Public Christianity

Truth in Advertising

2012-02-10T06:46:00.000-08:00

In the aftermath of James MacDonald's recent Elephant Room, the focus has been on T. D. Jakes and whether he affirmed the Trinity rejecting his Oneness background, about whether Mark Driscoll pushed him hard enough, and that no one challenged him on the Prosperity Gospel. There were other sessions, or "conversations" however that are worth following up on that had nothing to do with the latest Internet-driven evangelical celebrity fracas.
One in particular caught my eye. "With a Little Help From My Friends" The session is described as follows:

Is there a future for denominations? Will networks simply replace them, or will they reinvent themselves? What can denominations offer that networks of churches cannot? Describe the health of world missions and missionaries as you see them serving around the globe. Is the model of sending missionaries through a mission agency still effective? Or is church planting through healthy churches the way to go? Is there a lack of accountability plaguing most missionaries? How can that be changed? How does para-church help or hinder the local church in world missions?

Of course there hasn't been any controversy over this topic, so other than some random quotes I picked up on Twitter, I haven't heard anything more about it. And that's a shame, because this is a very relevant topic for our churches today.

Attendance in traditional denominations has been on the steady decline for a number of years (decades in some cases). Church planting networks, like Acts 29, are all the rage as are missional networks like Verge. In the meantime, American Christianity (TM) continues to follow the trends of megachurches, where a church is known more by the books the pastor sells than the doctrine they actually teach.

But is this anything new? In the 60s/70s the fear was campus ministries and other parachurch organizations were going to replace denominational churches. The campus ministry movement didn't replace denominations, but instead forced them to evolve.

I'm personally interested in this topic as my own church, sprung out of a traditional denomination transformed by the campus ministry movement, recently shed its denominational structure in place of a "co-op" where churches maintain their autonomy, but there is coordination with respect to conferences, publications, and world missions. Sounds a lot like a network, doesn't it? But is that the right model?

When I first came across Acts 29 I was intrigued by what they were doing. But it took a lot of digging to find out anything specific about their doctrine. At best I found out it was started by Driscoll, which led me to Mars Hill to dig into what they believe. Yet another case of a megachurch being known more for its pastor than its doctrine.

Consider the standard online "statement of faith" pulled from a local church:

The Bible came into existence through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is God's complete revelation to man. It is inerrant and has supreme authority in all matters of Faith and conduct.
There is one living and true God, eternally existing in three Persons, The Father and The Son and The Holy Spirit. These three are identical in nature, equal in power and glory, have precisely the same attributes and perfections, yet execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of providence and redemption. Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 12:14
God, the Father, is an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, justice, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He hears and answers prayers and that He saves all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who became man without ceasing to be God. He accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross, and our redemption is made certain through His bodily resurrection from the dead.
The Holy Spirit came from the Father and the Son and convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian, seals them until the day of redemption, and is our present Helper, Teacher, and Guide.
Man was created in the image and likeness of God but through sin became alienated from God, acquired a sin nature, and came under the judicial sentence of death.
Salvation is the gift of God offered to man by grace and received by faith in Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord. Genuine faith will manifest itself in works pleasing to God.

But does that tell you anything? Would it describe your church? Chances are, it would describe any traditional church. Yet it doesn't tell me whether they are Charismatic or cessationist, follow Calvin or Zwingli, are Reformed or Restoration.

You're probably asking what does that have to do with the question above regarding denominations and networks? Personally, I think denominations are stuck in traditions- doctrinally and culturally, and are destined to die unless major changes occur. But... at least you know what you're going to get. When I drive by a First Baptist Church, I know what that is. When I drive by a church called Spring of Life Church, I have no earthly idea.

But is the only value in a denomination truth in advertising? What do you think?

The Power to Change the World

2012-02-08T05:48:00.000-08:00

Imagine you're God for a moment. (Maybe that's easier for some of you than for others) Imagine all the hurt, all the suffering you see among the eight billion people inhabiting your creation. Imagine hearing all of their prayers, all of their cries, and all of their curses. Imagine having all the power to eliminate pain and anguish while appearing to do nothing about it.

If you've seen the movie Bruce Almighty, you can get a hint of this overwhelming responsibility. If you're following along in the book, Kisses from Katie, you can get that sense seeing the Third World through the eyes of Katie Davis as she adjusts to her life in Uganda.

It would be tempting in her shoes to try and fix everything. The poverty. The orphans. The lack of education. The disease, especially HIV. Given her First World resources living in the Third World she could have the power to do it. But it would be too overwhelming to fix everything. So instead, Katie chooses simply to love. You can see the seeds being planted for her future family here. She recognizes that she can't fix every problem and help every child, but she can teach and love as many children as come to her. Education leads to a better life. Love leads to a sense of family. Together those two "small" ingredients have the power to change that country.

Does God sit idly by as His creation suffers? Some would argue so. Of course, his creation is designed with some built-in rules regarding free-will, but surely He could do something, right? No, he doesn't snap his fingers to eradicate all disease. But he does move in the hearts of people like Katie, or like you and me reading about her story, to give or to serve.

It is important to keep that perspective in mind when reading this book, and I pray Katie holds this perspective as she continues in her ministry. She, or you, or I, is not alone. God moves in the hearts of the rich and the poor. Some give up everything they have to move to the other side of the world. Others build successful business that they use to fund efforts that help faces they may never see. God moves in hearts to serve in the Third World as well as to serve in the urban ghetto. God moves in hearts to adopt starving children from Africa as well as to adopt fatherless African American children. When God is moving in the hearts of his people, there is no limit- geographic, economic, political, or racial- that cannot be overcome.

No, God is not idle. And Katie is not alone.

This blog is part of a book club reading Kisses from Katie. Jason Stasyszen and Sarah Salter are leading the discussion. Head over to their blogs for more.

By the Power of the Holy Spirit

2012-02-07T06:25:00.000-08:00

I almost cried when I heard the news. I don't know him, and this wasn't a case of celebrity worship where I would be so moved. But I was near tears because I knew exactly how he was feeling and what he was going through. My heart sank as I feared for what may happen next.

"I feel like I was fine not to have anybody," Josh Hamilton, baseball superstar and recovering addict, told a local radio station three weeks before he fell off the wagon. Then after a night out that I know lasted longer than the hours ticked off the clock he told reporters, "Understand, I'm going to do everything I can and take all the steps necessary..."

The problem with what he said, and my fear for him (which began when I read his book, Beyond Belief), is that there's a lot of "I" in his apology. Although that's just a public statement, God only knows what exactly he prays for or what he shares with others to be held accountable. But I know through my own recovery and ongoing support through a recovery ministry, that "I" get in the way of true healing.

One encouraging quote out of all this mess, "I cannot take a break from my recovery. My recovery is Christ." So he has that going for him. His faith is no secret to those who have followed his story. He is an encouraging speaker, frequently appearing for youth groups, churches, and especially recovery groups. In his book, he speaks of how he came to know Christ so he is no stranger to the Holy Spirit. Yes, the past few years he has been sober much more than he has not, but I wonder how much he is relying on the power of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis to help him with his recovery versus relying on himself.

Chapter six of Kyle Idleman's book, Not a Fan, "self empowered or spirit filled?" focuses on the Holy Spirit. He's right in that the subject makes many a Christian uncomfortable. He describes the third member of the Trinity like Cousin Eddie that no one knows exactly what to do with. He's the drunk uncle (but it's only nine in the morning!) that no one understands. And if it wasn't for my own experience in recovery, I would have responded the same way.

I remember going to my first meeting, then as a mentor/discipler for another addict (oblivious to my own need). The meeting opened up with prayer and someone prayed for the Holy Spirit. Huh? I grew up Catholic so I have prayed for Mary, for Saints, and of course for Jesus to walk with me. But to pray for the Holy Spirit? I was afraid we'd step out of that meeting speaking in tongues and with the hair on top of our heads singed. (Not really, but I wasn't sure what was going to happen next)

It wasn't until later when we were discussing a meeting that did not go at all as we planned. "Sometimes we just have to get out of the way and let the Holy Spirit work." And it clicked. Honestly, this epiphany transformed my relationship with God. Yes I'd pray to Him for things as if he was the cosmic Santa Claus. And I'd pray "in Jesus' name". But I began to pray for God to move me out of the way and let the Holy Spirit work in my life. I began to relate to the Holy Spirit as a force of motion, which we need to move anywhere in our spiritual life, especially overcoming addiction.

Going back to my subtle reference to the book of the Acts of the Apostles above, I've read several commentaries that suggest this book of the Bible should actually be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit. I couldn't agree more. The early church could not have moved without the Counselor guiding them.

Idleman describes in his book how fans of Jesus get burned out because they rely on their own power. I still struggle with this, to be honest. I need to learn to rely on the Holy Spirit in the "non-spiritual" (work, family, as if those things shouldn't be spiritual to begin with) Followers of Jesus know to rely on the Holy Spirit to give them strength. I could go on and on with scripture references to back this up, but I'll save that for another day. Instead, I will simply speak from experience. Simply put, I owe my own sobriety to the Holy Spirit.

Kyle closes the chapter with a list of what friends on Facebook have seen the Holy Spirit do in their lives. If the Holy Spirit is the weird cousin in your spirituality that you just don't know what to do with, consider that the Holy Spirit has enabled others to:

finally forgive my dad
lose 150 pounds and stop smoking
forgive my ex-husband for his infidelity
adopt two boys from Ethiopia
overcome a drug addiction
overcome a gambling addiction
overcome a sex addiction
overcome a shopping addiction
overcome an eating disorder
be four years sober
raise my special needs child, even as a single mom
save my marriage
conceive after being told it would never happen
return my child home after three years of silence
find peace when my husband passed away and I thought my life was over
remarry my ex-husband after a long, nasty divorce (pg 98)

I pray for the Holy Spirit to move in Josh Hamilton's life and to empower his sobriety. What do you need the power of the Holy Spirit in your life? Please share so we can pray together.

This post continues my series blogging through the book, Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman. I encourage you to follow along by clicking on the Not A Fan label to the right. And I urge you to pick up a copy of this book for yourself.

Flashback Friday: Super Perspective

2012-02-03T05:53:00.000-08:00

This is a repost from last year, right before the Super Bowl with some updated numbers. I don't mean to be a fun-hater, and I'll be partying just like the rest of you, but it's important to keep things in their proper perspective.

Keep in mind that half of the world lives on less than $2.50 a day.

One 2012 update, from this Fox Sports slideshow

1.25 billion hot wings will be consumed. Those would come from 312.5 million chickens that would feed, that's right, 1.25 billion people.

2011 numbers:

A 30 second commercial during the Super Bowl will cost $3,000,000.
A ticket on the 50-yard line, lower level, costs almost $16,000
106.5 million people watched the Super Bowl last year on CBS.
8 million pounds of popcorn will be consumed, 28 million pounds of chips, 53.5 million pounds of avocados for guacamole requiring a total of 222,792 football fields worth of farmland to grow.
325.5 million gallons of beer will be drank which would fill 493 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Meanwhile:

$3,000,000 would provide hospice care for those dying of HIV/AIDS over four years in Uganda, or vaccinate 3 million children for measles across Africa, or provide mosquito nets, better access to medications, and free HIV/AIDS testing in Rwanda. (That's only three ads right there)
75% of the world makes less than the cost of that football ticket... in ten years. (according to the Global Rich List)
Up to 10,000 adult and underage girls are expected to be sex-trafficked to Dallas-Fort Worth [Indianapolis this year]
223,000 acres of corn would feed 25,000 people for a year (according to rough calculations from this site).
325.5 million gallons would give enough potable water to 616 million people for a day, or enough for 1.7 million people for a year. (This is only a dent, though, as 1 billion people are without drinkable water)

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." (1 John 2:15-17)

It All Comes Down to This

2012-02-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

With the Super Bowl this weekend and me blogging through Kyle Idleman's book, Not a Fan, I figured this was as good a time as any to share this video. In honor of the big game, courtesy of the Skit Guys:

Makes Me Sick

2012-01-31T06:04:00.000-08:00

The tweet read "this is perhaps the biggest scandal in the history of college football." It was followed by, "Filing this report made me sick to my stomach." Obviously the first tweet caught my attention. The second made this a must-click. The tweets were from Yahoo Sports report Dan Wetzel, who broke the Gary Sandusky story. A simple recap if you're not familiar (and a simple recap does not do this story justice): Gary Sandusky was a former assistant coach at Penn State University who headed up a youth foundation out of an office there. The first break was simply a report of Grand Jury testimony describing how a then-graduate assistant observed Sandusky molesting a young boy in the Penn State football locker room. Like most things of this magnitude, this was only the tip of the iceberg. Eventually, more names surfaced, Sandusky was arrested, and famed head coach Joe Paterno was forced out of his job. Sadly, last week Joe Pa passed away with this cloud still hanging over his otherwise record-setting legacy.

It's a shame really. Just like you cannot say Catholic priest without conjuring up images of that scandal, so it is likely to forever be with Joe Paterno. Never mind anything else he had done over the course of his career, this is too awful to leave as a footnote in his biography.

I'm glad I didn't get around to posting last week, as I really didn't want to pile on. This story disgusts me, and I'm not writing about it just to get more hits to my blog. But the popular public face hiding the seedy underbelly of Penn State football, where Legends and Leaders are more important than integrity and protecting those who cannot protect themselves, kept coming to mind as I was reading the fifth chapter of Kyle Idleman's Not A Fan, "following Jesus or following the rules?" In this chapter, Kyle calls our attention to the "seven woes" in Matthew 23 where Jesus lashes out against the religious elite.

Six of the seven woes begin, "Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!" While we throw around that word, hypocrite, we usually don't think of what it actually means. I've read both that it means the actors in Greek plays or that it means the masks they wear. Either way, the word is synonymous with, duplicitous, two-faced, masked, or putting on an act. As more evidence of the Penn State scandal it appears that administrators at Penn State, including head coach Joe Paterno, were more concerned about the reputation of their university and football program than exposing, reporting, and prosecuting the truth. Literally, they were hypocrites. (And to be fair, it is still not clear the extent of who knew what, but the dismissals of their Athletic Director and famed head coach indicates that they knew enough to act, but chose not to. Their motives may never be known.)

But like I continue to say through these series of posts, this isn't a sports blog. Yet we can learn a lot from the headlines around us to cause us to pause and consider our own motives and our own religiosity. Christians are notorious for condemning vice from the soapbox while engaging in that very same vice behind closed doors; putting on our Sunday best while acting differently the rest of the week. It is the contrast between being religious and being faithful. Or in the context of this book, being a fan or a follower.

If we can learn anything from the Sandusky case, it is that not exposing the truth often leads to more hurt as bad behavior is enabled by inaction. We may be tempted to be hypocrites to protect some private sin, but that only allows the sin to grow. In the case of the Pharisees, their hypocrisy hurt not only themselves but also those whose very souls they were responsible for. The Pharisees were guilty of piling on rules upon rules that they themselves did not obey. And when we become more concerned about our spiritual image, we neglect the condition of our hearts.

The hypocrisy of the Sandusky case is stomach-turning. We need to have the same gag-reflex to spiritual hypocrisy. Our sin needs to disgust us to the point of being sick.

"So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to [vomit] you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:16)

"As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." (Proverbs 26:11)

This post continues my series blogging through the book, Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman. I encourage you to follow along by clicking on the Not A Fan label to the right. And I urge you to pick up a copy of this book for yourself.

The Elephant in the Room

2012-01-26T06:33:00.001-08:00

I apologize for the lack of content this week, I'm away on business travel and my hotel doesn't have wifi. Also please forgive my typos as I'm thumbing this in on my phone.

Regardless I want to put something up to follow up on yesterday's Elephant Room 'conference' hosted by James MacDonald (http://www.theelephantroom.com/). I didn't watch from one of the satellite locations, but I tried to keep up on twitter.

For background, the Elephant Room is a forum for pastors and ministers from different traditions, methodologies, and even core doctrines to sit around a table and "talk it out". The intention is to display Christian love without all the bickering and name-calling that now, thanks to twitter, we hear about far too often.

I just want to list off some of the tweeted quotes. With a limit of 140 characters, I wasn't able to catch the context of these quoted, but found then worth sharing nonetheless. I encourage you to share your impressions based on the quoted and even better, if you watched the conference I'd love to hear your thoughts.

First some context, and again I didn't catch the context of these statistics, but they are worth having fresh in your mind as you read on. "3500 people leave the church every day and don't join another. 6000 churches close their doors each year. Only 2% of churches are growing through conversion (as opposed to growth via children growing up and professing their faith)"

-Mark Driscoll: we're not trying to be Calvinists, we're trying to be evangelists (but what if we disagree on the nature of the gospel that is the core of our evangelism?)

-James MacDonald: the whole gospel
to the whole world with our whiole heart

-Steven Furtick: Presenting the gospel creatively is not watering it down

-Results don't define theology (I didn't catch who said this and I'd love to hear the context because there has to be more to this quote)

-They will know you are my disciples by your love -MacDonald (which is all well and good, but why did you kick out @PirateChristian and @EBenzBlog and threaten to call the police on them?)

-T. D. Jakes: I'm not going to force my theology into my denomination. (there was a whole session on the relevance of denominations with the rise of church networks. I really want to see a replay of that.)

-Let a mans fruitfulness, his confession speak for him -MacDonald

-Constant destructive rhetoric is hurting the church -MacDonald (maybe, but I'd argue the preaching of cheap grace, the emphasis on being seeker-sensitive, and the lack of the call to discipleship hurts the church far more)

-We don't say something privately but we'll speak up publicly and lob grenades -Furtick

-Wayne Cordiero: You can teach what you know bit ultimately you wll reproduce who you are (perhaps my favorite quote from the day)

-Jack Graham: The way to get the walls down is to take the roof off and let God in (I really like this one too)

-Structure can decrease as maturity increases -Cordiero (hmmm, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this)

-Real boldness is to stand with somebody even if it costs you something-Furtick

-I want to see young pastors passion to reach others exceed their passion to review books -Driscoll (or to write best-sellers also)

Like I said, I'm limited by what I found on twitter. The Elephant Room was a trending topic yesterday and is still buzzing this morning. I'm hoping to find some wifi later and see if there are replays anywhere. In the meantime, discuss away.

When's the Swimsuit Competition?

2012-01-20T06:09:00.000-08:00

Another day another debate. Another week another primary...

Is it too early to say I'm already burned out by this election cycle? Once upon a time, politics used to get my juices flowing. In the early days of this blog, I posted more about how our faith should intersect with our politics than just about any other subject. But now I read the headlines, follow the news, watch all the attack and advocacy ads and I'm left to say simply, "meh."

Maybe it's because none of the candidates particularly excite me. Or maybe it's because there's no hot-button issue to focus my attention on. But neither of those are true, I just don't get as wound up over politics anymore.

Maybe I've become disillusioned and jaded. Cynical might be a better word. I admit that in watching these primaries and observing how the media treats the election cycle I'm expecting the swimsuit competition any time now.

Because isn't that what this really is, a popularity contest to see who "looks the part"? I'm reminded of the story of Samuel anointing David:

"When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, 'Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.'" But the LORD rejected him.

"Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, 'The LORD has not chosen this one either.' Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, 'Nor has the LORD chosen this one.' Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, 'The LORD has not chosen these.'" (1 Samuel 16:6,8-10)

If you know the story, you know I'm leaving out a key verse. I'll get to that in a moment. But put yourself in Samuel's shoes. He's looking at each of Jesse's older, stronger, more kingly sons expecting at least one of them to be God's anointed. He was looking for the one who "looked the part". Yet instead God chose young "ruddy" David who wasn't even invited to this party and was left to tend sheep.

Why him and not his brothers? God answers, "Do not consider his appearance or his height... The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (v 7)

In politics, just like anything else, first impressions are made by how one looks and what one says. But God doesn't look at any of those things. He looks at the heart. Imagine how different presidential elections would be if we judged the candidates based on their hearts? (Of course this assumes there could be some way to know.)

I trust the sovereignty of God in the selection of our political leaders. But I don't trust people stained by the Fall to make a wise choice based on anything other than appearance. And because of that, I just can't get excited about this election year.

How about you, are you a political junkie? How does your faith influence your politics? Do you find yourself judging more on appearance, or more on heart?

Who's in Second Place?

2012-01-17T06:02:00.000-08:00

Another year, another debate over the BCS championship and another off-season of going back to the drawing board. If you don't follow college football, it might not have seemed strange to see Louisiana State face off against Alabama. But to fans of anyone outside of the SEC, the championship was a complete scam. You could argue that Alabama made the case that they're the best team in the country because they beat the best team in the country. Yet why, then, was LSU coach Les Miles trying to justify his team should still be #1 based on their complete "body of work" even after their total beatdown?

The purpose of the Bowl Championship Series has always been to match up the #1 ranked team against the #2 ranked team to crown an undisputed champion. But there is a dispute nearly every year. That's because while oftentimes, the #1 team appears to be obvious there are many who could make the claim for #2. This year, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Boise State, and Southern Cal (despite sanctions preventing them from doing so) could all argue that they should have been in that game instead of Alabama, who neither won their conference nor their own division within their conference.

And we hear this debate every year: Who's in second place?

But this isn't a sports blog. Instead, I'm talking about Kyle Idleman's book Not a Fan. The fourth chapter, "one of many, or your one and only" asks the same question with respect to Jesus: Who (or what) is in second place?

It took me reading this chapter a couple of times for this point to sink in, so let me give an illustration that some of you are familiar with. Draw a circle that represents your life. In that circle are your job, your family, your hobbies, etc. In the center of that circle is a throne on which sits the most important thing in your life. Most of us, before we made the commitment to follow Jesus, would have put ourselves, or whatever else was driving our lives on that throne. After making this commitment and declaring "Jesus is Lord!" we remove ourselves from the throne and place Jesus in his proper place there.

The problem is fans of Jesus leave it at that. The circle still surrounds Jesus and holds everything else important in your life. But if we really want to make Jesus our Lord, we need to take everything else out of the circle. It's not that Jesus is the most important thing in your life, it's that Jesus IS your life.

Idleman puts it this way: "Imagine that the different loves of your life are competing in a race to see who wins first place. Jesus, your spouse, your children, a best friend, and a sibling are all lined up on the starting blocks. The idea isn't that Jesus comes in first place in this race. What Jesus is describing here (in Luke 14:26) is more accurately understood by picturing a race for first place in your life and he is the only one on the track. Jesus isn't just saying 'I want to be first place in your life.' He is saying, 'I don't even want there to be a second place.'" (pg 58-59)

Elsewhere he gives the illustration of saying in your marriage vows, "I do, but I also want to be allowed to date other people." Instinctively we would reject such a notion, but we do that all the time with Jesus. "I'll follow you, but only when other more important things aren't in the way."

Kyle then challenges us with specifics:

For what do you sacrifice your money? Kyle and his wife made the commitment to honor Jesus with their finances by vowing to give more to God than they spend on anything else. That means they give more to God than they pay on their house. Think about that for a minute. The typical rule of thumb for getting a mortgage for a house is to not exceed 20% of your income on your mortgage payments. What got everyone in trouble in the housing bubble was that lenders were approving loans at 30-35%. Yet our conviction is that we tithe 10% and only 10% down to the penny. Which communicates that our house payment is more important, two to three times as important, than Jesus. Wow.
When you're hurt, where do you go for comfort? A good question, and I could dedicate entire posts on this subject and relate to addictions, but this is a temptation for all of us. Where do we go for comfort? Personally, I rage. I have temper tantrums to release what I'm feeling. What I don't do is hit my knees before the Lord of my life. Yeah, to say this chapter convicted me is an understatement.
What disappoints or frustrates you the most? Ummm, let's skip to the next one.
What is it that gets you really excited? These are essentially the same question, just opposite extremes. I confess that often my mood is shaped by what's going on around me- either positively or negatively. This is just a sign that those things that affect my mood are more important than Jesus.

