Conservative Resurgence I was criticized for my church’s low percentage of giving to the SBC’s cooperative program. I just took the criticism and didn’t get mad about it (emphasis added).

That's pretty good advice and I would encourage the current leaders of the GCR to follow it.

What encourages me most about the GCRTF report is language that it employs in it section on "Challenges." The calls to repentance should be highlighted and given a place of preeminence in my estimation. Also, it is extremely refreshing to find language like this in that section:

• Make sure every sermon, devotion, or other type of teaching is gospel centered and driven by the inerrant and infallible text of Scripture with emphasis on how to apply the text to the lives of different kinds of people.
• Make sure every sermon, devotion, or other type of teaching clearly articulates and applies the gospel message and is centered in the grand narrative of Scripture.

The last 3 of those challenges for local churches and pastors are, in my estimation, the most significant of all.

• Reclaim the Baptist vision of regenerate church membership, recognizing that this vision is central to our Baptist identity and understanding of the church.
• Reclaim corrective church discipline as the biblical means of restoring believers to healthy discipleship and faithfulness.
• Emphasize meaningful church membership through such practices as decision counseling, believer’s baptism, new convert mentoring, membership covenants, prospective member classes, and redemptive church discipline.

The opportunity to affirm such challenges (reclaiming regenerate church membership and church discipline!) from an official task force is something that is unprecedented in modern SBC life. I will not let this opportunity be missed.

The GCRTF has received a lot of criticism, most of which is unjustified. I have appreciated the openness and humility that Chairman Ronnie Floyd and his committee have demonstrated in undertaking this herculean task. The report they are recommending is encouraging in the trajectory that is sets for the future of the SBC even more so than its specific recommendations.

I support it and encourage others to do so.

Jesus Manifesto by Sweet and Viola

Thomas Nelson is releasing a new book called Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola. This book will be on special discount from Amazon.com on June 1st, the date of the release. You can learn more by going to www.theJesusManifesto.com. Among those who have endorsed the book are Rowan Williams, Matt Chandler, Calvin Miller, Ed Young, Jack Hayford, Shane Claiborne, Ed Stetzer, Reggie McNeal, Mark Batterson, Gregory Boyd, David Fitch, Steve Brown, Dan Kimball, Margaret Feinberg, Mark Chironna, Francis Frangipane, Todd Hunter, Alan Hirsch, Chris Seay, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Anne Jackson, Craig Keener, Ken Ulmer, Tommy Barnett and Sally Morgenthaler.

The Founders Breakfast and a Special Opportunity for those attending the SBC

The Southern Baptist Convention is scheduled to meet in Orlando June 15-16. Once again this year, Founders Ministries will host a breakfast before the opening session. At 6:30 AM in the Orange County Convention Center West Building, Rooms W303A-C on Level 3, we will enjoy breakfast and a message by RC Sproul.

Dr. Sproul has been one of the most influential Christian preachers and teachers among Evangelicals of the last thirty years. Through his books, conferences, lectures, articles, Tabletalk Magazine and Ligonier Ministries, RC has been a leader in the resurgence of reformed theology that is taking place across denominational boundaries. Through his unwavering commitment to the doctrines of God's sovereign grace he has become one of the leading reformers of our day.

Dr. Sproul will speak on "The Cost of Reformation" during the breakfast. There are a limited number of tickets available and the breakfast usually sells out. Be sure to make your reservation today by going here.

In conjunction with the SBC meeting, the good folks at Ligonier are making an incredible offer to Southern Baptists who participate in the convention June 15-16. The Ligonier Conference begins on Thursday, after the SBC. If you attend the SBC and want to stay for the conference, you can register for a super-discounted rate of $50. For more information click the banner below, or go here for details.

A letter to my daughter when she turned 16

This Saturday our family will experience another "first" when Rachel, our third-born daughter, is married. Her husband-to-be is Ricky Davis, a wonderful young man from our church in Cape Coral. The process leading up to this day began over 18 months ago when Ricky told me of his interest. I have been humbled to see how the Lord has led during that time, making clear His will for their lives.

It has also been encouraging to see how they have sought and followed counsel and worked out their devotion to Christ as they have become devoted to one another. In fact, their approach to their relationship would be considered "odd" even by conservative, Christian standards today. I have been blessed to watch them along the way.

The last few days have provided lots of opportunities to trek down memory lane, reviewing the last 22 years with Rachel. On her sixteenth birthday, her two older sisters put together for her a special book of encouragement that included brief letters from a few friends and family. Yesterday I came across my contribution to that effort. I post it below in honor her impending wedding.

