Why Two Institutions.Org?

I suppose that a post about why Blake and I started this blog is in order. The Lord has led us to some conclusions based on things we have learned from His Word, from our head student pastor, from observing trends, from reading breakthrough studies like Soul Searching: The Religious And Spiritual Lives Of American Teenagers by Christian Smith, and from conversations we have had with student pastors from other churches. Here are a few things that we can say we feel pretty certain about:

1. That many, if not most, families have given over their God-ordained responsibility for discipling their children to the church (i.e. Pastors, and Youth Pastors).

2. That instead of teaching and equipping families to do the job that God assigned them in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, churches have assumed a role that God never intended them to have.

3. That, furthermore, many churches encourage families not to disciple their children by creating an environment that keeps families busy and separated from one another.

4. That churches have spent more time, effort, and money to grow the size of their ministries rather than disciple. This has resulted in catastrophic Biblical illiteracy, shallow believers, and weak families. (see U.S. News & World Report interview with Dr. Stephen Prothero )

5. That pastors families, suffer because pastors spend so much time at church or out visiting or socializing with other families instead of their own.

6. That most pastors prefer to measure a church by the size of the membership roll rather than the spiritual depth and health of their churches families. (see Baptist Press article entitled Evangelism With Integrity by SBC President Frank Page )

7. That most churches would rather grow their congregation and not offend anyone rather than practice church discipline. (watch this video of a resolution introduced by Tom Ascol at the SBC convention on integrity in church membership)

8. That many churches are more concerned about their facilities than they are the soundness of the preaching and teaching that comes from the Sunday school room or the pulpit.

9. That many church leaders (especially deacons) are installed more for honor than for serving the needs of the church [Deacon ( diakoneō - Grk.) - to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon]

10. That many churches are more concerned about non essentials of doctrine than they are fellowshipping and working with churches of other denominations or races.

Okay, so these are some of our observations, but what does that have to do with Two Institutions.Org? Well, Blake and I have this wild-eyed idea that if you pray hard, do spiritual warfare daily, speak the truth in love often enough and get it in front of the next generation of church leaders early enough, then with the Lord's kind providence maybe change will occur.

We are not denominational leaders, we are not professors, we are not even head pastors, we are just two men who want to see the Lord reform the family and the church to reflect the image that He intended. That is our message, our mission and our hope. All of our posts and efforts are focused on that end. If you disagree say so. Leave a comment! If you agree, say so please, we could use the encouragement. But more than anything else, pray that God would open your eyes and help you ask the tough questions that might lead to the reformation of your family or church.

Brother Martin Unmasked

Since the beginning of this blog, you have known its authors by their pen-names (Brother Martin and Wilber). Well at first we were unsure that anyone would even read what we wrote. We also didn't want people to associate our very Biblical message with any of our past life's mistakes. Believe it or not there might be a few people out there who will listen to Brother Martin, but who would close their ear to Mike Hall.

Well, Blake (aka Wilber) and I feel that it is necessary to run that risk. We want those of you who don't know us from Adam to associate our purpose with our personalities warts and all. So I decided to beat Blake to the point and go first.

My name is Mike Hall. I am a relatively young man (in my mid 30's), who serves as a curriculum editor for a company that produces Sunday school and discipleship material. I also serve as the Director of Student Discipleship at a sizable Southern Baptist church in the state of N.C. I was raised an independent, fundamental, King James, Baptist, but (according to my old indy, fundy friends) have lapsed into becoming a Reformed, Southern Baptist.

I am fascinated with Reformation history (especially Martin Luther). This can be partially explained by the fact that I served as a missionary youth pastor in two small churches in Germany. In fact, one of the churches that I served in is only about one and a half hours from the castle where Martin Luther translated the Bible into German. I visited it many times.

One of the things that I have become passionate about in the last couple of years is the whole idea of ad fontes. This is a Latin term that means "back to the sources". It was very popular for academics during the Reformation to use this term. Basically, it is a desire to break with current conventional wisdom to find out the historical basis for any teaching. I have applied this concept to my understanding of baptist heritage and theology and have come to a place where in my younger years I would have deemed heretical. Here are a few things I have discovered from studying the Bible and church history...

