Faith, Worship, and Life

I'm Moving

2008-07-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank all of you for your faithful readership. I would also like to thank those of you who occasionally check me out. You are priceless to me.

Faith, Worship, and Life is moving. My new home is http://faithworshiplife.wordpress.com/. I will retain this site for quite some time, but any new items will be posted at my new home.

Again thank you for your faithful readership. I look forward to further interactions with you. May God richly bless you and keep you.

William Daniel

Memorable Quote

2008-07-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

"You can purchase anything off the Internet except common sense."

Jim Harrison of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Slade, KY, commenting on the exotic animal trade, some of which are used by "snake-handling" churches for feats of you fill in the blank.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25651899/&GT1=43001

We Will Miss You, Tony Snow

2008-07-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

Tony Snow passed away early this morning, following a long fight with colon cancer. He was the public image standard for Conservatism. While he certainly held to his Conservative convictions, to my knowledge he never vilified his opponents, nor did he break out in anger. He was more than likely to make you laugh with his extremely intelligent wit. He was his own thinking man, as I remember President George W. Bush commenting on how Tony called "Dubya" on the proverbial carpet for some of his ideas. In watching some clips run, one thing that comes to mind is his love for family and life in general. I do believe he loved Jesus too. Extremely recent Tim Russert, now Tony Snow ... our American media is sorely worse off now for the loss of both of these icons of integrity.

Picture from: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/images/20060516-4_p051606pm-0531-1-515h.html

Quote for the Week

2008-07-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

I was playing with my oldest baby girl, who is 2. I said, "You're beautiful."

She replied, "I not boot-ee-fool."

I asked wondering, "You're not? What are you, then?"

Smiling, she replied with certain confidence, "I Annesley ... and I a princess."

Good Works that Actually Work for the Good

2008-07-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

"And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful" (Titus 3:14; ESV).

It was interesting in reading through Titus and Philemon together today. Philemon is the abolitionists' Bible book. Titus teaches us to be devoted to good works and Philemon teaches us that there is a disconnect between Christianity and slavery ... all the while Paul teaches in other places that Christian slaves and Christian masters have Christian duties to each other.

Why did Paul not call for the abolition of slavery ... outright? This question is easy for us to ask, living in the "free" world in the 21st Century. Yet Paul wrote from 1st Century Roman society that was already quite suspicious of this new sect. Paul, himself was executed by Nero. Perhaps he knew such a proclamation was tantamount to the execution of the whole new Christian movement all together. And perhaps ... just perhaps ... Paul under inspiration of the Holy Spirit preached, taught, and wrote Scriptural principles he knew would one day undermine the whole enterprise ... without undermining Christianity itself.

In this patriotic season, we might be tempted to castigate the Founders and Framers of our beloved Republic for their failure to implement Abolition to Slavery. However, in the vein above, we must take great pause to avoid the same short-sighted mistakes that are often committed in comfy-Monday-morning-quarterback-chairs. Thomas Jefferson actually levelled the introduction of the slave trade as one of the offenses committed by King George III in the Declaration of Independence. However, the colonies of Georgia and South Carolina refused to participate if it was included. Many of the Founders and Framers, including George Washington, eventually acquired a severe distaste for Slavery, but it did not happen overnight. But it did happen as they came to realize that Slavery was inconsistent with the Republican principles in the Declaration. Needless to say that did not have the luxury of the comfy-Monday-morning-quarterback-chair. They were charged with holding together the fledgling colonial (and then state) alliances to fight Great Britain and then build a new country.

They believed that Abolition's day was coming, but in their prudence did not believe it was their own day. Two generations later the country would deal with the question of slavery ... but be able to do so with greater internal cohesion and strength.

While it might feel good to proclaim with bravado that such and such ought to be done, let's remember that being devoted to good works ... means being devoted to their "good" implementation ... which means good for the long haul. Jesus calls us to wisdom (Matthew 10:16) and promises us the Holy Spirit's teaching and comforting and providing fellowship (John 14).

One of the many challenges of Christianity is living in the world ... as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. We have been given no option in that regard, but we have been given a God who is promised to come along side us ... the Paraclete, aka the Holy Spirit. Not only are we to live in the world as faithful disciples, we are to be devoted to good works.

That precisely is the challenge of a faithful Christianity ... to be a "thinking" Christianity, using wisdom to produce the good works that actually work for the Good.

A Missing Link

2008-07-09T12:06:00.001-07:00

When reading the Gospels, one of the objections to the authenticity of Jesus and his messages and deeds is their supposedly being pulled out of thin air. With the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls we can see that much of what Jesus taught actually fits in quite well with the Jewish culture of his day. Much of what he said can be shone to be in line with the development of Jewish rabbinical thought and not simply importations from later Christian enthusiasts.

One such piece is a tablet, apparently recently discovered, which contains a resurrection story. Gabriel tells a dude named Simon that he would be resurrected in three days. The tablet has been dated to the 1st Century BC.

Here is a link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article4295804.ece.

Notice that the title of the article interprets the finding as "casting doubt" on Jesus's Resurrection. While some might be disturbed to hear of this tablet or other pre-Jesus Jesus-like-teachings ... because in their eyes they might take away from the uniqueness of Jesus ... this tablet actually becomes a part of a larger stream of confirmation of the authenticity of Jesus. It confirms that Jewish thought prior to Jesus did think about resurrection ... and that resurrection was not simply a Greek-Christian importation into Jewish thought.

Be encouraged: John 11:25.

Self-Consumptive Patriotism and American Global Leadership

2008-07-09T06:20:00.000-07:00

Perhaps questioning calling attention to a common type of patriotism ... which I dub "Self-Consumptive" ... can be a cause for concern. Typically, there are two voices in this topic, which scream the loudest, drowning out all other voices. Voice one is from the fringe-left ... and at times from the moderate-left ... denouncing all forms of patriotism. Voice two is from the fringe right which only allows gushing sentiment over our country and way of life.

While it is certainly understandable that these two voices exist (they are reactionary to the perceived dangers of each other), it is unfortunate. Patriotism certainly does not need to be deported, as C.S. Lewis once quipped that we deride patriotism and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. On the other hand we blindly give absolute allegiance to anyone to our peril.

The point I have been attempting to make over the past couple of posts is that the version of patriotism ... that I find as appetizing as vomit ... is an unthinking, blind, and often reactionary patriotism of self-consumption. This type of patriotism is love because someone or something gives me something ... or makes me feel a certain way.

While any love will exact a certain amount of good feelings in anyone from time to time, unfortunately in our day, love is almost solely defined by what someone does for me or how someone makes me feel.

What happens, then, when those feelings run dry ... or out all together?

True love from my standpoint, while certainly containing good and positive feeling caused by someone or something else, is more properly defined by what I do and and give to someone or something else.

In short love is primarily a verb ... not primarily a feeling.

The Rand Corporation has produced very welcome findings that we Americans are still heavy-weight competitors on the global scene in Science and Technology.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG674/
Scroll down the page to download the Online PDF of their document.

What will be the results of raising generations of Americans to be primarily self-consumptive? Only time will tell. My prediction is that self-consumption can in no way aid our efforts in producing global leadership in various important areas ... such as science and technology.

And certainly self-consumption will not grow dynamic churches, whose Lord calls us to die to self. Self-sacrifice for God and neighbor is ironically the older, supposedly outdated form of patriotism that calls one to self-sacrifice for God and country, as taught by the Boy Scouts.

A Red, White, and Blue Cross?

2008-07-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

Patriotism can be a glue, holding a people together. Patriotism can be a virtue, propelling people to self-sacrifice for their neighbors and posterity. Patriotism for believers can be a way to worship God for his marvelous provisions for their peace and safety. Patriotism, for believers, may also simply be their prosperity, thrown into Aaron's fire ... out of which pops a calf, wearing red, white, and blue.

Sunday, I believe, such a calf popped. To be fair such a calf may have unwittingly popped, but popped it did on a bulletin, which appeared in a number of churches celebration of July 4th by Cathedral Press (http://www.cathedralpress.com/every_08.html). What, pray tell, is the central message of this picture?

Before I tell you the two messages that I take away from this picture, allow me to draw your attention to certain aspects. The word that immediately draws your attention is "FREEDOM." Below that is this family, complete with a dog, posing in front of the American flag. Fireworks are blazing in the background.

Let's stop here. What seems to be the message so far? To me it seems to be a typical message about the preciousness of our American freedom and its gloriousness.

Question: How many of our families, today, look like that? I would say not enough. Yet, even those of us who come from broken families carry with us ideas of "freedom." Freedom in pop culture means the ability to do whatever I want, whenever I want, however I want. Like it or not, this is the interpretation of the word freedom that immigrates into this picture. And I'm taught from day 1 of living in this country that freedom (however it's defined) is mine by right.

Now allow me to direct your attention to the obscure words under the picture, "...IS OURS IN CHRIST." I mentioned above that there are two messages I take away from this picture ... as a whole.

I, personally, can have the American dream (however that's defined) ... if I become a Christian.
In order to preserve my American dream, I need to get everybody to go to church on a regular basis.

Now there is actually a third message that explodes on the scene, once these two messages are understood:

My American dream is the most important facet of Christianity and achieving my American dream is what God cares most about.

These messages are inherently selfish and borderline ... if not blatant ... idolatry. This is the American culture and way of life dictating to me what Christianity is all about. How might this picture look to believers, living in oppressive regimes overseas? Might it communicate to them that reward of choosing Christ as Lord is the American Dream? Might it then suggest that they are not as good a quality of Christians as those of us living in the States, because they are suffering under repressive regimes? Might it suggest that we Americans think we are somehow better Christians than those living under repressive regimes ... because we have the favor of God on us they do not?

Whatever the messages those people living in repressive regimes might take away from this picture, a statement by a Kenyan pastor to the largely American student body of Asbury Theological Seminary a couple of years ago is quite telling. He told them he believed it was harder to be a Christian in America, than in Kenya or any other number of African states. His point was that prosperity can dull one's sense of duty and need for self-sacrifice for others and need for real, living, breathing faith in everyday life ... which is the lifeblood of Biblical Christianity.

When the lines between patriotism and Biblical Worship of Jesus, our Lord, are blurred, our American culture often times dictates the terms of our Christianity. Given the secular-progressive value system of contemporary American culture, such a blurred distinction renders both flag and cross tarnished.

Is all of this what was intended by the bulletin picture creator? Let's hope not. Let's hope the creator meant that true freedom (which is freedom from sin and freedom for Christian ministry in the world) is found only in Christ ... but that message is stolen by the mingling of the flag, the fireworks, and the word "FREEDOM."

Consider portions of verses from our national hymn, "America, the Beautiful," published in 1895 and revised a couple of times since. Each of the four verses extols the natural beauty of our great country. She arrests our attention in each verse, "America! America!" to certain character traits she believes are necessary for our country:

From Verse 1: God shed His grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
From Verse 2: God mend thine every flaw, confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law.
From Verse 3: May God thy gold refine till all success be nobleness and every gain divine!

When was the last time self-control was extolled as an American virtue? At one time it was ... or at least a genuine prayer of the American people who were largely Christian. But that time is long passed. We must take great care to ensure the freedom of Bible-Jesus-Christianity from our American secular-progressive culture ... lest we find the sun setting on the American Church.

What Does "Free" in the Framers' "Freedom" Mean?

2008-07-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

Approaching the country's birthday this Friday (which is actually today, the 2nd), we will hear many heart moving, wrenching, palpitating songs and messages about the founding principle of our country ... freedom.

But what exactly does the "free" in the Framers' "freedom" mean? We live in a free country, so I can do whatever the ____ I want ... right? The American flag being flown on loan advertisements means that I can be free to purchase whatever I _____-well please ... right? America is that place my school guidance counselor told me that I can be whatever I want to be ... despite the fact I'm a senior with an 8th grade reading level and an inability to spell my own name ... right? Freedom is that sponsorship from the government to do with my sex whatever I want ... because it's my body and I have freedom of choice (so long as I vote for them) ... right? After all they told me that "the man" is the point man for society holding me back ... so they're going to take care of me and ensure that I have the same life results as those unfortunate people who have to work all their lives. Didn't they get the memo that Uncle Sam would take care of them too?

Allow me to take the liberty to correct such "interesting" and all-too-common but highly inaccurate myths about the Framers' concept of freedom. Yes, it is true that according to Jefferson, the D of I's author, that we are "endowed with certain inalienable rights ...." Inalienable rights are those given by God that cannot be given nor taken away by man.

If you were to take the time to read the Declaration of Independence ... which means of course that some measure of effort is required ... you might come across the phrase "the laws of nature and nature's God." The hands that rock the cradle of the Framers' "freedom" are nature's laws and nature's God. In other words any concept of freedom that is inconsistent with common human reason and God's divine revelation as found in the Bible is not among the "self-evident truths" of the Declaration and the Framers. In other words still further, it is not I who defines my own life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but the God who is the God of both nature and of the Bible. And what did Jesus say were the two most important laws of God?