And if all these things compete with Jesus for being most important in our lives, then we're just fans, not followers of Jesus. There will always be debate over our internal championship, because there's no clear #1 and everybody, including Jesus, is competing for second place.

This post continues my series blogging through the book, Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman. I encourage you to follow along by clicking on the Not A Fan label to the right. And I urge you to pick up a copy of this book for yourself.

Hate Religion but Love Jesus?

2012-01-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

When I first saw this YouTube video via a link on Facebook, it was less than a day old and had a little over 100,000 views. As I write this, it has been viewed 6.5 million times. I guess he struck a chord.

His point isn't anything new and falls in line with the current anti-organized religion trend that is sweeping through Christianity right now. It hits on some of the themes of Michael Spencer's Mere Churchianity (of which I did a chapter-by-chapter discussion). The package is clean, hip, and resonating. But is he right?

Right after I saw it on Facebook, I wanted to "share" it to my friends too. But I wanted to see what this guy was all about first so I went to his YouTube channel. And his other videos just didn't sit right with me.

So I'm curious what you, my readers, think of this video. Is he right? Do you agree?

Personally, I think God is anti-religion too. I think He makes that clear in the Old Testament prophets. But then the Word of God also tells us that "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27) So I think it's dangerous to offer up a blanket statement that "I reject religion" when the Bible tells us that there is a religion that God himself accepts.

An interesting comment on the YouTube page for this video: "Anyone else see the irony of people arguing whether he's right about religion being different than Jesus and shouting at each other that the other opinion is wrong? I think his point has just been proven."

So what do you think:do you hate religion, but love Jesus, or are you striving for the one True Religion that God finds faultless?

Tebow-liever?

2012-01-12T05:49:00.000-08:00

I've really tried to hold off on posting about Tim Tebow. Yes, I included him in my Not a Fan series, and I titled a post after him when he was still in college, but I have tried hard not to feed the hype. Part of it is because I'm just not that big of a fan. I'm no Monday-morning quarterback critiquing his mechanics, nor am I rooting for him to fail. I just don't think his faith, his throwing motion, and the way he conducts himself off the field is that big of a deal. And I think he'd agree. Yet I am a Denver Bronco fan so I hope he succeeds. And I did draft him for my fantasy football team this year, because I had a hunch he would be starting by mid-season... at fullback. Ok, I was half-right.

But instead of honest debate over the outcome of next week's playoff game or analysis of Pittsburgh's decision to stuff the box in overtime, we hear non-stop about his time with a girl suffering from granulomatosis, how Katy Perry's Evangelical parents want to hook their "heartbroken" daughter up with him- even to the point of inviting him to their church, and of course the Internet explosion when Evangelicals realized that he threw for 316 yards last week. OMG (gosh, for the record) Tebow threw for 316 yards. 3 16, as in John 3:16, get it? OMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!

Simply put, we are running the risk of turning Tim Tebow into an idol. (a must-read IMHO)

But isn't it interesting he threw for 316 yards last week? That phenomenon lead to Google searches of John 3:16 to skyrocket, just as they did when he wore the scripture in eyeblack during his BCS title game a couple of years ago. But does it mean anything? Does it mean God's hand is miraculously holding up the lame ducks Tim Tebow throws 50 yards downfield? Does it mean God is rooting for Tebow to succeed? (And before you point out his three game losing streak, let me point out that Jesus rose from the dead after three days. I'm not sayin', just sayin')

I think it just means God has a sense of humor.

First up, the infamous Saturday Night Live skit, which I think is hilarious:

Then this spoof on Hitler's reaction to Tebow's win (ironically the first time I saw this re-subtitled was after a Steeler win, and proof that every Internet argument eventually ends with someone invoking Hitler.)

Like I said, I think God has a sense of humor and Tebow 316 is proof of that. Also consider that he completed ten passes out of twenty one, or 10/21. Let's look into what seems to be Tim Tebow's favorite Gospel, John: "But others said, 'These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?'" (John 10:21) Or to paraphrase, "These are not the wins of a bad quarterback, can a bad quarterback pass for over 300 yards against the league's best defense?"

So what does this all mean? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! No go in peace to watch football objectively, loving and serving the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Do I Know You?

2012-01-10T05:52:00.000-08:00

On one of my recent business trips I was returning from Washington, DC and waiting in line on the jetway when I started small talk with the person next to me. He was a big guy and looked pretty young. We were talking about the weather in LA when I asked him what he was going out there for. "Oh, I'm going to go work out, work on my game" he replied. Since he looked so young, and it was that time of year, I figured it might have been a workout for a school. "Nah," he laughed, "I'm in the NBA, I play for the Washington Wizards." Now feeling foolish I try and backpeddle, "Oh, I don't watch too much of the pros. I'm more a college hoops fan." And realizing I was digging myself further into a hole, I changed subject to the NBA lockout which was still going on at the time. Then the line started to move, we got on board, wished each other well, and took our seats; his in first class of course. But before we parted ways I noticed his bags were monogramed with JW. So once in my seat I quickly did a Google search of JW Washington Wizards before the flight attendant could stop me and throw me in a cell with Alec Baldwin.

Now there are a couple of things wrong with the story above. First, my description of "young". Ok, so this "kid" was 20 at the time. But my excuse of being a college hoops fan didn't help my cause. Because JW for the Washington Wizards was none other than John Wall, first overall draft pick in the 2010 NBA draft, and arguably the best player in college basketball that year. And it's not like he played for some obscure school either; he played for the Kentucky Wildcats, one of college basketball's elite powerhouses. So of course I did a facepalm there in my seat and vowed if I saw him as we were getting off the plane, I would apologize and try and get my story straight.

You see, the problem was I was standing right next to one of the best basketball players in the world and I didn't know it. But if he had told me his name I could have spouted off stats, key plays, and otherwise acted like I knew what I was talking about. I knew about John Wall, but I didn't know John Wall.

Does that describe your relationship with Jesus? Do you know a lot about Jesus without actually knowing Him? That is the topic of chapter 3 of Kyle Idleman's book Not a Fan, "knowledge about him or intimacy with him?" Kyle uses the example of the Pharisee in Luke 7 who invites Jesus over for dinner, yet doesn't even acknowledge him as a guest. The irony, Kyle points out, is that this man has spent his life studying the scriptures and likely had all the messianic prophecies memorized, but he couldn't recognize the Messiah sitting right in front of him. I am reminded of this verse:

"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." (John 5:39-40)

Further, Kyle suggests that our church culture actually encourages knowledge without intimacy. Consider:

We love having Bible studies, many of which include some kind of workbook. We go through a Bible curriculum that often has homework. Sermons are often accompanied by an outline where members can take notes and fill in the blanks. Many preachers refer to their sermons as a lesson or a lecture. If you grew up in the church, then you probably went to Sunday school, where you had a teacher. In the summer you may have gone to Vacation Bible School. Maybe you even competed in Bible Bowl competitions, all of which are won or lost depending on how much biblical knowledge you've accumulated and how fast you can raise your hand or hit a button. (pg 44)

The other night at Midweek we had a trivia competition. I love these, but mostly because I usually do really well. It is so bad (and yes, I said bad) that if we picked teams, I know a lot of people would pick to be on mine (which is completely different than kickball, but I digress). There are a handful of us at church who are usually the last ones standing and that night was no exception. In the end it came down to two of us, and I walked away victorious because I was able to figure out a trick math question. Of course, Jesus doesn't care about any of that. And that scares me.

I confess I know a lot about Jesus and I know a lot about the Bible. But I have to honestly assess myself and ask how intimately I really know Jesus. One of my greatest fears is to reach the end of my life and hear Jesus say, "I never knew you, away from me you evildoer!" (Matthew 7:23) Most of us would rather hear Jesus say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matthew 25:21, 23) Yet doesn't Jesus tell his disciples "I no longer call you servants... instead I have called you friends..." (John 15:15) Isn't that the level of intimacy we want to have with Jesus and He with us? Can you honestly describe your relationship with Jesus that way?

Evildoer. Servant. Or friend. What will Jesus call you? Or will he call you "just a fan"?

This post continues my series blogging through the book, Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman. I encourage you to follow along by clicking on the Not A Fan label to the right. And I urge you to pick up a copy of this book for yourself.

Resolutions

2012-01-07T12:50:00.000-08:00

So I didn't have any takers offering up their New Year's resolutions in my comments. But that doesn't mean no one made any. Here's a sampling of some I read about online. But first, a Puritan Prayer that I saw a few people tweet and post on Facebook:

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,

with thee, O Father, as my harbour,

thee, O Son, as my helm,

thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

Here were my resolutions:

Here are some others:

Carl Jones (@Youthguy07) resolves to make this day the best day.
Justin Mosteller (@wearemosteller) doesn't like resolutions but thinks it's a good idea to plan.
Scott Williams (@ScottWilliams) encourages us to go big.
Tony Alicea (@tonyjalicea) is approaching this year (humbly) expecting to fail.
Herb Halstead (@herbhalstead), via Michael Perkins (@MichaelDPerkins), encourages us to simply let go. (no, this had nothing to do with resolutions, but it fit)
Cassandra Frear (@CassFrear) doesn't need any new resolutions for 2012, but instead is going to put into practice what she learned in 2011.
Matt Appling (@MattTCoNP) says the only resolution we need is to think. (Obviously some of us have problems in that area)
Jennifer Dukes Lee (@DukesLee) follows Paul's example to "resolve to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified"
Matthew Paul Turner (@JesusNeedsNewPR) tweeted, "Dear God, in 2012, let us love more, affirm more, lift up more, hope more, engage more, make peace more, & choose joy more. Amen."
Mike Donehay from Tenth Avenue North (@mikedonehey) tweeted, "2012. May joy be the new cynicism. May grace be the new resentment. May generosity be the new lust. May we live like everything's new."
And Billy Coffey (@billycoffey) wrote about a conversation he had with the devil on New Year's Eve.

So now you've heard all of ours, what are your resolutions this New Year?

Resolution: Be a Better...

2012-01-06T06:24:00.000-08:00

Resolution: Debt Free!

2012-01-05T06:09:00.000-08:00

After taking a break for the holidays I'm back with a series of posts on resolutions to start the new year. Please feel free to comment and share your own resolutions for 2012. Next week, I'll get back on the saddle for my study of the book Not a Fan. For Monday's resolution, career, click here, Tuesday's resolution, eating right, click here, Wednesday's, losing weight, click here. Please feel free to share your resolutions in the comments. There will be a post at the end of the week compiling them all.

You know the drill. Between going overboard shopping for Christmas (and eating out while doing so) and traveling to see family and friends (and taking in all the sights while there, oh and eating out even more) the plastic in your wallet got quite the workout last month. One of the great ironies of "Black Friday" after Thanksgiving is that the day after we thank God for all he has given us we rush out to buy things we don't need but feel like we do with money we don't have. So the holiday shopping spree usually follows up with the vow to be wiser the next year and try to climb out from under the mountain of debt.

I've seen numbers from $5000 to $17000 for the average credit card debt in America. I'll let you do the math to figure out what that means in payments every month. But add to that car loans, student loans, and mortgage payments and I'm willing to bet the average American church goer pays more to pay down debt than they give to their local church. Just something to think about. (especially since some stats show that 97% of American Christians do not tithe)

Some experts claimed that yesterday was the most depressing day of the year. Generally speaking, most say it is the third Monday after the New Year. Why? Because after taking however much time off for vacation, we're struggling to get back into the swing of work, getting kids to school, and so on, and oh yeah, that's when our credit card bills start showing up in the mail.

It's a noble goal to try to get debt free. My wife and I took the Financial Peace University classes from Dave Ramsey last year and we've weaned ourselves off of paying for everything with plastic. We have a little ways to go before being able to claim that we're debt free, but we're on our way.

This is a common resolution. But like previous days, I'm doing a play on words here with a spiritual emphasis. In this New Year, Jesus makes me debt free. He paid all my debt on the cross.

"But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation." (Colossians 1:22)

"For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" (Romans 5:10)

“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon [the Pharisee] replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” (Luke 7:41-43)

So if one of your resolutions this year is to be debt free, praise God, you already are!

Resolution: Lose Weight

2012-01-04T05:42:00.000-08:00

Resolutions: Eating Right

2012-01-03T05:53:00.000-08:00

Resolutions: Career

2012-01-02T06:58:00.000-08:00

After taking a break for the holidays I'm back with a series of posts on resolutions to start the new year. Please feel free to comment and share your own resolutions for 2012. Next week, I'll get back on the saddle for my study of the book Not a Fan.

I never thought I'd be that guy. You know, the cliche of working 80 hours a week to get ahead, sacrificing family, recreation, and everything else for the almighty dollar. It's never been about the paycheck or status for me. Yet...

I look back over my short career and I recall the call I took while in the recovery room after my daughter was born. I remember taking a call while on vacation at Disneyland. I've gone in to work Easter weekend, traveled on Thanksgiving, held meetings the Friday before Christmas. I often think more highly of myself than I ought. I've tried to create job opportunities yet have turned down actual opportunities.

On that last one, it's weird for me to think back a year ago that I actually was expecting to move and take a new job. All my "fleeces" seemed to check out. Then I interviewed. "This is not a 9-5 job," I was told. "You stay until the work is done. You will travel a lot. And it might not be the best thing for you with a young family." Gut punch. Could it be what I thought was a golden opportunity actually wasn't? So I turned it down. And the year since at work has been one challenge after another, filled with uncertainties, additional demands, and stress. A lot of stress.

But I learned something. I learned that I really have no control over my career. I strongly believe that God brought me to this job. So He's the one really in control. And the sooner I accept that, the sooner I can let go of that stress, not face the uncertainties with fear, and respond to demands with diligence and joy.

So one of my resolutions this year is to not get ahead in my career, but instead to get behind. To get behind God. Let Him lead. I work for Him after all.

"So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?" (Ecclesiastes 3:22)

"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free." (Ephesians 6:7-8)

Misfits

2011-12-22T06:36:00.000-08:00

Remember the claymation classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? You should, it's been broadcast continuously since 1964. Rudolph and rebel elf Hermy leave the North Pole in search for greener grass (or would that be whiter snow?). What they find instead during their adventure is an island filled with discarded and defective toys, The Island of Misfit Toys. There is some very interesting group psychology going on here, but I'll leave that for your observation. What is fundamental however, is that these toys never got a chance.

Jesus, himself was rejected. A rabbi with no formal training. A prophet from Galilee. A "sinner" who didn't wash his hands when he ate and healed on the Sabbath.

“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (Luke 9:22)

And Jesus made a habit of hanging around sinners and tax collectors, going outside of the city and healing lepers, and even striking up conversations with Samaritan women.

We have this image of a perfect Christian either by what they say, what they wear, or what they do. Our church's doors are open wide for Christians like these! But who wants to sit next to the broken and the rejected, the defective and discarded?

When we gather together to celebrate Christmas we welcome family, but only reluctantly the black sheep child or the stereotype drunk uncle. We gush about our latest accomplishments and look down our noses at the single parent or the grown child without a job. Funny how we act the same at church and at home.

We forget that Jesus, even on the night he was born, was rejected. There was no room at the inn. Instead a baby was brought into this world in a stable, surrounded by livestock, feces, and feed. Unclean. Unwelcome. Rejected.

Praise be to God for that misfit! Who so humbly was willing to love a misfit like me.

Jesus and I, "We're a couple of misfits..." (sing along!)

Do you feel rejected? Do you feel unwelcome? Most importantly, at this holiday season, do you feel alone? You don't need to. Jesus was rejected first and he loves you. If you are not welcomed by family or by church this Christmas, you are welcome to feast with Jesus.

"'Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests." (Matthew 22:9-10)

There's a seat saved for misfits like us. Come, let's celebrate.

Worship at the Mall

2011-12-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

I'm taking today off to do some last minute shopping and decorating. (And got to sleep in, too!) I expect to encounter mobs of people all struggling to find that perfect gift. Impatience, selfishness, materialism and so on all get in the way of "the reason for the season" and "keeping Christ in Christmas". So I am going out with my mind set on worship. But worship what exactly?

Are practicing

By the joy of their

But be on your gaurd while worshiping at the mall because real worship might spontaneously break out.

The Gifts We Bring

2011-12-19T06:52:00.000-08:00

So yesterday my son had is Broadway debut as one of the Magi, or Three Kings. Ok, so the stage was smaller, but he performed flawlessly to a packed house and in front of a ton of paparazzi (moms with video cameras) none the less. It has been pure joy the last couple of weeks as we have rehearsed for this. My son's big part was to follow the other two wise men around. Pretty easy. He didn't have a single line to speak. But he had one of the hardest parts. He had to be the first one on the stage to give his gift of gold to the newborn King.

My son, being a fan of pirates and treasure, quickly latched on to the idea of giving a box of gold. And it is easily identifiable in every nativity and creche. We couldn't walk past one without him stopping, looking for a wise man carrying a box, and proudly proclaiming "look, that one's me!"

As excited as he was, it gave me the perfect opportunity to explain what the gifts of the Magi meant. Gold for a King, frankincense for a Priest, and myrrh to anoint One who would die. And with each gift I was able to explain the birth of Jesus, his ministry/mission, and his ultimate sacrifice. My son was fascinated.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:1-12)

It was refreshing to look at this story from a child's eyes. The magnitude of the birth of Jesus and the significance of the gifts took on a whole new meaning.

The Magi gave their gifts to Jesus because of who he was, not because of what he had done or was about to do. They came to honor and to worship for the same reason. Today we live in a culture where the first question is often "what's in it for me?". And sadly, many approach Jesus the same way. We need to give our lives to him not because of what he has done, but because of who he is: King, Priest, atoning Sacrifice.

(For other posts on gifts, check out these posts from last year)

What Matters Most

2011-12-16T05:59:00.000-08:00

I admit I've been too busy this Christmas season. I'm busy at work. I'm busy at home. I'm busy everywhere in between. I put up Christmas lights a couple weekends ago, but most of the time I forget to turn them on. We finally got a tree Sunday and I appreciate my kids starting to decorate, but I haven't touched it since. And as far as all the Christmas shopping goes... I've purchased a single present. One. Out of a long list.

Sigh.

But last night reminded me to take the time to enjoy this season. Last night my kids performed in their elementary school holiday recital. There's just something about little kids dressed as reindeer and others in cowboy hats singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer out of time and out of tune that makes all the hustle and bustle an afterthought.

Sunday we dress it up a little more as my son gets to play one of the three Wise Men as they act out the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew. He's so excited he forgets he's also singing with his choir (which is a good thing). My daughter meanwhile, will be singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas with other 2-4 year-olds.

So last night I remembered to turn my lights on. I slowed down a took a deep breath. And I remembered that I'm actually supposed to be enjoying this time of year.

All because of a bunch of silly kids. I bet Jesus was a silly kid. And if he could've dressed up as a Reindeer, I bet he would've volunteered to be Rudolph. I wish I could hear him sing.

All Eyes Are On You

2011-12-13T05:51:00.000-08:00

I've been putting off an "official" post on Tim Tebow for a while (and this post from a couple of years ago doesn't count). I'm falling behind the news cycle and was expecting to change the tone of this post after it looked certain that the "Mile High Messiah" was finally going to lose one Sunday. (For the record, I have only seen that nickname used once in an article by the Evil Four Letter and I am sure Tebow wouldn't accept such an anointing) But alas, he pulled out another win. One of my friends noted when I replied to his Tebow blog post that if I wait until the last two minutes, then this blog post will be a "win". Does that mean that the other 3+ quarters of all my other blog posts are terrible? (if you don't get the joke, don't worry)

Anyway, I could go on and on about his throwing motion, his "yards per touch" ranking, his quarterback rating, etc, etc. I could even tell you that he has "it" without ever really identifying what "it" is. I could talk about how hard it is to hate the guy because he's just so darn nice (see his last postgame comments about Brian Urlacher for example). And of course I could write about how divisive this man of faith is to believers and football fans alike. But I'll let the following articles do all that for me.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7319858/the-people-hate-tim-tebow

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/story/2011-11-29/broncos-qb-tebow-stirs-debate-on-religion-and-sports/51663956/1?csp=34news

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Denver-Broncos-Tim-Tebow-showing-detractors-he-is-learning-to-be-nfl-qb-112811

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Tim-Tebow-why-the-heck-do-we-hate-him-110211

But this post isn't about Tim Tebow. At least not totally. In the second chapter of Not A Fan, Kyle Idleman calls our attention to Jesus' late night conversation with Nicodemus. Nicodemus, not Nostradamus like I thought as a kid, was part of the religious ruling class- the Sanhedrin- and was a Pharisee with respect to religious conviction. He had a lot to lose even being seen near Jesus, let alone sitting down and having a conversation with this alleged heretic. So Nicodemus goes to Jesus at night.

Idleman is right to point out that fans of Jesus are comfortable wearing their favorite uniform so long as their star is winning. That's because it doesn't cost them anything. But when the star is controversial or doesn't act the way a fan might expect, the jersey comes off. Meeting with Jesus at night didn't cost Nicodemus anything. Idleman writes: "There is no way to follow Jesus without him interfering with your life." (pg 30)

Which brings me back to Tim Tebow. No, he's not a great quarterback. And no, I'm not necessarily a fan (but as a Bronco fan, I'm glad he's winning). But does he deserve the mocking and scorn he receives? Here's a sample conversation I heard last week on sports-talk radio: "So Tebow prayed for God to help him with his spiral? Well either God didn't answer his prayer or God can't throw a spiral either." To which the other commentator replied, "Or maybe his God doesn't answer his prayers." It's gotten to the point where not only Tebow is mocked, but so is the sovereignty of God.

Even other Christian players have backed off from him. Kurt Warner, notorious for his faith, admits that maybe Tebow should "put down the boldness" to prevent critics from becoming "calloused".
Jake Plummer, who Tebow essentially replaced in a round and about way said, "I think that when he accepts the fact that we know that he loves Jesus Christ then I think I’ll like him a little better ." But both quarterbacks completely miss the point.

Tebow is not a fan of Jesus. If he was, he wouldn't talk about him so much. If he was, he wouldn't open up every postgame press conference by thanking his "Lord and Savior Jesus Christ". (He doesn't even shorten it for simplicity like Warner's famous "Thank you Jesussss!" And he definitely wouldn't take a knee and "Tebow" for the whole world to see and mock.

No, Tim Tebow is not a fan of Jesus. He is not afraid of being seen with him. He is not afraid of talking about him. He is not ashamed. He does not need to come to Jesus in the dark of night. He does not mind that his relationship with Jesus interferes with his life, his popularity, and yes even his play on the field.

So put yourself in Tebow's shoes. Would you continue to praise Jesus with every camera on you? Would you pray to Jesus both through the good and bad, knowing everyone is watching and waiting for you to slip? Would you allow Jesus to interfere with your life that much? Or are you still just a fan?

This post continues my series blogging through the book, Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman. I encourage you to follow along by clicking on the Not A Fan label to the right. And I urge you to pick up a copy of this book for yourself.

Sing Jesus into Your Heart

2011-12-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

"That if you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)

"Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." (1 John 4:2)

I'm driving home from work the other day listening to some lesson on Christian radio when it comes time for the standard invitation to pray Jesus into your heart. I change over to the 24-7 Christmas station and hear this verse from Silent Night, "Christ our savior is born. Christ our savior is born."

