In the light of the Resurrection, Jesus commissioned His followers with a great task before ascending to the Father in glory (Mt 28:18–20). Just as Adam and Eve were to be fruitful and multiply, we as His followers, are to fill the earth with His disciples by proclaiming the good merits of His Death and Resurrection and commanding all peoples to have faith in and follow the Risen King.

But how do you ‘make disciples’? Discipleship, or the process of making and growing disciples, may be likened to chin ups.

I’m not a huge fan of chin ups. My strength lies more in my legs than my arms and I find it easier to run than to lift my body weight. Reaching the chin up bar is a challenge. Yet this is the illustration my friend uses to describe discipleship and one that depicts a phrase in the Bible that I’ve often likewise used to describe it, truth and love.

God the Father has given us the perfect standard of His Royal Law. Matthew 5:48 says, ‘Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” His holy standard—all that He expects and commands of us in His Word—is really high. Far from lifting ourselves up to the bar, we can’t even jump high enough to reach the bar!

As disciplers we hold the bar just as high as the Father, but we also help people reach the bar. Like a coach we don’t blast the trainee for not knowing how to do it, or doing it properly, or failing to attain it. Nor do we say, ‘oh it’s ok that you haven’t attained to it,’ Instead we say, ‘there is the bar, now let me help you be able to reach it.’

The Bible has the same word—depending on context—that can be meant for both challenge and encouragement. It is parakaleo (παρακαλέω) and means to call+beside. It can be translated exhort, urge implore or comfort, encourage and invite.

For unbelievers we do not shrink from sharing the bad news of judgement apart from faith in Christ, but we also encourage by sharing our testimony, by declaring how good the Lord is and that He doesn’t cast off any who come to Him.

For believers, we likewise maintain that Jesus has commanded us to do X, Y and Z, yet do even this in ‘gentleness and respect,’ reminding them of the forgiveness our Lord offers when they fall and continuing to call them to yield to the Spirit and the Word. The Lord has given us the Helper, God’s Law is no longer a threat but a promise—I will get you there!

I’ve owned two Border collies. While they somewhat train themselves, they do require training, or discipleship. My present dog is 7 months. He is a work in progress! My previous dog died at 12 years of age, travelled the world with me and was very special to me. Throughout her life people would often comment, ‘your dog is so affectionate and obedient, you must have taken her to obedience school, how did you do it.’ By grace (for I’m not professional dog trainer), I’d say, “no there were only two ingredients: love and discipline. I’d reinforce positive behaviour and dissuade negative behaviour.” Humans are much superior to dogs, however, this principle is the same essential principle that I use for raising my son and also what I’ve used in Christian discipleship. In fact, with variation, this is what we see consistently (and effectively) used throughout Church history.

The Lord has set the bar high for His people—we musn’t shrink away from it. Yet the bar is so impossibly high that not even we have attained it. In humility we help each other by the Spirit to rise to the high calling our King commands.
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That is chin up discipleship. 

 ​*This blog seeks to speak into a conversations I’ve heard many Christians wrestle with in our post-Christian age.