1. While it is certainly true that many baptists throughout history were free-will or arminian in their thinking, the majority of all Baptist leaders who made a profound impact and who evangelized their generation were strongly reformed(i.e. John Smyth, Thomas Helwys, John Bunyan, William Carey, Andrew Fuller, Adoniram Judson, Shubal Stearns, Daniel Marshall, C. H. Spurgeon, etc.)

2. That much of the fuzzy-headed teaching that goes on in some Baptist churches is a result of the conservative reaction to the secularization of society that began towards the end on the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. Unfortunately, instead of engaging the culture with the truth, the leaders of this reactionary fundamentalist movement retreated to their Christian communes.

3. That there are a few theological essentials that should never be in question, but beyond that, Christians shouldn't be so quick to separate from one another. It makes us look silly, weakens our evangelistic appeal, and it thrills satan to no end.

There are others, but unfortunately my posts is already too long. Let me encourage you, reader, if you have a difference of opinion with what I have said to leave a comment or send me an email. I would be happy to hear from you. So now you know a little about Mike Hall, I mean Brother Martin :-)

Two Institutions Gets A Face-lift

In just a couple of weeks, Two Institutions.Org will reach a major milestone. We will pass the 3 month threshold and, Lord willing, will beat the new blog survival odds. In anticipation of this auspicious occasion, we have given our homepage some over-due design attention and have added some new features. Here are some things we have changed or added:

1. Obviously, we have a new graphic design. - this will hopefully give our site a cleaner appearance and help you to focus on the content better (which is why you all visit, I hope :-P)

2. We have structured the posts differently so that only the 2 newest posts will appear on the homepage. - if you want to read older articles click on one of the archives links or at the bottom of the homepage is a link that says older posts

3. We will still post on Monday's and Thursday's but very soon we will be pulling in guest bloggers on other days of the week. - check back often you might be surprised to see who posts here

4. We have added several features including: a verse of the day (ESV), A Biblegateway.com search box to look up scripture passages, a direct link to Christian Book Distributors (please click-through if you get a chance it helps us pay the bills), a direct link to Banner Of Truth, a mini-poll that will change every few weeks, sermon audio links to some of the most gifted teachers in the USA and abroad, and a cluster map to see where you fellow twoinstitutions readers hail from.

In return for these services, all we ask is that you leave comments, email us if you have questions, spread the word about the blog, and click-through our CBD link when you get a chance.

We appreciate your support and your prayers!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Blake (aka Wilber) &
Mike (aka Brother Martin)

Jesus Is Looking For A Few Good Slaves

When we talk about leadership, the last thought that comes to mind is slavery or servitude. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Most of us when given titles or positions of authority tend to think of the privileges and perks that come along with such titles. We develop an unsaid hierarchy in our minds that defines our relationships with other people. We use terms like, he or she is "under my ministry". What we fail to realize is that unless we are extremely careful titles, positions, higher salaries, etc. can actually be the worst things that ever happen to us. What we see as good, satan can actually use to render us odious and ineffective to the people with whom we minister.

In reality what marks a leader, a true leader, is not his title, salary, or perks, but how good of a slave he is for others. Lest you think I am making this up, lets look at what Jesus says...

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Mark 10:42-45 (ESV)

In other words, the higher up on Jesus ladder you go the more people you are to be a slave to. To accept the titles, salaries, and perks without embracing the slavery is to place yourself into satans hands. Now I know this sounds harsh, but let me share with you how I know this is true.

I am a title hog. I love to have titles, and recognition. Its been a weakness of mine since I was a wee lad. I also grew up being very ambitious and calculating. So if I saw a title that I wanted I would put on whatever face I needed to obtain that title. Now to be fair, there were many things I did growing up that I did because they were the right thing to do and because it pleased God. You can be sure, though, if I could attach an angle to such service, I did. It took a very hard setback in life for me to realize this and rest assured I have to fight the title urge everyday. In many ways I am thankful where I am now because not having to bear a title helps me to be able to gauge the purity of my intentions better. I am also trying to practice acts of service for others as often as I can. If done with the proper motive it can be quite a catharsis. I am getting really good at taking out trash and cleaning toilets.