Something hit me. I don't know whether to call it a dichotomy or a paradox. But the above passages that justify salvation via a prayer in the comfort of my own car while cruising alone down the highway aren't limited by the tradition of the "sinner's prayer." In fact, could they not extend to our favorite Christmas hymns? Consider:

"Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing." -O Come, All Ye Faithful
"Joy to the world, the Lord is come!... Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!" -Joy to the World
"The King of kings salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone him." -What Child is This?
"Christ the savior is born... Jesus, Lord at thy birth" -Silent Night
And the entirety of Hark the Herald Angels Sing is a song of praise for the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

So considering the basis for praying Jesus into your heart, could not one be saved simply by singing one of these traditional songs of worship?

As you ponder this doctrinal loophole, consider its implications. A local radio station effectively goes off-air from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas to play nothing but Christmas hymns and carols. Yes, many are secular. But others have such theological depth that you cannot help but to praise God while singing along. These same songs fill our shopping malls and department stores. School choirs and bands practice these songs for months to prepare for the annual Christmas concert (where they are still allowed to do so). Television schedules Christmas specials while movie producers plan their releases to time with the holiday season.

Two thousand years later, the whole world stops what it is doing and changes course. All because of a little baby born in a manger.

Now I'm not necessarily suggesting that one can "come to Christ" by singing along to a Christmas hymn, but I am suggesting that maybe these songs are the only glimpse of Jesus someone else may see. If we can go door knocking to invite someone to church, shouldn't the same principle apply when we go door to door caroling?

These are more than just favorite traditional songs. They are hymns of worship and praise. Come, let us adore Him!

The Internet Fan

2011-12-06T05:57:00.000-08:00

The first chapter of Kyle Idleman's Not a Fan is titled D.T.R. for "define the relationship". Makes sense. Like a good technical paper, we want to define terms up front. And since the focus of this book is our relationship with Jesus it is best to define where we're at right from the start.

Are you a follower or a fan? Yes, it's that simple. Are you in the heat of the game or are you in the stands cheering?

It may not be an obvious difference, but the difference is huge. You might say, eternal. Of course the instinct is to answer with an emphatic "follower!" That's how I would have answered the first 24 years of my life. (at least once I was old enough to speak) But once challenged to look back at the choices I made and the priorities of my life weighed against God's own Word, I saw that I was just a fan.

Eleven year later, by no means do I consider myself to be perfect. Today I'm still tempted to be just a fan. It's easier to sit in the stands and play Monday morning quarterback on internet forums. (sitting faceless behind a computer screen and writing this blog without ever actually doing anything) Being in the game is hard. It risks injury. It risks defeat.

Like I said, easier to be an internet know-it-all. This reminds me of a Bud Light "Real Men of Genius". (Don't know if this ever was an actual add, but it circulated on sports forums and fits perfectly to this discussion. Though the version I remember had a verse about criticizing athletes for their performance though you've never once played the game, you still get the gist.) Read this and ask yourself again if this could describe you.

***

Bud Light presents...Real Men of Genius

"Reeeeal Men of Geeeeniuuuus..."

Today we salute YOU, Mr. Really Mad Internet Sports Fan

"Mr. Really Mad Internet Spo-orts Fan!"

Only YOU can fully appreciate the mind-blowing tragedy of a bunch of 18-22 year old athletes you'll never meet, losing a game.

"Don't you TAAAAALK to me about perspective!!"

While others are too preoccupied with things like real life, you take your anger directly to the place where it will make the absolute least possible impact: An Internet discussion forum.

"Loggin' on now!"

Your unique eye for logic allows you to sling turds of doom every which way, and then brag about how you were RIGHT as soon as one of the pieces sticks to the wall regardless of how many dozens fell limply to the floor before that.

"See I told yooooooooou!!"

And if some idiot newspaper columnist has the gall to not be as incensed as you are, you unleash your fury down upon him with all the tenacity and mercilessness of a rabid pit bull with a tender buttock locked in its jaws.

"Total anonymity!"

So keep clicking away, oh Marauder of the Mousepad. Because when the results you so desire finally come about years from now, you can say it was because YOU demanded it.

"How come they haven't fired that clown, yet? Mr. Really Mad Internet Spooorts Fan"

Anheuser-Busch St. Louis, Missouri...

***

Let's try a not-so-creative rewrite:

Water to Wine presents, Real Fans of Jesus

Real Faans of Jeesuuuuus!

Today we salute YOU, Christian blogger!

Here's to youuu, Christian blog er!

You had an emotional response at a Christian rock concert and now you want everyone to know!

I went to this concert and all I got was saved... and this t-shirt... and this Jesus fish for my car... and this NOTW sticker...

You read a best seller and want everyone to live a Crazy Radical Wild life in devotion to Christ.

You're preaching to the choir!

But don't dare disagree with your doctrine or you'll release the fury of a thousand Twitter followers.

Farewell Rob Bell!

And don't expect you to practice what you preach. You're too busy reading everyone else's blogs, following your Twitter stream, and updating your Facebook account to actually step outside and live like Jesus.

Follow my tweets as I follow the tweets of Christ!

So keep pecking away at your keyboard, Christian blogger, calling out every moral slight. Because since you know Jesus, you also know you're right and everyone else therefore is wrong.

Do as I say, not as I do because I'm a Christian blogger!

Water to Wine, Jerusalem

Under-horses

2011-12-05T05:55:00.000-08:00

So the Bowl Championship Series match ups are set and we are lucky enough to watch a rematch of Alabama and LSU in the BCS shampionship, er I mean championship. But where is the underdog? The dark horse? Where is the Boise State-Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl or the Utah-Alabama Sugar Bowl? No such luck this year.

But everybody love to cheer on the underdog (except for the rabid Sooner and Tide fans in the games above). Why is that? What captures our collective conscience when it comes to cheering for the little guy?

That, and more deep thoughts related to sports and football in particular, will be reflected on over the next few weeks as I go through Kyle Idleman's book, Not A Fan. Please join me in the weeks ahead as I explore the difficult question, am I a fan or a follower?

But in the meantime, some tunage:

Counting the Cost (of college)

2011-11-30T05:51:00.000-08:00

I haven't had the chance to get online much lately, so I've been checking other blogs and news remotely on the run. Yesterday, these three articles were literally lined up in my Google Reader, so I figured that's too much of a coincidence to pass up. It's odd to see this much coverage right now. College application deadlines aren't for another couple of months and it's been a couple of months since the annual "best of" lists for colleges were released. So maybe they're filling a slow news day. Anyway, all three articles tackle student load debt and the cost of college. If you're in that stage in life or have children approaching that milestone decision, these are worth reading:

From CNN Money: Want Cheap Tuition? Find Religion
From the Washington Post: Forgive us Our Student Loan Debt
From the Huffington Post (linked to from RELEVANT Magazine): Schools Not Worth the Loan Debt

God Sets the Lonely in Families

2011-11-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

It was our second date. My wife-to-be and I were browsing books at Borders and making small talk. She was talking about her family and her childhood. She said something about her birth certificate and I told her mine was the same.

She was stunned, unable to process what I just implied. In all her time praying to God for a husband who is like this, from there, does that... one prayer always stood out, that he would understand her like no one else could. And my nonchalant comment sealed the deal in her heart. (Me, I was slower on the uptake. It took me a couple more months to recognize what God was doing.)

You see, I could understand her like no one else could because like her, I am adopted.

I admit I have selfishly held this post back. November is National Adoption Month. I've been wanting to post something. I have friends who have adopted. We've made efforts to get tied in to the local Foster system. And there are a hundred other better reasons to post this than my own selfishness. Because writing this is hard. It exposes emotions, and I don't like to feel. But today, Thanksgiving, I realize I am thankful for nothing greater because I see God's divine providence at work in my life and my wife's through our adoptions.

"From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us." (Acts 17:26-27, emphasis added)

So as I thank God today for my family and the course my life has taken I cannot ignore the role my adoption played. So I thank God that I was adopted. And I thank God for my friends who have adopted or taken in foster children from the inner city to China and everywhere in between. I thank God on behalf of all those who now have homes who otherwise would not.

But the work is not done. Davd Platt shares in Radical Together how he approached the county Department of Human Resources to find out how many families it would take to meet all the adoptive and fostering needs in the county. He was told 150 families. When he invited his congregation to a later meeting if they were interested in serving in this way (after preaching from James 1:27) 160 showed.

I heard on the radio the other day that there are more Christian Churches (broadly defined) than there are foster children in North America so if every church only took in a single child, that need could be completely eliminated. I have trouble believing that when I see the needs in my own community. In California there are 63,000 in foster care and 12,000 children waiting for adoptive families.

And so I thank God for those who are presently moved to meet this need. One of my blogger buddies, Jason Stasyszen is going through the process to adopt from Japan. You can follow that progress on their Facebook page. Here's a video they put together. (grab a tissue)

Thank you God for blessing me with a family who loved me and raised me. Thank you for the same for my wife. Thank you for bringing the two of us together. Thank you for those who have hearts for the fatherless. Move our hearts to not be ignorant of their needs. Thank you for the many blessings you have given us so that we can share them with those in need. Amen.

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families" (Psalm 68:5-6)

On the Verge

2011-11-22T21:17:00.000-08:00

I try not to be too self-serving in my posts, but this was too good to pass up. If you've never heard of Verge, it's a conference and ministry whose mission is to encourage and equip "Gospel-centered missional communities". I admit to finding them by accident through their YouTube channel. I'm an unashamed Francis Chan junkie, but I discovered more there than just Chan: tips on how to be missional, other speakers/authors like Alan Hirsch and Matt Carter, and through their links, articles on building missional communities, how to build a culture of disciples making disciples, and so on.

So here's the deal. I want to go to their conference this year. I'm not interested in any specific speaker, or checking out the music scene of Austin, but I want to fellowship with others who are like-minded to seek and save the lost, make disciples who make disciples, and practice the pure and faultless religion of taking care of orphans, widows and our communities in need.

I've already been piling on to my reading list thanks to Verge: For the City by Darrin Patrick and Matt Carter and Building a Discipling Culture and Covenant and Kingdom by Mike Breen. Now I want to learn practicals- hands on and first hand from those doing it.

So here's what I need from you. Follow Verge on Facebook. Then when all the entry blogs are posted, vote for your favorite. It's that simple. Thanks for your support!

Label or Content?

2011-11-21T06:21:00.000-08:00

Which of the following lyrics would you expect to hear on a Christian radio station? (answers at the end of the post)

Save me, I'm lost. Lord, I've waiting for you.
My tongue dances behind my lips for you
All alone, smoking his last cigarette, where were you?
I wanna get right with God, you know you gotta get right with God
You make my teeth clench and my hands shake, do you ever see what you do to me?

What defines "Christian music"? (I'm thinking specifically here of Christian rock. Worship music and Christian pop are a little more obvious.)

Is it the record label? Switchfoot brushed off the description and for a long time resisted playing in Christian festivals even though their first label before going mainstream was Christian rock powerhouse Tooth and Nail.

Is it where it is sold? Evanescence vehemently opposed the description even though their first album was heavily promoted in Christian stores by their label. It took a near lawsuit to remove their album from the shelves.

Is it the radio station that plays it? Take the lyrics above. Sometimes you can find more redemptive value in mainstream rock than in some songs that are labeled Christian. I'll cheat and give you one answer from above- #5 above is from Anberlin's "Impossible" and is played frequently on Air1. The chorus, "Take what you want from me, it means nothing now..." sounds like surrendering to God. But the verses have more of a double entendre. The song, thematically, is very similar to Hoobastank's "The Reason" yet Hoobastank pulls a fast one in their video.

Disciple, Thousand Foot Krutch, Flyleaf, POD I first heard on the "new rock" stations. Switchfoot, Lifehouse, Mat Kearney, Anberlin, Mutemath I am just as likely, if not more so, to hear on an alternative hits station.

Is it the faith of the artist? Mat Kearney was interviewed a year or so ago in Relevant magazine and didn't once mention God. Yet, he has become more explicit in expressing his faith on his second album.

Flyleaf has been quoted, "I don’t know what you mean by a “Christian rock band.” It’s hard to say that because people all have a different definition of what that means. If it means that we’re Christians, then yeah, we’re Christians, but if a plumber’s a Christian, does that make him a “Christian plumber?” I mean we’re not playing for Christians. We’re just playing honestly and that’s going to come out"

Meanwhile, Chad Wolf from Carolina Liar (not a "Christian" band) said about his song (#1 above), "If someone thinks I'm singing about God in this song then I'm honored to have made that connection."

Or go back to Anberlin and their lead singer Stephen Christian, "I don't care who listens to our records. If it helps people in whatever circumstances they're in, that's amazing, but I definitely don't classify us as a Christian band." and elsewhere, "[My faith] affects every single aspect of my life, but I'm not a preacher, I'm an entertainer."

My favorite though has to be from Switchfoot frontman Jon Forman, "For us it's a faith, not a genre."

And isn't that the bottom line? Isn't the label Christian about describing one's faith, not one's marketing campaign? If the stats are correct that roughly 80% of Americans call themselves Christian, then wouldn't it follow that many music artists would identify themselves as Christian? And wouldn't it therefore be expected that those values come through in their music even if not labeled as such?

Listen outside of the box. You might be surprised what you hear.

(And the answers above: 2, 3, and 5 receive regular airplay on Christian stations. 2-Flyleaf "All Around Me", 3-The Fray "Where Were You?", 5-Anberlin "Impossible". #1 is Carolina Liar "Show Me What I'm Looking For" and #5 is Lucinda Williams "Get Right With God".)

Point Of View

2011-11-15T05:42:00.000-08:00

This picture was a hit on the interwebs last week. Follow the link to the original and instructions on how the picture was made.

Step away from your computer, what do you see? But come closer and the image changes. Yet again, what do you see?

Even though the image in your mind is different, in both cases you see the same thing- a face. It is only as your point of view changes that the image changes.

When I saw Peter pick the topic of "secular" for his blog carnival I was stumped. But then my wife found a picture on Pintrest that uses one of the Urban Dictionary's definitions of Christianity:

The belief that a cosmic Jewish zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree...

Yeah, Christianity makes perfect sense.

And I remembered the picture above. (Yes, my brain works in odd ways. I'm having that checked) But the point that stood out to me was that the "definition" above is only one point of view. Secular it may be, but is it really that far off?

Before you scream "blasphemy!" consider- your perspective and my perspective are different. If we were to each give a description of Jesus, chances are we would say different things. You say loving, I say faithful. You say merciful, I say bold. We could go on and on. Francis Chan makes that point in Crazy Love with respect to God- that if every person in the world used a different word to describe God, we would run out of people before we ran out of words. Your experience with Jesus is different from mine. Different still from the secularist. Yet like in the picture above aren't we all seeing the same thing, Jesus?

So the Urban Dictionary description makes Christianity sound crazy. But isn't it, really? Has Christianity in our day and age become so "normal" that we forget just how crazy it is to give up everything and follow a Jewish zombie that told us to eat his flesh and drink his blood to atone for some internal demon that we all have just because some naked chick in a garden ate the fruit of a magical tree because a snake told her to? I'm not offended by this. My faith in Christ is crazy, I am ready to admit. But that's just my perspective.

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.'

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength." (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

This post is part of a blog carnival hosted by Peter Pollock. This week's topic is "secular". Be sure to click the link to check out other posts and other perspectives.

All Things to All Men

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, Seventh Day Slumber's new album, "The Anthems of Angels" drops. This band is a case of those "behind the music" clips on the radio working. I bought their last album, "Take Everything" after hearing about the band on Air1. Their song, Oceans from the Rain, received a lot of airplay, but I didn't know anything about the band. But when I heard that they were motivated to do a worship album to praise God for delivering them (namely, lead singer Joseph Rojas) from their addiction, I had to check them out. As an alcoholic myself helping to lead a recovery ministry, I was drawn in. Needless to say, despite calling myself a metal-head, their hard-rock versions of songs I knew well like I Can Only Imagine were disarming, yet authentic. Once I got used to the driving chords, I now listen to that album frequently as their harder edge more often reflects how I feel than softer versions of the same songs from Chris Tomlin or Mercy Me.
I am also inspired by lead singer Joseph Rojas' testimony. Check out the video below.

Now, there's a lot I don't agree with doctrinally. But in dealing with addiction I have come to the conclusion that the Grace of God is not limited; that the redemptive, healing power of Jesus knows no lines. I praise God for his recovery and his ministry.

Seventh Day Slumber catches a lot of grief for their ministry. Being rooted in the Bible Belt, they face their fair share of fundamentalism condemning their image and their music. But to quote Paul, "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." (1 Corinthians 9:19-23, emphasis added) The tatted-out, hard rock, felon and addict may be the only Christian some may ever know. He is likely the only Christian some will ever trust.

If you haven't heard this band, I encourage you to check them out. They're not what you might expect. But isn't that just how God likes to work?

Below is the first single of their new album, Love Came Down

Green Eggs and Sin

2011-11-09T05:50:00.000-08:00

***Update: Added the full Green Eggs and Sin poem at the end of this post.***

So I mentioned I liked Sunday's sermon so much I would dedicate two posts to it. Click here for part 1 (and an awesome video!). You can also listen to the whole thing here.

That was the meat of the sermon. But the outline was taken from Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham. In that story, Sam I Am pesters an unnamed man to try green eggs and ham.

Would you eat them in a house? Would you eat them with a mouse?

The man resists and resists.

I will not eat them on a boat! I will not eat them with a goat!

After running though nearly every scenario imaginable (I mean, who eats with a mouse or a goat?), the man (SPOILER WARNING!!!) gives in and tries this unique delicacy.

And. It. Is. Delicious!

Satan is the same way. He pesters and pesters, pokes and prods.

(In fact Satan was pestering Ivan during the sermon. His phone went off. The wireless mic wasn't working. And the video I shared Monday didn't play.)

Will you sin in your house? Will you sin with your mouse (click)?

And sometimes we get so tired of resisting we give in. And sin tastes delicious! Just ask Eve.

But remember what I referenced Monday: if you "resist the devil, he will flee from you." (James 4:7) Think about how adamant the man was against trying the green eggs and ham. That is how we must oppose Satan's schemes.

I will not sin here nor there! I will not sin ANYWHERE!

Here's the full version. All credit goes to my friend, Ivan Strean. I'm not that creative!

Would you could you in your house?

Would you could you with your mouse?

Would you grumble will you groan?

Would you be with your girlfriend alone?

Will you have sin in your life?

Would you sin against your wife?

Will you allow yourself to hate?

Would you could you? It's your fate!

Do you need to make your relationships deeper?

Are you really your brother's keeper?

All this work seems hardly fair.

No one else does, so why should you care?

Do you need to read you Bible every day?

Aren't you tired, why go pray?

Haven't you heard all He has to say?

Who needs church anyway?

To which I reply:

I will not sin in my house.

I will not sin with my mouse.

I refuse to grumble or to groan.

I will not be with my girlfriend alone.

I will not have sin in my life.

I will always love my wife.

I won't allow myself to hate.

Understand this... It's not my fate!

I will make my relationships deeper.

And yes I am my brother's keeper.

I know God's will and it's totally fair.

I know my brothers and sisters and they totally care!

So I will read my Bible every day.

And I'm never too tired to pray.

I haven't yet heard all He has to say.

And everyone needs church anyway.

No I will not sin here nor there!

Nope I won't sin anywhere!

Satan, Satan, can't you see?

I won't life in sin

so GET BEHIND ME!

Lions and Water Buffalo and Crocodiles, Oh My!

2011-11-07T06:18:00.000-08:00

Huge hat tip to Ivan for a powerful sermon yesterday. So powerful in fact, that I'm dedicating two posts to it.

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

The following video has been seen 64 million times. It is that cool. In fact, all you have to do is start typing "battle" in YouTube and this is the first thing that comes up. I'll let you watch before babbling further.

Satan is like a lion looking to devour. Who does he devour? The young, the weak, and the alone. In the video, the lions pounce and go right after the young water buffalo. But just when you think the lions have won (out comes a crocodile!) the water buffaloes come to protect their own.

The spiritual application is obvious. Satan preys after the spiritually young, the spiritually weak, and the spiritually alone. But when we stand by our brothers and sisters in their most vulnerable times, we can help defend against the roaring lion. Just as important, as the baby water buffalo proved, no matter how beaten down you may be you can never give up fighting.

"Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (v 9)

"Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7b)

For more, I recommend the book The Lion Never Sleeps by Mike Taliaferro.

The Face of a Movement

2011-11-05T09:14:00.000-07:00

I could have waited to post this next week, but since today is November 5th, it is appropriate to post today. This article in MSNBC brought this to my attention. The mask of Guy Fawkes, brought to recent fame with the graphic novel and eventual movie, V for Vandetta, has become the symbol of the Occupy movement. Anonymous, smirking, almost mocking those he (or she) is protesting against, this is the face of the Everyman. Whether fed up with the profits on Wall Street, or some other en vogue cause, all one has to do is don this mask and join the throng of the opposed.
But I wonder if this symbol would be so embraced if people actually knew its origins?

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I can think of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
So who is Guy Fawkes, other than a popular Halloween mask and political symbol? These entries on wikipedia (Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot ) are worth reading. The poem above, and the celebration of Guy Fawkes Night, are celebrated by anarchists, were used symbolically in V opposing fascism in Britain, and continue to inspire anti-government sentiment.

The poem sounds inspiring, but it continues:

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up the King and Parli'ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
You see, the poem wasn’t celebrating his treason, but was celebrating his getting caught. And it continues further:

A penny loaf to feed the Pope
A farthing o' cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to rinse it down.
A fagot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar.
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head.
Then we'll say ol' Pope is dead.
Hip hip hoorah!
Hip hip hoorah hoorah!
Why did he do it? His treason was in response to discrimination by the British Monarchy towards Catholics. That’s right, this treason was over religious freedom. Even more ironic was that the Monarchy was a borderline theocracy led by King James, the commissioner of that version of the Bible bearing his name.

So I wonder if the Occupiers recognize Guy Fawkes as not only a symbol against the government, but as a symbol of religious freedom. Somehow I doubt it. At the opposite end of the political spectrum, I wonder if proponents of a "Christian America" recognize the irony. I doubt that too.

So as you burn your “guy” in effigy, launch a firecracker, or light a bonfire tonight to celebrate some new world order, remember that it was for religious freedom that this country was settled, for freedom from tyranny this country was founded, and opposition to theocracy that inspired the Gunpowder Plot. Remember, remember the 5th of November.

Flashback Friday: Are Winners More Blessed?

2011-11-04T06:10:00.000-07:00

***I admit I "Tebow" every day. I just don't take a picture of it and post it on Facebook. Tim Tebow is a lightning rod presently and when I went back to dig up old posts about him, I discovered I haven't really written much about him at all. So the following post, from almost three years ago, is more about how the mix of religion and success on the sports field makes us uncomfortable. I think that's appropriate given the Tebowing phenomenon. But I also want to link to this post by Jen Engel at Fox Sports. She raises an interesting question: if Tebow were Muslim, would anyone dare mock his faith? Something to consider.***

I'm a total sports nut, and I've had draft after draft of blog posts dedicated to this subject, but I never seem to get around to posting them. Well, here's my overdue post on the role of God in sports, motivated courtesy of Mark Kriegel and Foxsports. [author's note: this article isn't cached by Fox Sports, but talked about how Kurt Warner's faith and return to the Super Bowl made him uncomfortable]

This is a hot topic right now because of the building media hype leading up to the Super Bowl, magnified by Tony Dungy's retirement and Tim Tebow winning yet another BC$ Championship. If you're not as much of a nerd as me, let me give you a quick rundown. Kurt Warner, the blue-collar come-from-nowhere Super Bowl Champion quarterback is back with a new team and another shot at glory. He isn't shy about the role his faith has played in motivating him through tough times, of which he's had many. Tony Dungy is retiring from coaching the Indianapolis Colts, whom he led to the 2007 Super Bowl. A well-respected and regarded coach with high expectations, he too would give credit where credit was due and was criticized following his Super Bowl win by boasting that he and his opposing coach, Lovie Smith, were the first to "do it the right way" supposedly by not cussing and being religious, implying that the other 30 coaches in the NFL do it the wrong way. (This is not meant as a knock on Dungy at all, just the way the media responded. In fact, I have a great deal of respect for him and would cheer for the Colts because of him. He is definitely a fine example to follow as summarized in this article from OnFaith.) Finally, Tim Tebow is a a phenom-quarterback at the University of Florida who not only thanks God for his accomplishments (only a couple of championships and Heisman trophies but who's counting?), but even goes on mission trips.