Love God
Love neighbor

Freedom is less about being free to do whatever the ____ I want to ... and more about being able to do the most good for my neighbor and society with the least intrusion from the government. Therefore the inalienable rights of the Declaration are not so much about individualistic and privatized rights as about the free opportunity to practice individual responsibility towards God and neighbor without having to worry about a tyrannical government that thinks it is above nature's laws and nature's God.

For further reading on the Declaration of Independence, check out the Heritage Foundation:

Daddy War-ring-against-the-bucks

2008-06-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

In Annie's life the sun does come out tomorrow when Daddy Warbucks uses his wealthy pull to bring her home to live in his mansioned-fatherhood. Who has not been inspired by this true American classic?

In today's world the sun comes out when ... or even if ... Daddy's check arrives. For many children of divorce that check is the only tangible evidence they have had at one time a father to even think about them ... not to mention even visit them.

While this is sad in and of itself, the nasty thunderstorm clouds that hide the sun from coming out for us is our society's pressured acceptance of relegating fathers to Ben Franklin, George Washington, and their ilk ($$$$$$) ... while at the same time castrating fatherhood.

David Blankenhorn poignantly insists that the best answer for today's rampant drugs, sex, and violence youth culture is fatherhood. He does not simply mean making deadbeat dads pay their child support. He is calling on our society to work towards reinvesting in a fully married, male fatherhood. The stock market of secular-progressive androgyny has long crashed, leaving American society in deep depression.

"For children, doing without a father's money is the easy part. Money influences what you have and what you can do. Fathers shape who you are" (David Blankenhorn, Fatherless America: Confronting our Most Urgent Social Problem, p. 45).

My Shadows Are Chasing Me

2008-06-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

I've been back from "vacation" for nearly a week now (Thursday will be a week). I must say that I can certainly tell that I'm no longer "on vacation." But more on that in a bit.

What my vacation consisted of was seeing family, visiting who I consider to be my home church, a pastor's retreat/conference, and spending time with my immediate family at the beach. You ever hear of the phrase, "I need a vacation from my vacation?"

All in all my vacation was "good" ... at times unpleasant ... but nonetheless good. Deciding to head off stress by discontinuing to keep score on the golf course is certainly less than pleasant ... but in the long run being able to spend the time with my brother is invaluable ... it was good.

I found out that I still have much to learn. For example my 4-year old nephew was about to sport some brand new Diego swim shorts and proceeded to inform me that Diego was not real. I asked him how he knew Diego was not real. A couple of minutes passed in our jostling debate, and he grew impatient with his obviously ignorant uncle. He ends the conversation with golden nugget of wisdom, "UNCLE WILLIAM ... Diego is NOT real. He's made in China just like everything else ... except for gnats."

I've never been put into my place quite like that before!

Yes, my life here in South Carolina is not my life in Georgia. I miss Georgia ... and I especially felt my longing for "home" when I had the opportunity to attend what I consider to be my home church. No, my life here is not my life there.

In fact, I really don't have a life there anymore. Oh, there are facets of my life here that are still in Georgia. But my life is not there ... nor is my life here. Rather my life is in Christ ... who has the authority to lead me to even the ends of the earth.

Don't get me wrong. There is a philosophy that many of precious older believers live out. Christianity to them is getting saved ... holding out here as best I can ... and waiting to make it to heaven. This is not what I mean.

I have precious treasure in my friends and family, precious memories in the various places I've visited and lived. These will always be a part of me ... a part of who I am. But all of these will always flow from my life in Christ Jesus ... who is my very life.

These special people and places are shadows of Jesus's great Salvation in my life. If I attempt to pursue them first, they become idols and Jesus becomes a mere shadow (and a bad one at that) of the Jesus in Scripture ... and I find that instead of Jesus casting his shadow over me, the devil does ... and his shadows are quite rough and scary.

Yet, if I chase Jesus, by taking up my cross and following him, I find that my shadows are chasing me.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33; ESV)
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Matthew 16:24 & 25; ESV)

Whiny Kids Are a Beautiful Vacation

2008-05-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I began my vacation ... and I did it at McDonalds with whiny kids! Well, despite the failure of the "Happy Meal" to live up to its name ... "I'm lovin' it."

Family has been circum-navigating my heart every since I left for my trip. While I know that most of you out there are perfect ... you humor me by reading my blog to gather some faint idea of what imperfection feels like. Often times my past relational boo-boos and blunders are thrust into my heart.

"How could I have even thought such a thing ... much less have said it!?" "Man, what a idiot!" You remember the feel of finger nails scratching across the chalkboard? Yeah ... then you understand my gut wrenching during these lovely trips down Memory Lane.

Then ... and thankfully "then" comes ... then I remember that I actually have children ... which several years ago I never believed would grace my life ... my less a wonderful darling of a wife.

At one time I entertained the fantasy of meeting who was to become my beautiful bride in high school or even college. Not any more! I would have ruined my chances from the first hello.

But look at us now ... not perfect ... but continuing to build a very beautiful friendship. What a mightifully wonderful God I serve! You see Salvation is not simply a one moment of conversion. It certainly includes that, but Salvation is so much more. Salvation following that one moment of conversion includes taking that idiot I was and molding and shaping me into the husband and father I am today ... not that I've "arrived" or obtained mathematical perfection in husbandry or fatherhood. But I'm not where I was ... and I'm also not where I'm going to be next month or even next year!

Salvation is not clean ... its down right kids-gettin'-the-ketchup-in-the-hair messy. The Holy Spirit is so marvelous. So ... yeah ... I'll take a vacation with less than sit-up-and-shut-up-style kids any day. After all the presence of my kids is the tangible evidence that I'm on vacation from the power of the sin that so easily beset me ... and I don't plan on returning from that vacation! Yes ... I can easily return to my former self and former mistakes ... but the good news of the Gospel is that I don't have to! A major part of the Gospel is the opportunity of being transformed from depravity into the righteousness of God. In a Ronald-McDonald-hair fashion ... that is wild!

The Sacrifice of Motherhood

2008-05-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

In celebrating those precious people God has elected to raise civilization, it often good to recognize motherly giants as examples to follow. For example Susanna Annesley Wesley was a woman of deep faith, praying that God would use her to spark a movement of God in the churches throughout the English world (Mother's of Influence--Inspiring Stories of Women Who Made a Difference in Their Children and Their World, 2005). Little did she know that she would indeed profoundly influence English Christianity and indeed global Christianity through two of her sons, John and Charles Wesley. They were only 2 of her 19 children ... actually only 9 survived until adulthood. At any rate, she spent an hour praying for her children each day ... and an additional hour per day with one of her children. Wow.

But what about our moms who don't feel they measure up to this spiritually giant status? What about our moms who upon looking back realized they royally screwed up their children? What about our moms who have tried their best and yet their children have become children of the devil?

And what about our moms who feel put-down and spat upon from the ultra-feminist culture for devoting time to their family instead of their careers?

I think we find in the woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume a healing example for us to follow. Let's look at Mark 14: 3-9.

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that? for this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her. But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her" (ESV).

Now we don't know is this woman was a mom or not, but we can find in her a balm of healing. Notice that she comes in and anoints Jesus ... in the midst of protests."Why was the ointment wasted like that?"I think our wonderful "femi-nazi" society looks upon moms who give up opportunities for full-blown, self-pursuit, career as rather wasteful. Let's don't even mention those moms who choose to raise their families full-time!!! "What a waste!" "She could have really made something of herself!"

I also think that many moms look at their current motherhood status and/or perhaps look back on their past motherhood exploits and cry out in despair, "What a waste!" "I could have done better!" "I am such a failure now ... what a waste!"Now this sermon isn't to justify evil ... as some mom's have much need for repentance. Yet, many moms are naturally idealistic and feel they don't measure up to some artificial ideal ... often imposed by other people.

In the same vein as Jesus, I want to emphasize, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her?"

The present-day dollar amount might well be nearly $25,000 for the perfume she poured out on Jesus.

"Let her alone. Why do you trouble her?"

I want moms to understand that the sacrifices they have made for their families is like this perfume poured out over the body of Jesus.For our moms who have been less than perfect, please allow Jesus to pour out the perfume of his Holy Spirit over you and feel his forgiveness running down your tear-stained face.

This is not at all to alleviate of our dear moms their responsibility for confession of sin and pursuit of repentance.

Yet, as an engine without oil will only lock-up and remain that way, our moms need to feel the forgiveness that Jesus offers, so they can do what comes naturally to them ... properly love their families. Jesus offers that forgiveness and transformation today. Will you reach out and take his outstretched, nail-scarred hand?

Happy Mother's Day

"Yes, We Can," Does Not Necessarily Mean "Yes, We Will"

2008-05-07T05:57:00.000-07:00

In watching Senator Barack Obama give what could have been his general election victory speech, I was struck by just how appealing he was ... and all of this after coming out from under the "prophetic" mantle of Rev. Wright to invoke the blessing of God on America, dodging lightening from the potential thunderstorm of the Weather Underground association, marching the rural God-Country-Guns crowd from Pennsylvania to the verbal firing squad, etc. In a word, the electricity emanating from Obama felt real. For a moment ... a brief moment ... but a moment nonetheless ... Obama felt like the messiah for our times.

Problem.

What does Obama mean when he is proud of American values that are supposedly neither Liberal nor Conservative ... but are in fact laced with pinkish red socialism? Is it the government's responsibility to secure health care for all people ... despite whether they want to work or not? Is it the government's responsibility to ensure that all children can financially afford to go to college ... when some of those "all" refuse to do the work in middle and high school that is necessary to help them succeed once they are there? Is it the government's responsibility to pick the winners and losers in the game of life-economics?

In Obama's vision for America, equal opportunity for all seems to mean equal results demanded from all.

Problem.

Obama says that he does not expect the government to solve all of our problems ... yet, the Fathers' intent was that government would solve very few problems of the citizenry. Government was intended to only make the playing field safe and civil so that the citizenry could solve their own problems by their own hard work and moral integrity.

Solution.

This is where the Fathers' envisioned the place of religion in our society ... as an instructor for personal and social morality ... and ... to provide welfare for the poor and the needy. Big Brother is not and cannot successfully be the instructor of morals nor the largess provider for the populous.

Caution.

This has been tried has been tried before. Remember "The Great Society." Yeah ... it has helped to spawn the systematic dismantling of the family. Yeah ... it has helped to spawn the vast entitlement mentality embraced by so many in my own generation and in the one to come.

Question.

How does Obama value hard work and self-reliance while valuing pinkish-red socialism that has spawned weakened families and pandemic entitlement mentalities?

Vote.

Yes, vote for whoever you want. But please understand that government makes a very poor god.

Praying Works in Unusual Way

2008-05-01T18:52:00.000-07:00

Today is the National Day of Prayer, and I had the priviledge of meeting with area church leaders (both clergy and non-clergy) to partake of this unifying event. As I watched the various people play their roles, I noticed my 2-year old climbing in and out of her seat. I noticed her tapping me on the arm and whisper, "Look," with her gorgeous smile.

I also noticed that we were all worshipping in an inter-racial service, and my baby girl was oblivious as to how big of a deal that really is. The piece delegated to me was to pray over the local, state, and federal governing officials, which is one of the areas most dear to my heart.

I recall two specific points I made to the crowd before praying, while holding my daughter:

We live in a land which is governed by a system that is "by the people, for the people, and of the people." That is us who were in that room tonight. As much as we may or may not like our elected officials, we cannot forget that we are the primary ones responsible for bettering our country ... not simply those dearly beloved bozos in office.
Since the brunt of the burdern falls on our shoulders and as good Christians we will fulfill our responsibilities ... and not simply put them off onto others ... to move forward we must lock arms together ... regardless of what we look, taste, feel, or smell like ... if we are to move forward indeed.

I am proudly conservative socially and politically. I proudly love our country and believe that she is my Christian responsibility ... at least part of my Christian responsibility. We must move past grouping ourselves according to what we look like. We must group ourselves according to theology and philosophy. These are lessons I hope that my daughter will be able to take for granted if she so chooses to ... not that she should ... but that contemporary American Christianity will be so different from years ago that she could.

Don't Call Me "Preacher."

2008-04-29T14:36:00.000-07:00

Who is the one who prays at the family gatherings over meals? Who is the one who prays at family night suppers at church? Who else ... but ... "the Preacher." Recently I was at a birthday party for a rather classy chap. Half-way joking he said to me, "You're the professional, you pray."

Typically I find several attitudes towards "The Preacher" in the Southern Traditional Church.