So what does this have to do with you? If you have a ministry title, let me give you some things to help you fend off satan and keep things in perspective.

1. You may not have to work as many hours or deal with all the junk that people "under your ministry" have to. - Let that help you keep an attitude of gratitude and serve as a reminder to be a more diligent slave for others.

2. You may not be as qualified as some who are "under your ministry". - Let this humble you and help you to look at things from their perspective. Even when they are wrong.

3. You might have a ministry title but the ground is level at the foot of the cross. - Let this cause you to pause when you might be inclined to assert authority too quickly.

4. You might be called to do menial tasks in the service of those "under your ministry". - If this occurs, count it as a blessing and do it. If it doesn't happen enough then find menial tasks that you can perform for others on a regular basis.

Take it from a guy who is recovering from title addiction, there is nothing that will fend off satan and help you keep perspective more than a little bit of this...

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet...
- John 13:3-5a(ESV)

A Constant Reminder

I love being a dad. One of the highlights of my day is when my oldest son wakes up in the morning. He is now three years old and is fully potty trained. I say that because that means when he wakes up in the morning there is only one thing on his mind...pee pee! He usually wakes up sometime between 6:30 and 7 a.m., which is right in the middle of my quiet time, but I never mind the interruption. Typically, the time he wakes up is right in the middle of when I am praying for him and his two brothers. I am coming to realize that God is often using this interruption as a reminder of how important my task as a dad really is.

After my son goes pee pee, I help him back up into his bed and get some books for him to entertain himself so I can finish my time alone with the savior. I need that time and my son, even at three, understands this. But this brief 5 minute interlude in the middle of my devotional life has done as much to strengthen my faith as any book or method that I have tried previously. Knowing how precious my boys are to the heart of God makes me weak. Knowing that my penultimate task in life is to invest in them and their mother gives me the focus of knowing how to draw near to the heart of God for my mission and purpose in life. One primary way that I can bring God the greatest glory is by faithfully loving and SERVING my wife and children.

A daily prayer that I have is that I would never put my agenda or the needs of my employer above the needs of my family. Now, it is important to know that my employer is a local church. A constant reminder of the fact that my family is my ministry comes running down the hall every morning between 6:30 and 7 a.m. I can't wait till tomorrow!

God Claims A Precious Jewel

Ruth Bell Graham
June 10, 1920 - June 14, 2007

There was a time that my opinionated, legalistic upbringing would not allow me to show proper respect for Brother Billy or Mrs. Ruth. Fortunately for me the same grace that God showed in raising up this fine couple was applied to my heart. Soon, I began to respect and admire this wonderful man and his godly family. How wise,loving, and tireless this wonderful lady must have been to support the vast ministry that God gave Brother Billy while maintaining a balanced household for their family. I am reminded of Proverbs 31:29-30 which states:

Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Let that sentiment be impressed upon all of us as we reflect on Mrs. Ruth's legacy.

Making Memories Not Regrets

I’m sure that by now you gentlemen out there are probably worn down from all the fatherly advice that seems to come to a head this time of year. I was listening to Dr. David Jeremiah this morning and even he commented that it seems like mothers day is for praising mom and that fathers day is for preaching at dad. Well, I’m going to leave the preaching to others for a moment and see if I can share with you some practical and fun ways to invest some time and love into your kids.

Raising children is obviously one of the most difficult endeavors known to mankind. If you do it right it requires love, patience, self-disciple, time, tears, lots of prayers, and lots of money. It doesn’t have to be full of gut wrenching. On the contrary, there are several ways for you to actually enjoy your kids and have fun with them. I remember my dad taking my brother and I fishing when we were young. Sure he had to teach us to be quiet and have patience but we had fun and we got to clean and cook the fish we caught when we got home. There is no rocket science to this. In fact it doesn’t really matter what activity you do as long as you are spending undivided time with your children and letting them know that you love them. If, however, you need some ideas consider the following…

For Dads with daughters:

Have a father/daughter date night - You can go out to eat and see an appropriate movie, go shopping, bowling, or just have a long walk at a nearby lake or park.

Bake Together – I know this may sound silly but hey you get to have fun together and then you get to eat. How cool is that.

Wash the Car – That’s right I said was the car. This activity lets you spend time with your daughter, get a clean car, and make your wife happy to boot. Genius!

