Nathan E. Lewis

At St. Stephen’s Academy we aim to educate our children, offering the best academic programs possible and cultivating Christian character in our students. While most Christian communities value the instilling of Christian character, some of these communities are confused as to what constitutes a Christian character. The confusion stems from legalism and some forms of modern pietism. The confusion stems from a skewed view of culture and the Christian engaging culture. A Christian character is informed by biblical commands and doctrines. When a community adds man made laws to divine law, then the result is not only legalism but also a cultural statement – a sub-cultural statement. Continue reading »

St. Stephen’s Academy is a ministry of Evergreen Presbyterian Church a Christ centered congregation intent on embracing the gospel and applying it to every area of life. The gospel not only informs all our endeavors but it transforms our views and participation in a ministry like St. Stephen’s Academy. We do not make the sharp distinction between evangelism and edification that some churches make. Instead we believe that Christians and non-Christians alike need the gospel. The gospel is the proclamation of our entrance into the Church by faith in Christ alone by grace alone. The gospel is also the central message of the Holy Scriptures informing all areas of life. Continue reading »

The Bible presents to us God as Creator of all things. He is also the Sustainer of all creation, “Upholding everything by his powerful hands.” The doctrine of the Lordship of Christ Jesus includes his ascension to the right hand of God from where he rules and reigns as Sovereign over all creation. The Bible presents two important doctrines concerning the nature of humanity relating to these doctrines of God: 1) Humanity is made in the image of God; and 2) The Human race is totally depraved. Both of these biblical teachings about the nature of humanity inform the worldview of our school. In relationship to the doctrines of God, we must say that the human race made in God’s image is nevertheless subject to divine authority calling us to use our lives to glorify God. We are creative because God is Creator and so we use our creativity to further his purposes in this world. We must also say that our race falling into sin, totally depraved, does not thwart God’s purposes in this world or completely destroy his created goodness. Although our race has done much harm to God’s world, we are not collectively so evil to prevent God from doing all his holy will. Continue reading »

God has revealed himself through the structure of a covenant, resulting in a community. The covenant is a legal bond but it is all the more a web of relationships. God as a Person relates to us as persons and calls us into covenantal relationships. In the Holy Scriptures we discover God relating to Adam and Eve. He speaks to Abraham and David. The Son of God incarnates and relates to his fellow human beings. His disciples enjoy the fellowship of the Spirit and they form the communion of saints. Continue reading »

(Nathan Lewis is preaching this sermon series at Chehalem Valley Presbyterian Church in Newberg and at Evergreen Presbyterian Church in Beaverton, Oregon, October - November 2008.) Continue reading »

Pastor Nathan Lewis is preaching four sermons on the Ascension of Jesus Christ. He preaches at Chehalem Valley Presbyterian Church in Newberg at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and then at Evergreen Presbyterian Church in Beaverton at 11:00 a.m. Below you can read Nathan’s sermon scripts and you can also go to Audio sermons to hear a recording of his preaching. Continue reading »

Yesterday evening while I was on my daily walk, stopping to complete a set of push-ups, two Mormon missionaries on bicycles stopped to talk with me. They were pleasant and soon into the conversation, I realized that they were mainstream, following their training to the “T” unlike the honest Mormon who came to my doorstep, October 2006, prompting me to write, “I Met an Honest Mormon Today.” The honest Mormon Elder on my doorstep told me that I was going to hell because I was an ordained minister under false authority.
Last night, the two polite Mormon elders were typically pushing the Book of Mormon hard. It’s not the Bible or Christ that they push. Only if someone, like myself, asks them about the Bible, do they say, “Yes, we believe the Bible to be God’s word….” Only if called to testify about Christ do they say, “Yes, Christ is important.” In the training of these hard-working, committed young men, the Book of Mormon must be showcased, a starting point in the presentation of the gospel of the restoration that occurred through Joseph Smith.
I keep the discussion with Mormon elders pleasantly congenial. (read “I Met an Honest Mormon Today,“) I am intrigued by the Mormon religion and apologetic. So many Americans consider it to be quite similar to Christianity, but the contrasts outweigh the comparisons. The Mormon worldview is intriguing to me as it is exotically different than the Christian worldview. When I meet Mormon elders I have questions, many questions, simples questions. I frame them politely and clearly. And so I am often humored at the consistent dodging technique that must be part of their training. Why Don’t Mormon elders answer my simple questions?
Last night I asked the following simple questions. The one missionary fell silent and the appointed spokesman asked me unrelated questions in place of answering my simple questions. Continue reading »

The night prior to his assassination, Martin Luther King Jr. preached, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” (Listen to and watch this clip of this historic moment.) Undeniably, he was one of the greatest preachers of the 20th century in regard to rhetoric and in regard to speaking prophetically into the present moment/context. Little in this world is more beautiful or moving than a person who confidently fulfills his calling, knowing his place in history and his contribution to society. King was such a person. You can see it in his eyes as he preaches. You can hear it in his voice. The rhetoric is connected to a passionate calling and a timely message. Technically, King delivered a speech the night before his death. (Read the entire script.) Only the final paragraph is sermonic in form revealing King’s original and abiding vocation as an ordained minister of the gospel. Most of us know the words of his speeches rather than the sermons he preached at his home congregation, Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Nevertheless, when King delivered a speech, everyone discovered in a few minutes that he was indeed a preacher, not a lecturer, a politician or an entertainer. Continue reading »

What is the five letter word Brooks Haxton refers to in the following poem?

The wedge sank five times into the clay,
and a word, which had been spoken in a breath,
lay still until the gods’ names were forgotten.
Then, when strangers took the tile in hand,
while stars sailed into the dark
beyond the world, the dead tongue
in the clay began to speak.