One is that the preacher is a Lucky Rabbit's Foot, a spiritual talisman. If you're sick, if you're having a bad day, make sure the preacher is around. His presence alone can ward off the evil spirits and bring good fortune. Too bad this doesn't work for the non church world ... I could make a killing at the state fair!
Another similar but somewhat different attitude is that the preacher is a magic silver bullet. If we're stumped, if we're sick, if we're feeling bad, then go and get the preacher ... for heaven's sake. He is THE SOLUTION. After all preacher prayers work better than common, vulgar prayers. If your congregation is dying ... no problem ... just bring in a young whipper-snapper and he can pull a dynamic congregation out of his hat.
The preacher is an Old Testament prophet/seer type. You can run to him and God will tell you through him the answers to all your problems. Leave a tip in the offering plate and he will forcast your future for you. (I certainly could make a killing off that one at the state fair.)
The preacher is God. What he says is law. What he thinks is not simply opinion. It is mathematical law. It is his way or the highway ... to hell. Turn or burn baby! It's his job to call the adult-sized, adult-aged teen-agers to order ... because they can't do this themselves.
The preacher is an island god. We dress him up, bring him out at fancy dinners, call him fancy names like "Reverend" and "Minister". We take up generous collections for him at Christmas ... while only giving the elderly shut-ins fruit baskets. While we smile and nod to him now, we're really fattening him up simply to eat him later.
The preacher is the scape goat for all problems flowing from the above thinking.

While most people certainly mean well, there's simply no ignoring the elephant in the sanctuary. The preacher is the paid professional Christian on staff. It is his job to do church stuff, while it is my job simply to live right and stay out of jail. The preacher does the church stuff, and I as the "lay" person simply consume the product of his hands. After all I'm not as smart as the preacher ... until it comes to particular social issues that I simply think he is crazy wrong about.

Please, don't call me preacher. Everything I do (or should do) flows from my heart of worship as an "ordinary" Christian ... and not simply because I'm paid to eat fried chicken and sip iced tea with the old ladies for a living.

Coming of Age Can Come at Any Age

2008-04-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Just a few days ago my wife and I saw the recently released film, "Nim's Island." Trust me ... do yourself a favor and see this at least once ... if not twice.

A research scientist, Jack, lives with his 11-ish year old daughter, Nim, on a volcanic island in the middle of the South Pacific ... away from the public ... completely away ... well almost. They receive shipments occasionally and communicate with the scientific community and National Geographic via satalight. Early in the movie Jack launches out into a two day expedition, leaving Nim alone ... with her animal friends ... and adventure novel featuring legendary hero, Alex Rover. Think Jason Bourne with Indiana Jones's personality and swave. Well, maybe not Jason Bourne ... as the kicker with Alex Rover is his famous escapes from impossible predicaments. On the other side of the world Alex Rover ... the real Alex Rover ... Alexandra Rover is attempting to complete yet another novel in her long-running series.

While Jack is out at sea doing research a surprise monsoon hits, keeping him stranded with no communication back to Nim. Nim is left to fend for herself and her animals ... and her island. With Alex Rover as her archetype (the picture in her mind she's striving make reality for her life) she faces brave challenges with swash-buckling courage.

Meanwhile a monsoon hits of another variety. Alexandra Rover is past her deadline for turning in yet another novel ... and she is marooned on the island of writer's block. If she could only get out for a while, perhaps she could scavenge up some fresh ideas. However, Alexandra ... the mind behind Alex Rover ... suffers from some variety of agoraphobia and possibly obsessive-compulsive disorder. In other words due to the workings of her brain, mind, and heart, she is physically paralyzed by fear to leave her apartment. She fears germs. She fears any food but Progresso Soup. Some kind of "progress" huh?

At any rate Alexandra and Nim make contact. Alexandra, believing Nim to be in trouble gets brave and decides to go to her. Meanwhile, Nim, believing her island is under attack by modern-day pirates, decides to live the Alex Rover life and fend her island off from the "invaders" (who are really tourists from Australia on a Pirate-themed cruise. So while Nim is leading the swash-buckling life created by Alexandra ... Alexandra herself takes on swash-buckling courage just to turn the door knob of her front door.

One of the high points of the movie for me ... and there are many ... was seeing Nim and Alexandra (who does eventually make it, by the way) meet. Alexandra just about reaches the island, when her stolen row boat acquires a huge gash from some rocks. Nim, thinking Alexandra to be her still-missing father, swims out to save her from drowning. Once on the beach Alexandra informs Nim that she is the real Alex Rover.

Nim ... looking paternalistically and quite disappointingly at the frail and pathetic Alexandra ... is simply in disbelief. "No, Alex saves people. He doesn't need saving."

Yet over time Nim opens up her mind and heart to this wafe, who opened up her mind and heart to the wide world to come to her so that Nim would not be alone. Both females came of age, despite their age ... and backgrounds.

What a lesson for us in the church ... in particular those of us in dying, gray-haired, traditional churches. Jesus wants very badly for us to take him at his word and live a dangerous Christianity. There is still time, despite our ages and backgrounds, to come of age.

There are many other parallels and metaphors that could be discussed, which makes this movie so much richer in content, meaning, value, and values than what is normally put out by Hollywood. I'll be meditating on this movie for some time to come. Please, do yourself a favor and see this movie at least once ... if not twice ... if not thrice.

Patrick, a 5th-Century Inspiration of Hope for Our 21st Century

2008-04-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

Bill O'Reilly interviewed Dr. Shannon Fox of Mom*Logic last night on "The O'Reilly Factor." Mom*Logic is dedicated to helping on-the-go moms to be more in-the-know when it comes to being a mom in today's racy culture. Last night's topic was a mini-expose on the brash drugged out and banally, sexed-up week that is Spring Break.

A couple of points of interest:

The kids in Dr. Fox's video were quite brazen and brash about their "pastimes," despite their knowing the video would be shown on national TV.
One girl displayed a brash "like-uh-what...ever" attitude when it came to one of her Vaction-mates being raped. Laughing, she estimated their might have been as many as 30 guys in the room at that time.

What has struck me in working with mostly older and elderly adults in my churches, is the near-absolute fear these precious people have of this particular banal youth culture. Okay, I have to admit that I'm fairly overwhelmed myself. Yet, there is a growing excitement in me that is salivating at the possible future opportunities and challenges of working in that culture. My emotions will likely be clashing for quite some time.

One obscure man from an era long bygone continues to fuel my fire in reaching out to utterly pagan and banal people, especially youth. When we commonly think of St. Patrick, we typically want to run to our closets for that green sweater to avoid being pinched. Many of the particular youth being discussed would likely think of funneling green beer by the newly-dyed green river front.

However, Patrick is one of those who will likely sit next to Jesus a bit longer than most of us will in heaven. He is a giant of orthodox Christianity. If he were living today, it is likely he would be considered an Evangelical, charismatic Roman Catholic. At any rate, he grew up in 5th Century Roman-occupied Britannia. His father was presbyter in their church ... and ... he was a spoiled brat, avoiding all the priests teachings. At the ripe old age of 16 he was captured by Irish raiders along with many others and taken into slavery. During his enslavement he embraced the Jesus his spoiled-bratness has rejected. Passionately did he embrace Jesus. He was able to escape 6 years after being kidnapped. Yet instead of living out the rest of his days in Christian-comfort, he went into the priesthood and obeyed the call to return to Ireland on Holy Spirit, Gospel Mission. Ireland's rich Celtic Christian legacy ... passionate Christian outreach to mainland Europe owes her soul to Jesus ... and to Patrick ... a former spoiled brat who flippantly rejected the Jesus he eventually gave up his homeland for.

Here are Patrick's own words from his Confessio:

Now it is too tedious to give an account of my labours, in whole or in part. Let me relate briefly how the most holy God has often freed [me] from slavery and from twelve perils whereby my soul was endangered, besides numerous treacheries and "things which I am unable to express in words." Nor shall shall (sic) I bore my readers, but I have God as my authority, who knows all things even before they come to pass, that me, a poor little pupil, an ordinary person, [his] "divine answer" would frequently warn. "Whence did this wisdom [come] to me," which was not in me, who knew neither "the number of my days," nor did I have any discernment about God. When [was given] to me afterwards the gift so great, so salutary, to know or to love God wholeheartedly, but at the loss of country and kindred? (trans. Maire B. de Paor, p. 245 & 247; underlining mine)

If the Holy Spirit can capture the heart of a flippant, spoiled brat teen from yester-year, certainly he can do so this year. I'm afraid that ... as in Patrick's day ... such a movement of the Holy Spirit might just require so many of our creature-comforts to be stolen by the leprechauns and hidden away at the end of the rainbow. However, I certainly don't wish destruction on anyone.

Here is the video of Bill's interview with Dr. Fox:

Grace that's Truly Amazing Is Grace that Transforms and Fuels a Passion for God and His World

2008-04-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the most popular "churchy" song is "Amazing Grace." What amazes me is that while we often sing it quite passionately ... we don't believe it. Consider the first line ... and the author who wrote the song:

Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. --John Newton, former slave trader

John Newton, who wrote the song was a former slave trader, a vile man, having no love for God nor his fellow man. By his own words, he was a wretch. Yet, amazingly, he responded to the Holy Spirit's wooing him. Not only did he embrace Jesus as his Savior, he embraced a call to pastoral ministry. He considered himself "Evangelical," when that label was wretched among the supposed classy church folk of the day.

What is amazing about the grace that saved Newton is that it not only saved him from an eternal hell ... it also saved him from the wretched lifestyle he was currently living ... it also saved him for Gospel ministry in the here-and-now of his day.

We see this pattern in Paul's epistle to the Romans. In chapters 9-11 Paul discusses his anguish over many of his fellow countrymen (the Jewish people) rejecting God's messiah to them, Jesus. He discusses how God had elected them by his grace as his people, but they at the current time have rejected his messiah they sent to him. By grace God is now bringing those who we're his people, the gentiles, into his remnant/elect status. The vulgar grace we know today is that which we trumpet, quite arrogantly, that we are now going to heaven and can simply hang out in our holy ghettos, isolated from the world, until we make heaven.

However, a particular point needs to be emphasized. Paul, speaking of the Jewish people rejecting Jesus and the Gentiles accepting Jesus, carefully warns:

They (those Jewish people rejecting Jesus) were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did no spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you (those gentiles accepting Jesus), provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. (Romans 11:20-23, ESV)

God grace saves, but it is our perseverance that propels us to "stand fast through faith" and to "continue in his kindness." God's grace is an unmerited gift of extravagant proportions ... but we must unwrap his gift.

Lastly, following Paul's discussion in Romans 9-11 on God's saving grace, he writes in:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (12:1, ESV)

Having been saved by his grace we are to "present (our) bodies as a living sacrifice ... which is (our) ... worship." Grace was never intended to save us from the world ... just so we can hide out in our churchy-ghettos and watch the world go to hell in a hand basket. Rather Grace that saves us was intended to fit us for Holy Spirit ministry in the church to fellow believers (vs. 3-8), live holy out in the world (vs. 9-21), as well as serve the world (13:1-14).

Any type of grace that doesn't transform and fuel one's passion for God and his world is far from amazing ... it is amusing and rather pathetic.

Finding the Contaminated World "out there" Inside the Sacred "Here"

2008-03-28T20:55:00.000-07:00

The first lesson we learn as we come into this world is that there is a world beyond our spheres of comfort. Unfortunately, we in the Church either have yet to learn this lesson ... or we have forgotten it ... or we simply have excommunicated it to the "no-man's-land" of the barbarian wilderness.

Ironically this seems to be the main message of the recently released film "Doomsday." An efficiently deadly virus "the Reaper Virus" has infected parts of Scotland. The government of the United Kingdom makes the decision to quarantine Scotland by building a wall that follows the old Roman wall, built by Emperor Hadrian. The government decides to simply let the people wallow and die inside the wall. The wall is efficient at keeping the people in ... but not in keeping the virus at bay. It resurfaces some 30 years later in London. The government begins to take a similar route in dealing with London ... keep the contagion (ie. virus, people, etc) inside the quarantined area, seal it off, let the people rot and die.

Satellite imagery shows vehicle activity in Glasgow, and the government decides to send in a specialized team to find a long-forgotten scientist who was supposedly working on a cure inside the walled area. However, the photos are three years old, and only now are being acted upon.

The team is sent in and are overcome by the barbarian inhabitants living in the forgotten area. They are lawless, cannibals. Indeed one of the last recordings of the scientist is his grieving over the loss of personal and social morality of the survivors being absolute. Some of the team escapes from the cannibal clutches with the daughter of the scientist. She was also being held by the Cannibals ... evidently as some sort of ransom in dealing with her father ... who we eventually find out as taken the role of a medieval despot (king with absolute authority).

They flee to northern Scotland and encounter the long lost scientist ... and his fiefdom. His society is exactly that of a medieval kingdom ... castle, robes, knights, toothless women and all. The team is taken prisoner and interrogated by the scientist-turned-historic-Dracula-type. He has no cure. He quit trying to find one. He and many others fled to the north. He had convinced them that life did not exist outside the walls. Indeed he had grown to such an agoraphobia that life did not exist outside the walls of his castle. He very poignantly says, "We have survived through evolution. We have earned the right to keep to ourselves, isolated from corruption."