Of course it's no surprise that these outward displays of faith make others like Kriegel uncomfortable. If God has no place in our government or our public square, then certainly God has no place in sports, right? Faith is even harder to reconcile in sports, where there is a clear winner and loser. Who's to say God favored one over the other? Does God really care who wins a championship? (If he did, the Cubs would've won it all last year, but I digress) Some denominations recognize this and even go so far as prohibiting sports because not only does competition bring out the worst of us (just go watch your church's local softball team) but it also puts God in a box, forcing Him to choose a favorite. Of course, the Bible tells us over and over that God doesn't play favorites, so this would be a sin on our part.

The rivalry game between the University of Utah and BYU is called the Holy War (really, only recently so when both teams have been good enough to generate national attention). Does God really care who wins that game? What if Baylor (a Baptist school) plays Notre Dame? Does God care if the baseball player that crosses himself before his at bat strikes out or hits a home run?

Of course, most Christians in sports treat this humbly by crediting God for their talents and their health. They don't pray to win, they pray to glorify God and for there to be no injuries. It's usually the fans (and some knucklehead players with misinformed theology, see below) who take it overboard. But even crediting God for talents and opportunities makes others uncomfortable. Look no further than critics of President Bush who never did understand what he meant when he claimed that he believed God chose him to be president. This wasn't a boast, but a humble reference to Romans 13:1. We can joke that Obama is the 'chosen one' but again, referencing Romans and conceding that God has a hand in all things, he really is. But then we're back to the problem with sports- was Florida 'chosen'? If so, where's free will?

So there's a danger in all of this. There's no problem with thanking God, for that's what the Bible commands us to do "in everything" (Phil 4:6) and "in all circumstances" (1 Thes 5:18). But we need to draw a line between divine providence (opportunity and talent) and divine intervention. This is where some fans and athletes cross the line. I mentioned BYU earlier and I'm not shy in saying that I absolutely hate them. But last year, there was a "miracle catch" to beat Utah as time expired and later a "miracle block" to beat UCLA in their bowl game. Their receiver, after this miracle catch was quoted as saying, "Obviously, if you do what's right on and off the field, I think the Lord steps in and plays a part in it. Magic happens." But what about the thugs and cheats that permeate professional sports who are successful? See where this theology leads? (this is also a problem with Prosperity Doctrine, but that's another post for another day)

This isn't a new problem. Look at how David lamented on the success of the wicked in the Psalms. Solomon did the same in Ecclesiastes. Or even the apostles who wondered why a man was born blind. Righteous living does not equate success in this life despite what our favorite athletes might say. We need to look no further than Jesus' reply to reconcile our faith with prosperity, or in our case victory: "[T]his happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." (John 9:3)

The "his" above could be "us" or "them" with regards to our own success or that of our favorite (or least favorite even) team. Give God the glory. Give him thanks. And humbly recognize that whether you win or lose, God is in control.

(For entertainment, check out this article from a year ago that gives a list of sports colliding with faith. See if you can tell the difference between most of the quotes- the most obvious exception being the boxer- and what the BYU player said.)

Battle Plan

2011-11-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned Monday, this past weekend's Halloween-themed sermon was on battling our monsters drawing lessons from David's confrontation with Goliath. (h/t Fred for the lesson and Dave for the additional insight!)

Recall the epic battles in "Braveheart" with each nation's army lined up on opposite sides of the valley below. Remember the shouting back and forth, signaling strength and confidence. Now imagine that continuing on for 40 days and NO ONE ACTUALLY FIGHTING! I figure everyone would've been pretty hoarse after just a couple of days.

That is the scene David walks into in 1 Samuel, chapter 17. For 40 days the Philistine army had been lining up opposite the nation of Israel, daring them to fight. Leading the taunting was nine-foot tall Goliath and not a single Israelite dared to take him on. Except for young, diminutive David.

I think the reason the army of Israel was afraid to fight was because they were thinking of a conventional fight, taking on strength with strength. Of course that strategy works if your strengths match up. But if you know you're at a disadvantage, it is wise not to fight.

"Suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace." (Luke 14:31-32)

But this wasn't a conventional fight. The army of Israel wasn't fighting alone. They had the power of the Lord Almighty fighting beside them.

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:4)

Somehow they forgot that in the face of someone stronger. But David didn't. He remembered the LORD his God. But he still needed a strategy of his own.

It is obvious that he was thinking of this while with Saul when he told him he "could not go [in Saul's armor]" because he "was not used to them." (1 Samuel 17:39) He knew his only chance was to match his speed against Goliath's strength.

Also note that he picked up not just one, but five smooth stones. He expected he would need to get off more than one shot. He had a plan and he had a strategy.

But God had another strategy in mind. He only wanted one to stand up for His Name. So David only needed one shot to take down this giant.

Sometimes when facing our own inner demons, the sin that so easily entangles, we get stuck in a stare-down. We are too afraid to commit to the fight. Other times, we try and match strength for strength, but we can not overcome our sinful nature on our own. "When I want to do good, evil is right there with me." (Romans 7:21) So we need to try unconventional means. We need to plan. We need to be cunning. "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) We need a strategy.

This post is part of the One Word at a Time Blog Carnival hosted by Peter Pollock. This week's topic is strategy. Be sure to click the link to check out other posts!

Zombies vs Monsters

2011-10-31T06:46:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning feeling like a zombie, but that's not what this post is about.
Imagine if Jesus was born in today's culture. I'm not talking about his return, but if he were to come the first time around in 21st Century America. The reaction to the virgin birth would be scandalous enough, but think about some of the things Jesus said and some of the things he did. Imagine the reaction after being told to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Imagine the headlines raising Lazarus from the dead would have garnered. But most of all, imagine the response upon seeing the risen Jesus.

George Romero couldn't come up with a better story. Zombies are this years' vampires, with the success of the TV show The Walking Dead, based on the comic book of the same name. And if you visit a comic book store, you would see that almost every other title involves zombies.

brains....

But this is about Jesus, the original zombie (you can skip to the 3:00 mark, but it's the Colbert Report, so really you want to watch the whole thing.)

While Jesus may have been the original zombie, you and I are also zombies. (now you know what that persistent itching is all about)

"For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:9-11)

BRAINS!

Well that's one interpretation anyway. Jeff Kinley actually takes the opposite view (see, even zombies have denominations!) that those without Christ are the actual zombies and offers a "zombie guide" to help combat them.

BRAINS!

(sorry, I haven't had breakfast yet.)

Yesterday, our sermon was Halloween-themed about fighting the monsters within. I haven't read the book above, it actually was just released, but in a similar vein I recommend Mike Talieferro's The Killer Within. It relates sin to real disease, not a zombie-like infection. Yesterday's sermon actually centered on the story of David and Goliath, but Jesus talked about this condition himself.

"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first." (Luke 11:24-26)

I think we all have felt that monster inside of us. Sometimes it comes out for just a moment and surprises us. Other times it feels like that monster has complete control. What is your monster? Anger? Addiction? Impurity?

Today, Halloween, this zombie is going to fight some monsters.

Weekend Reading, 29 October

2011-10-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

So it's been forever since I've done one of these and with my computer crashing this isn't a best-of from the last week, more like a must-read from a couple of weeks ago (or longer!). As fast as social media moves, it can be easy to miss the good stuff. So without further ado...

First off, happy belated blogiversary to Matt Appling at The Church of No People! His blog is one of my favorites. It helps that it's one of the few that my firewall at work doesn't blog (don't tell anyone!).

Next are overdue congratulations to Tyler Braun and Glynn Young on their manuscripts being accepted for publishing. I'm looking forward to the end product!

If you've read my blog for any period of time you've noticed one subject I am most passionate about is the present state of the Church, Christ's Bride and our own personal struggles within. So when others write with conviction and concern it always gets my attention. In no particular order:

Jonathan Keck wishes that America would experience a "Bloody Revolution" (don't judge by the title, this is a serious read)
Collin Hansen writes about "the Rise and Fall" of the Congregational Church of Northampton, once home to Evangelical giant, Jonathan Edwards.
Rachel Held Evens wants a faith worth fighting for, one that is not "easy".
Mercedes writes about how the "Structure of the Church Must Change".
Jay Cookingham reminds us that it is Jesus who "invites" us to follow him, not the other way around.
Duane Scott laments that many seek the Truth but only find "Religion". (scroll about half-way down)
Matt Appling compares "Big Church" with Big Oil.

Enjoy reading and have a blessed weekend!

Happiness Happens

2011-10-27T05:57:00.000-07:00

This is a common thought of mine, frequently wrestled with in prayer: why does fill-in-the-blank rob me of my joy? I fill that blank with my kids, my job, the minutia of adult life (bills, burned out light bulbs, weeds, etc), my computer crashing, and so on. I struggle over this because I am convinced that as a Christian these things should not shake me.

But then I heard a great observation in a sermon: "happiness is based on what happens, but joy is rooted in the eternal." Easy to remember. Happiness happens. I don't think I'm alone in the feelings I describe above and I think our problem is that we confuse happiness with joy.

It's ok not to be happy when you're running late and stuck at a red light. It's ok not to be happy when you are sick and tired of being sick and tired. It's ok not to be happy when all those little things get under your skin, on your last nerve.

But the Bible commands us to "be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, emphasis added)

Honestly, I read that scripture, shake my head and wonder, how on earth?

But that's my problem. There is no "how on earth". Jesus endured the cross "for the joy set before him" (Hebrews 12:2). The joy before him wasn't here on earth, it was in eternity with God his father. We have that same hope and therefore we should share that same joy.

Jesus told his disciples prior to his betrayal and crucifixion, "A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." (John 16:21-22) While we did not get to see the resurrected Jesus, we have confidence that we will someday. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace." (v 33)

Thankfully, until that time, Jesus did not leave us all alone.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:1-5)

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is joy, second only to love. We need to turn to, trust in, and rely upon the Holy Spirit to give us joy as we have hope in Jesus.

Instead of saying @#%! happens, remember instead that happiness happens, joy is eternal. Thanks be to God for his gift of the Holy Spirit and the hope we have in Jesus for eternity.

Martyr

2011-10-26T06:03:00.000-07:00

When Osama Bin Laden was killed, the US government was quick to remove the body to bury it at sea. There were criticisms from one side fueling conspiracy theories that he wasn't actually killed since no concrete evidence was ever provided. While critics on the other side noted that the Muslim religion required burial within two days.

A few months later, Muammar Qaddafi was killed during the Lybian uprising. His body was kept on full display, long after the two days their religion prescribed, for the Lybian people to see. He is now buried in an undisclosed location.

In both cases, their final resting place was kept secret so as to not become shrines. Critics have pointed out, in both cases, that these leaders should not have been killed but rather held on trial like ousted dictator Saddam Hussein. They argue that killing these leaders elevates them to martyrs, evidenced by how their burials were handled.

This isn't a political post, but Qaddafi's headline was fresh in my mind as I was reading about the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7, the first martyr of Christian Church. At the time, it could be argued that the Jewish leaders had enough; after warning the disciples to stop their blasphemy in the Temple and in synagogues, an example had to be made. A later verse stands out to confirm this: "But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison." (Acts 8:3, emphasis added) I would expect their desired outcome would have been the disciples backing away in fear. I expect government and rebel leaders felt the same about Bin Laden and Qaddafi.

But the disciples did not back away nor did they back down. Acts 8 continues, "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." (v 4) Martyrdom didn't stop this religious revolution, it emboldened it.

Maybe it's a stretch to compare these two brutal megalomaniacs with the first Christian martyr whose "face was like the face of an angel." (Acts 6:15) But I think this example, not to mention others in history, prove that the critics have a valid point.

Downtime

2011-10-17T05:14:00.000-07:00

Nothing new from me. I have a couple of posts in the queue, but my computer crashed on Friday so those will have to wait. I'm also on the road most of this week so I won't have the chance to update much. I'm hoping to be back up full swing this time next week.

In the meantime, just 'cause, check out this sermon from David Platt:

I Wish I Could Just Show Up

2011-10-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time I just showed up. I didn't think twice about it. In fact, if I did think twice it meant I probably wouldn't show up at all. And it wouldn't bother me a bit. Too hungover? Sleep in. Feel too guilty over the sins of Saturday night to show up Sunday morning? No problem, there's always next week.

But then that all changed. One Sunday while in college, God's Word spoke to me like it never had before. I knew at that moment I couldn't turn back. I began to devour the Word. I would spend hours in Barnes & Noble flipping through every book on the shelf in the Christianity section. I started to listen to different preachers on the radio. Like a sponge, I absorbed everything I could read, see, or hear about how to live like Christ. I could no longer just show up.

I look around some Sunday mornings now and wonder if anybody feels the same as I did, or feels the same as I do now. When I reach out to another and they tell me they attend such-and-so church, I wonder if they are just showing up, or if they have a fire burning inside of them like I feel.

But I wish I didn't feel this way. I wish I could just show up. I wish I didn't care. Because the more I read the more I wrestle, and the more I wrestle the more I question. So I read more. And more. And more. I wish I could just show up, nod my head at whatever preacher-man has to say and close my Bible as I close the door of the church behind me.

As they say, you can't un-ring the bell. I wish I didn't care. I wish church was just religion and God was just an idea. Instead I now wrestle over theology that is way over my head. I wrestle over the tension between Gospel and Kingdom; between Paul and Jesus. I wrestle with the New Perspective of Paul and am curious about the Federal Vision. I am fascinated by the subject of soteriology. And yes, all of these are related.

That's this week.

That's why I blog. That's why I read other blogs. That's what keeps my faith fresh and keeps me ever-striving to learn what it means and how to be Christlike. If you're a regular reader here, I expect you feel the same way. If you're another writer, blogger, theo-thinker, I appreciate your unique perspectives and reflections. I thank both of you. We are growing together. Prayerfully, we are doing this as Paul described:

"... being built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." (Ephesians 4:12-15)

Coattails

2011-10-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

Are you that guy? You know, that guy? The hanger-on. The coattail-rider. The member of the posse or entourage that just doesn't look like you belong there?

I'm that guy. I look back twenty years to high school (sheesh! already?) and see myself not really fitting in with any one particular group, but finding myself showing up in just about all of them. That continued in college. I was a member of a fraternity, but not the face of the fraternity. Yet I always seemed to be around.

It's funny to see this play out in my job as well. I just pop up here or there and the people who have gotten used to seeing me at miscellaneous meetings always have that look, "you, again?". Even here on the blogosphere, I wouldn't have many of the readers I have or even the friendships I've made if not for another blogger that I already (kinda) knew. (One funny example: one brother at church just got a book signed by Jon Acuff at a Dave Ramsey event. I'm like, hey I know Jon Acuff! But do I, really?)

In each of these, I display some level of popularity or importance, which may or may not be the view others have of me in reality. So what's more important- my view of myself, or what others may or may not think about me?

While this sounds like an insecure rant, let me offer up an idea that might challenge you. You're a nobody just like me. You are where you are, not because of anything you have done or ever will do, but rather because of what someone else did. You see, we are all riding on someone's coattails.

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:19-20, emphasis added)

We can enter into the presence of the Creator of the universe, the Lord of Lords, God Almighty only because Jesus went ahead of us first. Without Jesus, we are simply "by nature, objects of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3). Without Jesus, we are nothing more than sinners separated from God. But with Him...

Every blessing, every single source of joy, we owe to Him. We haven't earned it. We have done nothing to give us credibility or popularity in God's eyes. But because of Jesus' love, we can ride on His coattails. We can be part of Jesus' entourage.

Killer Queen

2011-10-10T06:39:00.000-07:00

Several years ago I was helping to plan a campus ministry conference. The theme was One Vision. As a classic rock nerd, I knew the perfect theme song. One of the campus ministers agreed, borrowed my "Queen: Live at Wembley CD" and started to work on a highlight video. The video and song, however, were never used.

Of course, I can understand why. There is the need to be sensitive to a broad range of convictions when putting on a large event like that. And some just didn't feel comfortable with a conference theme being sung by someone who was gay and died of AIDS.

"One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind... Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way." (Romans 14:5,13)

Marc Martel of the Christian band, Downhere (my personal favorite song: "My Last Amen") is auditioning for The Queen Extravaganza- a Queen tribute band that is sponsored by the surviving members of the band. (Sadly, this is only a tribute band. I had to swallow this news at the same time I saw a headline that the actual band was considering Lady Gaga as their lead singer on their next tour. No, I'm not going to link that in principle.)

Instantly Marc became a youtube sensation. With over 4 million views in two weeks (as of this writing) he scored himself a writeup in the Wall Street Journal and a performance on the Ellen Show. But not every Christian is happy for his new found popularity.

Some are criticizing Freddie Mercury's lifestyle, his legacy, the rock and roll drug culture, and every other reason they can think of for a self-proclaimed Christian not to do this. I could go on and on, but I'll let Marc defend himself:

"Freddie Mercury wrote songs that were real and true. Rock and roll reaches people because it’s honest, and doesn’t shy away from the issues. You can have a great voice, but people can spot a fake from a mile away. Our music may come from a biblical standpoint but we don’t shy away from true experiences – doubt, loss, pain, sorrow – we want to deal with all of that. Queen’s repertoire deals with those emotions and feelings too and I love singing their music because at the end of the day, it’s just true."

Amen.

Imaginary Line

2011-10-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

(I might be the only blogger in the universe not writing something this morning about Steve Jobs.)

Where is the "wall of separation" between Church and State? In the past week there have been some headlines that show that the line is arbitrary and constantly on the move.

Last Sunday was the "Red Mass" in Washington, DC traditionally done before the Supreme Court starts their session. This is a tradition that goes back 58 years. (though the Red Mass isn't limited to the US government, the actual tradition dates all the way back to 1245) But wait a minute. Aren't the Justices the ones who decide where the aforementioned line should be drawn? And here aren't they participating in a religious ceremony explicitly tied to their governmental role? Interestingly, two of their first cases are Separation issues: a 10 Commandments display and applying the Americans with Disabilities Act to ministerial employment decisions.

The same Sunday, not coincidentally, was "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" (No, I've never heard of it either) where some ministers were preaching explicitly political sermons, sending the IRS their recording, and daring them to take away their tax-exempt status. The problem is, the whole 501(c)3 designation as a non-profit is very misunderstood. This status isn't limited to churches, but any non-profit. So say a charity cannot explicitly endorse a candidate because he or she may support the cause of that charity. The same is true of a church. But it does not forbid the church from preaching on social or political issues consistent with their doctrines. They just cannot actively endorse or campaign for a particular candidate or ballot issue. This is why churches were allowed to rally their congregations in support of California's Proposition 8. Churches are perfectly within their right to assemble political support or opposition. They are only not allowed to endorse specific candidates or political parties from the pulpit. Important note, churches conducted similar activities to abolish slavery and advance Civil Rights. If churches were not allowed to even speak on social or political issues then each of these movements would have died out.
Meanwhile, a student in Northern California was docked points on his grade for saying "bless you" in class. Of course the religious crusade came out to cry persecution! But wasn't necessarily the case. When you read the story it becomes clear it had more to do with disrupting the class than anything else (though the teacher's explanation left a lot to be desired.) besides, who didn't fake a sneeze in school just to get the whole class to start a string of "bless you"s? Keep in mind however, that public schools are an arm of the government.

Finally, California passed a bill banning the banning of circumcision. (if you're confused by the double-negative, you're not alone; MSN's homepage originally linked the article with the headline "California bans circumcision") This was in response to the city of San Francisco trying to pass such a ban. Never mind that the Courts struck that effort down. California feels the need to be redundant to pass a law to affirm what the Court already decided. Of course, the reason for striking down SF's law was that the government cannot restrict an explicitly religious practice (though not all are circumcised because of religious views). Hmmm, I wonder how the court cases are going against The Church of Reality (or Cognizance in some places)?

Ok, so after reading the above can you honestly tell me there is an explicit wall of separation between Church and State? Or is it more of an imaginary line?

Saint and Sinner

2011-10-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't kept track of the Liturgical Calendar for years, so I appreciate Shane Claiborne for reminding me that yesterday was the feast day for Saint Francis of Assisi. Of course all the animal blessings should have clued me in, but I don't have a pet, and I'm not really into that sort of thing.

Though my Catholic background is well behind in my rear view mirror, I have kept a soft spot in my heart for St. Francis. Maybe it's the name; he is after all, my patron saint. Maybe it is his background; I, too, was raised by a clothing merchant. Maybe it's the animals; I've always been an animal lover. No, I never stripped down and walked out on my dad naked to prove a point. And as far as I know, I've never had stigmata (you'd think that's something I would notice). I haven't been imprisoned for my faith, nor have I made a thousand-mile pilgrimage by foot in order to try and convert someone.

So there are some differences between that saint and this sinner. But his life is one I want to imitate. As "missional" and "radical" are themes that have stirred my heart, I need to look no further than the life of Francis to see someone who was willing to eschew his social status in order to walk among the poor. He gave up everything to serve his Christ, whom he loved dearly. He literally lived out Paul's instruction to "offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God." (Romans 12:1)

The prayer attributed to him (though no earlier record exists before 1912) is one I still recite today. It is a simple reminder of what it means to be Christ-like - a reminder of where my heart needs to be today.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me show love

Where there is injury, pardon

Where there is doubt, faith

Where there is despair, hope

Where there is darkness, light

and where there is sadness, joy.

Lord, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console

To be understood, as to understand

To be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

Beautiful

2011-10-03T05:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, this isn't a very original pairing, but I love both of these songs. And some Mondays you just wake up needing "something beautiful".

Flashback Friday: Perfect Church?

2011-09-30T05:42:00.000-07:00

***Originally posted a year ago when I was doing a book club on Michael Spencer's book, Mere Churchianity. I warn you in advance, this is a long one.***

I've been on board with Michael Spencer through eight chapters of Mere Churchianity and I've enjoyed every part of the ride. But I had to get off the train at chapter 9 (though I'm going to jump right back on at 10). In chapter 8, Accepting the Real Jesus, Michael drew a line in the sand delineating the Church consisting of disciples of Jesus and the institutional, religious church filled with Christians. But it seems as though in this chapter he forgot the line was there.

I agree with Michael that you cannot keep "church shopping" hoping to find the perfect church because you never will. I also agree that many people's spiritual journey to be Jesus Shaped will lead them "out of the church as they have known and experienced it." (pp 109) I can personally testify that this can be the case. In fact, I do believe there is a perfect church worth going after. But I do not believe everyone Michael describes in this chapter has found it.

Let's begin with the perfect church. What does it look like? Michael listed several flavors of church he experienced trying to find it. Someone commented yesterday that it would be great if we could combine each of these into one. I've always felt that the perfect church would have the reverence of the Catholic/Orthodox church, the worship of an AME church, the emphasis on Biblical survey of the Calvary Chapel, the outreach of a foreign mission, and the doctrine (personal bias) of the Restoration Movement. But I haven't found that yet, and I don't think I ever will. But that does not mean I cannot create it.

