Intoducing…Lawn Gospel! Hello World!

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Welcome to Lawn Gospel!

You’ve found the personal blog of W.Hank Balch. I’ll be talking about a plethora of issues here, so its not going to be very consistent in terms of content, but then again, neither am I. I’m going to try to speak from the heart, shoot from the hip, and give God the glory for it all.

Who am I?

Weston “Hank” Balch. I was born and raised in rural Texas, educated in public schools from kindergarten in 1990 to graduation from Texas A&M in May of 2007, and was apprehended by Christ sometime between 7th grade and my freshman year in college. I’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb ever since. I love the Lord, but He loves me more. And I’ve got good news…He loves you too! I’m unabashedly Pro-Life, unashamedly Reformed, and unapologetic in my belief that Hank Williams Sr. was the greatest country music artist to ever live. Similarly, Ralph Stanley is the best bluegrass musician ever to grace a stage.

So, what is Lawn Gospel?

Little did I know, but the summer of 2007 would be one that would shape my walk and my faith in a very mighty way. Fresh out of college, with my diploma in one hand, and my Aggie ring on the other, I set out to find a summer job until I moved to Louisville, Kentucky for seminary at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. And to my (now grateful) surprise, he led me to a lawn maintenance and landscaping gig in College Station, Tx. From my boss, to my co-workers, to the very work itself – God impressed upon me the idea of Lawn Gospel. Basically Lawn Gospel consists of the real-world application of 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12:

“Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”

Its a reminder of contentment in Christ, and in your calling – past, present, and future…even if it’s mowing lawns for a living. Charles Spurgeon sums it up quite nicely:

“Think little of yourselves, but do not think too little of your callings. Every lawful trade may be sanctified by the gospel to noblest ends. Turn to the Bible, and you will find the most menial forms of labour connected either with most daring deeds of faith, or with persons whose lives have been illustrious for holiness. Therefore be not discontented with your calling. Whatever God has made your position, or your work, abide in that, unless you are quite sure that he calls you to something else. Let your first care be to glorify God to the utmost of your power where you are. Fill your present sphere to his praise, and if he needs you in another he will show it you. This evening lay aside vexatious ambition, and embrace peaceful content.”

Okay. So, what is Law ‘n Gospel then?

C.F.W. Walther wrote,

“The true knowledge of the distinction between the Law and the Gospel is not only a glorious light, affording a correct understanding of the entire Holy Scriptures, but without this knowledge Scripture is and remains a sealed book….The Word of God is not rightly divided when the law is not preached in its full sternness, and the gospel not in its full sweetness, when, on the contrary, gospel elements are mingled with the law and law elements with the gospel.“

 

“Nothing in my hand I bring,

Simply to the cross I cling;

Naked, come to Thee for dress;

Helpless, look to Thee for grace;

Foul, I to the fountain fly;

Wash me, Saviour, else I die.”

Likewise, John Bradford explained it this way:

“Whosoever truly understandeth the division of the places of the Law and of the Gospel, gathered out of the holy scriptures, cannot by any man’s doctrine be seduced from the truth, or read the scriptures but to edify both himself and others: whereas he that is ignorant of the same cannot, though he were a great doctor of divinity, and could rehearse every text of the bible without book, but both be deceived, and deceive others; as the experience hereof (the more pity) hath taught, nay, seduced the whole world….Therefore, I say, take to thee the glass of God’s law; look therein, and thou shalt see thy just damnation, and God’s wrath for sin, which, if thou dreadest, will drive thee not only to an amendment, but also to a sorrow and hatred of thy wickedness, and even to the brim of despair, out of which nothing can bring thee but the glad tidings of Christ, that is, the gospel: for as God’s word doth bind thee, so can nothing but God’s word unbind thee; and until thou comest to this point, thou knowest nothing of Christ.”

As Christians, we are called to hold both Law and Gospel in Holy tension. If we shut our ears to the Law, we will never appreciate the Gospel and fall into lawlessness; but if we shut our ears to the Gospel we will never hear the sweet and comforting words of Jesus and will fall into self-righteous legalism.

“The law says, Do, and life you’ll win;
But grace says, Live, for all is done;
The former cannot ease my grief,
The latter yields me full relief.”

The law excludes not boasting vain,
But rather feeds it to my bane;
But gospel grace allows no boasts,
Save in the King, the Lord of Hosts.“

That’s about it… If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email.

Enjoy your visit to Lawn Gospel, and come back soon!

‘Brother Hank

(P.S. – Take a moment and visit my group blog, the Journeymen. You shouldn’t be disappointed…I hope!)

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