The team manages to valiantly escape the Scottish Dracula's Castle with the scientists daughter. They radio back to headquarters in London that they are ready to be picked up. After evading the cannibals one more time they are rescued by helicopter ... except the leader of the team (she remains in the walled-country). She records a conversation with the English head honcho who came to rescue them. He confesses his plan to let the Londoners rot and only later present the cure to the world ... as if he developed it. The recording manages to find its way to the media outlets all over the world ... and his career ... possibly his very life ... is roasted.

While this movie was quite hard to watch, it carries a certain veracity in juxtapositioning three "societies" (contemporary civilization, utter barbarism, and medieval draconian serfdom). The common thread running through is human greed and selfishness ... what the Scriptures teach is good-ole human sin nature. Despite our technological sophistication, we are all not that far removed from utter barbarism.

I am Wesleyan through and through to the core. Wesleyan Christianity teaches that the process of Salvation is victory over sin and transformation into the righteousness of God and thus increasingly greater fellowship with the Community of the Godhead (Father, Son, & Spirit) and increasingly greater fellowship with the community of the saints. I believe this with all my heart. This is what wakes me up in the morning and sends me to bed in the evening ... to get rested for another day of practicing this type of Christianity. However, many of my Wesleyan friends have too greatly underestimated that stubborn sin nature that persistently haunts all people ... Christian and non-Christian alike. Certainly it is true that we are to walk with increasing victory over sin and self and Satan in our lives. Yet, we have to remember we are not all at the same level of holiness, nor are we even all Christians. Human sin nature has to be taken seriously in our ministry ... to one another as believers and to the world outside the walls of our church.

However, we must never forget that we are saved by God's grace and Jesus's blood and the Holy Spirit's transformation of us. We must be humble, treading very lightly on distinguishing ourselves from those in the world. We are called to be a separate people ... but only in how we live our lives, not necessarily where we live our lives. Our primary duty as Christian believers is to love God and love our neighbors (which means walking among our neighbors). Jesus defined our neighbor as anyone in need. "Anyone" includes those inside our walls of comfort and those behind the walls of contamination. If we are not careful to practice a "Great Commandments" Christianity, we may find the contaminated world "out there" is actually inside the sacred "here."

A Rip Van Winkle Easter Part II

2008-03-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, Easter has came and went this year. I feel like I've just awoken from a long winter's nap (filled with nightmares) to find that life has moved on, fussy children showered in hormones floating through the air, sermons were preached, sick parishoners were visited ... all while I "slept."

Think the above to be a rather abrasive account of a cute, soft, and cuddly holiday? Therein might lie the problem which often plagues our churches, especially here in the Deep South. We take great pride in our nice, new Easter outfits, our Easter egg hunts, and our Easter Bunny visits to our children. We also like to pride ourselves on being the Bible Belt, while we have no idea what is actually in the Bible. Our statements of faith have become abreviated accounts of what our knowledgable elders told us was in there. Hey you could check it out for yourself. Just turn to the Pop-Psychology Gospel According to Joel Osteen, the Acts of the Racial Segregationists, or the Revelation to St. Tim LaHaye.

Liberals would like to check out their statements of faith, but their one sole statement of faith reassures them that they ought not to be bound to the moanings and groanings of antiquated cultures. Theological liberals simply laugh off their moment of weakness and set out with new zeal to prepare their next series of lectures to convince (uh...er...I mean "help") their male students get in touch their femine sides ... just like David and Johnathon. Evangelical liberals (who attempt to convice the world they are really theologically conservative while maintaining secular-progressive views on nearly every other facet of American socio-political life) would have checked their statements of faith, but Brian McLaren told them everything must change. So they excommunicated their statements of faith. They smile, thankful their Emergent "Christianity" has broken them out of their absolute prisons of "Modernism," and joyfully load up in their Hybrids to go listen to Tony Campolo and Jim Wallis at the Democratic Party's outreach to "Evangelicals." Yes, their Postmodern, Emergent, Evangelical "Christianity" allows them to believe that McLaren and Wallis truly want liberals and conservatives to abandon their platforms and form a new and improved agenda together ... so long as we all accept and embrace Contemporary Western Liberal Socialism. Oh, just a side note, they had to cancel their tickets to the International Conference on Person-made Global Warming ... due to record cold temperatures and snow falls in the area.

This Easter we must move past our emotional comforts and delights as being the sole determiner of the worship that the Jesus of Scripture and orthodox Tradition demands.

(Yes, I know that Easter was last Sunday, but if you had that feeling, you need to reread this posting ... for Easter is not simply that lone Sunday in the Spring when Peter Cottontail brings me my next diabetic coma. Easter is a year-round lifestyle of worship of the Jesus of Scripture and orthodox Tradition. Unfortunately, though, most of us don't celebrate the Easter-Jesus, we celebrate the Easter-Bunny.)

A Rip Van Winkle Easter: Part One

2008-03-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

Easter came and went in our home ... at about the time it took to read this sentence. No doubt our little bundle of joyful colic (a month old by now) contributed to this Rip Van Winkle Easter. Yet this Easter, ole Rip didn't sleep much. In fact the only thing lulled to sleep in our home lately is our 2-year old (who could sleep through Nuclear Holocaust) and my patience.

In a word, things have been tough ... I mean roasting-and-eating-the-Easter-Bunny-tough.

And yet, I'm supposed to show up at church and preach about the love that conquered Sin, Death, and the Devil. How am I supposed to encourage people that Jesus defeated the Devil, when I feel like a devil?

But therein lies the fallacy that most believers ... and would-be believers buy into. It comes in various forms:

I'll come to Jesus ... when I can clean myself up.
I would have come to church today, but I had a terrible fight with my husband .... I'd feel like such a hippocrite!
The church would burn down if I came in.
God knows what I think and feel when those idiots at work crowd in on me. I don't think God likes it.

The fallacy we buy into is basically believing that if we cannot be perfect right now then I can have nothing at all to do with the God-stuff (church, worship, Jesus, Salvation, etc.). But in reality that is what Easter is all about.

We read in Mark's Gospel (15:37, 38) "And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." Why does Mark think it necessary to include this detail? Mark is not a camcorder, recording infinite details that may or may not have anything to do with the story. Mark chooses details for a significant purpose.

Until Jesus came God's presence lived in an inner chamber in the Jewish Temple called the Holy of Holies. No one could enter here ... well no one except the Jewish High Priest. He could enter only once a year ... and for the express purpose of making a sacrifice for the Sin of the people. When Jesus died he paid the penalty for the Sin of not only the Jewish people but also for the entire World. Jesus has paid the penalty for Sin, and now not only Jewish people but also the entire world can have access to the presence of God. (http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=2134)

I am accepted by the blood of Jesus. Yet, that is not the whole Gospel. Not only am I accepted by God because of the blood of Jesus, but his Holy Spirit seeks to transform me into the righteousness of God. It's not "just as if I were righteous." I am becoming the righteousness of God ... because of the Holy Spirit's changing me.

When I see ugly stuff pop up in my life, I don't need to avoid God. I certainly don't need to celebrate it, but I don't need to avoid God, either. Rather, I need to run straight to the Father in worship, pleading for Him to cleanse me and transform me. That is part of the Easter message.

Slow-dancing to the Past Is Orientation for the Future

2008-03-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

Sitting with my 2-year old at lunch, I found myself lost in thought and caught up in video clips about the Eliot Spitzer debacle. However, my thought bubble was busted by high-pitched demands for Elmo.

"Wanna watch Elmo!!!" Lips poked out and all.

You know, I've become increasingly desensitized to her cuteness lately, especially when the "terrible twos" are howling from sheep's clothing and pony tails. Yet today, the pb & j painted on her face in ways reminiscent of bad make-up artistry made my heart melt.

So, if I'm going to concede to her wishes for an Elmo video clip on Google, then I'm going to at least choose the video!!! I love the sound of the Goo Goo Dolls, and their clip with Elmo is adorable. (However, I'm not too keen on the secularized self-esteem movement ... another post for another day.)

The video ended before I could finish cleaning up. So I chose another ... after all that is my prerogative!!! For whatever reason, I had a hankering to hear the late 80s hair band, Cinderella. Half way through their video to "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)," we found ourselves slow dancing to the music. I'm a sucker for sad songs, especially "love" songs.

Listening to the lyrics, while holding her, and while still thinking about Spitzer's escapades really hit me. I can only wonder if he truly appreciates the gravity of what he's done to his family, New York, his own career, and ... helped to "contribute" to "Kristen's" situation. I wonder would he have been as sorry if he had not gotten caught.

Then I began to appreciate the gravity of my responsibility to my beautiful gift from God I was holding. Apparently "Kristen" came from a bad home situation. Despite however willingly she chose her "occupation," Spitzer was merely using her for his own pleasure. And despite whatever she thinks of that for her own life, that breaks my heart for my own daughter. I simply cannot entertain even one quickie of a minute's worth of consideration that my daughter might be "used" one day. My heart breaks harder than Spitzer's bank account has over the past few rendezvouses with his "sweetie."

I don't want to have to wait until she's gone to truly know what I've got right now.

Enjoy the song:

Integrity: A Timeless Concept

2008-03-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, I watched the recently released, "10,000 BC." While this movie seemed to demand that organized religion be sacrificed on the altar of extinction, the producer-priests may not have been able to get the fire started. Self-sacrifice for the community, the very value-system of the movie, is the heart and soul of the community ethos in Christianity.

One scene in particular comes to mind. Dei-lay (sp?) is a young boy competing in his village for the lead hunter position as well as for the right to marry his secrete sweet heart. The group of boys coxes a group of mammoths to charge. The boy who is successful in bringing down the chosen mammoth will be the winner. A mishap occurs, and the netting used to trap the beast gives way. Several boys, including Dei-lay, jump on the net hoping to find a way to kill the mammoth. Shortly all boys jump off, but Dei-lay gets stuck. Eventually the beast is stopped by the edge of a canyon, and throws the remaining netting off. Dei-lay attempts to spear him, but is unsuccessful. The mammoth charges him in between some rocks, but is stopped due to a large spear stuck in the ground (left stuck in the netting). The other boys come running and congratulate Dei-lay for his successful kill, crowning him the winner of the coveted position and woman. However, his conscience bothers him, and a short while later he relinquishes his position and woman. He explains that he did not truly win the contest, so he cannot truly claim the coveted position nor the woman (though he loved her more than life itself ... she loved him as well).

"It is not the way of the Egal to claim the White Spear with a lie."

Later in the movie he gets the opportunity to demonstrate his love for her with the solid integrity that is the character of his people. Social and personal integrity ... what a novel concept for Christianity and Christian leaders.

Since organized religion was successfully presented in a very oppressive light ... and nature/tribal spirituality was presented with great fragrance, there is the possibility that many people in our culture will be further discouraged from fully embracing the Old Time Religion of their grandparents. We have this rather unpleasant issue with our skeptical youth today.

The challenge for us who truly love the Church (holy warts and all) is not to completely shrug off our teenagers' complaints. They are actually drowning in our hyper-individualistic culture and are seeking a liferaft of personal and social integrity in others, especially adults.

Hanging Out

2008-02-21T08:04:00.000-08:00

Introducing Our New Edition

2008-02-19T17:51:00.000-08:00

She was born this morning at 9:10. She weighed in at 6lbs 13oz and measured 19 1/2" long. My wife's water broke at around 2:45 am. We got to the hospital here in South Carolina about 6:15. Around 6:30 she was dialated to 2 cm. About 2 hours later she was dialated to 5 cm. Dr. Feelgood came around with the epidural at this point. By the time he had finished administering it to her, she felt lots of pressure. They checked her ... and she was dialated to a perfect 10cm!!! Unbelievable. After 4 pushes our new little edition was born at 9:10. She has been nursing like a champ. We could not have asked for better. God has truly blessed us, and we continue to pray for his protection and provision.

Understanding My Despair

2008-02-05T06:42:00.000-08:00

You may or may not realize this, but I've been in despair for quite some time now. I've thought about going to the doctor, but I can't see how that would do any good. When I talk to people, I can tell by their reactions that they simply don't understand.

Ironically, this makes my despair more liveable. The root of my despair is my wife ... well sort of. You see we've been married for five years now, and I am in utter despair ... over the fact that other men will never have as good of a wife as I have in mine.

I see them in Wal-mart (which I proudly patron). I see them driving by. You know ... I can tell they're jealous. Why would they not be?! Afterall, she's the brightest, prettiest, hottest (even when she's pregnant), sweetest woman alive today.

And today, February 5th is her birthday.

Happy Birthday Baby!!!