You can browse the titles of Christian books, search the themes of Christian bloggers, and find the most followed Christian tweeters and it won't take long to notice that many are on the same quest to find the elusive perfect church. There was a push not long ago to "restore the First Century Church" even though that is not described in the Bible. The best we have to go on are the sparse writings of the Early Church Fathers and the Didache. Right now we see the "Acts 29 Church", or as I like to say "the next chapter". Catchy name. I pray they are successful in creating authentic community and a Jesus Shaped church. I've also seen "the Acts 2:42 Church", but there is very little written in the New Testament, and even less in the book of Acts, for "what" this perfect church should look like outside of a few anecdotal examples.

But there is plenty written on "how" this perfect church should function. For the sake of our discussion, I'm going to stick with Ephesians 4. Here Paul gives an outline of how Christ's church should grow up in unity. (And remember that Jesus prayed for unity amongst His believers the night before he was betrayed.) First, the perfect church is up to us. "[L]ive a life worthy... be completely humble and gentle...bearing with one another... make every effort to keep the unity..." (v 1-3) And later, "to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it... It was he who gave some to be... to prepare God's people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." (v 7, 11-13) In other words, the perfect church is up to us, doing our part, "From [Christ] the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (v 16, emphasis added)

Of course, we are all human. Our pride and selfish ambitions will get in the way of what Paul describes above. Over time religiosity, legalism, and false-doctrine will set in. And the church we thought we were a part of will become unrecognizable. But, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." (1 Peter 1:24-25) We can always turn back to the Word and return to what is right. I do believe that in this sense, the Church is undergoing constant revival as each generation comes to it seeking to be Jesus Shaped.

But the description above isn't the approach Michael Spencer takes. Instead he takes an ecumenical broad-brush and (practically) declares that everyone who is doing good work in Jesus' name is part of this true church. Yet Jesus himself said, "not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." And it continues, "only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) This is consistent with what Michael wrote in chapter 8, but appears to abandon here. It is also interesting that when Michael declares "There are thousands of Christians where I live. They express their faith through how they serve…" (pp 111), he then lists off several brand-names of churches as if they are all equal. But he does not mention the Mormon Church. I would expect that many Christians, and most Evangelicals, would not consider the Mormon Church to be Christians, yet I challenge you to find any group as focused on their communities and on their families as this church. According to Michael's description of the "true church" in this chapter, they have to be included in the discussion. Unless he applies an unwritten doctrinal line.

There is a written line in Ephesians 4. "There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (v 4-6) Which brings us to the "One Church".

This is a dangerous doctrine. Not because it is unbiblical, but because of our human nature to corrupt everything we are a part of. The Restoration Movement began when a Reformed Baptist and a Presbyterian got together, examined their doctrines in light of Scripture, and chose to go another way. They strived for One Church, unifying the divisive denominationalism that still exists today. Because of the emphasis on One True Church being defined solely on Scripture, the church they founded, the Churches of Christ, have been turbulent with division ever since. I think the Scripture says this, you think that, therefore we cannot agree and you are no longer part of "my" One True Church. Yet Paul said he doesn't care so long as the Gospel is being preached and Jesus said no one can do a miracle in his name one minute and curse his name the next. You see the slippery slope?

So what does that mean for you and me and our quest for a Jesus Shaped church? First, we have to look to the Word of God to measure the state of our church, not our feelings, not the latest bestseller on church growth, and absolutely not traditions. Next, we have to examine ourselves by the same standard. Are we "doing are part" as Ephesians 4 instructs? Finally, and this goes back to the thrust of Mere Churchianity, we need to keep Jesus as our focus.

Is there a perfect church out there? With our sinful nature, sadly not until Jesus returns to claim His Kingdom. Is there a Jesus Shaped church out there? There are likely many and as Michael describes, there is no shortage of people striving towards it. Is there One True Church? Yes there is, and it is defined by God's own Word, not by the walls we construct. I pray one day we can worship there together.

Not Just Lip Service

2011-09-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

So I've been ranting and raving the last couple of weeks about how we define "church" and what a strong church looks like and should be doing. I'm not going to add anything today other than highlight a couple stories that got my attention this week.

First comes a story of a church giving back, literally. Last Sunday Liquid Church in New Jersey gave out $30,000 from their own coffers during their regular weekly contribution. Given current events and the economic climate, I struggle to ask for money at my own church. Yes, we need to pay the bills too (I'm the outgoing Board President so I watch this more closely than most others) but would it really be the end of the world if we couldn't pay for our luxurious (by some standards) building and had to meet, like the church in the article, in hotel conference rooms in order to instead give out from our reserves to meet the impoverished needs in our congregation and community? I've written about this before and how it reminds me of the ministry of Kingdom Assignment. I wrote in 2009 that I'd love for my own congregation to do something similar. Two years later I see little chance of that.

The second story is about the ongoing debate in the missional movement. I've argued in my own circle of influence that if Jesus isn't the center of community outreach then it is just community service. The argument goes that being "missional" is the latest trend, and many churches are jumping on the bandwagon in the name of social justice and leaving the Gospel behind. Here are some great blog posts the dig into this debate.

So that's them. What about you? What are you, or your church doing to share the Gospel uniquely? I am personally wrestling with this myself, so inspire me with your stories!

Is This Really Church?

2011-09-28T05:26:00.000-07:00

To continue a theme... actually watching this video a few months ago got my wheels turning on this whole thing. Here is Francis Chan, from 2009, asking his own congregation "is this really church?" The premise is that if you were stranded on a desert island with only the Bible and no other religious influence and you were inspired to start a church, would it look like the church you presently attend?

This is a long video so I recommend letting it load before watching. After the opening video spot, skip ahead to the 22 minute mark where the sermon really begins.

What is the Perfect Church

2011-09-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

To continue my rants and raves from last week on the big-c Church, I want to follow up on Friday's post asking us to identify our strengths and weaknesses. What makes a perfect church? Do we need every attribute Ed Setzer describes in the Transformational Church? How about every characteristic in Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Church? What if we modeled every feature in every book on how to do-it-yourself, fix-er-up church? It would be overwhelming. In fact, I bet if you went into your local Christian bookstore, or even to the faith & spirituality section of Barnes & Noble, you could close your eyes, throw a dart at the books, and likely hit a book either complaining about the state of the church or offering ways to make it better, bigger, more seeker-friendly, more missional, more somethingorother...

No, let's simplify. What does every church need? This is off the top of my head and isn't all-inclusive, but I think it's a good starting point for discussion:

Reverence of God the Father
Reliance on the Holy Spirit
Discipleship of Jesus the Son (sorry, I tried really hard to find another "R" but the only synonym I could find was "rooter" but I didn't like the ring of that)

That looks obvious, so let's get more specific:

Takes sin seriously (really, I'm serious)
Holy, set apart from the world (not the same as removing ourselves from the world in something like a commune, but separate from the world's values)
Evangelistic
Serving, both inside the church and out
So Missional and Benevolent
Worshipful (This could mean a lot of things to a lot of people, so I'll leave this open-ended)
Teaches ("For the Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" Paraphrasing 1 Timothy 3:16-17)
Relational (your relationships in your church fellowship actually mean something)
Prayerful (any prayer warriors in your fellowship?)
Faithful (no duh, but how many of us actually are?)
Loving
United
Global (not just world missions, but with the attitude in your heart that we are to go make disciples of "all nations")

Again, this may be simplistic. But what I've found is that churches that excel in one or two of these neglect the others. There is an ongoing debate right now amongst missional churches remaining Christ-centered and not just "doing mission" because that's the latest fad. Churches that are strong in fellowship may be weak in calling one another to account for sin. I've seen churches that emphasize evangelism on the standard of the Great Commission, but neglect the rest of the command to "teach them to obey everything I [Jesus] have commanded you". I've seen churches emphasize one another accountability, but lack love. I guess the bottom line is that I have yet to see a single church excell in every one of these.

Maybe it's not realistic to expect. We are all sinners saved by grace after all. And churches are man-made institutions that will always be imperfect by their very nature. Then again, isn't the Church Christ's bride? And doesn't Paul instruct husbands to imitate Christ "to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her [the Church] to himself [Christ] as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless"? (Ephesians 5:26-27) Aren't we to present Christ's bride perfect?

So we fall short. We identify a weakness and have a "campaign" to correct it, meanwhile neglecting what made our church strong to begin with. No one single church program can cover all of these bases. But only a church culture, where "every part does its work" (Ephesians 4:16) and every person strives to be Christlike in every area of their lives (prayer, worship, service...) can truly capture the fullness of Christ. Christ's bride is not a church defined by walls, staff, or programs. But rather by people, each striving to apply their unique spiritual gifts passionately for the Glory of God in the Name of Jesus. Then, when they come together in unity, can we finally see a "church" as described above.

Flashback Friday: What Are Your Church's Strengths?

2011-09-23T05:22:00.000-07:00

***Originally posted 8/30/10. Reposted to fit in my present series on the church.***

I'm reading Transformational Church by Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer as a compliment to my reading of Michael Spencer's Mere Churchianity. Chapter two introduces the "Transformational Loop" of properties present in Transformational Churches. It is a loop because each area feeds into another and no one property can stand alone in a strong, transformational church. The areas are Discern, Embrace, and Engage and the properties present are a Missionary Mentality, Vibrant Leadership, Relational Intensity, Prayerful Dependence, Worship, Community, and Mission.

Reading through the description of each of these, it quickly became clear where my fellowship is strong and where it falls short. The recommendation for a stagnant church to become a transformational church is to identify your strengths and use them to build the other properties. For example, if your strength is worship, use that to build community, and so on.

I've been wrestling for some time with why things don't seem to be clicking in my fellowship. We have our strengths and weaknesses just like any other congregation. And I don't expect us to be perfect. But I just get the feeling that a piece is (or pieces are) missing. This loop helps me to identify what we need to build on and grow in.

My fellowship's strengths are mission and community. We have a strong evangelistic focus, taking on the mission of Jesus to "seek and save the lost." We build community through small groups for accountability, personal growth, and to facilitate evangelistic activities. These communities forge life-long relationships.

However these strengths ebb and flow. We take our strengths for granted and grow complacent. I believe this is because our strengths do not have deep roots and this loop bares that out. We are strong in mission, but lack a missionary mentality. We are strong in community but lack relational intensity. So our strengths are what we do, not who we are.

I am also convicted personally because I lack in prayerful dependence. I'm not a prayer warrior, though I need to grow in my prayer life. But I look around and I don't see many prayer warriors around me either. I admired an Elder we had who would pray "without ceasing." Ask him a question and he would pause, consider it, and then pray about it. Without fail, every question. But I don't see that as my church's culture.

I also admire one of my best friends who is strong in worship. He lives it, studies it, and teaches it but being worshipful has only rubbed off on a few. And our Sunday services are better for it!

So the pieces are there to build, despite my negativity. I'm sure if I looked around I could find individuals who are strong in one or more of these properties. The trick however is spreading those strengths through the congregation until it becomes part of its culture.

Given that background, what would you say are your church's strengths?

What are your strengths and do they feed into your church's?

Would you describe your church as "transformational"?

Shallow Bubbles

2011-09-22T05:56:00.000-07:00

These videos were shared recently in church and I want to share them here. We need to be on guard that our church culture doesn't slip into either of these extremes- either shallow and superficial relationships, or closed off and hyper-religious. Videos (c) rightnow.org

The Parable of the Boathouse

2011-09-20T06:06:00.000-07:00

This can be Googled as "the Parable of the Lighthouse" or the "Parable of the Lifesaving Station". Some attribute it to Theodore Wedel dating back to 1953, others attribute it to "author unknown" but adapted by Steve Rudd. And it also is a sample sermon in several guides and even published by Youth Specialties periodical Ideas. I heard this in a sermon years ago and have adapted it as I recall it being told- hence the change from Life-Saving Station to Boathouse. Either way, it is just as relevant today as it was when I heard it and as it was whenever it was written.

***

There was once a bay that was very popular amongst sailors. But it had dangerous, rocky shores. Yet because of its captivating beauty, many would sail in, only to meet their fate at the jagged rocks.

The most experienced sailors were saddened by this regular occurrence, but then boasted how they were able to navigate the treacherous waters. But then a young sailor came to the bay and asked to be taught how to sail through the dangerous bay. Teaching someone else their secrets never occurred to the old sailors, but one wise old sailor invested his time and his knowledge into this young seafarer.

As the young sailor learned, the wise old sailor also learned that he liked to teach. So he invited others to come learn the secrets of the rocky bay. Now this wasn't popular with the other old sailors who wanted to protect the knowledge they learned the hard way, but it was very popular with younger sailors who had always wanted to visit this bay but were afraid to.

What once was measured by numerous tragedies was now measured by the number of lives saved. As the number of students grew, more and more people started to sail in and out of this bay. So the wise old sailor decided to build a boathouse, from which he could teach other sailors how to navigate these waters and also teach them how to save the lives of other sailors who were less fortunate. The boathouse became a popular gathering place for the sailors. And as its popularity grew, amenities were added. Big-screen TVs. Pool tables. A fully stocked bar. And it became such a popular place that many came to the boathouse not to sail or to save lives at all, but simply to hang out.

Eventually, the wise old sailor passed away and left the boathouse to the first, now not so young, sailor he taught. But the young sailor didn't sail anymore. He was busy managing the boathouse making sure all his clientele were happy and well-fed and the boathouse continued to make money. Yet even though most who came to the boathouse didn't sail, the bay was still a popular attraction, as was the boathouse, so many still attempted to sail in.

When once the number of casualties from the rocky shore was almost zero, the sailors in the boathouse stopped noticing that number creep back up to where it used to be. More, in fact, because now people were sailing in just to visit the boathouse.

But as more and more sailors died in the treacherous bay, fewer and fewer people frequented the boathouse because some of these casualties were from their own number. As the casualties increased even further, people soon began to avoid the boathouse altogether because they were sad over so many lost friends. It wasn't long before no one came to the boathouse any more.

Today, people still sail in to the bay. Not for the boathouse, but for its natural beauty. Sadly, many of these sailors die in their attempt. More sad is the fact that there is no one left to teach them the secrets of the bay; the old sailors have all passed away and the young sailor had forgotten how to sail.

Strong Enough

2011-09-19T05:56:00.000-07:00

"I can do all things through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13)

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25)

"For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10b)

"You are my strength, I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress
my God on whom I can rely...

I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress
my God on whom I can rely." (Psalm 59:9-10, 16-17)

And for backstory...

Flashback Friday: When is it OK to Walk Away?

2011-09-16T06:23:00.000-07:00

***Originally posted a year ago while doing a group book discussion on Michael Spencer's Mere Churchianity. It is my most spammed post (still today) so I figured I'd clean it up, update it some and repost. Plus it's a good lead-in to some posts I'm hoping to get up next week.***

[A year ago] Pope Benedict XVI visited Great Britain for the first Papal visit in centuries and in the face of the ongoing child abuse scandal. Some demonstrators were so bold as to say that the Catholic Church "murdered" their souls. Despite this, they still identified themselves as Catholic: "I am a Catholic, but my faith is in God, not in those church officials who have covered this up," one of the demonstrators said. Valid point, but why stay committed to that church?

At the same time, we have the audience Michael Spencer is writing to in Mere Churchianity; those who have left their churches and in some cases Christianity altogether because of abuse, hypocrisy, luke-warmness, and countless other reasons. Last week, I listed some specific examples. Each of these had valid reasons to leave, but I think just as importantly, each have a valid reason to return: the church is not Christ and Michael continues to hammer this point as we continue through his book. [Important distinction here. The big-c church is the Body of Christ. When we try and make it anything else- biggest, showiest, best-selling, most entertaining, most seeker-friendly, most missional, most... it is no longer Christ, but a group of like-minded people. It might as well be a fraternity.]

Let us consider these "sins" of the church: abuse, hypocrisy, luke-warmness. You could add neglecting its mission, being polluted by the world's values or even other religions. If this sounds familiar and you find yourself shouting, "preach it brother!" recognize that this isn't anything new. In fact, these are the same claims Jesus himself brought against the church in Revelation. In other words, the Church has been screwing up since it was founded. Not that that makes it ok. In fact, Jesus had some very harsh words to those churches. So today we continue to re-vector our programs, our polity, our preaching to make sure our eyes are "fix[ed] on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2)

[At the same time, we cannot practice Christianity by ourselves. We can focus on Jesus all we want, but if we don't include others in our lives, we're not really modeling Jesus' life or instructions. The arguments that "my faith is personal, between me an God" or "I believe in Jesus, I don't need a church for that" are bad theology.]
Keep in mind, there are 51 "one another" instructions (some are more strongly worded as commands) to the Church found in the New Testament. Many of these cannot be followed outside of an authentic church community. One specifically, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25) Yes, you could argue that you can still have an authentic Christian community and not call it "church". But then I'd just turn around and call you a "house church". I guess whatever form it takes, we need each other for encouragement, for sharpening, for instruction, and for worship.

And this still doesn't address the countless numbers who have walked away from the Church for any and every reason.

Keeping in mind Jesus' own words to forgive not seven times, but "seven times seventy" times (Matthew 18:22) and to leave any offering to the Lord and first "be reconciled to your brother" (Matthew 5:23-24) yet "It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin." (Luke 17:2) Add to that Paul's instructions to "submit to every authority" (Romans 13:1 and also Hebrews 13:17) and to "not put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way" (Romans 14:13, but really the whole chapter applies). And finally going back to Hebrews 10:25 above and the example of abused Catholics at the beginning of this post, [we see that the state of the Church is each of our own responsibility.

The onus is on us to live peacefully, to forgive, and to serve. Then, "as each part does its work" the Body of Christ is "built up in love" (Eph 4:16). This cannot happen if people walk away just because they don't like the children's Sunday School program, don't like the style of preaching or worship music, or don't get along with someone in particular.(To list extreme examples. To be fair, serious abuses of authority, tolerance of sin, and departures from the Word of God as the standard of belief are all valid reasons to walk away. The line isn't the same for everyone, but if everyone put into practice the above scriptures- including those in leadership- then we shouldn't have those problems.)]

The Conflict Continues

2011-09-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

I interrupt my rantings and ravings about the state of the American Church (TM) to bring you some real news. (Actually my Internet being down all day yesterday helped, but I digress)

I could never do justice to all the tributes, prayers, responses and reflections on September 11 online. But I do want to call your attention to a couple of articles that tie in to what I wrote on Monday. First, the compilation of reflections on 9/11 and faith from The Washington Post's blog, On Faith. Also check out The Gospel Coalition's blog post on how the number of evangelical churches in New York has steadily grown since 9/11. Kinda contradicts my point on Monday, but I would argue the context is different (New York definitely has a different lingering effect than the rest of the country's religious landscape).

I also want to call your attention to the fact that some things have changed in a dramatic way for the worse. Prejudice and profiling have become the norm. And if you're Muslim, or even look "foreign", then you don't want to fly on 9/11 as Shoshana Hebshi learned and later blogged about. (warning on the second link, it is getting an insane amount of traffic since being linked to from most mainstream media so expect it to lock up your browser while it loads).

But that's still not all I want to call your attention to. My favorite Facebook post from 9/11 was this from a friend of mine:

"Ten years ago, I began this darkest of days in federal courts class discussing the meaning of the U.S. Constitution, today, I leave for Kabul to assemble the largest gatherings to discuss the Afghan Constitution. God be with all those souls lost that day! May we never forget."

Pretty cool, eh? His next post (after posting that he landed safely):

"major explosions in Kabul...half dozen, we are in a bunker in our office"

Then, almost 24 hours later:

"After nearly 22 hours, the attacks against Kabul are over. There is no question, however, it was the most extensive attack on Kabul the Taliban's fall in 2001. While we are lucky that the death toll wasn't higher, the psychological toll will be far worse and no matter what is said by certain generals, we are not winning."

Close your eyes for a moment and picture who might be writing these posts. Do you picture a soldier in fatigues, a lawyer in a business suit, or a politician shaking hands? What race do you suppose he is? Would you believe that these posts come from a Muslim whose family emigrated to the US from Pakistan decades ago?

I was going to link to this article back in April when Florida Pastor Terry Jones decided it was a worthwhile political and religious statement to burn a Koran, but chose against it. But in the wake of the anniversary of 9/11, the racial profiling since, and the risks to Hamid's life, I'm going to post it today. This was written by my friend, Hamid, and I believe is a must-read to provide context to the conflict that we only hear about in the news.

The full article is here. Here's an excerpt:

"Few Muslims quibble with the notion that the Qur’an is the word of God. Moreover, it is generally accepted that the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad some fourteen centuries ago. While the Qur’an is found in book form today, it began as an oral tradition and hence, even to this day, millions of Muslims follow that tradition by memorizing lines from the original Arabic. Coincidently, the content of the Qur’an (which is about the size of the New Testament) largely remains a mystery to most believers since the original version is in sixth-century Arabic and more than 85 percent of Muslims today are not Arabic speakers. Moreover, even if one could begin to grapple with the Arabic, the Qur’an is filled with allusions, allegories, puns, and an unmatched poetic style. Consequently, Muslims will often turn to religious leaders to understand its content, leaders who often know little more than their fellow believers."

You often hear the straw man argument, if Islam is a religion of peace, why don't more Muslims speak out against terrorism? This is your answer right here. Just as the Catholic Church consolidated political and religious power by controlling distribution of the Gospel message (how many peasants in the Middle Ages could really speak Latin?), the fear-mongering political power in the Middle East controls the message.

I post these things not to open up political or religious debate, but hopefully to open your eyes to "the rest of the story" so to speak. The conflicts that led to 9/11 are ongoing still today.

Where Were You?

2011-09-12T05:59:00.000-07:00

It will go down in conversational history like the assassination of JFK, man first walking on the moon, or the fall of the Berlin Wall. If you don't know how to start a conversation with someone but want to break the ice, simply ask "where were you on 9/11"?

Most of us were at work or on our way. At the time, I was waiting tables and had a late night shift the night before, so I was still in bed. My mom called to wake me up. I spent the rest of the day glued to the TV. When I did try and go out to grab a bite to eat, I saw that everyplace was closed.

There was a lot of fear that day. Would there be more planes? Would there be a "dirty bomb"? What would happen next?

So we vividly remember where we were that day. But do you remember where you were the day after? Alan Jackson's song, Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning" talks about donating blood, kneeling to pray, helping in a soup kitchen, aiding relief efforts, and so on. But that was the day after. Do you remember where you were on 9/12?

I ask because it wasn't 9/11 that changed everything, though it was the catalyst. It was 9/12. The day after. The next day where we had to decide how the events the day before would change how we lived our lives. I remember the night of the 12th. It seemed everyone was having candlelight vigils. There were special prayer services. There were rallies. And at each, people attended with a sense of unease and uncertainty. Some felt that if this meant an all-out World War-level conflict in the Middle East then we could very well be ushering in the end of the world.

It's like the saying, "today is the first day of the rest of your life." The 12th was the first day of the post-9/11 world. People who had stopped going to church returned. Faith came front and center in our national politics. We waved our flags a little higher and prayed a little deeper. Then the 13th, the 14th... But one year later, had anything really changed? Those who recommitted their lives to Christ were back home Sunday morning watching football. The faith-driven political divide deepened and antagonized many. Two years later were we better off? How about 10 years later? Can you honestly say you are living your life differently because of what happened 10 years ago? For the families of victims, for those serving in the military and their loved ones, and for those persecuted based only on their nationality or religion, yes their lives are very different today. But how about you? What is different for you?

I know you remember where you were on the 11th. But do you remember where you were on the 12th? Are you still there?

