Biography (friends from the past)

Yesterday was a big day in my internship.  I was given the opportunity to speak in front of members of the Church.  My presentation (not a sermon that will have to wait for another day) was on Jonathan Edwards arguably the biggest personality to work for the Church in America.  After studying Edwards for about two weeks I found myself being inspired by his life. 

The Church that stands in Northampton now.

Edwards grew up in a large family.  He was one of eleven children.  He was the fifth child and the only son.  I cannot imagine what that would be like.  He was also a very curious boy (something I can relate to).  From an early age Jonathan showed academic promise and at age 13 he enrolled at Yale.  He graduated from Yale at the top of his class and stayed to study theology.  In 1727 Jonathan 24 at the time was invited by his grandfather Solomon Stoddard (also a person worth looking in to) to become an assistant pastor at the Northampton Congregationalist Church.  Jonathan became known as the “scholar-pastor” for his 13 hour long days at the church studying, writing, and other scholarly activities.  Two years later Stoddard passed away leaving the 26 year old Jonathan as the sole overseer of one the largest and most widely known congregations in the Massachusetts area.  No big deal right?  It probably would have been easy enough if Jonathan wanted simply keep the status quo.  Jonathan wasn’t geared that way though.  He had this deep desire to se people more biblical lives (this ought to be the aim of every single pastor, elder, deacon, and teacher) and with this desire he began to pursue genuine conversion in people.  At the time the youth in the region were absorbed in the idea of spiritual independence.  In a nutshell this idea led most to believe that to be sinful meant to be morally impoverished and salvation was simply living in accord with Christ’s moral teachings.  Jonathan confronted this idea with a series of Calvinists sermons.  By 1733 the congregation had been so affected by the Holy Spirit that it began to experience a revival that was to last until 1735 and bring in 300 new members.  After a period of quiet the congregation again exploded into revival and this time it spilled in to other parts of the colonies.  The First Great Awakening had begun.  Methodists and Baptists began to evangelize in the west.  Presbyterians and Reformers worked in the New England cities.  People began to learn and be converted to Christ.  In all this Jonathan was still pursuing a more devote life from his congregation.  This pursuit eventually became too much for the congregation and they voted him out of the church, a decision most of that council came to regret later.

Jonathan was invited to numerous different places after leaving Northampton, but he was led to the most humble.  Instead of going to NYC or even to Scotland Jonathan was brought to the Housatonic Indians in western Massachusetts.  He had to preach and council through an interpreter.  He had to become one of the only Indian advocates in the area.  He served the Indians faithfully for 8 years. 

This is just a glance at a life for Christ.  Jonathan Edwards was not perfect, but he strove to be more faithful to Christ.  His soft spoken yet powerful sermons aimed to show the truth of God’s nature. 

I had the opportunity to share all this and a little more to about 15 people from the congregation yesterday.  We drove about 2 hours to the Northampton Church that now stands where the one stood that Jonathan Edwards preached in for 23 years.  One of the readings I was given this summer emphasized the power of Christians reading Christian’s biographies.  I can say Christian biography has left an impression on me and I have not even read that much of it.  I begin to realize that what I am doing has already been done by those who came before me.  I just have the opportunity to do it for my generation. 

Me rambling on and on......look at that nose haha!

On the way back from the field trip I was asked what do you think you want to do next.  I said I want to work for the Church but maybe seminary is where I belong for a time?  The question remains at what time do I do this?  Then a man shared some insights with me.  Doors will open where God wants them to be open.  It is up to us to step up.  He experienced this in his own life.  Sometimes we think the door is open but it is actually locked for the time being.  You’d never know this if you never touched the door knob.  Amazing how common sense works.  I am at the point where I am choosing which door knob to touch first.  Exciting, daunting, and thrilling.  I pray God speaks in your life as he has in mine and others.  I pray you find someone like Jonathan Edwards who can inspire you to a deeper faith.

Blessings!