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This is part 1 of a multi-part series reviewing Thaddeus J. Williams’ book, Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth: 12 Questions Christians Should Ask About Social Justice. This book is published at a critical time when many in our nation, including Christians, wrestle with the concept of justice. Williams starts with the clear biblical command that Christians must “do justice” (Micah 6:8) and “seek justice” (Isaiah 1:17). Not everything labeled “justice,” however, is necessarily biblical justice. Therefore, Williams poses twelve questions to help Christians discern true, biblical justice, while calling us to do true justice. I commend this book if you want to dig deeper and be more faithful in seeking justice. The first question Williams poses is the “God Question.” He asks, “Does our vision of social justice take seriously the godhood of God?” (p. 15). In addressing the atrocities of the ancient Aztec Empire and the Spanish conquistador, Hernán Cortés, Williams turns the attention of the reader to Romans 1. Paul writes, “They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness” (v. 29). That is a pretty accurate description of most, if not all, injustices committed in this world. ... Keep Reading

The first Sunday after John Calvin returned to Geneva from temporary exile in his native France, he is said to have returned to preaching from the precise point in the scripture text where he had left off prior to his fleeing the Swiss city-state some four years earlier. That’s one long, “Now…where WERE we?!” Calvin strongly believed in the power of the “ordinary means of grace,” such as the preached word, the sacraments, and prayer. These are called the ordinary means because, well, they are the normative ways the Church is to be nourished in our faith. Since Calvin’s time, many churches, Oak Hills included, have engaged in what I like to call, ‘extra-ordinary means’ to help edify the Church. One of those extraordinary means is our Adult Christian Education classes (aka Sunday School for a fair number of you). ACE is an opportunity for us to take a moment to delve into the riches of God’s Word and see more closely and learn more about the Word we hear preached each Lord’s Day, and hopefully that you are imbibing on a regular basis in your own personal devotional studies. It’s also a great way for you to get to know some of the folks you sit next to on Sunday mornings and to hear and learn from their questions and grow through their engagement with scripture in a more focused setting.... Keep Reading

We enjoy watching the Olympics in our home. I marvel at the athleticism of the competitors as they complete incredible feats of strength and skill. For these athletes to compete on the Olympic level, they have dedicated huge amounts of time and effort to practice and hone their abilities. In one sense, they are far from normal as humans. The apostle Paul as captivated by athletic competition as well. Several times in his letters he invokes the imagery of athletes as a model for Christian living. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 he writes, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” Notice a couple of parallels between athletics and the Christian life: ... Keep Reading

Right after Jesus gives his infamous statement, “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me,” Philip requests, “Show us the Father, and it is enough for us” (John 14:6, 8). What is Philip thinking when he makes this request? Considering that Philip was a Jew, the Old Testament would certainly have shaped his understanding of his relationship with God. Let’s think about his request, “Show us the Father,” through the lens of the Old Testament. There is no exact equivalent in the OT to Philip’s request, but that are several places where seeing God is highlighted. Moses cries out, “Show me your glory” in Exodus 33:18. This is in the context of the Golden Calf. As punishment, God declares that he would not go up to the Promised Land with Israel because of their sin (Ex. 33:3). Moses pleads for mercy and for God to remain with the people. God responds that his presence will go with them (v. 14). After receiving this gracious promise, Moses declares, “Show me your glory.” God’s glory is linked with his character, the core of who he is. So, Moses was requesting for assurance that God would keep his promises. ... Keep Reading

On behalf of the elders, I would like to provide an update on our search for an Assistant Pastor. We invite the members and friends of Oak Hills to be praying for this process and our church. The Need. Since we purchased our building in Shawnee in 2015, Oak Hills has been growing steadily in both attendance and giving. The elders believe that in order to maintain continued, healthy growth we need additional pastoral leadership. This additional leadership will provide essential oversight to help existing ministries continue to develop to meet the needs that accompany growth and to create new ministry opportunities. Through the financial growth with which God has blessed Oak Hills, we believe we are now ready to offer a full-time call for an assistant pastor. This will still stretch us financially, but we trust that the additional pastoral leadership will encourage continued growth.... Keep Reading