Rachel has always been open to my advice. Saturday, she will definitely take an important piece of it when she marries Ricky, because, in addition to being a godly man, he makes her laugh.

Dear Rachel:

You are a precious gift of God to our family. For sixteen years you have blessed us with your sensitive spirit and servant heart. I am so proud to be your dad. The Lord has special plans for you and I look forward to seeing how they will unfold. I am very encouraged with how the Lord is working in you. Keep focusing on Him and remember what is important.

I won't always be around to dispense my fatherly advice, so I jotted down a few thoughts that might be worth remembering after I am gone. There is nothing new here. You have heard it all before. But maybe it will be helpful to have this collections of aphorisms all in one place. Happy sixteenth birthday!

Improve your vocabulary. Don't be afraid to learn new words, like "aphorism." Share your peanuts. Bathe daily. Wash your hair at least 3 times a week. Brush your teeth after every meal. Floss. Respect your elders. Be kind to those less fortunate than you. Turn off lights. It's good practice for the time that is coming when you will pay the bills. Use sunscreen. Write letters. Don't forget to send thank-you notes.

Be a good friend. If you have a good friend, consider yourself rich. Don't love money. Don't love things and use people to get them. Love people and use things to show them. Study hard. Take vacations. Laugh. Marry someone who will help you do so.

Read your Bible daily. Meditate on truth. Memorize it. Pray. Keep a journal. Repent when you sin. Believe in forgiveness. Forgive. Think of the cross every day. Remember heaven.

Take risks, but only for eternal reasons. Live dangerously. Hope big. Never compromise convictions. Never demand that others accept your mere opinions. Be sure what you believe. Be respectful toward authority. Evaluate what you are taught in the light of Scripture.

Never underestimate the value of church. Find a good one and live near it. Organize your life around its life. Help other people. Let other people help you. Listen more than you talk.

Don't underestimate the power of encouragement. It is easy to give and it goes a long way. Give away money. Not necessarily all of it but enough of it to remind yourself of how unimportant it is. Make eternal investments.

Never jump out of a tree unless you know where you are going to land. Do not doubt in the dark what God has taught you in the light. Sing. Dance; especially with your children.

Read good books, the kind that will make you a better person. Make them your friends. Especially read biographies. Teach your children to love reading.

Finally, impress on your children early in their lives the importance of visiting their grandparents regularly!

I love you.

Dad

30 Years of Married Grace

Thirty years ago today I placed a wedding ring on the finger of Donna Jean Young and made her my bride. Today I am more stunned than I was then that I am her husband. She is the greatest earthly gift that God could ever give me. "Many daughters have done excellently, but she surpasses them all." Martin Luther called marriage a school for character, and so it has been for me. I cannot fully calculate the lessons learned or the blessings I have experienced by being married to Donna. But I am very conscious of the praise and gratitude that belongs to our Lord for giving her to me.

Because of the providential convergence of some wonderful events at this time, we are are postponing the official celebration of our anniversary for a couple of months. That's the kind of flexibility that comes more easily after thirty years than after only a few. Below are thirty reasons that I have "tweeted" over the last thirty days that express why I love Donna. Of course, there are millions more and none of them can be adequately stated in less than 140 characters! But these are reminders to me of what God gave me when He blessed me to become her husband. Like most of my friends, I married far, far above my pay grade. The following reasons, with brief explanations, make that evident.

1-She patiently endured my insecurities and idiosyncracies when we were dating.
I was a pretty confused young man when we met. No one would have thought it strange if she had simply written me off (and some would have commended her wisdom!)

2-She listened with an open Bible as I explained the doctrinal reformation God worked in me during our engagement.
During the year of our engagement I went through a theological revolution as God showed me the doctrines of grace in Scripture. At points she thought I was losing my mind and we seriously considered calling off the wedding because of my changing doctrinal convictions. In His mercy, the Lord rescued our impending marriage by leading her to see and understand these truths, as well.

3-She did not care that we took a cheap honeymoon that included staying with relatives along the way.
We were both students. We had no debt but I had used all of my savings commuting from seminary back to the small church I was serving in College Station. So we packed a lot of sandwiches and spent part of our trip in the homes of my aunt and my brother. And we had a blast!

4-She happily turned our tiny first apartment (we could not open the refrigerator and oven at the same time) into a warm, inviting home.
There was no place to hide. It helped us learn to get along and resolve conflicts sooner rather than later.

5-She persevered through her senior year of nursing school despite being newly married to a part-time pastor who was also a full-time student.
Her grades took a small drop as her priorities changed, but she handled all of the demands on her with grace.