Mystery Alien in Theopolis

2008-02-01T22:01:00.000-08:00

Today ... well, yesterday (I'm writing this at 1:00 am), I went to see the recently released movie, "Cloverfield." For a more complete review of the movie follow this link: http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/movies/a0003601.cfm.

The movie is an emotional and visual roller coaster. From start to finish it takes the form of a home movie shot under the breath of Godzilla's cousins. The "video tape" is supposedly recovered from "what is formally known as Central Park." After an hour of hollaring (silently of course) "no you idiot, don't go in there!!!" the "secret video tape" ends rather abruptly when the those doing the filming are bombed, while hiding under a bridge. They don't escape ... at least you don't think they do. You don't know what exactly happened to New York City afterwards. You don't know where Godzilla's kinfolk came from. There's so much mystery that is breathing fire over you.

Needless to say, I left the movie feeling like I had hungrily bought a gallon of Blue Bell ice cream only to arrive home and find that it had melted and poured all over the back seat. What a waste.

But as I thought about the movie, I came to realize how brilliant the creators were; for all I could think about was the movie. Even now I still have the feel of running helplessly through the streets trying to keep the main characters from entering stupid alleys. Even now I still feel the weight of sadness at the "loss" of their lives. Even now I am wondering what exactly happened in Manhattan. Did the US military finally kill that thing?

Mystery is so wonderous. It's painful ... not knowing all the details. Yet mystery is what holds all the known and unknown details together. Mystery is frequently known by its alias: "Beauty."

In this series of posts that is considering the relationship between faith and politics, I believe we can lose an appropriate appreciation for how messy real life can be. Yet it is in this every-day-ness of life that God became man and redeemed his people. This every-day-ness is full of depravity ... is messy ... is where the dots are not all connected. Yet it is in this every-day-ness which he builds his people together as his temple. How?????

I don't know. How do I live as a believer in the midst of a depraved society? How do I live with other believers in the midst of a depraved society? How do we make disciples out of reprobates? How do we fight for good and against evil with good and evil people? I don't know.

Appreciating mystery is certainly alien to many in our culture. Yes, I know that it is not right to use mystery as an incubator for spiritual and intellectual laziness. But it need not be feared like an alien on the loose in Manhatten. Nuking mystery actually incinerates our ability to worship our mysterious Triune God--Father, Son, Spirit.

Idealism Gunned Down in Theopolis; Reality on the Loose and Is Armed and Dangerous

2008-01-31T06:47:00.000-08:00

She was the hottest girl I had ever seen ... and upon seeing her day after day, I saw no-thing or no-one else that interested me. Hey that was saying a lot for my kindergarten-age attention span at the time. Well one day, while I was sitting on top of the monkey bars at recess, she happened to come walking by.

"Oh I think boys who fall off of the monkey bars are big and strong."

What was I to do? So on the fifth time of falling down, I landed on my wrist on cracked it. No spanking I had received until that time came close to the pain I felt. My cracked wrist was a slap on the wrist worth of pain, compared to the disappointment I felt when she never spoke to me again. She was supposed to like me ... no ... she was supposed to have worshipped me. Alas, my view of the world fell off the monkey bars, and much like old Humpty Dumpty, could not be put back together again.

Yes, this is simply another lesson that might well have made for a great episode of "The Andy Griffith Show." The only problem is that many adults are still climbing and falling off high idealistic monkey bars today. In their minds the world just ought to work a certain way, despite the circumstances. That piece is not what's problematic. The highly idealistic among us have the habit of ignoring the snickering girls and continue to fall of the bars, despite multiple broken bones. Reality just ought to work this way.

Take for example the ideal of "helping the poor." Many well meaning idealistic crusaders among us continue to climb the monkey bars of LBJ's Great Society, thinking the welfare state is the best way to care for "the least of these." Despite (or inspite of ... whichever word is appropriate) American Society's broken homes due to Government subsidies of laziness and immoral behavior; they climb still. Our friendly neighborhood idealistic crusaders continue to climb the bars, taking swipes at the wealthy (thinking there is only so much money to go around ... merchantilism died off several centuries ago), taking swipes at "middle class values" (to Hell with hard work and long range planning and family commitments). Robin Hood never really helped the poor ... he only entertained them while making everyone poor. (Perhaps more on this in a later post.)

Now don't get me wrong, ideals are great ... but not at the expense of reality's track record.

Along this same vein two movies illustrate the inter-mingling of reality with idealism ... "Charlie Wilson's War" and "Rambo."

Charlie Wilson's War

Upon seeing the documentary on The History Channel, I had to see the movie. (As a disclaimer, I don't recommend this movie as a "family movie" if you catch my drift.) Throughout the movie idealism is in bed with reality. The Soviet Union has invaded Afghanistan and is mutilating their population to subdue them. With Afghanistan secure, the Soviets will have an unprecidented window on the world to crash and break into the world. If the US overtly helps the Afghans, WWIII could break out. A "devout" evangelical Christian teams up (sometimes sexually) with a moral recluse and secure appropriate Congressional support for the Afghans. In the mean time this team brings Egypt, Pakistan, and Israel into their buddy-buddy coalition.

Good News. The Soviets are defeated by the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan, which is one of the major nails in the Soviet coffin. Bad News. The US would not officially enter into Afghanistan to help rebuild schools and infrastructure. Bad News. Islamic Radicals poured into their new holy land to build Islamic warrior training camps.

Rambo (Disclaimer: This is certainly not a "family" movie.)

Missionaries want to hire the "retired" Rambo to take them upriver from Thailand to Burma. Rambo at first refuses. They plead with him, based on the purity of their mostly medical mission work. He refuses based on the savagry ravaging the Burmese people.

"You got guns?"

"No."

"You ain't gonna change anything."

The savage beast is convinced by the beautiful woman to take them upriver. Passing into Burma, they happen upon horny Burmese pirates. After failed negotiations with the-pirates-who-don't-do-anything-nice, the pirates attempt to snatch the lone female in the pack. Rambo blows them away. The male leader chastizes Rambo for his saving their ungrateful lives. Rambo decided a Heart-to-Heart is needed. Jacking the slob up, he informs his admirer that the female would have been gang-raped all night long. Upon dropping the missionaries off, the male leader informs Rambo that he would have to report his actions, "It is never right to take a life."

Was the man also going to report the Pirates-Who-Don't-Do-Anything-Nice of their attempted, but averted, rape? Rambo ends up having to save them again. Did they need guns to advance the Gospel. Of course not. But the Burmese people they were trying to help (who were already Christians for the most part) also did not need a message of salvation ... they needed saving from utter butchery.

Healthy Idealism

Do I have ideals? You betcha! Do I wish wars and sexual immorality and poverty ... and ... sin would cease? You betcha!! Do I believe that Jesus is truly ruling and reinging as the King of the Cosmos? You betcha!!!

But ... and this is a big, nasty, hairy but that needs to be wiped ... I also believe that we ignore human sin nature to our bleeding heart's cardiac arrest. Jesus is pretty clear that the problems of human sin nature reigning sorta-free in the world (ie wars and rumors of wars) are not going to be irradicated before he returns in final victory.

So let's help lift people out of poverty ... so let's minister to those in war-ravaged countries ... so let's put a stop to AIDS ... so let's seek and destroy evil in the world. But let us not neglect to give serious consideration to installing checks and balances on the sin nature in our efforts ... lest our high idealism be gunned down by the reality of human sin nature.

Going to the Movies in Theopolis

2008-01-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

Not many took me serious when I admitted that the recent Spider Man movie (actually the first one in the trilogy) spoke to me. Hey, if God can condenscend himself to become one of us helpless blobs, then certainly the Holy Spirit can throw some of Spidey's webs over my heart. Despite the greasy popcorn butter on my mouth and clothes, his webs caught me and would not let me go.

I love movies for that reason. In classical Wesleyan fashion, I believe that God happens to be a movie-goer too, who is using whatever means available to speak to the world and draw them to himself. The techy term is prevenient grace. It is indeed amazing to see the insights that shine through today's pop-culture. In many instances the questions pop-culture is asking and wrestling with are Academy Award winning compared to the B-level spoofy questions tossed about in Sunday School. Over the next couple of posts, I hope to discuss several of the movies I have seen lately, which seem to flavor this discussion of faith and politics.

Again, we might not agree, but playing paddy-cake doesn't equip us for Broadway-quality Christianity.

Theopolis--The juxtaposition of two concepts of "public morality."

2008-01-22T18:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, many in the country celebrated MLK Jr. day ... as did I. Polls among both whites and blacks overwhelmingly celebrate some measure of national progress towards Dr. King's dream. What excites me the most is not necessarily this great achievement of the American people. My joy in this is the subtle celebration of the force behind MLK Jr.'s dream ... his Christian faith. In the spirit of Christian social justice he led a movement of non-violent social protests from church pulpits to city pavements. Many federal celebrations actually take place in churches. Bill Clinton opened for the speaker at Dr. King's former church. Even those celebrations taking place on public grounds invocate churchy meetings. I can remember from high school days being bussed to the local university gym and participating in churchy services memorializing Dr. King.

Today is the anniversary of Roe V. Wade. Countless babies have been brutally sacrificed on altars of personal convenience in services of secular humanist and liberal "Christian" liturgies. Perhaps Rodney Clapp best sums up the disdain and utter contempt of many for people of Evangelical and conservative Roman Catholic faith involved in the political system, vying, struggling for an end to the Holocaust of our time. Clapp claims that evangelicals involved in the political system for causes, such as bringing an end the legalization of abortion, are draconian in their devilish nature. Evangelicals (claims Clapp) are the ones who are red in tooth and claw, rabidly hungry for political power.

So ... I ask again ... can people of faith (especially of the conservative Evangelical variety) be involved in the American political process? Should they be involved? Ironically, I find the most resistance to christening politically-active evangelicals with favor, emanating from fellow believers. Perhaps we should call for a recount at this point.

Theopolis--Equality at its best

2008-01-14T11:45:00.000-08:00

Yesturday, Governor Mike Huckaby preached in Spartanburg, SC. Some in the news media are all over this story. Here is a link: http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/13/at-south-carolina-church-huckabee-preaches-about-path-to-heaven/ The article is an AP contribution and thus not specific to Fox News.

Now what's interesting about this article is not necessarily what was actually reported by the AP journalist. What's actually more interesting are the comments posted in response to this article. Many comments spew forth a fiery rhetoric about his breaking the campaign code of mixing religion and politics. How can a preacher, who is running for "the leader of the free world" position actually dare commit such a dastardly, immoral sin? Just ask Bill Clinton, Jesse, Jackson, Al Sharpton, Elizabeth Edwards, and Bill's lovely bride Hillary. These saints of the Democratic Party have all done and continue to do the same types of things. Perhaps calling Huckabee wrong for speaking in that church yesterday atones for the sin of one of the debate moderators last Thursday. During the Republican debate held at Myrtle Beach, SC, Carl Cameron asked Huckabee a potentially ensnaring, religious question ... does believing in the Christian concept of wifely submission to husbandly authority add to or take away from one's electability for the US Presidency. By the way, no other candidates were asked religious questions.

I don't know about you but I feel a bit of a double standard at work here ... ironically in a politically correct time when double standards have been staunchly condemned to roast in the Marxist fires of Hell. Hey, I'm the last one to say that 501c3s (non-profits) should be off limits for political rhetoric. My Marxist professors at my 501c3 academic institutions of "higher learning" indoctrinated me just right. However, in their tride and true "dissent is the highest form of patriotism" and "question authority" mantras, I disagree that 501c3s should be available to only the leftward-leaning in our country. In all seriousness, I think anyone in this country ought to be able to "share their hearts" with any churches or other types of 501c3s, who are willing to receive them. Let's just be fair.

So ... even if we make a monumental step of repentence and actually attempt to be fair and consistant in our culture ... what about mixing faith and politics? Is this something Christians can do? Is this something Christians should do?

Theopolis

2008-01-11T08:04:00.000-08:00

I am hoping to resume a series of posts that I began a while ago. Major interuptions happen (like UGA winning the Sugar Bowl and LSU winning the national title) from time to time, and new directions need to be taken.

Again, this series of posts I am resuming is entitled, "Theopolis." Admittedly, I am not a Greek scholar. Yet, if I am not mistaken theos mean God/god and polis refers to life in the Greek city-state. God-city or God in the life of the city/community. Actually, this on a broad-scale is what this blog is all about. More specifically I want to engage the point (or points) at which theology and religion intersect the aspect of city/community life known as politics.

I ask from you several things.

Please feel free to dialogue with me.
Please feel free to disagree with me.
Please make an honest attempt to hear me out.
If you have a strong emotional reaction to something I have written, I applaud that. However, please make an attempt to safeguard your life jacket of rationality, while riding the tidal wave of emotion.

I think a great place to start is to analyze whether believers should even be involved in politics. From Jimmy Carter to Pat Robertson to Jim Wallis to Mike Huckabee, Evangelicals have seen many of their own involved at many different political levels, positions, and flavors and have garnered (for good or ill) many types of media coverage. This is a great place to begin my next blog.