For most secular Canadians today, Easter is a nice spring holiday to eat chocolate while enjoying time off work. Its imagery of bunnies and chicks speak of spring and new life (themselves pagan symbols). This is a far cry from conjuring up images of the cross and empty tomb, which alone offer true life. Because Easter and Easter don’t mean the same thing anymore, perhaps it is time for a change, to rename Easter? We have further warrant. Easter itself, or Eostre, was a Germanic pagan fertility goddess. Her worship was popular in Northern Europe to mark the spring equinox. When Christianity came to the now countries of England and Germany, the pagan festival was subsumed into the Christian festival that remembered Jesus’ death and resurrection. However, the name Eostre was retained (a form of evangelistic rebranding).  Wherever German or English has gone in the world the name for the season has remained Easter for some 1000+ years.
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However, the non-Germanic Christian world (i.e. Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, Greek, etc) calls the season Pascha or Passover in continuity with the Old Covenant feast when Jesus died and rose. This was the wording of the Church Fathers. While Good Friday, Holy/Passion[1] Week or Lent wasn’t developed in early Christianity until c. 4th century, Passover (Easter) has been celebrated the first Lord’s Day after the lunar Old Covenant Passover since the earliest church period; officially standardized since AD 325.[2] This all makes perfect sense. Jesus was the Passover lamb (1 Cor 5:7), fulfilling the Old Covenant festival of Passover, giving it new meaning for believers and simplifying it under the New Covenant as the Lord’s Supper (Mk 14:22–25; 1 Cor 11:17–34). The weeklong Passover in the Old Testament wasn’t just about remembering God's judgement upon the firstborn passing over those with the blood of a lamb (i.e. Good Friday)  but the Exodus from slavery to new life in the Promised Land. Likewise, the New Covenant Passover remembers the believers' rescue from slavery to sin (Cross) and into new spiritual life (Resurrection).[3]

 To distinguish ourselves from secular and medieval paganism, and unite ourselves to the flow of Scripture, the witness of tradition, we ought to join the rest of the Christian world in calling the season of Easter ‘Passover.’ Passover would then be broken into the two pillar days:

[1] Passion means suffering.

[2] Prior to the Council of Nicea there were two traditions: the churches in Asian Minor followed the Jewish pattern of the 14th of Nissan (lunar), whereas the churches in Palestine, Egypt and Italy followed the first Lord’s Day after the 14th of Nissan (weekly). (Nick Needham, 2000 Years of  Christ's Power, vol. 1 [2016], 80).  As such it is the day of the week and not day of the month that is commemorated. 

[3] Egypt=sin; Passover lamb= Jesus; Red Sea= baptism; wilderness= our life before glory; the Promised Land= the New Heavens and New Earth.

[4] I call it a season vs. a festival or a holiday (holy day) because there is only one holy day commanded under the New Covenant and that is the Lord’s Day.

[5] We are not commanded to observe Good Friday under the New Covenant as we are the weekly Lord’s Day, however, given the weight allotted to the event in Scripture and its integral part in the establishment of the New Covenant, it is warranted.

[6] It is difficult to escape paganism entirely as even our days of the week are named after Roman gods. Good is in the sense of holy or special, because of what is remembered.  

[7] Tertullian, in the 3rd century, said something like, ‘not to be ashamed of calling it Sunday for it was the Day of the Son.’ ​

Yet to be posted:(

A chapel message from Grey Gables on Rev 1:8, et al.

Titus 2:2& 6
(A brief overview of our all ages men’s breakfast talk on Mar 22, 2025)
 
[Have boys build a playdough house while we begin]

You might remember PM Jean Chretien (Christian); a rather normal PM compared to those more recently. However, even in his day he had those who disagreed with him who would sometimes call him Jean Cretan (the French word for moron!). This word comes from the context of the ministry of Titus, which was Crete, 1:5, 12. We too live in a crazy world, don’t we?

The craziness of Crete was made worse by false teachers, who likewise add to our present troubles as well—nothing new under the sun (1:10–11).

Titus’ mission, therefore, was 1:5. How could he set things in order? Because the Gospel changes lives, or truth truly trusted transforms (1:1). The Gospel produces good works in our lives (good works don’t save us but they do show we are saved). ‘Good works’ is mentioned 13x in the NT, 6x of them in Titus!

Speaking of good works, boys, let’s see your houses. [Access the houses made]

A man named Wilberforce likened faith and living to a house. The house is our faith, what goes on in the house the result of our faith (otherwise known as orthodoxy and orthopraxy). It is the ideal of a health home, solid and lived in. Titus paints a picture of a healthy church. In ch. 2 he particularly identifies how different genders and ages ought to live, in our case, men. (The Church is both visible and invisible. We visibly look like part of the church if we hang around Christians. We invisibly join the church through Jesus Christ and then visible display that. The Gospel, and not just attending church, is what is needed (and presumed) if these things will be true in your life).

