March 5, 2005

Shepherd's Conference: Live Blogging Al Mohler

I am sitting in the auditorium of Grace Community Church in Burbank, CA. This is the last session we will be attending of this year's Shepherd's Conference.

Right now Al Mohler is preaching. I have long enjoyed Al Mohler's weblog, and his preaching is even better.

His text today is Ezekiel 37, which tells of Ezekiel's vision of the valley of the dry bones. He is treating it as a parable for ministry in a post-modern age. I really enjoyed his background information on Ezekiel--including modern attempts to psychoanalyze him.

In illustrating what is wrong with the Church today, he just cited an article in a British newspaper which stated that the Church of England is sending to all of it's congregations a 750 page manual on customer service published by (of all places!) McDonalds.

According to Dr. Mohler, we as ministers of the Gospel cannot view ourselves as professionals. Once we begin to see our work that way, there will be the "stench of death".

God did not tell the bones to rise up directly, he instructed Ezekiel to tell them. For Ezekiel to speak to lifeless bones took an act of faith. Many times, for us to speak the word of God to those who are dead in trespasses and sins takes the same faith.

Ezekiel's vision illustrates for us a picture of the pattern of revival which characterizes God's working with His people down through the ages.

Excellent quote from Dr. Mohler: "This text was fulfilled in Israel's experience, but let us remind ourselves that this text was fully fulfilled in Christ."

Another quote: "The big question for us as we leave this place is this--do we really believe that it can happen again?"

Dr. Mohler offers four hallmarks of Reformation as found in this passage.

1. Reformation cannot be orchestrated.
2. If Reformation comes, it will be for God’s own name’s sake.
3. God brings Reformation through preaching.
4. True Reformation issues an evidence of new life.

Final Quote: "This is a great time in which to live, because God is sovereign, and he made us to live in these times!"

Posted by Andrew on March 5, 2005 12:25 PM.