One of the foundational values of the PCA is connectionalism. Because of our beliefs in the depravity of man and the diversity within the body of Christ, we value the connections we have with the brothers on the regional (Presbytery) and national (GA) levels. We are better together. Cooperatively we can accomplish more together through agencies like Mission to the World and Mission to North America. For the sake of accountability, we sharpen one another as we hold to our confessional standards. This year’s General Assembly was highly anticipated since the gathering was postponed last year due to the pandemic. Many have been waiting for the Assembly’s response on several “hot topics.” The main avenue for topics to be addressed is through an overture. An overture is a request from a Presbytery or church in the PCA for a ruling from the Assembly. There were 48 overtures to the GA this year, many addressing similar matters. Let me highlight four topics. ... Keep Reading

When we think of the foot-washing of Jesus, we most likely think of his follow up command in John 13:14, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” In a sense, the foot-washing becomes a model of the Christian ethic. For in this one act, core Christian ethics are all wrapped up: Love for others. Humility. Self-sacrifice. Service. And Jesus performs this action for this express purpose: “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (v. 15). This last week, however, we saw in Jesus’ interaction with Peter two other meanings behind the foot-washing. First, this act foreshadows Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross, which truly washes away our sin. Jesus says in verse 8, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” There are no blessings in Christ for us unless he washes away our sin. Second, the act illustrates the ongoing renewal we experience in Christ. He says in verse 10, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean.” When we first place our faith in Jesus as our Savior, we are washed from the guilt of sin and united to Christ. Yet, we still sin. This second meaning shows that as we come to Christ in faith, he renews us; little by little sin diminishes and holiness grows. ... Keep Reading

Next week our denomination will hold its annual General Assembly in St. Louis. General Assembly is the highest court of our denomination where teaching elders and ruling elders meet on an annual basis to discuss and collaborate on matters that impact the whole of the Presbyterian Church in America. GA was postponed last summer due to pandemic restrictions. Bill Burns and I will attend next week. This is the first time Oak Hills has sent commissioners to GA. I would like to invite you to pray for Bill and me and our denomination as we give ourselves to the business of the church. Here are some highlights to pray for: ... Keep Reading

It is not unusual for me to finish preaching a sermon on Sunday and have more things on my heart and mind that I wanted to address. I wrestle between the desires to dive deeply into the wonders of Scripture, verse by verse, and maintaining a pace that keeps us moving forward through our book of the Bible. This last Sunday was my 47th sermon in the Gospel of John, and we have just hit the halfway mark. At the end of the day, however, my confidence rests not in my ability to map out a sermon schedule but in the efficacy of God’s Word. God ministers among us through His Word, which does not return to him empty (Is. 55:11). Some weeks, I use this space as an opportunity to address something from our sermon text that I left out from the sermon. This last Sunday we were wrestling with the hard truth of the unbelief of the Jews. They become hardened in their unbelief. God does not actively cause anyone’s unbelief, but he withholds his gracious assistance as a form of judgment. Without his help, no one will come to faith in Christ. No one deserves or has the right to God’s assistance. This is humbling, and, I pray, inspiring of worship of Christ. ... Keep Reading

Joyplosion! Yes, I made up the word. Let me explain why. When I was a child, I learned to cheer for the Chicago Bears from my father. Long before I understood the game of football, I had a team to cheer, because that was who my dad was cheering. When I was eight years old, I began to understand more about the game. And the Bears were winning. A lot. And they won the Super Bowl. I’ve been a fan ever since. Children learn to cheer before they fully understand why we cheer. We teach our children to sing and pray long before they understand why God is so worthy of our praise and trustworthy of our dependence. So, when we pass on the faith to our children, what do we want them to understand first and foremost? What affectional responses will become the foundation of their understanding and experience of the Christian faith? ... Keep Reading