Question- Who is an older man? [ask youth] Who is a younger man? [ask seniors]

Age is someone subjective, isn’t it. All men are old if you are 6 and everyman is young if you are 90. To give an objective threshold, let’s use 30 as the divider, the age when you could become a rabbi in Jesus’ day. An age, whereby, one would expect you’ve had life experience, got a job, been married, had children, etc.

Older men (presbyter, or elder) was a term used of men with experience and age. It highlighted the virtues of wisdom, experience, authority and respect in the ancient world.

Younger men (neos, or new [pais= children, but here I’m lumping everyone under 30 together])= fresh into adulthood and conveyed virtues of freshness, strength, renewal and hope.

Now, there is often a tension between old and young, isn’t there (the old look down on the young and visa versa). However, Scripture paints a more balanced picture Lev 19:32; 1 Ti 4:12; Prov 20:29.
Let’s consider what Paul expected of older and younger men—a mirror for us to see whether we’re being transformed into good works by the truth.

It is harder to be old! Question- What six things are expected of older men? We ought to be aspiring to these things with the help of the Spirit. Speaking of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5) ends with a commonality between the old and young—self-control.

You see, as sinners, we’re all born wild [open chest door and make monkey sounds]. Activity- boys, spread out and be wild for 15 sec; now- stand on one foot touch your nose and hold your back for 15 secs… Which was harder? It is easy to be wild, we are naturally; far more difficult to be self-controlled. For this we need the Lord’s grace. Question- how is self-control the root of the virtues of the older man? How is self-control needed/what does it look like for a young man/old man? Again, self-control is the root of manly godliness.
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If we don’t follow Titus’ wider and specific teaching, we’ll be wild morons further led astray by false teachers. If we would aspire to be true men of God, we must have faith in and follow Jesus, bringing forth these good works. 

As a lover of history and art, I’ve always appreciated the biblical wisdom conveyed in a sculpture at McMaster Divinity College titled ‘the unknown Baptist minister.’ While focusing on a solitary model vs. the plurality found in Scripture, it nevertheless conveys some classic essentials of what elders do.

Shape
Firstly, one notices that the sculpture is shaped like the Cross. An elder is to have a cross shaped ministry and life. His message should be one of pointing sinners to trust in the finished work of Christ in His death, and because the Cross is empty, the Resurrection. His life should likewise be cruciform and full of life, knowing suffering as a servant of Christ and yet victory, for the sake of God’s glory and kingdom.

Secondly, one notices the Cross is leafy, symbolizing the pioneer setting of the minister in question in the artwork. Every elder must be incarnational in his setting of ministry, or in all things not sinful become as his inhabitants and congregants.

Bottom to Top
While ordination usually only accompanies lead-elders, the recognition of an elders’ ministry by the congregation(s) is an important part of his ministry. We do not only operate by the inward call of God, but the outward call of God expressed through His people (Acts 13:2–3). To enter into God’s service is a humbling act.

Preaching rightly crowns the elder’s life. Along with prayer (Acts 6:4), teaching is the primary calling of an elder (Ro 10:17). The authority of the Word informs and gives shape to everything else he does.

Moving up from the bottom is an essential component stressed in all of the qualifications for elders, the elder’s family life and devotions. To be able to lead God’s people, he must first be able to lead his own (1 Ti 3:4).

Left & Right
The left and right branches, like the head, largely deal with the outward or institutional elements of the ministry. Centred are the administration of the ordinance of baptism and the Lord’s supper. However, ministry is more than the ordinances, and involves personal study and heartfelt personal prayer (left) and the affectionate catechism of the people, especially children.