For more ideas see this article from focus on the family: A Date With Dad


For Dads with sons:

Get outdoors – There is no better place to transfer manhood and rediscover your own heart than in the wild somewhere. Camping, hiking, fishing, or hunting. It doesn’t matter just get outdoors.

Build something together – Men are natural builders. We got this straight from God who is the master builder. Don’t be in a hurry, or try to be perfect; just have fun and do it together.

Sports – Shoot some hoops, play a round of golf, or just have a foot race. We men like to compete; it’s in our blood. Just be sure that you take it well if you loose and be gracious (at least somewhat) if you win.

For more ideas consider a book entitled The Dangerous Book For Boys recommended by Dr. Al Mohler.

Most of all remember that most older pastor/dads if asked would never regret having spent too much time with their kids. Don't make regrets, make memories.

As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
- Psalm 103:13 (ESV)

Knowing Your Loves

In this space two weeks ago I mentioned a book that I had been reading by Steve Farrar titled, King Me. I will not use today as an opportunity to do an all out book review, but I did want to mention one of the more profound aspects that I read in this book.
My wife and I are both reading through the book of 1 Samuel right now for our quiet times. This is a great book and loaded with much personal application. Within the first 8 chapters we see one common trait of the men who were the spiritual leaders of Israel; they were terrible fathers.
In the lives of both Samuel and Eli we see that they were men who had very ungodly offspring. The first thought that I have on this is why? How could men who were called to lead God's people in the way they worshipped Him, not lead their families? Farrar makes a keen observation in his book; these two men loved the ministry more than they loved their families.

"God said his (Eli's) most important work was in the home. But he loved the ministry more than he loved the hard work with his sons. He wouldn't deny himself and take up his cross." pg. 66

Now I know that the previous quote specifically mentions Eli, however on the very next page in this book, Farrar makes the case against Samuel. It was actually because Samuel's sons "did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain, took bribes and perverted justice" (1 Samuel 8:3 ESV), that Israel demanded a king. Farrar concludes that if Samuel had been more faithful in nurturing his family, Israel wouldn't have ended up in the predicament they would later find themselves in.
Some of you will consider that to be a reach. I would say if that is the case you aren't truly willing to look at where your priorities in ministry lie. Your first call as a minister is to love and disciple your family, even if it costs you your job.
Many people disagree with that statement and that is fine, but their disagreements aren't based on scripture. Their disagreements are based on fear of losing their jobs. When Paul laid out the God given qualifications for being a minister the first practical qualification on the list was how a man led his family.

"He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God's church?" 1 Timothy 3:4-5 ESV

That verse is convicting enough on its own without additional comment. My plea for ministers in particular and fathers in general is that they would love their families as Christ loved the Church. That they would realize that their first love on earth and their priority in life and ministry is to love and disciple their family. When the men leading our churches today accept that challenge and reorder their priorities, the world will take notice and revival will take place.

Accountability: Only The Weak Kneed It!

Today's post is dedicated to one of my personal heroes, Wilber, who normally would be writing today. He is at home watching his two small boys so that his several months pregnant wife could take a much deserved break and go on a little retreat. So between being a good dad and having Internet service provider issues, he is prevented from posting and you are stuck with me.One of the reasons Wilber is my hero apart from his obvious devotion to his wife and family is the fact that tonight after he puts the boys to bed he could be at home resting with the whole house to himself. He would have it made. No wife, no kids, sole possession of the remote control, and peace and quiet. Does Wilber save this time for himself, well he probably could, and there would be nothing wrong with that. What Wilber has chosen to do instead is to have me and a couple of other guy friends over for some fellowship, encouragement and accountability. Yes I said it the dreaded "A-word". .

I know that many of you pastors, seminary students, and amateur theologians out there may think this is a bit pansy. I mean if a man can't even stay out of trouble for a couple of nights while his wife is away he must be in bad shape. Well no not really. It is not that Wilber needs guys to come and hold his hand while his wife is away, its that Wilber needs to set the example of brokenness and humility for the rest of us who depend on his leadership. Now Wilber wouldn't tell you all this stuff and he is probably going to be a little embarrassed that I am making an example of him.

