Author: Uri Brito

The Church Calendar is a tough sell in our evangelical culture. It’s not so much because of historical illiteracy; it’s mainly because of historical inconsistency or historical preferences. Most in our culture have a fondness for national and localized festivities. As I’ve said, it’s not a poor keeping of time; it’s a selected keeping of time. I want to argue that there is a time that supersedes civic time and that is the Church time.

Now, I am aware that once we begin this conversation, there will be all sorts of fears about celebrating days for saints, for angels, and other such things. But I am simply arguing for a celebration of the basic church calendar; the five evangelical feast days ((Advent) Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost). If most churches cherished and celebrated a general outline for the calendar, we could begin to see a greater harmonization of themes, topics, and vision for the church universal.

If some were to say, “Why can’t we sing Christmas carols whenever we want to; after all every Sunday is Christmas?” The answer is: “For the same reason you don’t sing Happy Birthday to your child whenever you want to. It’s true that every Sunday is Christmas, but every Sunday is also Easter and Pentecost and Trinity Sunday, etc.” You can do those things, but it takes away from the appointed observance of such a time. If some were to say: “Why am I bound to observe this church calendar?” Answer: “You are not bound to. Your church is not bound to; simply, history has shown its wisdom and its longevity has shown its importance.” There is a historical harmony established on these general feast days that all churches of all ages share. My simple point is that it would be good to begin thinking through these questions if you do not come from a background that celebrates the Christ-life throughout the year.

I have written so much about this, and even edited a book that covers this theme. Once in a while, it’s nice to hear other folks setting an example on this front. This fine piece over at Patheos is such:

If I could put it even more clearly: we gather with the saints each Sunday, not simply out of obedience, nor even because of all the wondrous benefits found therein. We convene with the local church each weekend because we are betrothed, not as individuals, but as a body, to our Lord, Jesus Christ. We assemble together because He has assembled us together. We gather while it is still called “today” because we will be gathered together in His great halls with the believers of all time. If you can’t stomach meeting with believers today, while they too groan as they await the day of their redemption, in what possible reality can you say with earnestness that you will be united with them at the end of all days? When we get down to it, if you understand the importance of why we gather together each week—church should become the “excuse” you use to miss everything else that conflicts with it—not the other way around.

Read the rest…

I remember Steve Martin’s great definition of a celebrity. “A celebrity,” he wrote, “is any well-known TV or movie star who looks like he spends more than two hours working on his hair.” His brief comedic description is actually a simple way of describing celebrities as those who give a lot of attention to the minute and give brief attention to the noble. I generally find celebrities to be a nuisance to our culture. Most of them cherish the destruction of Christendom. Most of them spend their days crusading against the values of the Church. By and large, they represent a conspicuous attempt to use their gifts to persuade others to see the world through the eyes of unbelief.

Kobe Bryan’s death is a bit of a twist in this narrative. Kobe seemed to be from all the anecdotes spreading on-line and on the news, the kind of guy who expressed genuine interest in others and who cared for others. His competitiveness pushed him into different fields. He was a genuine generalist which I find rather compelling in a figure of such prominence. He understood life as a kind of vehicle to tour the world and bring back souvenirs which would add to his knowledge.

Kobe had conquered his basketball arena and he was ready to taste victory in others. But the Bible is a compelling story of the unexpected. Many have stated how they cannot explain the death of someone who in their mind was meant to live forever. But God’s ways, as the prophet says, often befuddles ours.

There is no doubt he had various stains in his past. Yet, a celebrity married to the same woman for 18 years and fathering 4 daughters from the same woman is a rare kind of combination in the world of Los Angeles. Biographers will have to wrestle and put together a picture of Kobe Bryant that is both fair and realistic.

While many of us, distant admirers of his sheer athleticism and competitiveness, grieve in a very general capacity, there is a mother and three remaining children who grieve in a very profound way. May God be the comfort of the widow and the fatherless.

The loss of life–especially in this sort of tragic ending–calls us to see the world with greater clarity. Perhaps the lesson for us is to care less about the trivial and pour into the lasting. Celebrity or not, we shall give an account.

Dear brother,

It is crucial to grasp that knowing good theology does not necessarily lead to godly living. I have met many men whose words were Reformational and biblical while at the same time hurtful and harsh toward wife and children.

Good theology helps create helpful categories to view the world rightly, but at times it can create unhelpful justifications to view people wrongly. The more you know the more equipped you are to use that data for good or ill. I urge good theologizing, good biblicizing, and good catechetical training. But the way forward is to produce churches with theological men who will help create environments of repentance.

If a child or wife has never heard a man repent at home, surely this man will be the kind that will bring curses to a church or will add little to no benefit to the life of the community. We need theological discourse in the context of confession and community. When you divorce theology from that, no matter how Reformational you are, you have failed to reform your soul.

So, press on your studies, but don’t forget the end goal. If your theology cannot produce doxological moments it is in vain. Don’t forget this lesson.

Yours truly,
Pastor Brito

The Ricky Gervais incident at the Golden Globes is a sign for Christians that we need to up our game and do better than Ricky.

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