With Much Regret

2008-01-08T20:39:00.001-08:00

With much regret, I have decided to delete my 24/7 Sunday blog. While it was a great idea to post my full-length sermons on a blog, in all honesty, it is too much for me to do on a regular basis. I hope one day in the near future to add an audio and/or video component to this blog. I sincerely apologize to my readers. You are precious.

LSU Makes SEC Proud

2008-01-07T21:41:00.000-08:00

38-24

Way to Go Bayou Bengals!!!!!!!!

Logo is from the site: http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=7827

Theopolis Interlude Part Two--Hawaii's Story Needs to Be Told

2008-01-03T07:19:00.000-08:00

Hawaii's recent College Football story needs to be told, and I took a stab at it in my previous blog. Heather Dinich of ESPN tells it far better. Please give her a read.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls07/columns/story?id=3171525

On top of being one of the best coaches in the nation (I absolutely love Mark Richt of UGA), June Jone is also a believer ... this is part of Ms. Dinich's article. Yes, I am a Georgia fan, and love most things about my home state. However, I'm proud to say that I'm humble enough to find, celebrate, and emulate great things in other people, cultures, and ... yes ... football programs. Read Heather Dinich's article!!!

Theopolis Interlude

2008-01-02T07:17:00.000-08:00

We interupt this regularly scheduled series of posts to bring you this pronouncement:

GO DAWGS!!!!!!!

UGA played remarkably last night, scoring a 41 - 10 Sugar Bowl victory over the highest scoring team in the nation: Hawaii. Again, let me repeat: Hawaii is the highest scoring team in the nation for this present season.

Something changed in both teams relatively a short while ago. I think we remember (at least I do) the utterly horrible games UGA played against South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. Though UGA actually beat Vandy, it was horrible play. UGA must have boarded their DAWGS for those games and sent in the pound puppies. However, something changed. UGA game play beginning with Florida after their off-week was entirely different. They returned the pound puppies to Wal-mart and broke their DAWGS out of kennel prison. The nation counted them out. UGA counted themselves at national champ material. They played the rest of the season with raw courage and DAWG bite, becoming the hottest team in the nation.

Hawaii's story is similar and must be told. One of the commentators during last night's game made some fabulous observations. Until June Jones arrived a short while back, Hawaii was utterly pathetic, going 0-12 (and 0-12 in the WAC, mind you). Look at Hawaii since June Jones. A BCS bowl game. June Jone's recruiting budget is pesos on the dollar (not even pennies) compared to schools like UGA, Ohio State, and USC. He also pointed out that the last time he actively recruited on the mainland was about 3 years ago. Hawaii has nothing to hang their heads in shame over all things considered. Many teams would have given up at the half, but Hawaii played like the Warriors they are ... with raw courage. Last night's game could potentially be radically tranformative for them; for they had never seen the likes of SEC play before. Courage would say that last night's defeat for Hawaii is national-championship-character-building for them. The have in my opinion one of the best coaches in the nation, but the powers-that-be need to shift their luau dollars to match their players' and coaching staff's warrior spirit.

The UGA and University of Hawaii helmet pictures came from the site: http://www.nflnut.com/store/page199.html.

Theopolis Part I

2007-12-29T17:20:00.000-08:00

The question we left off with essentially was how does Jesus and church stuff fit in with the world in which we live? Actually, that is the purpose for this blog. Typically this can be quite a touchy issue. Afterall Religion and Politics are BIG no-nos for parlor-party-public discussion. Both are typically passionate issues that tend to be private, apple-of-the-eye areas.

Interestingly, you like I, perhaps made the unconscious leap from Jesus and society to Jesus and politics. Actually for me it wasn't unconscious but intential to present an observation or two. In our time and place in the world people, especially the up and coming generations, are quite passionate, waiting for "their cause" to vehicle their idealism. Politics is an accepted venue in which to carry that out. Thus, I have perhaps, unwittingly, bifurcated my audience into older and younger readers. For the older readers, politics is a private matter ... except for the news broadcasters and very close friends. For the younger readers politics is a ship of adventure to be caught on the way to changing the world. For these people politics involves more than holding office itself.

The second observation follows from the first. Many (mostly older people) see the Jesus and church stuff as matters of very private concern; something to be kept separate from every other sphere of life ... especially those areas which involve habitual contact with other people. Many others (mostly the younger) see the Jesus and church stuff as value laden, which can impact the world. The problem with the younger people is that many of them see the Jesus value system as one of many different options out there at different times.

Taken together, the umbrella point covering these observations is that Scripture teaches that Jesus is to be lord over every area of the disciple's life. There is no area of anyone's life that is inherently private, for any one area of one's life touches every area of that one's life. Likewise, there is no one person who is completely detached from the society in which he lives. In some form or fashion, he is connected to the community. Thus, even the "private" areas of his life touch the public areas of the lives of those in his community. Therefore, there is no such thing as a private Jesus. Jim Wallis, one who I respect but sorely disagree with on most socio-political issues, rightly says, "Christianity is deeply personal but never private."

That being said, the individual who follows Jesus lives within a larger community ... and the interaction of being a devote Christian within society is certainly a topic of concern. And ... living in society involves the interaction of many individuals and many different groups of individuals. Therefore, the regulation of that interaction ... which is essentially the nature of politics ... is of important concern for anyone in that society ... especially the Christian.

Thus, I've entitled this series of posts Theopolis (which might be Greek for God-city). I want explore some issues of Christianity and society (especially politics). Many will disagree with my conclusions. Many will agree with my conclusions. Many will agree and disagree. But hey, let's have fun with respect for one another along the way.

Suicide Bomber Blows up More than Himself Part 2

2007-12-28T12:26:00.000-08:00

Of particular interest to me has been the response to Bhutto's unfortunate and utterly tragic assassination. The presidential candiadates have "inherited" (exploited?) this opportunity to appear "presidential." Even Obama, who proudly touts opposing the Second Iraq War, says that we (the American Government) should do all we can to promote and stabilize democracy in Pakistan. Obama's response is not really surprising, given his recent "presidential make-up and tea party" where he said that we should immediately pull all troops out of Iraq and redeploy them to Afghanistan. John Edwards even placed a call to Pakistan. Hopefully Bhutto's supporters can spot the nature of these remarks better than they could Bhutto's assassin.

Hey, the Republicans are doing the same thing. But perhaps this is to be expected. Afterall, the young bucks have to test their antlers before attracting their "sugar-mamas" at the polls.

But what does all of this have to do with Jesus, church, and stuff? "I mean, pastor, shouldn't you simply keep to writing about Jesus and loving the world." Where does Jesus fit into politics?

Good question.

Before answering, allow me to take a trip into the wilderness of newpaper journalism to a spot the Columbus Dispatch ran on Pakistan on the Front Page, "Pakistan 101."

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/national_world/stories/2007/12/28/ap_pakistan_101.ART_ART_12-28-07_A1_AD8T9EA.html

In clicking on the link you'll notice four categories in this highlight of Pakistan and the War on Terror, "Terrorism, Religion, Government, and Nuclear Neighbors." Allow me to highlight under Terrorism, "But the country's intelligence agency also has supported Islamic radicals in Pakistan and the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan in an effort to gain political influence in both countries." Allow me also to point you to the last part of the Religion section, "The Islamic religious right shot to prominence after Musharraf's rise to power in a 1999 military coup and was further boosted by a wave of anti-American sentiment after the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001."

In these two statements "Islamic radicals" and "the Islamic religious right" are used to describe the people who "shot into" power, using religious ideology to "gain political influence." What is the end result of their politcal influence .... totalitarian control of the masses and campaigns of guerilla terror.

Question: What is the media's description of those who lean right of center on the political spectrum here in the States, who also happen to be Christian in general or more specifically Evangelical? According to Rodney Clapp in his 2000 book of essays, Border Crossings, the religious right are similarly out for power to advance their causes and will only have "draconian" methods in which to highjack power. According to others the religious right are taking refuge in the hinterlands of North America, card-carrying members of the John Birch Society, and lying in wait to blow up abortion clinics.

Perhaps among the debris the suicide bomber has left behind is the idea in our culture that all people who lean to the social and political right-of-center and who happen to be religiously conservative are all of the same ilk ... despite the tenates of their religion and the nature of their religious convictions.

The question at hand, which will be stabbed at later, (sorry for the violent imagery, I couldn't resist ... my religious-right tendencies must be taking over--Ha Ha) is the nature of involvement of a person who is devoutly religious in the political realm. Where does the theological intersect with the political? If we are serious about Jesus being lord over every area of our lives, this will include our political involvement and thus will be of importance for this blog dedicated to following Jesus in the "everydayness of life."

Suicide Bomber Blows up More than Himself

2007-12-27T10:55:00.000-08:00

Today, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at a rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. (Actually she died an hour later at a hospital.) A suicide bomber then blows up himself. Now, normally the usual "analysis" concludes Islamo-fascism has arisen in response to any US military presence and campaigns in the middle east. Obviously, if we were not in Afghanistan (and especially in Iraq) attacks like this would never have happened. We are at fault for not placating Islamo-facism. The hate-America secular left here in the States loves to bloviate this rhetoric. The more extreme versions of this even condemn the World Trade Center to deserving its 9-11 demise. The Bush administration are condemned as war criminals by this radical left.

However, I fully believe this utterly absurd notion is blown sky high by our friendly neighborhood suicide bomber. The attacks were against Bhutto and the reforms she was advocating ... just like they were against her father, who was also assassinated. Islamo-facism has arisen not simply in response to any specific efforts of the US in the middle-east per se. Rather Islamo-facism has arisen primarily in response to significant challenges to the status quo of the 6th and 7th Century and to the primacy the Golden Age of the world-wide caliphate. Anything short of the world-wide caliphate garbed in 7th Century Arabic culture is an afront to Islamo-facist dignity.

Remember the Original Santa Worshipped Jesus

2007-12-25T09:53:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas is a truly wonderful American holiday that is one of the last anchors for the family in our society. Despite whether one is a believer or not, seeing family at Christmas is a top priority for most in our society. Gift-giving ... at least for a moment ... potentially draws the focus off of oneself and onto certain special others. Let's not forget that glorious bird who lays down his life every year for us ... and turkey gravy, turkey sandwiches, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pies ... well you get my point.

Yet, in watching my baby girl tear into her presents this morning ... as well as tearing into everyone else's presents ... tore into a certain part of my heart. "Mine, mine, mine," was her anthem. Now you might well say that "mine, mine, mine" is the anthem of every 2-year-old, and you are certainly correct in this dry bit of factual information. However, the implication is on the naughty list. As our society grows infinintly more secular, I'm afraid that the "mine-mine-mine" anthem lasts a bit longer past toddler-age than ripped-up wrapping paper. I know many adults (myself included at times) whose anthem is merely a more sophisticated version of "mine, mine, mine." In my favorite movie, "A Christmas Story," the mom asks her two present-happy boys and worn-out, syncial husband if everyone is ready for Christmas to begin. This morning I even found myself teaching my baby-girl to say "Merry Christmas" after the paper-ripping fest.

While I am certainly not advocating the complete abandonment of gift-giving as a major facet of Christmas, as a believer and as a decent human being, I wish to train my children in civility and train them out of barbarity. The root of this is found in who Jesus is and was ... this Jesus who came "to give his life as a ransom for many" and "came not to be served but to serve." May we not deceive ourselves into thinking we are serving the children in our subsidizing of barbaric "mine-mine-mine" attitudes through indulging their commercialized whims and fantasies. Rather may we train our children to truly worship the same Jesus that the original St. Nicholas truly worshipped (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus). May we train them to be givers and producers rather than merely consumers.

The Luster of Christmas

2007-12-22T19:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas has since I can remember been a time of fanciful imaginging and wonderlands of daydreams. However, in recent years, this favorite time of the year for me has been losing its luster. Even my all-time favorite movie, "A Christmas Story," was a bit anti-climatic this past week. Have I shot Christmas-eye out?

However, this Christmas will go down on record as the most memorable for me ... due to a short visit back in Georgia (where most sweetly-good things are!) with my brother's family and a couple of friends. In visiting with my brother's family, he and I got the unique opportunity to teach his 5-year old daughter how to ride a bike ... with no training wheels. He had already begun to work with her. Upon arriving at his place, I joined in the fun, and together we helped her move from terrible fright (especially on concrete) to riding by herself (on concrete) with emotional zest ... all in one day!!!!!!!

From whipping him in several riviting games of checkers to great conversations with several other family folks to putting stickers on Burger King toys for both my neice and nephew to staying up late and watching "Pirates of the Carribean 3" and eating fudge with my sister-in-law to connecting over lunch with three really great friends who really love the Lord with deep passion; this visit really scratched my Christmas itch. As an emotional stocking-stuffer, I got to return home to my wife, who has become my best friend and talk to a another good friend on the phone, who I had to leave behind in Kentucky.