From my view, I think that we could all do with more transparency, humility, and accountability among our pastors, and student ministry leaders. I think the precedent for this is demonstrated by the apostle James when he stated:

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
- James 5:16 (ESV)

These words in the Greek give us a picture of believers by mutual agreement acknowledging their weaknesses or sins to one another so that they can pray for one another and have victory. It is a holy and proactive thing to do. It displays a desire to stay close to the Lord by keeping close to each other. It also reflects the practices that Acts 2:42 demonstrates as being necessary for a healthy church community.

Okay I think you all get the drift of what I am trying to say here. However, for those macho men who think they don't need any help. Chew on this chestnut: even Jesus had his twelve.Sure, there are times when you will be called to go on alone but unless God is directing you to do otherwise, make good use of brothers in Christ who will admonish you in love and with God's word to help you on your journey.

You Were Born Into A World At War (Part Two)

"A day may come when the courage of Men fails... when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship... but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when all hope comes crashing down, but it is NOT this day! This day, we fight! For all that you hold dear, stand, Men of the West! "
- Aragorn in Return of The King

If ever there was a time when need to hear such a call to arms that time is now. It's disturbing and overwhelming how difficult it is to maintain just a semblance of a godly life in the culture in which we live. There is so much competing for our attention and what makes it even more dangerous is that not all of the options are bad. It takes discipline (something that I lack greatly) to be able to pass over the good and the better for the best. The only means for doing this is to renew your mind and the means for doing that is to do daily spiritual warfare.

Before I share some practical Scriptural helps on doing daily spiritual warfare, let me make it clear what exactly it is that satan is trying to do to you. Satan is a master of understanding human nature. If there were a world class chair for the study of human nature at the most prestigious university in the world it would be held by satan. He knows that to remove your ability to do kingdom work he must first defeat you in the realm of your thoughts. His goal is to find your weaknesses and manipulate them and all the circumstances around you to cause you to agree with him about your situation. In essence what he is doing is stealing your heart. That is why God gave us the warning to...

Keep your heart with all vigilance,for from it flow the springs of life.
- Proverbs 4:23(ESV)

Our heart is the core of our being. It is where are thoughts are birthed that result in actions. Before we are saved it is utterly wicked and wretched (Jer. 17:9). Salvation brings with it a "re-creation" as it were of our hearts making our hearts good (Luke 8:15) and making them the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 4:6). So the battle lines look like this:

Side One (Good)God and all his loyal servants (angels), and believers who have been given a good heart that is inhabited by the Holy Spirit

Side Two: (Evil) satan, the world system that he has temporary dominion over, your flesh, unbelievers, and even some Christian who refuse to obey the Holy Spirit within them and have unwise hearts (Mark 8:33)

How can you survive this war? The solution is easily found but not so easily practiced. You must have a wise heart that is not under the influence of satan or his allies and the only way to have such a transformed heart (Rom. 12:2) is to daily make a spiritual stand for God. This can be done by

1. Pray through Ephesians 6:10-18 daily. Study this passage, memorize it, and commit it to the Lord everyday before you leave home. This should become a sort of mental flossing (I stole that one from Dave Edwards) that removes sinful ideas and negates any subconscious or overt agreements that you have made with satan.

2. Then throughout the day pray scripture and ask the Lord to give you a sensitivity to satans lies and distractions.

This must be done because the consequences of failure are too high. Oh and by the way if your day becomes so hectic that you haven't even given spiritual warfare a thought, chances are you have already been whipped. Don't lose heart though, because God's mercies are renewed everyday and rest assured that the next morning you will get you shot again.

I pray that God will raise up a generation of believers who see the war raging around them and who equip themselves to do battle and keep satan from devouring them, their families and their churches. Let these words of my hero of the faith and namesake Martin Luther be an encouragement to you:

Und wenn die Welt voll Teufel wär’ Und wollt’ uns gar verschlingen, So fürchten wir uns nicht so sehr, Es soll uns doch gelingen. Der Fürst dieser Welt, Wie sau’r er sich stellt, Tut er uns doch nicht, Das macht, er ist gericht’t, Ein Wörtlein kann ihn fällen.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him.

- Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God)
Dr. Martin Luther