10 PLUS - TEN SERVICE OUTLINES FOR CHURCH LEADERS BASED ON THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
By J. John
Monarch. 271 pages
Study Guide, 94 pages
The most encouraging aspect of these two books and the series of talks that J. John gives on the 10 Commandments is that they show a healthy revival of interest in such foundational teaching. For several years now there has been a worrying trend in some evangelical groups to downplay the importance of the Old Testament and the Ten Commandments in particular. These materials are hopefully providing an antidote to such unhelpful attitudes.
The aim of the Service Outlines is to provide ministers with the material they need to put on a series of ten services or evening meetings one on each of the Ten Commandments. The noble aim is, however, spoilt by suggestions and materials that are predominantly man-centred rather than God-centred. For example, the order of the commandments is reversed because they would then start with the more man-centred ones. Each chapter contains suggested hymns and songs, a warm-up activity (to 'make people interested and involved'), a children's activity, dramatised Bible readings (from the New Living Translation), a poem by Stewart Henderson (no relation!), the sermon and some suggested prayers to finish with. Despite the fact that many of these suggestions may not be helpful, there is a wealth of varied material all very relevant to the commandment being studied.
Good sermons
The content of the sermons is perhaps the most valuable part where he gets to the heart of the Command, illustrates it well and applies it in a way which will challenge Christian and non-Christian alike.
The only Command, which does not appear to get the treatment it deserves, is the fourth Command on remembering the Sabbath. While he strongly advocates obedience to the other commandments, this one he says, is different. He makes a distinction between Sabbath 'regulations' that were done away with in Christ and Sabbath 'principles' which are still applicable. Following the convoluted logic Christians should still keep 'a' Sabbath (which can be any day of the week!) but do not need to observe the Sabbath (Sunday) (p. 185). Christians should cease from their work on their 'Sabbath day' and 'as many of us as possible' should meet together for worship on the Sunday. This he boldly claims is now 'the position of the majority of Christians'.
However, with a judicious selection of materials, going back to the original order of the Commandments (which J. John himself suggests) and a reworking of the sermon on the fourth one, you may well be able to put on a challenging series of messages with either evangelistic or teaching aims.
Study guide
Even if you have decided not to purchase the Service Outlines the accompanying Study Guide (ISBN 1 85424 513 9) is well worth considering. There is a good selection of Bible passages to look at and some very thought provoking, challenging questions on each. If you belong to a small study group or would like to set one up to take a serious look at the relevance of the Commandments for today's Christians, then I can heartily recommend you look at this little booklet. For the price each participant could even buy his or her own copy.
David Henderson