Yes, giving is a major part of Christmas; and while buying stuff to give to people can potentially cause you to think about someone other than yourself ... many people are actually drowning self-consumption. The gift-giving tends to be more about them than the person for whom they're buying.

What made this visit so rewarding, I believe, (even though I happily and proudly bought things for people) was the opportunity and ability to personally invest in the lives of others and tend to relationships with people very important to me. That is something which makes even the brightest Higbee's Christmas window display pale in comparison.

The Higbee's picture is from the site: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=022301.

The Basic Christmas Spirit

2007-12-18T19:09:00.000-08:00

As you may or may not know, I'm a pastor. As you may or may not know further still, I don't have an unlimited spiritual reservoir. I get tired. I am tired ... spiritually speaking.

I need the Lord. I guess that's how I know that I know the Holy Spirit is holding fast in my heart, filled with multiple distractions. My first mentor once said to me that one of the greatest tools the devil has at his disposal can be being busy. And ... as believers who are hard at work ... at the Lord's work ... there is much temptation to go, go, go ... without resting in God's presence in personal worship.

After all, if I take care of myself, then I'm being selfish ... right? WRONG!!!!!! There is a reason why the airlines advise parents to secure their own oxygen masks before those of their children.

In my Christmas sermon series, I've made one critical comment concerning nativity scenes. (Mostly, the criticism is not directed so much at the nativity scene themselves as at our own perceptions and conceptions.) Nativity scenes can be way too polished, often leading the observer to forget the scandal and hardship and heart ache that was that first Christmas for many of the major players.

However, one thing that I've never seen a nativity scene mess up on is the power of a moment. All nativity scenes I've ever seen (live ones excluded) have each of the characters kneeling, bowing, standing ... but all are still and quiet ... at worship before the infant King. That I believe is the moment of glory for the nativity scene. Even as I write this my heart is longing ever more to be still and quiet in worship before my King.

That, my friends, is the basic Christmas spirit. Every thing else that's good about Christmas must flow from that attitude of worship.

Anyone Know Where They Keep Some Extra Towels Lying Around?

2007-12-12T06:14:00.000-08:00

"One will never question our authority again." This is a line from the recently released movie, "The Golden Compass," which I actually saw last Friday. Peter T. Cattaway has written an excellent synopsis of the movie and the trilogy from which it came in this month's "Christianity Today" magazine. Please check it out. http://www.ctlibrary.com/51955

In my opinion this movie, like "V for Vendetta," released in 2005, follows a trend that seems to hearken back to the glory days of the French Revolution. The authority is all-encompassing and absolutely evil. It is to be questioned, disbelieved, and overthrown. The catch is when both movies are speaking of authority, they are not speaking of any individual in authority per se, but of authority in general. If we just overthrow authority, we can lead ourselves. We have no need of anyone to tell us what to do.

The problem in both movies, like the revolutionaries in France soon found, once the authority is overthrown ... then what? In "V for Vendetta" the "hero" is V, a man seriously maimed in body and soul by the government. For the rest of his life he will plan the day when he will take the ultimate revenge on the government by overthrowing it. He has faith that the population will rise up and create a more perfect society, free of the overshadow of the authority.

In "The Golden Compass" Lira is a little girl who doesn't like to be told what to do by anyone. She comes into her own when she realizes the megalith battle for civilization has fallen into her pocket via the last golden compass in existence. The others have been confiscated by the Magisterium (the overshadowing authority). The golden compasses are "truth meters," allowing anyone who knows how to read them to find any answer to any question. However, the Magisterium wishes to be the only answer-man on the block, monopolizing "the truth." Lira's responsibility is to take the golden compass she possesses to her uncle (who is really her father), so that he can make contact with another world like their own. In the mean-time she leads an effort to free all the children who have been captured by the Magisterium for a special surgery, which will free them forever from the burden of wanting to question any "truth" given by the Magisterium ... or any part of their authority. "One will never question our authority again."

As in "V for Vendetta," once the authority is overthrown who will be responsible for care and feeding of the masses? Keep in mind the masses are filled will people who will never be told what to do. Also keep in mind the ones responsible for caring for the masses are in essence defacto leaders ... and they will be filled with individuals who will resist being told what to do (which will in essence include being told what to do with their authority).

Anyone know where they keep some extra towels lying around ... for a little blood ooze? Secular humanism ignores ... all the way to the guillotine ... human sin nature.

This 1792 model of a French guillotine is courtesy of Michael @ http://boisdejustice.home.att.net/

Remodeling

2007-12-11T05:55:00.000-08:00

Recently, I was given permission to repaint my office and was thrilled. Of course the prospect of making some much needed updates and changes was exciting. However, a major part of the excitement for me was incorporating others into the discussion and planning phase, rendering this project more of a "we-thing" than simply a "me-thing." I truly believe this can represent great ministry possibilities for the two churches with which I work. I have many talented and blessed-of-God-to-minister-to-others type folks in both of my churches ... and I want church ministry for us to be more of a we-thing than a me-thing.

Here are some pictures of the office before I moved in:

Here are some pictures that were taken after I moved in, but before I remodeled.

Here are some pictures taken of the remodeled room, and, yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. The above picture was Windows 95 in the Spring of 2007!

The "before pictures" were all taken during daylight. So you can see that it was a fairly dark room. The first four pictures of the remodeled room were taken at night. The remodeled room is now brighter at night than the old room was during the day time. You can see how shiny the book shelf is now. Before the bookshelf was only stained with one or at most two coats. The wood was super scratchy, because it had not been sanded. Thus, I sanded the book case and the boards, before painting the book case (and wood paneling!) with semi-gloss. For whatever reason the builders decided it would be a great idea to put ceiling pop-corn on the upper trim and the upper half of the wall. I scraped and sanded all of that off. The paint went on remarkably. As long as I have a choice in the matter, I will only use Sherwin-Williams paint. Sherwin-Williams, you rock the house (and my office!).

Needless to say, the room needed some serious updates (I can't believe wood paneling was ever in style!). But with a little attention it looks great now (at least in my humble opinion). Even the wood paneling, once painted, looks great. Instead of sucking all of the light out of the world like a black hole, the room reflects light beautifully. It no longer has the feel of a dungeon or storage closest.

The room beautifully reflects what the Holy Spirit can do with some willing materials for church ministry.

Chaos for Christmas

2007-11-29T11:06:00.000-08:00

"All this took place to fulfill what the the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means God with us). Matthew 1:22 & 23 (ESV)

One of the names of Jesus is Immanuel, which means God with us. It is indeed interesting that Matthew brings this information out in the midst of what had to have been a tumultous and scandulous relationship between Mary and Joseph. Mary was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph. However, Mary and Joseph were betrothed, which is engagement on steroids. They were legally pledged to be married. They were legally married without the ceremony and benefits.

Mary is pregnant. The baby is not Joseph's. But Mary got pregnant from someone. Can we say "Soap Opera?" Adultery was rewarded with stoning. Joseph trusted Mary enough to dismiss her behind the scenes. Enter the Lord (or the Angel of the Lord). He tells Joseph this is God's doing, to be patient, and wait. Joseph was to still marry Mary. The people talked ... no doubt the people talked. "Soap Opera?"

This is what Jesus was born into. Jesus was born in choas. That first Christmas was surely choas. Today, when things are sheer madness, I want the Prince of Peace that was born in sheer chaos to be born anew in my heart.

All the Way to the SEC Championship!

2007-11-11T12:48:00.000-08:00

Moving into the Auburn game on Saturday, Georgia was up against a formidable opponent. Auburn had beaten Florida and knocked them down from a national title bid. They pulled it out against Arkansas (in a baseball-like score of 9-7). They were 7 points shy of toppling Les Miles's Purple Cat machine (LSU). I honestly had my doubts. Yet, Georgia performed beautifully and has some confidence chips to spend in Lexington next Saturday. (They must spend their confidence chips wisely, though). Kentucky beat Vandy (which is not a walk in the park) and provided LSU with their only loss. Kentucky has had a fair reason (relatively speaking). They are building their program. With their loss to Gardner-Webb (yeah your reaction speaks volumes ... Gardner who?) in basketball earlier, their surprise football program is set to take off. However, I'm predicting Georgia will pull it out and face LSU in the SEC title game. I'm looking to see LSU play Oregon for the national title in January. Let's face it folks, there's nothing quite like SEC football.

Logo is from the site: http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=7827

Waving "Bye-Bye" to the Passing Cars

2007-11-09T16:46:00.000-08:00

When my baby girl greets my wife and I in the mornings with a stark naked smiling body and poopy hands, any romantic notions of parenting are sufficiently flushed down the toilet. Yet, in reality my baby's "little presents" wrapped in huggies are part and parcel of the larger gift she is from God to us. Right now, with every bottom and nose wiped, with every boo boo kissed, we are communicating to her our unconditional love.

How great a gift from God! It is through these experiences that we are transformed into His likeness, by developing unconditional love for truly helpless creatures. I believe it is the Eastern Orthodox who might call this participating in the divine nature.

In addition to this, if we can keep our attitudes towards her in line with our unconditional-love-actions, we will have earned a special place in her ears for our voices of guidance. About dusk my baby girl (22 months old) and I sat in our yard, watching the cars go by. She got the biggest thrill out of pointing and waving at the unaware passersby. I was aware, though. I was aware that simply being out there and enjoying that harmless moment with her was a building block of trust for us. It is my hope that with each push of the swing and each bye-bye wave to the passing cars, that I am bonding her to me. Despite whatever else I might could have been doing. My time was very well spent. I'd rather watch her wave bye-bye to unaware passersby now than flip me off bye-bye later as a teenager.

You Don't Have to Look Pretty, You Just Have to Make It

2007-11-04T12:12:00.000-08:00

Last night I watched the second half of the LSU - Alabama game. It was an adrenaline rush. LSU pulled it out at the wire, with Chad Jones's sack of John Parker Wilson, the Bama QB. The ball was knocked free and LSU recovered the fumble on the 4 yard line, which resulted in a Jacob Hester TD for LSU. LSU is still in the hunt for the national championship.

Shortly before this one of the commentators remarked that all that mattered for winning the national championship for the BCS was winning games and getting there, not winning and looking pretty. "You don't have to look pretty; you just have to make it."

This morning a lot went wrong ... all before church. By the way I'm the pastor. Pastors are perfect and nothing is supposed to go wrong. If anything does, then they perfectly handle the situation. Yeah Right!!!!!!!!

I know some people think of their pastors in that horrible light, and some pastors draconily want their underlings to think of them that way. That's something I want no part of!!!!!!

God is transforming me. Jesus became sin, that I might become the righteousness of God. You know the transformation process might not be pretty, but it's beautiful. It doesn't have to look pretty, I just have to make it to the end.

Team logo is from the site: http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=7827

Go Dawgs!!!

2007-11-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

Georgia beats Troy 44 to 34.

Team logo is from the site: http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=7827

Engaging with God in Art

2007-11-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

I have met a very important milestone y'all. I have now arranged my first church sign. Yes, the sign has been up for several weeks; I'm still pretty excited. The two sides of the sign are two sides of the same coin.

In order to help emphasize this idea, I have created a picture that I hope to display in both of my churches for some period of time. Though we will finish the sermon series, "Engaging with God--Reframing Worship," the theme of my ministry with these very wonderful people remains the same. By teaching, preaching, praying, living with them, and personal example, I hope to help as many as possible to experience the Christian lifestyle as one that is actively engaging with God--on His terms.

The picture is entitled, "Authentic Worship." It features a man, who is not only partially naked but is bereft of his face. Underneath is polished exterior lies an ugly brutish beast. A Thing! Notice that he is also holding a time piece. For how many of us, does the clock dictate who were are? He is offering his face and his time piece to God, as token of his real self. In so doing his real self is exposed, before the all-consuming fire that is God's very nature. Thus, the fiery cauldron represents God. The cauldron sits upon rocks. On several occasions people in the Old Testament built altars out of rocks to God. This was done as gestures of worship, but also as vehicles of worship. The rocky altars would be memorial stones to help them remember the great and vast things God had done for them.

Thus, the man is encountering a deep penetrating experience. Notice again that the cauldron is sitting on the altar. This represents God's offering of himself for the sin of the world in the person of Jesus. This offering, where Jesus literally gave his life on the cross, is what makes reconciliation with God even possible. Not only is the man legally justified before God, the way is now paved for him to become totally transformed. Remember that Jesus became sin that we might become the righteousness of God. This is represented by the different colors of the river in which the man is standing. The darker water, which represents his dark sin nature, is being washed away and replace by the lighter water. Concerning the river itself, Jesus claimed that whoever believed in him rivers of living water would flow out of him.