A "New" Gospel

2011-09-08T06:35:00.000-07:00

There was a recent article in Oprah Magazine (no, I"m not a subscriber) about Hilton Kelley, a restaurateur in Port Arthur, Texas, and environmental activist. The blog Get Religion, called my attention to this story and both of us got hung up on the same point.

Of course there's a religious angle, Kelley partners with a neighboring church. So the article calls Kelley's efforts to warn about the environmental dangers of the local pollution and the oil industry in general a "new gospel". Get Religion takes issue with this statement as there's no other context given, especially noting that there's no other comments, pro or con, from other local churches on this issue. In addition, is it really fair to compare environmental activism to the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? To me, calling it a "new gospel" is just the journalist's way of adding a religious spin to the article for the sake of the religious spin and shouldn't be taken more seriously.

Or should it? One of the push-backs to Christianity is the notion that we know it all, that it's our way or the highway (to hell), that we're right and everyone else is wrong. The counter usually goes something like this, suppose you saw that a highway led to an unfinished bridge yet all the signs are up assuming it is finished and cars start driving by at 65 mph. Would it be arrogant to try and get the drivers' attention to tell them that the signs are wrong and that they are headed to their death? Is it prideful to try and save someone's life when you have evidence of disaster ahead?

In that context, maybe environmental activism is a new gospel, so to speak. No, it's not "Good News" to share that the air you're breathing is going to kill you. But neither is it good news to tell someone that their sinful lifestyle will lead to an eternity in Hell. The Good News is that it doesn't have to be this way.

This is where the Social Gospel walks a very fine line between political activism and genuinely spreading the Gospel. There are different types of activism under the Social Gospel umbrella- from Kelley, above, to the communal lifestyle of Shane Claiborne. Both can be looked at from a religious and politically conservative perspective with the simple reply, !@%# hippies. But it doesn't have to be so polarizing.

Activism can take many forms and many extremes. I've written before about the mission field right outside of our doors. Activism, the "social gospel", being "missional" can start right in front of you.

A couple events stick with me on this issue. Almost exactly one year ago, 14 year-old Dominique Peatry was shot and killed outside of a house party on Labor Day weekend. Normally, such a tragic event would be followed by rallies, maybe even a march on City Hall, usually led by local religious leaders. No such rally ever took place. The part that continues to grieve my soul is that the Wednesday prior we had a Midweek service at a park right around the corner from where she was killed and where she lived (two different places, same part of town) with the explicit purpose of spreading the Gospel in that part of the community that night. Instead, I heard most of my brothers and sisters complain about meeting on the "wrong side of town" and how they didn't feel safe letting their children play in the park because of the demographics present. The part that keeps me up at night is wondering if young Dominique was at the park that night and whether she either heard the Gospel, or was ignored because of our own prejudice.

The other event was a year before that during fire-season when a whole community was uprooted by fires surrounding their homes. They were relocated all around the area and one center was set up at a local high school two miles from our church building. They had to leave everything behind. It was late at night. They were tired and hungry in need of clothes, blankets, and food. What a great opportunity to serve! Instead we weren't prepared and were unable to rally any kind of support to a community in need just a couple of miles away.

You see, this new gospel doesn't have to be some liberal cause. It doesn't even have to be political. In fact, it isn't new at all. It is a very old Gospel. The only good news that really matters in the end.

Helicopter or Drone?

2011-09-07T06:49:00.000-07:00

By now school is back in session for everyone. The last wave started either yesterday or today following the Labor Day holiday. My kids started last week. My wife, this week.

The first day of school is marked by parents taking extra pictures while frantically making sure their child has everything ready. A certain type of parent, the "helicopter parent", will even follow their child to school to make sure they get in the right classroom, get along with the right kids, and do all the "right" things. They watch to make sure Johnny isn't picked last when teams are drawn up for kickball and make sure Sally is called on first when she raises her hand in class.

The name, helicopter parent, comes from the image of these parents hovering over their children in every facet of their day. I want to add another type of parent to our nomenclature- the drone parent (more catchier than UAV parent, I think). This parent also hovers, but not as close. Like an un-piloted drone, they hover high up where they can't be seen, but are constantly on surveillance.

I admit, I'm a drone parent. We followed our children to school, took all the pictures, hugged each maybe just a little too long and watched as they went off to their class. But we didn't leave. We stood back and we watched. How would our son respond to his new teacher? Which of his best friends are back after the summer and will be in his class? Unlike helicopter parents, who have a reputation of control, drone parents simply stand back and watch and respond to the data they receive.

But even that is too much. Watching other parents drop their children off last week- some helicopter, some drone, some "bombers" (drop the kids off and fly away)- it occurred to us that it didn't matter how close we stayed or how much we watched. As other parents commented on which teacher was the best (and of course, their child had to be in that class) and which children were the worst, we realized that it all really doesn't matter. Yes, it is important that our children receive a quality education. Yes, there are certain kids and some demographics that are obstacles to learning. But we are not dropping off our children to never see them again. They may spend more of their waking hours at school, but it is ultimately at home where they will learn the most. One teacher or one bad apple child in the first grade will not change the ultimate fate of my child.

So the drone has to fly back to base. We have to let them go. We have to trust that God is in control.

All is Not Lost

2011-09-05T05:57:00.000-07:00

I love videos from OK Go. This is their newest (not counting the recent Muppet video), a collaboration with the dance company Pilobolus. I admit to being a little creeped out by the body suits, but once they start as a kaleidoscope it becomes very cool.

And the theme of the song reminds me of David Crowder Band's video for their song SMS (Shine)- another labor-intensive video (see, I worked Labor Day in there somewhere!). Actually, I'd love to see a collaboration between the two bands. Unlikely, but the end-product would be worth it.

Money Matters

2011-08-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

I'm on vacation, so I'm going to be short on commentary.

A common theme in my study and blog reading lately has been finances; either the finances of the church, of individuals, or of this country. Maybe the recent debate over the "debt ceiling" stirred everyone's thoughts on this. But that wasn't our frame of mind the other morning as my wife and I were talking about stewardship. Coincidentally I had just read this post over at Cerulean Sanctum which hit on the very same points. (that's two posts in a row that Dan totally nails it IMHO, blogging on points that are on my heart at the same time he posts them.Three, if you count yesterday's post) I also recalled the first chapter of David Platt's Radical Together that asks us if the "good" things we're doing as a church are keeping us from doing the great thing of advancing the Gospel.

MSN Money had a recent article on "Rev. Billy" who isn't actually a minister (though since his growth in popularity has since been ordained) but makes his mark "preaching" against materialism and consumerism.

A combination of recent polls show that as financial difficulties hit people are less, not more, likely to attend church. That's contrary to conventional wisdom.

Jared Wilson asks what it means to be "Rich Towards God" over at A Gospel Driven Church.

Mark Lafler hits a hot button debating filing for bankruptcy over at Bibledude.net. Personally, I came to the conviction a while ago that carrying debt, in and of itself, is a sin because when you sign that receipt at the store you are pledging that you will pay it back. (Mortgages, student loans, and car payments are different in that they are intentionally scheduled to be paid off) Mark's argument is that even if you are forced by your circumstances to file for bankruptcy, that the "Christian" thing to do is to make every effort to still pay off your debt. I agree whole heartedly. (I don't want to come across as self-righteous here, either. My family is on the long climb out of debt, but we are committed to be debt free ASAP)

Finally Jonathan Keck at Theology21 asks if we really believe "In God We Trust" with our finances and shares his personal experience of losing a job.

(Meanwhile, we are paying out the nose for our all too short vacation. Such is life)

What if?

2011-08-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

(Thanks to Fred for the lesson on Sunday. I'm stealing your idea!)

Much of what passes for doctrine in American Christianity (TM) is based off of a what-if theology. You get these kinds of responses when reaching out to others to spread the Gospel. In an over-correction to be "seeker-sensitive" churches have gone out of their way to try and answer every what-if. But you don't need to. The Bible answers sufficiently and our faith should take care of the rest.

What if there's some tribe in the middle of the desert that never hears of Jesus? Then maybe God is calling you to pack your bags to go there and change that.

"From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us." (Acts 17:26-27)

But what if in the middle of the desert there's no water to be baptized? Well, first of all, people can't live where there isn't water. And we can't get too far from it and still live. Did you know that there's a military spec for building a baptistry out of MREs and tarp?

"Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Go south to the road—the desert road'... As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?'" (Acts 8:26,36)

What if someone is a prisoner of war with no hope of release? Do you think God is that small?

"After [Paul and Silas] had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, 'Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!'
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.' Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family." (Acts 16:23-34)

What if God creates a rock he cannot lift? Ah, the classic canard. So what if he does?

"Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear." (Isaiah 59:1)

What if my grandma was the sweetest person I ever knew? Eventually, the what-ifs become personal. But at some point we have to let go of our vested emotional interest and just trust God.

"[God] wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4)

What are the what-ifs you struggle with?

But Why?

2011-08-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

What if you find yourself on the other side of the story? What if it was your baby who had to die so that another could live? What if you find yourself asking why?

Our whys could be losing a job, a spouse walking away, the tragic death of a child. Or your whys might be an ongoing struggle that will never change, no matter how desperately you pray.

My wife is a Special Education teacher. While her caseload doesn't consist of the most developmentally disabled, daily she faces parents who deep inside are asking "why". Six months ago one of her students shared the proud news of a baby brother being born. Unfortunately, this baby was born with just about everything wrong imaginable. He was hydrocephalus, blind, under weight, under developed, and under responsive. Collectively most babies in his condition would only survive weeks or at most a year. Naturally our heart went out to this family. Not only did they already have one special needs child, but they also lacked the means to fully take care of this baby. He requires frequent trips to LA for surgeries, check-ups, and other treatments. Without a car or any other means to make his appointments, my wife jumped in without hesitation.

This precious little baby was quickly accepted like part of the family. My daughter loves him so much she now wants a baby brother of her own.

At the same time we were struggling in prayer over my friend's baby mentioned in my last post, we were also struggling in prayer over this baby. Do we pray that he will be healed? Do we even have that much faith? Do we pray that he finds peace and that God calls him home with no suffering? Do we pray for the family, facing this challenging circumstance? In the end, we simply pray that God's will be done.

"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'
'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.'" (John 9:1-3)

For all the reasons one could ask why: every tragedy, every adversity, every infirmary, every disability; maybe the answer is as simple as "so that the work of God might be displayed in your life."

Why is Tyler suffering through his short life while AJ is blessed with a new life? I don't have an answer, but I pray that God is glorified through both.

Praying for Bad News

2011-08-17T05:46:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, a friend of mine had a beautiful baby boy. Beautiful, but in critical condition. He had a bad heart. After some time in NICU, the doctors concluded he would need a transplant. Upon hearing this news, and seeing his picture, my heart melted. All things considered, my kids are perfectly healthy. Yet I knew what my friend was feeling. I put the call out for prayers and immediately hit my knees.

Another friend later approached me and told me she had a hard time praying for this baby because she knew that if he got a new heart, then another baby had to die. I had the same feeling. In fact, the night earlier I had a dream where I was in the OR and it was my baby on the operating table. In came the doctors wheeling in another baby. I was told, "just say the word, and we'll pull the plug and your baby will be healed." I couldn't make that call. Yes, it would save my baby, but I couldn't sacrifice another. I quickly woke up in tears.

I then talked to my friend. Turns out that there was a heart available the weekend prior. But the heart was too large. The kicker? The donor was a baby who had just drowned. I was shattered when the reality hit that another baby had to die so that this baby could live.

But I was reminded of another baby who had to die so that others could live.

"Jesus replied, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.'" (John 12:23-24)

Another baby did die a little more than a week later. My friend's baby got a new heart. He's now home, healthy, happy and loved. But there is another home that is a little more empty right now. Yet I'm confident that it wasn't just this baby who got a new heart. I did too and I pray so did the family that is now one less.

Weight

2011-08-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

So what is weighing you down?

Blurbs

2011-08-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

Not enough time this morning for a full-blown post regrettably. But here are some other posts worth steering your attention towards.

Don't forget about this week's Blog Carnival, being hosted by my friend Peter Pollock. This week's topic is "fences". When I think fences, I think neighbors. And there's no worse neighbor than the one who hides behind his fence and doesn't interact with the rest of his neighborhood. That's me. If you participate in the carnival and I haven't commented on your post, that doesn't mean I haven't read it. I do most of my blog reading offline since I'm firewalled off from much in the blogosphere. I want to be a better neighbor, though. Just trying to figure out how in the schedule I have.

While I wrestle balancing career and ministry, needs of the day and passions for the future, a I related to a couple other bloggers recently. Johnathan Keck asks if we are destined to specific careers while Jay Cookingham considers a slight change of course to his writing passion.

This blog started off with more of a mix of politics in with our discussion of civil religion but I've drifted away from that lately. But both Carl Jones and Get Religion have write ups on the late Senator, Mark Hatfield, and how he bucked the trend of most Conservative Christians which made him hard to label.

Finally a post I should print out and frame because it hits on so much that I struggle over, Don Edelen has a terrific post on the visibly increasing divisions within American Christianity (TM). If you click on no other link above, I encourage you to click on this one.

All for now. Hopefully I can get more time to hash out some more thoughts later.

Do you need a fence?

2011-08-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

Good fences make good neighbors -Robert Frost

When Peter first mentioned this week's Blog Carnival topic, fences, several thoughts ran through my mind.

I thought of the fence where I grew up. How it was effective keeping the dogs in the yard, but as time went on due to lack of care or concern, the fence began to fall down. I though of how I tried to mend the fence when it really needed to be rebuilt.

I thought then of my current home where we don't have a fence so much as a block wall. I thought of how just the other day I was in the yard and noticed a spot where the wall was right by a sprinkler head and the masonry had begun to erode.

I thought of the fence my wife and I want to build in our front yard so we will be ~~without~~ with less worry our kids will run into the street while playing.

Then for some reason I thought of the book Who Moved My Church and the different approaches people took once their church was again "found". One locked all the doors to close out the world. Another opened the doors wide and embraced the world. Neither had its desired effect.

The last thought brought up the question what are fences for? Are they to keep the dogs and kids in the yard? Or, like Frost alludes to above, are they to keep others out? Don't they do both? So fences are really about safety and security. Keeping what you want in, while keeping what you don't out.

So I think again of the church. In some ways the church could be criticized for building fences, even walls, to keep out the poor, the wretched, the sinners outside. So some churches over-correct and tear down the fences and accept any and all. But then where is the safety and security provided by the fence?

It would be easy to say our churches need to tear down the fences and walls that divide. It would be an obvious temptation to allow anyone and everyone in for the sake of Christ. But is that the right attitude?

“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:1-10)

But we need to see that it's not us who are to break down the fences or open wide the gates, but Jesus himself. Anyone who comes in any other way, as Jesus describes, is a thief or a robber.

That still sounds like opening wide the gate, letting everyone in, and let Jesus sort them out. But it's not. Because the gate is not wide.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

We want our churches to be "seeker friendly". We want them to be large and reach many. We want as many as possible to enter through the gate of Christ. But Jesus himself said that few will even find the gate. If few actually find and enter through the gate, then aren't most of the rest that come in in the name of acceptance or tolerance thieves and robbers based on the first parable?

Fences are built for safety and security. The Kingdom of God is surrounded by a fence with only one way in. Don't tear down your fences so that more can come in. Because if you tear down the fence, you don't need the Gate.

Today's post is part of a Blog Carnival hosted over at Peter Pollock's site. This week's word is "fences". Please check out the many other well-written, thought-provoking posts.

Amazing Grace

2011-08-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

One of the most familiar hymns there is is Amazing Grace by John Newton. So recognizable, it can be identified just by its first two notes. I'll let Wintley Phipps give the background below. I think the circumstances under which it was written adds to its spiritual impact. But it is the theme- God's grace versus our wretchedness, that is eternal and so relatable.

Interestingly, though Phipps gives the background of the song, he sings as the second verse an addition to the original song written approximately 100 years after the original. The original verse was a little too bleak for "modern" hearers (or lukewarm Christianity, take your pick). But this verse was added back in by Chris Tomlin for the soundtrack to the film "Amazing Grace".

I started doing some research on "Amazing Grace," and I was blown away that the last verse ("When we've been there 10,000 years bright shining as the sun") was written about 100 years later. The original verse by John Newton was "The earth shall soon dissolve like snow," this incredible verse that I'd never seen in a hymn book. I started thinking about where John Newton came from, the slave ships, and what God had done in his life. We're all made slaves to sin in our life, but God has set us free. He has ransomed us from our slavery. I just wanted to add this idea that I hope brings freshness to the heart of the song. -Chris Tomlin

As he mentions, he was hesitant to mess with the arrangement but it has been done numerous times before. Here's a recent version by Todd Agnew:

The simple song structure also allows it to be sung as a round (remember elementary school with Row Row Row Your Boat when a group starts to sing halfway in) as well as be easily integrated into other songs. I couldn't find an example of this being sung in a round, but you can get the idea from these kids (Amazing Grace shows up in the second verse).

It is also commonly integrated into contemporary songs. Two groups recently, Wakeup Starlight and Building 429, have used Amazing Grace as a bridge in their songs.

So what's your favorite version of Amazing Grace? Do you prefer the traditional or do you like contemporary arrangements? Is it best sung to an organ or a capella?

Mosaic

2011-08-02T05:25:00.000-07:00

The second chapter of Unleashed, titled Kaleidoscope by Daryl Reed, discusses the need for racial diversity in our churches. That's something I've always admired in our family of churches. The most common reaction from visitors is surprise at the diversity of our congregation. I don't say that to boast, only to point out that our racial diversity gives us diversity in cultural perspective. For example my wife just learned some cultural norms regarding Latin families that helped explain an issue that came up in a Bible study. What is interesting is how some of our cultural habits affect not only our relationships but also our relationship with God. For some of us, it's a pressure that we have to be perfect. For others, it is patriarchal roles we feel we need to fulfill. Yet the diversity in our churches, when put together in unity in Christ, overcomes these traditions to create a beautiful mosaic.

The same is also true in denominational diversity. "Non-denominational" is a popular evangelical marketing term that only means you're not a part of a larger governing body over your church, but it says nothing about your doctrine or your historical tradition. True non-denominationalism is when the only thing that unifies is not doctrinal agreement, but the single standard of the Word of God. This diversity was evident in another Bible study my wife and I were having. Looking around the room, and talking about our religious backgrounds, it became clear that every one of us came from a different brand of "Christianity". But we were able to put aside our personal traditions when faced with the truths found in Scripture. The study was filled with, "I used to believe ____ but then I studied it out for myself and found that ___." Just as the multicolored mosaic creates a beautiful picture of unity in Christ, so does the mosaic formed by our unique religious traditions.

Daryl Reed notes that racial diversity is necessary in our churches for the sake of reflecting those to whom we are called to spread the Gospel ("every nation" or ethne in the Great Commission) and to reflect the unity Christ compels us to that overcomes any racial barrier. The same holds true for our doctrine. Carl Medearis makes this point in a recent CNN belief blog article. His point is that our evangelism should not be focused on converting to a specific doctrine, but rather to lead others to Jesus. It is in Him alone that we are saved into a single, unified body. This is not ecumenism or inter-denominationalism, for those do not create unity within walls but rather sweeps issues under the rug as "non-essentials". Instead, this is taking our experiences as a whole and examining them through the lens of the Bible and the example of Christ's own life.

If our churches can overcome racial divisions in the name of Jesus then we can unite under the banner of Christ alone.

"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:3-6)

Prison

2011-07-28T03:02:00.000-07:00

Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the plans of the Most High.
So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help. (Psalm 107:10-12)

Last night, Dr. Drew Pinsky was talking about the death of Amy Winehouse on Headline News. When I tuned in, he was talking with his guests (three recovering addicts and a clinical psychologist) about how addicts become imprisoned by their lies. They lie to cover up their use. They lie to manipulate their friends and family. They lie to continue to cover up all the other lies. The road to recovery requires brutal, complete honesty.

Sunday my recovery group had the pleasure of welcoming a brother from sister church where he leads their recovery ministry. Our meetings are safe havens, so I'm not going to spill the details of his life. But he wouldn't care if I did. Honesty is required for recovery, but we treat the truth as very valuable. Yet his attitude is that the truth is what God has done in his life. And that, he will shout from the rooftops. But I'll leave that for him.

One thing I will share that stuck with me, was his description of his stint in prison. He described how it was easier to be a Christian and recovering addict in prison than it is to be faithful and sober out in the world. That makes sense. In prison, the environment is strictly controlled. You are surrounded by sin, but you can choose to lock yourself away and avoid what you can. But the world is uncontrolled and unpredictable. Sin is plentiful and freely available. So in order to stay strong in the world, you need to be honest with yourself- your weaknesses, your temptations, your struggles. You cannot think you can overcome the temptations of the world on your own.

Honesty. It not only frees you from the prison we build ourselves with our lies, but it also strengthens us for the daily struggles we face. As addicts we need to be honest with ourselves, our partners in the fight, and our God who knows our inmost thoughts and grants us the grace of sobriety. Without such honesty, we might as well lock ourselves up in chains.

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
and broke away their chains.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron. (vs 13-16)

Ashamed

2011-07-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

Y Cru, brute'?

Almost exactly one year ago, the Young Men's Christian Association, aka the YMCA, changed its name to simply "the Y". Of course, the Y has been common slang for some time. YMCA justified the change noting that no one knew what YMCA even stood for anymore as well as to fight the stereotype encouraged by the Village People's song "YMCA". And it could be argued that few associate the Y with any Christian Mission anyways.

History repeated itself when Campus Crusade for Christ changed its name to "Cru", a nickname that has been common for some time, much like the Y. And just like the YMCA, Campus Crusade was fighting the negative connotations of "crusade" (hearkening more familiarity with the Christian versus Molsem wars centuries ago than Billy Graham's Crusades (or Greg Laurie's Harvest Crusade, for example)). I agree with the point that "Campus" over simplifies their mission. But to say they want to move away from "crusade" by just reducing it to short-hand? I don't buy it.

Actually I didn't buy this story at all. When I first heard it I went straight to Snopes. I mean, the change came almost exactly a year to the day after the YMCA name-change. And for me, not involved with "Cru" in any way shape or form, the full name was always shortened to just Campus Crusade. Now I don't know what to call it.

They also mention that the name "Christ" gets in the way of their mission. I can see the argument that you don't jump right into conversation with "I'm a Christian and I'm here to convert you. Here are the four spiritual laws so that you can receive Jesus as your own personal savior. Oh, by the way, my name is Frank." But c'mon, you're a CHRISTIAN EVANGELISM MINISTRY!!! Maybe your name should reflect it. If you want to be a hip night club, then admit it. If your name gives a specific first impression, maybe there's a reason. And maybe that's a good thing.

Blackwater changed its name to Xe to try and overcome bad press. My mom's retirement home changed its name from Classic Residence to Vi to separate it from its parent company, Hyatt. So I'm convinced. Vi was bought out by Xe who operates youth rec centers by the name of Y and a ministry called Cru. It's a conspiracy. Or a word scramble. CruYViXe. Oh I get it, "crucifix". Campus Crusade is really a Catholic organization! That makes more sense than any reason they give.

"Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." (Luke 9:26)

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me." (Matthew 15:18-21, emphasis added)

Foolishness

2011-07-25T06:05:00.000-07:00

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)

This isn't some self-righteous criticism. I actually really like both of these songs. But you see the truth in the verse above if you browse through the comments on these videos.

First up, A Perfect Circle's "Judith". The song is about Maynard James Keenan's mother, Judith, who suffered a stroke when he was 7 and was confined to a wheelchair the rest of her life. Yet, she remained steadfast in her faith. A sampling of the lyrics:

It's not like you killed someone
It's not like you drove a hateful spear into his side
Praise the one who left you broken down and paralyzed
He did it all for you...