Centre
While preaching may be the head, at the centre is nevertheless something that is vital for an effective ministry--visitation. The shepherd must know his sheep, both to be trusted but also to know how to effectively minister to their need, questions, etc.
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Taken together, this sculpture encompasses many key ingredients in an elders ministry. Rooted in Scripture, this is what elders do. 

Have Baptists ever had elders?

In recent times most Baptists have held the pastor-deacon model (where deacons were essentially mini-elders but also had to serve as deacons). The trend towards having elders has gained popularity in recent years as Baptists re-evaluate their polity in light of Scripture. Post-Christianity is helpfully seeing a reformation and reformation in leadership leads to renewal.

Initially both English and Scottish Baptists had multiple elders. This is true of the first English General as well as Particular Baptists and well documented in the stories of early Baptists/congregational histories. The Scotch Baptists were the most devout to this practice. In England either due to the want of leaders or the impression (persecution) of the Anglican priestly system, most Baptists adopted an Elder-Deacons model (later this mirrored the city church as a corporation model from the late Victorian period, which increasingly saw the pastor as the CEO). Nevertheless, all early 'pastors' in Upper Canada/Canada West/Ontario held the title 'Elder' and many congregations had a plurality of them or they worked together with congregations as a plurality of missionaries. A professionalization of the clergy in the late nineteenth century also did much to strengthen the solo-pastor model (not that training for elders, or lead elders, is a bad thing). Amongst American Baptists W. B. Johnson advocated for a plurality (1846) while J.M. Pendleton (1867) believed one elder could suffice. In our post-Christian era an increasing number of Baptist churches around the world, especially the UK (sometimes through Presbyterian or Brethren influences) and USA (e.g. 9 Marks), have led the way in returning to a biblical model of plurality. 

While many denominations have solitary church offices (Catholic and Anglican Priests, Pentecostal Pastors or even Baptists Ministers), the Bible speaks of the office of elder/overseer/shepherd (pastor), which are synonymous (c.f. 1 Pet 5:1–2), as being plural. For example, 1 Pet 5:1 is addressed to the ‘elders’ and Paul installed ‘elders’ in his missions (Acts 14:23) and wrote to the ‘overseers and deacons’ (Phil 1:1). Even Clement of Rome, considered an early Pope by Catholics, spoke of overseers in his letter to the Corinthians (e.g. 1 Clement 42). While there would of necessity always be an elder who acted as a ‘first among equals’ (c.f. Lk 8:41- the synagogue ruler), there was a plural team of elders. This all followed an ancient pattern going back to Moses, the Sanhedrin and the synagogues.

So why in God’s wisdom did He will a plurality of elders. There are at least 6 simple reasons. Perhaps you can think of more:

1. Accountability: While solo-elders are still accountable to the congregation under Christ, having a team of men to which you are each accountable provides direct team oversight of each elders’ ministries. With elders there oughtn’t to be a one man show as together thy seek the mind of Christ.
2. Support: Ministry is difficult, and you encounter tricky situations. Having other men who likewise labour and understand the challenges, helps the elders to encourage each other and support their respective ministries.
3. Pastoral Care: Congregations can get large and busy. Having a team of shepherds helps ensure fewer people fall through the cracks.
4. Gifts: Every man of God, as every Christian, has unique gifts. A solo-elder is expected to be everything—preacher, visitor, inspirer, administrator, legal expert, etc—but in a team the men God brings together share their gifts to support the others’ weaknesses and thus form a complementary unit.
5. Workload: One of the reasons for burn-out can be when what God intended to fall to a team falls to one man. Sharing workload is a great way to help keep each elder focused on their ministries and refreshed.
6. Representation: The elders and their wives, give a good sounding board of the life of the congregation as they represent a small cross-section of it. A team of elders should have a better sense of the congregation (and it’s community) than one man.

​Further Reading: Jeramie Rinne, Church Elders: How to Shepherd God’s People like Jesus. (9 Marks)

A message preached at Grey Gables chapel. 

A sermon preached at Banwell Community Church, New Tecumseh (Windsor)