6-She joyfully worked evenings as a pediatric nurse after graduation, more than tripling the income I was receiving as a pastor.
Donna has always loved kids and was an excellent nurse in a Children's Hospital. We were blown away by her salary and couldn't imagine how we could ever spend all of it.

7-She was happy for us to give more money to our church than I was being paid as a pastor.
When we decided to give away more than I was earning, she never flinched or complained.

8-She humbly waited for me to start leading as I slowly sorted out the egalitarian teaching I received from seminary professors.
I was completely clueless about the responsibility of husbands to lead in marriage. Consequently, I was easily convinced by seminary professors who strongly espoused egalitarianism. It took nearly 3 years for me to be convinced exegetically otherwise.

9-She helped me see the wisdom and value of quitting her job to stay home with our first child when I was hesitant.
Again, I was clueless and just assumed that she should go back to work after six weeks off to get childcare set up for our baby. Her tears convinced me to think again and, again, God changed my mind through His Word. She quit working for a paycheck one month before delivery and has been working full time without a paycheck ever since.

10-She encouraged me to turn in an application to pursue a PhD in theology 15 minutes before the deadline.
I had two professors who had suggested it, but by this time I was pretty jaded in my attitude toward seminary life. Donna's encouragement tipped the scale.

11-She would not let me quit PhD studies despite many good reasons to do so.
Several friends can say the same about their wives. Donna's final argument with me went something like this, "Fine. You can quit. But you must write a dissertation anyway even if you throw it away upon completion. You owe that to the kids and me." It was unassailable.

12-She has cheerfully embraced her primary callings to be my wife & our children's mom.
Medical doctors actually rebuked her for giving up a career as a nurse because there was a critical a shortage of them. She fully agreed when I responded to one such complaint with, "there is an even greater shortage of mothers."

13-She has stood by me unashamedly during the hardest seasons of my ministry.
At times when I haven't been sure if anyone else in the world supported me I always knew she was with me.

14-She willingly packed up our 2 little girls and moved across the country to the tip of the USA.
Or to what my children now affectionately call "the toenail of the USA."

15-She has forgiven me repeatedly for my failures as a husband.
One way that our marriage has helped sanctify her is by providing so many opportunities for her to learn to forgive.

16-She does not think it a slight to be called "the pastor's wife."
Though her identity is not at all exclusively bound up in my role, she joyfully embraces helping me fulfill my calling to pastor.

17-She trained our kids to do hard things and is willingly sending them to hard places to make Christ known.
They can tell lots of stories of her gracious firmness in shepherding them along right paths and though she loves them fiercely, she is helping launch them graciously.

18-She never pressured our children to do anything just because they are the pastor's kids.
Those words have never come out of her mouth in order to motivate our children.

19-She sacrificially homeschooled all of our children, despite many obstacles and opportunities to do things differently.
She was convinced about homeschooling before I was, and long before it was cool. She sacrificed many, many things in the effort.

20-She does not resent that she is second place in my affections behind Christ but counts that an honor.
Donna knows that I love her best when I love her second.

21-She has refused to succumb to bitterness or cynicism when faced with mistreatment and disappointment.
The disappointments have been many and the mistreatments, though not as frequent, have at times been excruciatingly painful. Yet, God's grace has been made manifest in her during such times.

22-She has consistently grown in the grace & knowledge of Christ across all our married life.
She is one of the best practical theologians I know and helps me to keep growing spiritually.

23-She has remained my best friend, strongest ally and closest confidant for over 30 years.
We genuinely love to be together. I can't imagine having a better companion.

24-She has demonstrated what it means to be a faithful wife in sickness as well as in health.
I have, unfortunately, given her many opportunities to care for me in sickness. Words cannot adequately express how she has loved me during such times.

25-She has been willing to test and develop her spiritual gifts even when doing so has led her way beyond her comfort zones.
Some of her most valuable contributions to our local body of Christ are the result of her doing hard things.

26-She is the godliest woman I know & the greatest earthly gift I have received.
I live with her daily. Her love for Christ is deep and real.

27-She makes me look forward to the next 30 years together with confidence that the best is yet to come.
I fully believe that the last leg of our race will be our best.

28-I cannot imagine what life would be like without her; she completes me in so many ways.
She is, without a doubt, a helper that is suitable for me.

29-I would not be who I am, nor could I do what I do without her.
I shudder to think where I'd be had God not brought her into my life!

30-She is for me, a most excellent wife & the love of my life! Happy 30th Anniversary, Donna! ILYM.
We typically sign our notes with "ILY" (I love you). ILYM is "I love you more." She thinks she loves me more, but, for all of her wonderful qualities, she is simply wrong on that one! ;-)