New Column at 9marks.com

I recently began a new column at 9marks.com that is called “Shaping Timothy.” The column calls for pastors to begin discipleship of young men in their churches. I make the argument that pastoral discipleship is as much a pastoral responsibility as preaching, teaching, and evangelism. This claim is based in the example afforded us by both Christ and Paul, who made it their business to train men for ministry. I am excited about the column and grateful to 9Marks for the opportunity to write it. If you like, you can read it at http://www.9marks.com/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID314526CHID598014CIID2209928,00.html

There’s also a ton of other good stuff at the site. Here’s the teaser.

“The most dangerous attacks on the people of God often come from within our city walls.

This has happened before. Church history speaks to this fact. Not too many decades ago, the church wrestled with humanist modernity, cloaked as progressive scholarship, that attacked the most precious tenets of the faith. The effects were manifold. Many fell away, seminaries went liberal, and the churches fell into twentieth-century malaise. Nowadays, the situation has changed. The opposition is more subtle but just as dangerous. Today, it is soft religion that wars with the church, loosely held religious commitment that is no commitment at all. Pastors, entrusted with the church’s care, dumb down biblical doctrine, take their cues from secular business practices, and evangelize based on earthly benefits, not spiritual responsibilities. Divorce is rampant among the pastoral corps, pornography a common vice, and the culture pities the church as much as it sneers at it. From the high post of fidelity, the church has slid into a puddle of malfeasance. Sadly, its shepherds are leading the way.

In their wake follows a young generation of men raised on doctrinal sugar water. They lack the theological, ecclesiological, and missiological beliefs necessary to faithfully lead the church of tomorrow. Their lack of biblical training will work its effect in time. Ours is not a modern-day Troy yet. But the enemy has entered the city.”