Oh so many ways for me to show you how your dogma has abandoned you

Next is the Deftones' "Change (House of Flies)". This one is interesting. The video is pretty debaucherous which leads many in the comments section to think it's about addiction or sex. I don't think there's any hidden meaning at all when the lyrics explicitly call out the cross:

I look at the cross
And I look away

The way this song hits me is as someone who is jealous seeing the change in someone after their decision to follow Christ. In my recovery ministry I've seen this first hand, where there's an attitude of "oh, so you're too good for us now?" It's part of the victim, savior, persecutor cycle. "I've watched you change, like you never..."

The message of the cross is foolishness.

Hallelujah

2011-07-18T06:02:00.000-07:00

Consider this a "praise-off", Amy Grant versus Casting Crowns. Better Than a Hallelujah versus Praise You [Hallelujah] In This Storm. Both songs speak to the same point but approach it from different sides. We should be crying out to God in our distress (for a Bible reference, pick a Psalm, pick any Psalm) but even then, we should be praising our God for His sovereignty, His wisdom, His will.

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7)

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)

"Is anyone of you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise." (James 5:13)

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." (Romans 12:15)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Remember that Amen means 'so be it'.

And from the songs:

"We pour out our miseries, God just hears a melody.
Beautiful the mess we are, the honest cries of broken hearts.
Are better than a hallelujah."

"Every tear I cry, you hold in your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn,
I will praise you in this storm"

Media Fast

2011-07-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to post as much as I would've like this week and worse, I haven't been around the blogosphere to check out all my favorites. Perfect timing for my small group to go on a two-day media fast. I'll be back Friday...

Public Christianity QOTD

2011-07-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

"My view of ministry in the church has been simply to preach the Gospel, serve the Kingdom of God, lift up Jesus and see the world come to him. But in the process of building our church and striving to be a light in the community, I realized one day that we had been conducting ministry primarily inside our four walls. Sure, we ventured out from time to time for service projects such as food drives for the homeless, clothing collections for the needy, blankets for the elderly, and backpacks for school children - which are all worthy causes. But while I continued to pastor and minister in a typical fashion, I had come to see that the world was changing around us. The tide was turning. I started to feel more and more every day as though I was being deluged by a cultural tsunami...as though we, the church, were losing the battle of the church influencing the world for Christ vs. the world influencing the church." Dudley Rutherford, Unleashed.

Unleashed

2011-07-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

(scroll down for updates...)

So my wife wanted me to check out Francis Chan's new book. I crazy loved Crazy Love, so I was interested to see what he was writing next, following his exploits online after he stepped down from pastoring Cornerstone Church. My wife was referring to his response to Rob Bell's Love Wins, titled Erasing Hell, but instead my Amazon search yielded Unleashed: The Church Turning the World Upside Down. (random linky observation: christianbook.com doesn't carry Love Wins) This was a win-win. I was already studying the book of Acts with an expository book and a couple of commentaries and this would tie in perfectly. I also knew that he would be speaking at this year's North American Christian Convention so I checked that out too and what do you know, the theme of the conference is Unleashed!

Of course this isn't coincidence. The NACC president, Dudley Rutherford, compiled the book with the full intention of it being this year's theme. I said this was a win-win not only because the book fits in with what I was already studying, but the NACC is a convention of Restoration Movement churches, of which my family of churches is a part (though not a participant in NACC (I take that back, turns out Daryl Reed is part of my family of churches, woohoo you go Daryl!)), so I was going to follow this convention anyway.

The extra neat part is that the NACC will be streaming their lessons live and on a three hour delay for us West Coast-ers. Now I apologize because I thought this was kicking off tomorrow, but is instead it starts tonight. You missed it live, but you can catch it at 7:00 pacific here: http://2011.gotonacc.org/program/video-streaming/

Unfortunately, my book hasn't arrived yet from Amazon, but I expect it tomorrow so I shouldn't fall too far behind. I don't know if I'll be able to blog real-time (or time zone delayed anyway) updates, but I do want to post some of these lessons from Acts. So we'll see. At least you'll get a recap once the convention has concluded and I've had a chance to get into the book.

******

7/6 6:00 am Ok, I'm just going to add updates here instead of writing new posts. I tried the live stream last night and it worked great during the worship leading into the opening session, but once Dudley Rutherford started speaking it froze a lot. So I'm going to recap what I read others found notable:

Interesting bit of history that the early Restoration Movement included African Americans but encouraged them to have their own congregations. Maybe wise at the time, but it perpetuated a trend of segregation on Sunday mornings that we still see today. I am grateful that my family of churches is very diverse, and in some ways intentionally so. "For there is no Jew, no Greek..." Rutherford made the call to be intentional in diversity.

He also noted how the early Church in Acts was "radical" in its culture. Of course this theme isn't new with best selling books of the same name. Even the call to our churches to be radical forces of change in our culture isn't new. But I do think it is the Holy Spirit that is leading so many churches/denominations/authors/etc to the same conclusion. Yes, our church needs to be radical. Yes our church needs to turn the world upside down for Christ. Let's see if the next few days teaches and guides us how.

Next stream starts in about a half-hour on the East Coast. That's right when my carpool shows up, so I'll try the West Coast feed from work (shhh, don't tell anyone). If it doesn't work, I'll follow the discussion on Twitter and Facebook. Oh, I didn't mention that this is one really cool feature of the stream: you can check out what other people are saying in real-time. Now this isn't new, ESPN, U-stream, and others all have live chats, but I haven't seen the capability to link in to active social media like this. So while I couldn't catch most of Pastor Rutherford's talk, I did see comments to keep me updated. If you can't access the stream you can follow on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/gotonacc and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#search?q=gotonacc

Check back later for more updates.

******

7/6 6:20 pm Sadly streaming was blocked by my work's firewall so I wasn't able to listen to today's speakers Daryl Reed, Greg Nettle, and Miles McPherson. But here are some tweets to reflect some of the content:

@CooperTim Christology must drive Missiology which must drive Ecclesiology

@lkmeding let's not let restoration/reformation/luther/calvin/stone-campbell divide us. we need to carry Christ, not our movement.

@sethadamthomas How do you help your church thrive? "Kick them [members] out [into the community]!" -Miles McPherson

@macblountman "I love the Restoration Movement."; Daryl Reed. Amen and amen!

@westbrook_RobD @MikeBreaux, the disciples could have never imagined what would happen in just three years!!!

@westbrook_RobD #gotonacc #NACC... @MikeBreaux, Jesus call to "follow me" prohibited the disciples from NOT telling everyone about Him...

@BenCachiaras You don't want to look back on your life and wonder what would have happened if you really followed Jesus.

@mbj8448 "Following Jesus isn't always easy but it's never complicated. Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly (Micah 6:8)." -Mike Breaux

Makes me regret I can't watch and listen to the stream tonight as I'll be at my own midweek service. But I got the book today!!! So I'll just have to read these chapters.

More updates later...

******

7/8 6:12 am I finally was able to catch one of the main speaker's streams last night!!! Really enjoyed and challenged by Jeff Vines' sermon titled "Hazardous". Some highlights:

It's ironic that I was online watching a stream of his sermon, tweeting about it, and now blogging about it when he threw out these lines: (while in Africa) "I didn't have my iPhone, my iPad, or my iPod so I prayed, I studied, I fellowshiped." and "We spend more time on Facebook than we do with our faces in the Book!" Hmmm, challenges me to a lifestyle change and an honest look at how I spend my time.

When he related how he learned more from the pastors he was there to teach and encourage and he felt convicted by their joy and perseverance, it reminded me of a story told by an evangelist who had recently returned from his native Ivory Coast. The recent uprising isn't something new, only most recent, and these disciples were in similar risk then as there was much turmoil out in the Ivory Coast. At the same time, our fellowship of churches were going through our own shakeup in the church. This evangelist was inspired by either of these affecting their faith and perseverance. Their church was growing. They were united (warring clans and different races, mind you!). They loved God. When the evangelist asked how they were able to do it, one of the local disciples answered, "we're only doing what we read in the Bible. Nothing else matters."

Finally, Jeff told the story of how he visits Rwanda and ministers to prisons there. One recent trip his translator took him to one of the high-level prisons which held not just participants in the genocide, but those who had ordered it to carried out. After receiving instruction after instruction on where to go, what to say, what areas to avoid, and so on, Jeff stopped and asked, "wait, are we in danger?" to which is translator answered, "does it matter?" It doesn't get simpler than that. Spreading the Gospel can be hard, it can be dangerous, it can be awkward, but in the end "does it matter?" The only thing that matters is Christ crucified and sharing that with the world. Our worries, our fears, our insecurities don't matter.

Also during the day, the conference was picketed by Westboro Baptist. I'm not really sure why, other than that they starve for attention. But it made for some funny tweets during the day.

And I regret missing the breakfast talk with @ScottWilliams whom I greatly respect. It wasn't streamed anyway, but I wish I could've been there. Hope he's getting something out of being there this week too.

I have some tweets to copy/paste, but I'll do that later (still buggy trying to import from Twitter and I still need to fix the links above).

Up next... Francis Chan in just a few minutes.

******

7/8 8:28 pm So I intentionally went in late to work this morning to watch Francis Chan, got swamped at work, been busy tonight, and am just now getting back online to update some thoughts. Let me begin by admitting my love for Francis Chan. My wife always seems to find his best sermons online and "makes" me watch them. He always encourages me with his humor, challenges me with his convictions, and humbles with his awe for the Almighty God. This morning was no different. Though the gist of the lesson was nothing new, reflecting on the life of King Asa from 2 Chronicles 14-16 was a good twist. Francis' statement, "I don't want to go out like that" after reflecting on how he used to be so "fired up" when he was young yet stopped relying on God as he grew older really hit home. I think we can all relate to that. And none of us want to go out like that- dying because of some foot disease because we were too prideful.

But what I will probably remember most from his lesson was his story of shooting a balloon held in the teeth of some kid with a BB gun. Reminds me of the story of the high-wire unicycle rider. He asks if anyone can believe he could cross a high wire between two skyscrapers on his unicycle. After everyone sees him do it he asks if anyone believes he can do it blindfolded. He does that with ease and then asks if they believe he can do it blindfolded pushing a wheelbarrow. After he does that he asks who believes he can do it again. Of course every hand goes up. So he asks, "so who wants to get in?" That is faith. Not just talk, but action. And not just action, but giving up all control.

So faith isn't just talk, but is followed up with action. As we grow older we need to continue to rely on God as we did in our naive youth. But the overall point of Francis' brings this all home- it's not about you or me. God is going to do what God is going to do with or without us. We just have to get out of his way and then get on board. The lesson was called "kinetic" so that train isn't going to slow down. It's not going to stop. God's Kingdom cannot be stopped! (and the church says Amen!)

Sadly I wasn't able to stick around for Jeff Walling but I heard he knocked it out of the park too. I'll be back tomorrow morning for some final thoughts, and some other of my favorite tweets.

*******

7/9 8:51 am Last thoughts after the NACC. I didn't attend, so this is completely an outside-observer point of view. The streaming was a great feature and I liked how they allowed a three hour "tape delay" for those of us on the West Coast. It was buggy at times between being choppy or the sound cutting out, but those issues worked themselves out. Now, given that this was streamed "all over the world" which was pointed out on the last day, they need to consider the audience on their computers as well as the audience in the seats. One case in point is worship. A lot of the worship I saw was more performance-oriented than corporate worship. Now I'm opening a can of worms because the NACC is the "instrumental" break from the conservative Churches of Christ, but a capella wouldn't have been better in my opinion. The problem was, on the computer screen there was no sense of being part of a greater worship. The sound was keyed on the main singers and the cameras were fixed on them. Occasionally you'd see the children's choir singing backup, but that was it. Mix the sound better, show more of the audience, and make the viewer feel a part of the worship. Honestly, I'd walk away and do something else when they would be singing because I just couldn't get into it. Maybe that's just a consequence of viewing it remotely and there's nothing really you could do, but I found it ironic that the worship was ho-hum when worship is such a divider in our family of churches.

My second nit to pick is when the did show the audience. Maybe it was the demographics, but most of the people I saw were old and white. This has been a problem in the Churches of Christ/Independent Christian Churches for decades. I appreciate the younger corps of speakers trying to make NACC "hip" but the audience didn't appear to reflect it. This will be a problem if we can't get our present generation and the upcoming generation (Busters and Mosaics depending on your terminology) engaged with the Gospel. In the book Unleashed, Dudley Rutherford points out that in 1990 there were 300 churches of Christ in California but in 2000 that number had dropped to 200. I'm afraid of what that number might be for 2010. No group of hip speakers, best-selling authors, multicultural preachers, and returning missionaries can save this movement if the Gospel does not catch on to the younger generations. This is a well-documented concern, but something the NACC needs to take head-on.

Anyway, enough pontificating. Here are some more of my favorite tweets. Oh, here is another observation. The large fad conferences like Catalyst, Acts 29, or even Orange Leader have hundreds of people tweeting during the conference. I like how the streaming engaged social media, but I didn't see it in the participants. I figure two to three dozen people were tweeting from this conference. Ok, off the soapbox.

@EricStangland We're in trouble if the sacrifice of Christ stops being our inspiration...phil allen @spiritchild

@BenCachiaras "An open heart cannot maintain a closed hand." Warren Wiersbe. @DaveStone920 encourages lavish generosity

@davehamlin Some have replaced the cross w/the flag. They both represent freedom but only one is eternal! - Phil Allen

@kirkbolen I have never been more proud of our movement than this morning when westboro showed up to protest our convention

@MelissaSandel Preaching @gotonacc was as strong as I've heard here. Experiencing God's Word communicated in fresh ways fires me up!

@preachblake headed home after a great week at the @gotonacc great preaching, and awesome connections made...now time to live it out

@gabejohnsonlive "Comfort and Christ start with the same letter, but don't end at the same place." -Jeff Walling

@jeffpartain "Who you are is not what you have done, but what you do next." - Jeff Walling (@preacherwalling)

@tomcooperider Some of the greatest accomplishments in the Kingdom were done through people who didn't want to do them - Jeff Walling

I Am Free

2011-07-04T05:31:00.000-07:00

As we celebrate our freedom in the United States, let us also celebrate our freedom in the Kingdom of God.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17)

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

"Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves." (1 Peter 2:16)

Flashback Friday: Trip Planner

2011-07-01T07:13:00.000-07:00

***Originally posted July 20, 2010 as part of my Virtual Small Group on Summer. What are your summer plans? Last weekend my family kicked off the summer taking the kids to the aquarium. Now we're on our way to go camping (as soon as I can get packed!). Anyway, enjoy the long weekend!***

Last weekend my family decided to take a last-minute spontaneous road trip to the beach. One of my best friends growing up was in the neighborhood, i.e. the same state, camping on the beach and invited me to stop on by to say hi. How could I refuse? The problem however, was that I'm not good at acting spontaneously. I get wound up and stress out too easily when things aren't planned out in my head. These plans also conflicted with plans we already made, nor did it really fit in our budget, rocking the boat even more. But we persevered, hitting the road at 3:00 when we were shooting for 11:00. Despite saying several words I shouldn't have, and stressing out far more than necessary, it was completely worth it. It was the first time my son was brave enough to play in the ocean. Plus my friend has a son roughly the same age and they hit it off right away. As I posted on Facebook when I got home, I've never seen my son have so much fun.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

What's the most spontaneous thing you've ever done? (and are willing to share online)

As much fun as that was, however, I still prefer to have a plan. Normally when we road trip as a family and aim to leave at 11:00, we get out the door at around 1:00. That's even with a plan. In other words, I need to be a better planner.

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." (Proverbs 19:21)

Are you a good planner? What's your secret? (really, I need all the help I can get!)

Every long holiday weekend is filled with "news from AAA that more people are planning on hitting the road for vacation than last year..." combined with news about gas prices, drunk driving arrests, and of course lists of the most popular destinations. The same news can be heard throughout the summer. Kids are on vacation, the weather is great, and highways are... under construction.

You have to go into the summer with a plan. Where are you going? Which weekend? Will the family you plan on visiting actually be home then? Will you be back in time for so-and-so's wedding? Is there a baseball game in town while you're there (actually this is usually the first thing I check)?

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)

What are your priorities when planning your vacation?

Our spirituality should be no different. We need a plan. I mentioned yesterday how we need to plan out our spiritual work-out regimen. Too often we close a book not knowing what to read next or rely on flimsy verse-of-the-day calendars to guide our spiritual growth. And we wonder why we get stuck nursing on milk? Planning a whole season is an even greater challenge. What books to read? What topics to cover? What specific prayers to pray? It helps to enter into the season with a plan. You can't go on your road trip without a map.

"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." (Proverbs 21:5)

What are your spiritual plans for this summer?
If you don't have a plan, now is the time to build one. If you can't think of any plans, ask for input (Proverbs 20:18). Don't let this season pass without a measure of growth. Look back at your vacation photos with no regrets.

Every Nation

2011-06-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

I love maps. And I especially love old maps. I don't really know why, I've just always thought it was neat to look at old maps and see how the world has changed- borders move or whole countries disappear, old maps guessing what the western hemisphere looks like, and so on. When I became a Christian, these maps began to mean something more. I could look at a globe and see where the Gospel of Jesus needed to be spread. It wasn't long before I would use maps to help me pray for the global Church.

When my wife and I were first dating I shared this with her. She then took the time to make me a desktop map, listing out all of the countries in which my fellowship of churches either had church plants or missions work. Now that was a prayer aid! I still have that map on my desk at work. I often wonder what someone thinks when they look at China and see "Red Dragon 1" since the church there is underground.

This past Sunday, my church and a sister church we help support raised over $150,000 for missions work. (full disclosure: the entire sum, regrettably, does not go directly towards missions. I'm on our church's board and we're working on that) While I was encouraged to see us exceed our goal ($130k) I'm still left wanting to do more. I've talked about this before, but there is no denying the need to spread the Gospel to every people group on the globe. Even as borders change, the people are still there. Thinking "every nation" is too limited.

An interesting thing I recently learned: the only verb in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is not "go" but rather "make disciples". The tense in Greek literally translates "make disciples as you go" which is where we get our translation of "Go..." Keep that in mind as you listen to this lesson from David Platt from the Southern Baptist Convention two weeks ago. It is pretty much a rehash of Chapter 5 from his book Radical Together, but it's worth seeing with your own eyes and hearing in his own voice the passion he has for this subject. (he starts at the 8 minute mark)

Plan B

2011-06-27T05:40:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to picking up Pete Wilson's Plan B after following Kevin Martineau's book club a couple of months ago. I'm not sure where it ranks on the ever-growing book pile, but I hope to get to it soon.

In the meantime, I've wondered if Pete Wilson and Manafest have ever met. Or if that would be like matter and anti-matter coming into contact with each other? I think it would be funny if someone gives Manafest a copy of the book and says, "yes there is."

If you don't get the joke, Manafest sings a song called "No Plan B". Different context all together, but I can't help but think of the book whenever I hear the song and vice versa. I love the song, and I expect I'll love the book. For your Music Monday playlist, here's Manafest with the alternate-version of the song (ie, harder than you'll hear on most Christian radio). The "screamer" is from the Japanese band, Crossfaith.

Father of Mine

2011-06-20T05:43:00.000-07:00

In the Holman Christian Standard translation, "fatherless" appears 40 times. The first instance reflects God's passion, "You must not mistreat any widow or fatherless child." (Exodus 22:22) Elsewhere, we read that God is the defender of the fatherless, he executes justice for the fatherless, and so on.

From The Mentoring Project, they estimate 25 million children are growing up in fatherless homes. Children from fatherless homes are more likely to be involved in violent crime, more likely to join a gang, more likely to become addicted to drugs, more likely to drop out of school, and so on and so on. You could argue correlation does not mean causation, but the statistics are too strong and broad to ignore. If you don't think not having a father around affects our youth, check out the comments left yesterday, Father's Day, on the YouTube page for the above video.

But it doesn't have to be like this. God "defends the cause of the fatherless" (Deuteronomy 10:18). If we are after God's own heart, then we should also be defending the cause of the fatherless. Here are just a sampling of online resources, blogs, and friends who have taken up this cause. Some are focusing on the fatherless, others are strengthening the fathers who are present. My prayer is that together we can reflect God's heart and his character as the perfect Father. Not every father will be faithful, but God always will be. Perfect father of mine.

Proclamation

2011-06-16T06:19:00.000-07:00

(Thanks, Ivan, for the inspiration for this)

Last night at our midweek service it was pointed out how often the word "proclaim" shows up in the book of Acts. The point was made that sharing our faith is more than just inviting someone to church. So I thought it would be worthwhile to look at exactly what the earliest disciples were proclaiming. For this I'm using the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

But Peter stood up... and proclaimed to them... this Jesus is both Lord and Messiah. (Acts 2:14, 36)
...they were teaching the people and proclaiming in the person of Jesus. (4:2)
Every day... they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that the Messiah is Jesus. (5:42)
So those who were scattered went on their way proclaiming the message of good news. (8:4)
...Philip...proclaimed the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (8:12)
Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: "He is the Son of God." (9:20)
He sent the message to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all. (10:36)
But there were some of them... who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. (11:20)
...they proclaimed God's message in the Jewish synagogues... (13:5)
And we ourselves proclaim to you the good news of the promise that was made to our forefathers. (13:32)
Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you (13:38)
...we are proclaiming good news to you, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God... (14:15)
But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch teaching and proclaiming the message of the Lord. (15:35)
"These men are the slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." (16:17)
"This is the Messiah, Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you." (17:3)
...God's message had been proclaimed by Paul... (17:13)
...Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you... When they heard about the resurrection of the dead... (17:23,32)
...I did not shrink back from proclaiming to you anything that was profitable... (20:20)
...the Messiah...would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles. (26:23)
proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with full boldness and without hindrance. (28:31)

A couple things I find interesting here. One, how often proclaiming was accompanied with teaching. And two, how often what was being proclaimed was Jesus, period.

Evangelism doesn't have to be complicated. We only have to proclaim our savior, Jesus Christ. And we need to do so, as that last verse attests, with full boldness and without hindrance. It is good news. Share it.

The Whelming Flood

2011-06-15T06:45:00.000-07:00

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness...

His oath, His covenant, His blood

Support me in the whelming flood

-'The Solid Rock', Charlie Hall

Warning! Do not continue to read if you are not doctrinally and politically open-minded!

I was recently reading about another blogger's baptism and it got me thinking about my own. I remember friends standing out in the cold (I was baptized in February in a creek) praising God and embracing me. I remember my "good confession". And of course I remember the frigid water. I was raised religious, considered myself a "good person", and had many doubts about whether I even needed to do this. But as I stood in that cold water I was overcome by sense of peace and resolve. I knew I was going to be raised up from that water a new creation filled with the Holy Spirit. But I wasn't expecting what would happen while I was under the water.

Naturally at a time such as this, when so many eyes upon me taking such a momentous action, thoughts flooded my mind. Thoughts of family and friends, thoughts of sins encouraged and sins rejected, thoughts of what may happen next. And as I was dunked under the water all those thoughts rushed through my mind, much like my life flashing before my eyes. I've heard similar accounts from others after their baptisms, some more vivid than others. But each experienced some kind of "life flashing before your eyes" in a very spiritual while also very real sense.

Ok, so maybe you're uncomfortable with my putting so much spiritual weight on a "sacrament". I'm not going to get into any doctrinal or theological debates on this subject right now, but I want you to be in the same frame of mind I was in.

