After many years of reservation, encouragement from fellow pastors and elders, and much prayer, I decided to launch Heart Aflame. Due to the overwhelming proliferation of solid Christian resources circulating the World Wide Web, I feel like a very small player adding my voice to a world full of heavy weight Bible scholars, articulate preachers and writers, and men God has raised up to impact large masses of people for His own secret purposes and glory.
For several personal and professional reasons, until now I have delayed a strong presence on the internet. This includes blogs, Twitter, and Facebook. I have struggled for quite some time regarding the place of social media, blogs, and the general presence of Christian interaction on the Internet. I have reached no firm conclusions except to say that the territory comes with great responsibility. Scripture is clear that “each of us will give an account of himself to God”.[i] I am just not one to take this lightly.
The account each Christian gives to God can be viewed from two angles. The first sees us giving an account for things we are guilty of doing that we shouldn’t have done. The second sees us giving an account for things we didn’t do that we should have done. Viewed from the second angle, a gospel minister has a particular responsibility to do all he can to faithfully proclaim the gospel, and defend God’s truth.
A friend of significant notoriety and respect in the evangelical world (who will remain nameless) recently told me while at lunch, “What one posts on the internet stays there permanently”. We were talking about some of the larger discourses taking place online within evangelicalism when he said this. I almost choked on my barbecue brisket- not because he was wrong, but because he was right. I had for many, many years delayed a vocal internet presence, but was in the process of launching this website. My friend didn’t know my plans, but his words served to remind me once again that one better think twice before shooting off from the mouth online. His words did not prevent me from launching Heart Aflame, but they indeed reminded me of why, until this point in life, I had refrained from any such thing. They served as a wise, prophetic warning of sorts. The spirit of my prayers since that conversation have been along the lines of Psalm 141:3, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!”
So though the territory of writing articles for the general public to read comes with great accountability, so too does remaining silent on any number of issues that I have no right to remain silent about. Fear of offending others, embarrassment of the gospel, or timidity regarding conflict are not legitimate excuses for a gospel minister, nor do they serve as noble character traits.
Additionally, I write with my own church flock in mind- the particular flock that He sovereignly called me to shepherd. I write with those in mind who I love deeply, beginning with my wife and children. I write with those in mind that for God’s providential reasons I no longer pastor, but still remain in touch with and pray for often.
Below, I offer a brief purpose statement followed by an explanation behind the origins of the name Heart Aflame.
Purpose Statement
Heart Aflame exists for the purpose of providing an informative, theological resource for both the pulpit and pew. As such, its purpose is to encourage the church with the truth of God’s Word.
Five Images explain the rich history and origin of Heart Aflame. Together the words convey both emotional and intellectual passion for God’s truth.
Jeremiah
The prophet Jeremiah expressed the presence of an unquenchable flame that burned within his soul when he said, If I say, “I will not mention Him, or speak any more in His name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.”[ii]
John Calvin
The Genevan Reformer John Calvin famously had pictured on his personal seal a hand holding a heart being offered upward to God. Later a motto was added as if Calvin through his seal was saying, “My heart I offer to you, Lord, promptly and sincerely.”
Jonathan Edwards
The American pastor-theologian Jonathan Edwards spoke of light and heat as the two elements necessary for preaching. He said, “If a minister has light without heat, and entertains with learned discourse, without a savour of the power of godliness, or any appearance of fervency of spirit, and zeal for God and the good of the soul, he may gratify itching ears, and fill the heads of his people with empty notions; but it will not be very likely to reach their souls.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
A young minister once asked the Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “When I preach, no one comes to hear me. What should I do?” Spurgeon responded, “Douse yourself with gas, strike a match, set yourself on fire. People will come to see you burn.”
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
The “Doctor”, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, defined preaching simply as, “Logic on fire! Eloquent reason!”
I pray God will use the resources provided by Heart Aflame to ignite a passion for God’s truth in your heart. And I hope God answers that prayer in His own way and for His own glory.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Andrew
[i] Romans 14:12
[ii] Jeremiah 20:9
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