I was encouraged by these thoughts, and they continued through the day. I even had the above song (or at least the quoted verse) playing over and over through my head. Until lunch when I read an article that included the video below. Now here's your warning. The subject of the article? Waterboarding.

Ok, maybe I'm a little crazy relating baptism to waterboarding. But like I said, this was my frame of mind. So as I watched the following video I was thinking about what must have been going through his mind. As I was immersed under water, unable to breathe, spiritually sacrificing my life, the above thoughts and feelings flooded over me. Imagine having a towel placed over your head and water poured over you. But instead of peace, you feel panic, instead of your spiritual life flashing before your eyes, your physical life passes before your eyes in the very real sense that this may be the end. In both cases, it is the end of your life as you've come to know it.

Christopher Hitchens brings up a good point in this interview- if you have some "intelligence" to share, you feel a sense of overwhelming betrayal, and if you don't, you have no hope because there would be no end to the flood. So I wondered how a Christian, at peace with his or her convictions and looking forward to a home that is not of this world, would react to waterboarding (remember, Hitchens is an atheist). But at the same time, wouldn't a Muslim feel much the same way? It's not as if their convictions are weaker. And while they don't practice baptism in the Christian sense, they do practice ceremonial washing (much like in the Jewish faith on which baptism is derived) called Ghusl.

I guess my point is, the feelings of drowning and claustrophobia induced by waterboarding may remind one of baptism or Ghusl, but it does not end. You are not brought back up. Peace is replaced by panic. Yet, does a "true believer" respond differently than a non-believer? If you have no hope going in, I would expect the feeling of hopelessness. But what about Christian martyrs who suffered joyfully under all sorts of torture? Should we expect any different from a Muslim who is firm in their faith? It just seems to me, in hindsight after watching this video, that this method of torture wasn't well thought out. But that's just me.

I want to add that I've been blissfully ignorant about all of this. Yeah, I'd hear about this on the news and see it dramatized in movies, but I've never given it a second thought. This video was made two years ago. I saw it yesterday.

Save Your Life

2011-06-13T06:03:00.000-07:00

So a couple of weeks ago, I played "All In" by Lifehouse to kick off my small group's study of Chip Ingram's Living on the Edge. Well, our study slipped a few weeks, but we're picking it back up tonight. Not much more to add to that post other than another song to make the point. As I mentioned in "All In", the idea of total surrender to Christ seems foreign in mainstream Christianity. This song is still growing on me, but there's a lyric that keeps jumping out and grabbing me: "If you surrender, you will live... It's gonna save your life".

Here's "Save Your Life" by Newsboys.

Flashback Friday: Origins

2011-06-10T06:12:00.000-07:00

To make up for not being online hardly at all this week, I'm offering a two-for-one special: a Flashback to my very first post plus a little more about me.

Believe it or not, this blog started as a chain email. You know the kind: "the world is going to hell in a hand basket so forward to 100 people or you don't love Jesus!" Honestly, I was tired of getting those. The straw that broke the camel's back (or caused my inbox to exceed its limit) was one I had received a dozen times already about not praying at school being the reason our country is in the state it's in.

I thought about that for a moment. Is the lack of prayer in schools the problem with our country, or is the problem the hundreds or thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of so-called Christians who think their religious duty is limited to showing up on Sunday (when there's not a game on or the kids don't have a soccer tournament) and forwarding religiously-themed emails? I was amazed that I had received this very same email so many times from so many different people.

So I wrote my own, complete with "forward this or make baby Jesus cry!" I wrote about how is it that 85% of Americans call themselves Christians yet... divorce rate is greater than 50%, more people are in prison per-capita than any other industrialized nation, x-number of abortions a year (I should know that number off the top of my head, does that make me a bad Christian?), more children are born into homes with a single parent than are born to two-parent homes (recent stat, but seriously???), and on and on.

I was curious if I'd ever see that email forwarded back to me. Honestly I doubt anyone I sent it to forwarded it on. Too much fire and brimstone. But it got me thinking how the internet could be used as a ministry tool and how individuals were empowered to voice their message to the faceless crowd. I thought a lot too about what kind of message that should be. I had just started following a couple of blogs and saw the community created around the shared convictions and open discussion. Maybe there was something to this. So what's the message?

I realized, looking around at the Christian-consumer landscape, that generally Christians have isolated themselves on social islands. They like what the Christian marketplace tells them to like (Fireproof!) and vote for who they are told to vote (Palin!). Now that's a broad-brush and not really fair, but that's how I felt at the time. Add to that the divisions between churches (I'm right, you're wrong and going to hell for it!) creating other islands in this ocean of culture, and I choose to write about that. Current events. Politics. Even throw some Bible in there. Of course, it's evolved since then, but here I am almost five years later still shaking my head at what I see out there (while thankfully spending more time concerned about what's going on in here, plank in my eye and all).

Something else, since it keeps getting asked, here's the story behind "fatha frank". I was raised Catholic, for one, and was almost guilted into going into the priesthood. When I was baptized in a campus ministry, I was in grad school, making me one of the oldest students in that ministry (older than our campus minister, in fact). Between those two I got dubbed "Father Frank" by a few friends. When I set up my accounts and online identity, I wanted to keep the name, but I didn't want strangers (since I was going to post openly to anyone on my blog) to think I was an actual priest, so I changed it. In fact, a friend and I came up with it at the wedding reception of another friend of ours. So blame him.

So now you know a little more about me, tell me something I don't know about you.

And for entertainment purposes only, here is my very first post:

What the World Needs Now

Is another religion/politics blog, like I need a hole in my head! (sung to Cracker's, "What the World Needs Now" [ed note: actually the song is called "Teen Angst") So why me? Why this blog? And if you're here because of a blog search, I'm sorry! There's not much content yet, but I'm working on it.

A couple of years ago the world was introduced to a new term, "values voters," a segment of the population that (gasp!) voted their conscience. It didn't take long before this "new" segment of Americans became commercial, worldly, co-opted by special interests, and the new pop-culture buzzword. Since the '04 election some ministers have become politicians, ministries have become special interests, and being a Christian became more about how you vote than how you live. Now we're on the dawn of mid-terms, and both sides are fighting to capture the value vote.

So what makes me different? After all, aren't I buying into the system by becoming yet another religious/political blog? That's exactly why I'm doing this. To be different. While I'm not ashamed of this being political, I want the dialogue (or would a blog be more of a monologue?) to be more deep and broad than, "W sux!" or, "W rox!" I also want this to be more than just politics, but also how religion ties into pop-culture and what we can learn from what's going on in the world.

The links to the right are a work in progress. So far "resources" are related to the topics I post about, while "blogs" are brothers in Christ whom I respect that post on their convictions and their life. You might notice some of the links look like they don't belong (ACLU????). But I'll talk about that next time. So please come back!

Sing!

2011-06-06T05:50:00.000-07:00

I get a kick out of the song "Music" my Manic Drive. But every time I'd hear it, it would remind me of another song. And it was killing me because I couldn't figure out which. Then I heard "Sing" by My Chemical Romance and the light went on. Two songs that musically have nothing in common, but I think share a common theme.

There's a verse in NEEDTOBREATHE's "Garden" that I think is appropriate to these two songs:

Let the songs I sing, bring a joy to you

Let the words I say, confess my love

Let the notes I choose, be your favorite tune

And Father, let my heart be after you

So for fun, enjoy these two songs to kick off your week.

I pray your life is a song, sing it loud.

Flashback Friday: Flight of the Navigator

2011-06-03T05:56:00.000-07:00

***Originally posted June 10, 2009 after Air France flight 447 crashed into the ocean on its way from Rio to Paris. Reposted as the second black box was found and details begin to emerge. The most chilling detail so far: the plane stalled and literally fell out of the sky in 4 minutes before crashing. 4 minutes. That's a long time to think about your fate.***

"Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of carelessness, incapacity, or neglect. " -Anonymous

I first read the above quote in one of the many articles I've read on the Air France disaster. Sadly, this event reminds us just how unforgiving flying can be. Yesterday, airlines replaced the speed sensors suspected to have been the cause of the accident even though the "black box" hasn't been found and there's limited information from data sent from the plane prior to its crash. These are experts in aviation however, who have reached this conclusion. So I trust they know what they're talking about.

And I can understand, even relate. Imagine you're the pilot of this plane: you're flying over the ocean, you can't see any landmarks and you're surrounded by blue, above and below. Your sensors then give you conflicting readings of your speed. You're cruising, not climbing, so you don't have a physical sense of how fast you really are going. There's nothing on the ground or on the horizon to relate your speed with. You have no choice but to trust your instruments.

This had to have been extremely difficult for the pilot. I was once handed the controls of a plane and had the pleasure of experiencing aviation beyond the textbook. We were approaching a mountain peak when the guy I was with told me to climb to a certain altitude. I thought the peak was a long ways off, but sure enough, by the time I reached that altitude I could tell the peak was right there. It's very difficult to judge distance, and therefore speed, from the air.

"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men." -Martin Luther King

Spiritually, it's also very difficult to judge not only how fast we're going but also where we're going. How do we know we're doing alright with our relationship with God? How do we know we're making the right decision when given choices? How do we know we're honoring God when we seize opportunities and not honoring ourselves? We can't trust our own instruments. If we do, we're likely to crash. "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jer 17:9)

Thank God we don't have to rely on our own navigation. He gives us a guide, a navigator. "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" (Is 30:21) We can trust the Holy Spirit when our instruments fail. I pray that as many as possible on that flight had a navigator they could trust.

Words Matter

2011-06-01T05:55:00.000-07:00

A weekend ago I attended the 6th Antelope Valley Christian Writers' Conference. It was my third time attending, and I continue to be challenged and encouraged in my writing endeavors. A theme this time that seemed to be consistent to many of the invited faculty was the priority of Jesus in our lives. Writing as a calling is a challenge, especially if you have another occupation, have family to care for, and/or are otherwise easily distractable. Where do you find time for Jesus in the midst of overcoming writer's block, doing research, and submitting queries and proposals?

The keynote the first night called our attention to the "writer's chapter" in Matthew. Matthew 23 to be exact. You are most likely familiar with this passage as the "woe to you!" rebuke from Jesus. But look closely to whom Jesus is rebuking: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees..." (verses 13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29 in the New King James, emphasis added) The charge against these scribes, aka the writers of their day, was hypocrisy- writing one thing but living another. As a blogger and writer-to-be I have to take this seriously. Do the words I type on the screen match the life I'm actually living?

The guard against this, of course, is Jesus. So he continues in verse 34, "Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city..." Ok, maybe the last part isn't encouraging. But what is encouraging is that Jesus sends prophets, wise men (and women!) and writers into the world to spread His message. And in order for writers to be sent from Jesus, they need to start with Jesus.

So I ask myself, "how often do I pray about the blog I have yet to write? How often do I seek spiritual counsel about the topics I'm discussing? Am I writing this for my own vainglory or the Glory of God? Am I trying to become famous, credible, have a large following? Do I spend more time 'social networking' than in personal Bible study?" and on and on. Naturally, I don't like the answer to many of these questions.

My words matter. So I need to be firmly rooted in Jesus and His Word. I need to be about Him, not me. I need to take seriously the truth that the words I type have spiritual consequences. I need to take seriously the warning from James: "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." (v 3:1) And as an author I have to recognize the ultimate Author in "Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith..." (Hebrews 12:2)

Putting Your Money Where Your Faith Is

2011-05-31T05:55:00.000-07:00

A quick update to this post: Jim Tressel resigned over the weekend as the scandal at Ohio State seems to get deeper and deeper. As we learned from the Reggie Bush sanctions against USC (which were just upheld on appeal) the school will get hit while the coach gets off scott-free. Meanwhile, Cam Newton and his laptop were picked first in the NFL Draft, so he should make enough money to pay for his dad's church to get up to code.

So in this cesspool of college athletics and religion I keep waiting for the next shoe to drop. Mark Richt, evangelical celebrity and University of Georgia football coach, just put his two-million dollar home up for sale. A home he bought just a couple of years ago. A sign of trouble ahead? To quote Lee Corso, not so fast my friend! (man, I can't wait for college football season to start back up)

After rampant internet speculation of Richt being in danger of losing his job, Georgia being under investigation, or some other malfeasance, the coach came out and stated that he is selling his home because of a book. The coach was convicted by The Hole in Our Gospel by World Vision president, Richard Stearns, who writes that 40% of the world's population lives on $2 or less a day and 15% live on $1 or less. Meanwhile those in the United States live on an average of $105 a day. In that backdrop, this coach who has made more than $25 million since joining UGA choose to sell his home.

It is exciting to see someone actually put their money (literally) where their faith is. Like Francis Chan, who also was convicted by Jesus' example and downsized his home and eventually stepped out of his mega-pastorate, Mark Richt is catching criticism for valuing treasures in heaven more than things on earth. Yet I pray his example, and the examples from books like Stearns', Chan's, and David Platt's motivate Christians in this country to re-examine our priorities and comfortability.

"Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:33-34)

The Mission Field in Front of You

2011-05-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I talked about world missions with the desire to preach the World until the whole world hears. But doesn't the "whole world" include the world right outside our doors? Take my co-worker, whom I mentioned organizes mission trips to Russia and Mexico. During his 4-5 hour drive on the way down to Mexico, he will drive by on the order of ten million first-generation Mexicans. Most of us will never get the chance to take a missions trip, but how hard would it be to board a bus to the inner-city?

Last week I had the blessed opportunity to visit the headquarters of World Impact and take a tour of their Teen Center. I find it funny that an urban missions organization calls itself "World" Impact and is headquartered in the heart of Los Angeles. Until I consider the above. The truth is, the whole world is represented in LA, so I can spread the gospel to the "whole world" by driving only an hour or so. I like World Impact's vision: they consider urban areas a mission field, "missionaries" move-in to run their programs, and they plant house churches in blighted neighborhoods where they then train up local pastors and lay-leaders. An inspiring model, quite honestly. In the process they've opened up schools, recreation centers, and medical clinics just as you would on the foreign mission field.

Completely coincidentally, I had the opportunity to hear World Impact's founder, Dr. Keith Phillips, speak at a National Day of Prayer function. His short talk blew my socks off. He started by himself in Watts in the mid 60's. (think about that for a second) Once he realized the Projects were too tall a task for only him, he solicited the help of Biola University and soon he and 300 students were reaching out to more than 3000 inner-city youth.

If your vision has been focused on the mission field overseas, consider: in LA 45,000 people slept in garages in want of a home while 45,000 more slept on the street in want of a garage (citing Dr. Phillips' numbers to the best of my recollection). A million and a third people in the inner-city of LA do not have access to a hospital. On average, most children who grow up in the inner-city will never travel further than five miles from where they were born. Those stats stirred my heart and Dr. Phillips didn't even mention crime rates, average income, the number of children growing up without fathers and mothers without husbands (the modern-day orphan and widow), the ridiculously low life expectancy, and I could go on and on.

Yes, foreign missions are important. And if we don't have the opportunity to go, we should generously give what we can to support those who do. But at the same time, we cannot neglect the needs right in front of us.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)

Missionary Man

2011-05-25T06:46:00.000-07:00

You can tell it's that time of year when churches are fundraising for foreign missions. Videos are being posted on Facebook from sponsored churches and missionaries are making the rounds to local congregations. Churches may be raising money to send someone from their own congregation long term or for the summer, or they may be raising money to support a church in the mission field. My church is in the midst of the latter, supporting churches in the Baltic and Nordic regions of Europe.

That may not sound sexy, but both are hit with unique challenges. In the Baltics, they still bear the scars of the former Soviet Union. I met a guy last week who was in Russia for nine years. He was in the middle of Siberia. We talked about how when communism fell everybody wanted to go to Russia, but few made it further than Moscow. In the meantime, the former Soviet Republics were suffering for being a forgotten mission field. In the Nordics, the situation is different. They are not necessarily hurting financially; they are first-world, yet they are taxed to such an extent that there is very little disposable income. No disposable income translates into an inability to pay ministry staff, rent facilities, or otherwise maintain an active church (unless that church is state-sponsored). Before I moved to California, the church I was a part of supported churches in the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos who face abject poverty, communism/dictatorships, and many other obstacles to the Gospel. So they, too are on my heart.

I can't embed the Flash videos from Facebook, but here are updates from the Baltics and from the Pacific Rim. (I'm not sure if the privacy settings will let you through or not, they're not my videos)

At the same time, there's a risk of being tempted to just throw money at the mission field without a personal stake. An attitude of "let someone else deal with it." David Platt gives an example in his book, Radical, where he was speaking at another congregation and was being thanked by the local pastor:

"Brother David, we are so excited about all that God is doing in New Orleans and in all nations, and we are excited you are serving there. And, brother, we will continue to send you a check so we don't have to go there ourselves...
I remember a time at my last congregation when a missionary from Japan came to speak. I told that church that if they didn't give financial support to this missionary, I was going to pray that God would send their kids to Japan to serve with that missionary...And my church gave that man a laptop and a whole lot of money." (Radical, pg 63)

So I admire those who are willing to pack up their things and actually put boots on the ground. One of my coworkers organizes semi-annual mission trips to Russia while also spending a long weekend in Mexico quarterly. One of these days, I tell myself, I'm going to tag along.

Once upon on a time, my family of churches shared the attitude of "go anywhere, do anything in the name of Christ." As we've all gotten older that attitude seems to have waned. It will be easy for some to give exponentially to these foreign missions, while I recognize in the current economic climate it will be hard for others. But I wonder if it would be easier for all of us if there was an actual passion on our hearts for that mission field. That if we can't be boots on the ground, we can pray fervently, we can keep in contact with the churches overseas (made even easier today with Facebook and Skype) to encourage and strengthen them in the faith, and we may share their struggles with others to possibly inspire and encourage another to "stand in the gap" in our place. That together we may share the Gospel until the whole world hears.

Unitl the Whole World Hears

2011-05-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it, the world did not end Saturday (but we'll get a second chance in October). While it would be easy to point fingers and mock those who sold everything, quit jobs, and otherwise lived as though they wouldn't be sitting next to you at church on Sunday, we need to remember that Jesus can return at any time, like a thief in the night.

With that in mind, I'll repeat a point that was buried in the text Friday: don't ask yourself what you would do if you knew you only had a short time to live, ask yourself what you would do if you knew in a short time you'd be standing before the Creator of the universe.

Another important point to consider regarding Jesus' return is that he promised he would not return until the whole world hears.

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14, emphasis added)

While this could be disputed (the whole known world was reached during the time of the Acts of the Apostles) the point is still important considering the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and an alternate version in Mark 16. (make disciples of "every nation" in the former and go into "all the world" in the latter) Those commands are still valid today.

Will Jesus come back in October? I don't know. He might come back tomorrow. But has the whole world heard the Gospel of Jesus? It is estimated that there are more than 11,000 "people groups" in the world (unique ethnicities, not necessarily nationalities) and six thousand are "unreached" (based on numbers from David Platt's Radical Together). Another way to look at it is the 10/40 window where nearly two-thirds of the world's population resides and includes the poorest regions of the world as well as the most unreached.

Either way you slice it, we have our work cut out for us if Jesus is to return in October. Maybe He was planning on coming Saturday and saw that we weren't finished yet. No, that doesn't work either, you're either ready or you're not.

So what are you doing to make sure the whole world hears?

See Y'all Tomorrow!

2011-05-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

That is, I assume if you’re reading this you’re a Christian. In which case I’ll wave to you as we’re passing through the clouds. And if you’re not, well it sucks to be you.

In case you haven’t heard, the world is ending tomorrow. I couldn’t quite figure out why tomorrow, but Matt at The Church of No People ran the math and it now makes perfect sense. Comforting to me, is seeing who’s behind this. No, tomorrow’s series finale isn’t news to me, but this article was the first I’ve seen that connected tomorrow’s big event to the same prediction back in 1994. I vividly remember that day. Some friends and I were in our school’s library at the prescribed hour watching the news for something, anything, to indicate there might be a hint of truth to that prediction. There wasn't any. Of course, like most predictions of this kind, when the end of the world does not come the reason is usually some kind of math error: “I forgot to carry the one.” (Or “I forgot to check Jesus’ words that I wouldn’t know the day or the hour. That’s what I get for only reading Revelation and Tim LeHaye.”)

There is legitimate reason for concern, of course. This article from Slate sums up all the disasters around the world that could give us pause, or at least remind us of our own mortality and fragility. These are called “Black Swan” events, where the consequence is so high it would be catastrophic, yet the probability is so low that it shouldn’t keep us from getting out of bed in the morning.

At least that article is based on good science. I got home yesterday with a flier in my door warning me of the end of the world. Not tomorrow, necessarily, but sometime in the near future. Their reasoning isn’t global warming which was dismissed as being a political distraction from the real issue- Solar Flares. Yep. All the earthquakes, flooding, and tornados recently are because of solar flares. And the solar panels being installed all around town, especially at our local schools, are to protect those facilities from the oncoming devastation. I didn’t know that’s what solar panels were. I thought they were for, like, producing electricity or something. I also didn’t know that there were shadows on the moon that cause explosions that could destroy the Earth and that they just started happening, like last week!

If you look at my Twitter profile, I describe myself as a “space geek”. That’s not in an amateur astronomer kind of way, but in a I-do-this-for-a-living kind of way. I couldn’t believe the bad-science this church was promoting. Of course the motivation of it all was to get right with Jesus. I guess if solar flares motivate your relationship with Christ, more solar power to you.

When faced with the end of the world, or our impending death, many consider what they’d do if they only had a couple hours, days, weeks to live. A “bucket list” so to speak. Recently when putting together notes for my Crazy Love small group, I turned the question around into a personal gut-punch. The question isn’t what you’d do if you only had one day to live (spend more time with family, tell my boss what I really think, etc) but rather what would you do if you knew that in one day you would be face to face with the Creator of the Universe. Different question entirely. And the reality is, good or bad science, end-times theology or not, we all have to face that question because that moment could come at any

time. (Made you think I raptured, didn’t I)

(One final note. In the NYT article above, a few say they'll be waiting for Jesus' return by being "glued to our TV sets, waiting for the Resurrection and earthquake from nation to nation." Yep, nothing looks more like following Jesus than watching TV. If I really believed the world was going to end tomorrow, I'd be out sharing the Gospel until the moment Jesus comes back. I wouldn't be watching the news for reasons to gloat. I'm sorry, but that attitude ticks me off.)

Night Driving

2011-05-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

I recently went on a business trip, driving after work six-plus hours through the night to get to my destination. Driving through the night can be intimidating. There are no streetlights with only the moon to light the sky. And it is lonely with only the occasional fellow red-eye driver on the road. Not to mention having to fight off sleep and keeping the mind from wandering too far.

Along this long stretch were few signs. And as the miles and hours passed, the signs to guide the way seemed further and further apart. My inner-clock deceived me into thinking that I have been driving longer than the many times I had been on this road before. I began to feel insecure. Did I miss a turn? Did I miss a sign? At night I couldn't see any landmarks to guess at my location or even determine my direction, and I was too tired to trust the miles rolled off my odometer. I just had to have faith I was on the right road, heading the right direction.

Life doesn't have signposts. We're not given directions in advance. And we're often too prideful to stop and ask for directions. Am I on the right road? Am I going the right direction? I think I've been down this road before.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

The road following Jesus is narrow. It may be scary to look over the ledge while carefully navigating each switchback as you climb closer to heaven. But you are safe. There aren't many other cars on this road, but you're not alone. Thankfully, you don't have to make this drive in the dark of night. You can follow the light ahead of you. And you don't have to know the way. Jesus isn't your co-pilot, he's your GPS.

This post is part of a blog-carnival hosted by Peter Pollock. Our theme this week is "road". Check out other contributors for more road-wise posts.