Notice the people descending down to the river. They are leaving the church to do so. As believers we are not to stay held up in our cozy little churches (known as Ft. God). Rather we are to leave in force and go into the sin of the world (out of imitation of Christ). The people are a church who is going to encapsulate the man who is redemptively experiencing God. The believers are robed in red, representing their being clothed in the blood of Christ. One of them holds a red robe for the man in the river. The picture is of night, where mythically crime happens. The church is leaving the church building to encounter the world with Christ during the time of sin. Notice that the trees are different colors. Some trees look as if to be in summer and some look as if to be in fall, with reddish-orange colors. The ground is reddish-orange. These images represent the need to be prepared during any season of the year (or at all times) for any work of ministry for the Lord.

Here are a few pictures featuring the completion process:

The "Becoming" Type of Christianity

2007-10-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

Well, Richt's motivational celebration order worked last Saturday, as his dawgs entered The Swamp and had a gator feast. 42-30 is certainly more exciting to watch (if you're a Georgia fan) than the 31-14 Mississippi State upset of Kentucky (if you're a Kentucky fan) last Saturday. I'm both ... at least I'm becoming both.

1200 pages of reading per class in grad school (I took at least 3 classes, sometimes four per semester) was not exactly condusive to the college football junkie lifestyle. College was not much better ... that is if I wanted to make good grades. However, now I'm out of school with some time on my hands. I've decided to jump into the college football scene.

A man asked me today if I was Georgia fan or was I simply wearing the hat. You know, I had to think about that one. Two weeks ago, someone noticed my Georgia hat and asked me who they were playing that day. I didn't know. Some fan, huh? I think it's more accurate to say that I'm "becoming" a fan. I certainly do enjoy the games.

Though seeing every team I pull for while watching them on TV lose is getting pretty annoying. It's crazy! I watched Kentucky lose to Florida two Saturdays ago. Yet while traveling on the road and unable to watch any games, both Kentucky and Georgia had victories. Kentucky beat LSU of all people!!! I was out in the yard most of this past Saturday and also involved in a church social that evening--which meant I wasn't watching TV. Georgia rolls over Florida. However, that night I was watching the South Carolina--Tennessee game with a friend later that evening. South Carolina loses! I watched Georgia get steam-rolled by Tennessee and Kentucky get crunched by Florida on the same day. Watching Kentucky beat themselves in the South Carolina game was depressing. Hey a "becoming" fan could get a complex!

(I guess I should mention that I did see LSU beat Florida, Auburn beat Florida, and Georgia beat Alabama. But this tidbit of information would rain out my pity party!)

I'm having a great time "becoming" a college football fan. I'm also loving the process of "becoming" something else. Paul writes "For our sake he (God) made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (II Corinthians 5:21, ESV). Wow, that is App-State-beating-Michigan-at-Michigan huge! Such an approach to Christianity is holistic, involving every aspect of my life becoming the righteousness of God. Every aspect of my life including my work life, sex life, diaper-changing life, apologizing to my wife life, etc. is to be becoming the righteousness of God. This is also huge, considering that I should have wound up institutionalized, either in the penal system or the state hospital system. This also means I need other believers and other believers need me!

The Christianity I grew up with was simply signing on the divine dotted line, God sending in his angels for a celebration on the field (like Richt's dawgs), and simply waiting for the hear-after. Yet, such traditional Southern Christianity (southern U.S.) is boring!!!!!!!!! God intends so much more. The "becoming" type of Christianity involves becoming personally involved in the lives others (who may not look, think, smell, or act like me) and helping them to become the righteousness of God. Such a "becoming" type of Christianity is certainly messy, but it's so much more exciting!

Team logos are from the website: http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=7827.

Signs of Revolution

2007-10-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

"As Christians, we must be rubbed into the fabric of this world," Dr. David Jeremiah poignantly suggested (suggested in name only) to authentic believers in Charlotte, NC last Thursday night at his Signs of Life rally. Christians are to be the "salt of the earth." I certainly don't want an amazingly stale Christianity. Yet, if I only stay hold up in Ft. God, fending myself off from the savages of Sin, Satan, and the World, waiting on eternity, then my bread of life will have been bought at the day-old discount store. It will taste even worse.

However, for many believers this presents a moral delimma. For some who do brave the trek into the worldly jungle, mission work should merely consist of telling people to accept Jesus. I have been told in no uncertian terms before, "I would rather save their soul then simply give them a piece of bread." For others missionary work is what has corrupted this world and if not cast aside all-together should at least have the decency to only do good works. Clearly both of these ideas represent the extremes of conservative and liberal philosophies of the practice of Christianity. To be fair my ultra-conservative friend sought to retain the essential reason for venturing into the great unknown worldly wilderness in the first place--namely to people reconciled to God. And the presence of the ultra-theologically liberal attitude cited above fans the flames of fundamentalist fear.

Is it possible to have somewhat of a happy medium? Jeremiah emotionally recalled sitting around his father's dinner table as a kid. His father, who helped to found the historical Fundamentalist movement, often lamented that many had given up the heart of Christianity by only doing good works. Though sympathetic to his father's camp, Jeremiah insisted that they neglected to read the whole message of Salvation as seen in Ephesians 2:8-10:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (ESV, italics mine).

Jeremiah emphatically appealed that we are most certainly saved by grace through faith alone, but that we are saved for good works. Towards the end of his message he said that he dreamed of starting a revolution of true believers who take God's Word seriously enough to move out from the four walls and into true service of the poor and those caught in sin. I believe his Signs of Life rally is but one of the amazing signs of revolution currently going on in orthodox Evangelicalism.

Dr. Jeremiah's picture is from the website: http://www.nelsonministryservices.com/nms/bio.asp?cid=924

Behind the Curtain

2007-10-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

There are days when I "feel" less spiritual than others. Certainly, changing diapers or fighting with my wife does not exactly bring me into the ecstasies of God. Some days, for any number of reasons (caffeine, good sleep, good sex, great exercise, watching Elmo on TV?) can surely lift my spirits. During those times is my relationship with God more secure? Does God like me more and thus make me feel better? In short does feeling good necessarily indicate that God is pleased with me?

If by "feeling good" we mean to say feeling "pleasurable," then I can "feel good" while gluttonizing myself at the Ryan's buffet on Sunday (after fanning the flames of hell concerning drunkenness during my earlier sermon). I can feel rotten about having to live up to my promise to help my wife with diaper duty. My feelings can go in any number of directions and lure me in any number of ways. The sirens sing when I am least likely to wear ear plugs.

"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 6:19 & 20). The writer is speaking of a hope that is no mere wish, but a "sure and steadfast anchor of the soul." Confidence. Much like a weighty diaper, my feelings can stink. I need a soul confidence that is anchor-like. The writer says "we have this...." The "this" that we (Christians) have is the inheritance of the promises of God (Heb. 6:12). And "this" is partly my soul's anchor.

I say "partly" because we don't just inherit a paycheck from Grandpa God. The writer speaks of a "hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain." This is an allusion to the ancient Hebrew temple. The "inner place behind the curtain" was known as the Holy of Holies. Only once a year was anyone allowed to go "behind the curtain." And not just anyone, but only the High Priest--and only if he had purified himself adequately. He entered "behind the curtain" to offer a sacrifice on behalf of the whole Hebrew people to God to atone for their sins. Yet, we see Jesus has taken up perpetual residence "behind the curtain." Not only that, but he is "a forerunner on our behalf." Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only did Jesus atone for our sins, but we also have constant access to the presence of God through Jesus, our high priest.

So, my Christianity is based on something more than my feelings, which like my 21 month old daughter, are at times all over the place and bouncing off walls. My Christianity, my faith is firmly anchored in Jesus, who has redeemed and reconciled me to God. May I constantly live "behind the curtain" with Jesus in the presence of God.

A Tribute to the Gamecocks

2007-10-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

I have a friend at one of my churches whose birthday was last Friday. Steve Spurrier did not deliver a good birthday present for him, yesterday. Vandy is reportedly eating fried chicken in Columbia today before returning to Nashville.

I must hand it to Spurrier, though. Carolina is a totally different ball program under him. What I have been told through the grape vine is that upon arriving at Carolina, he sent several ball players on scholarships to the slaughter house. Though mama and daddy had purse strings, these players weren't earning their keep. Reportedly Spurrier has said that he is here to serve South Carolina, not simply to keep a few prominent parents happy. He plays the players who want to play, and want to play bad enough to be good enough. Out of this bunch players are selected for scholarships. I can easily see Carolina winning the SEC in the next year or two, if not a national championship.

Oh that we in the church would strive for excellence in the Christian life and in our church lives. How serious do we take Jesus? Serious enough to reach out to people that are completely different than us? Serious enough to reach out to people ravaged by sin? Serious enough to passionately serve at church (in other forms than simply supervising other people that actually work)? Serious enough to believe that the pastor is not simply paid to do everyone else's ministry for them? Serious enough to actually show up at church? May we, who claim to wear the most excellent name in heaven and under heaven--Jesus--actually strive for excellence in Christianity!

Photo is from http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=7827

His Image or Mine?

2007-10-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

When waiting tables quite some time ago, my understanding of Christianity was radically transformed. Perhaps very few other professions feel the weight of the consumer's power quite like the restaurant server. Let the tea in the glass fall without the server's immediate attention, the his tip will likely evaporate. If the food is a bit slow in coming to the table, it is obviously because the server is out back smoking; instead of pulling the smoking ribs off the grill herself. Her tip will likely go up in smoke.

Hey, I thoroughly enjoyed waiting tables, despite my depreciating comments. And I very much appreciate the economic system wherein we live, which provides a measure of accountability for providers of goods and services. However, I am afraid the power of the consumer has bought the would-be serious worshipper a spoiled brat, sense of entitlement. Jesus supposedly sits on His throne with nothing else in the world to do but make sure your tea glass is properly maintained and the choir director choosing my favorite songs. While, yes, those in Church leadership must be kept accountable to their "constituency," Jesus desires to be so much more than a Hooters girl. He demands our worship of Himself in His all-consuming Glory. Jesus may have been born to "serve" us at the cross. However, He conquered death and hell and now deserves our absolute worship on His terms.

Listen to how James L. Mays describes the demands the Psalms make on the serious believer. Indeed these are the same demands the whole of Scripture, as well as the living Word (Jesus Christ) make on us:

It is traditional, not contemporary. It works with poetry and metaphor instead of science and technique. It unites rather than compartmentalizes. It sees the world as a project in creation rather than a problem of physics. It centers on a sovereign (G)od instead of sovereign self. Its ideas are those of monarchy rather than liberal democracy. It emphasizes the finitude and fallibility of the human rather than its autonomy, sees the human essential in trust and morality rather than psychology, thinks of the individual in terms of community rather than community as an aggregate of individuals, persists in speaking of good and evil, righteousness and wickedness, instead of values, and so on and on (The Lord Reigns--A Theological Handbook to the Psalms, p. 9).

Perhaps I am finding my spiritual credit card maxed out. In short am I coming to the altar to die and be remade into His image? Or is my overweight sense of entitlement demanding Him to be remade into my piggish image?

I Find the Impossible Far More Interesting

2007-10-15T14:10:00.000-07:00

http://imdb.com/title/tt0414055/

The red, hot Spanish Armada boils with the Spanish Inquisition cresting on England's horizon, ready to crash over Queen Elizabeth's Protestant (non-Roman Catholic) Christianity. Elizabeth's Catholic cousin Mary is a few conspiratorial letters and an assassin's bullet away from inheriting England's throne and "saving" England from the clutches of the Protestant devil. Elisabeth's beloved citizenry and court ravish the possibility to see their "virgin queen" hook up and knocked up. Her own desires for true love and friendship increasingly lurk around every corner of her private chambers...and actually mug her heart in public. Cosmo would certainly have a royal feast!

"That is the difference between you and I ... I find the impossible far more interesting," Queen Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett) pointedly suggests to her loyal chief advisor (Geoffrey Rush). The impossible is poignantly captured in the recently released "Elizabeth: The Golden Age." In a word this film is powerful, and is so precisely because flawed, but real, human flesh painstakingly clothes the painfully naked realities of the real world in which the real Queen Elizabeth once lived. Simply glossing over an air-brushed history book often cloaks the tenuous high wires on which history's models have balanced their struggles, fears, hopes, and dreams. While our world is certainly under the ever-watchful eye of the Almighty, the consequences we have to live with spawned from our all-human choices are all-real.

As believers, whether we like to admit it or not, we live in God's very real world inside very real human flesh. Tenuous are often our choices that are fraught with very real consequences and entangled in very real, intricate, and often intimate contexts. This may not be "super spiritual," but it is super scriptural. And we are still yet commissioned for Gospel, cross-centered Mission. What will we do with our days (or opportunities) given to us by God? Will we succumb to the same-old, same-old? Will we give up out of desperation? Or will we dream God's dreams of Spirit-empowered ministry and world-transformation. Every choice is fraught with risk. Personally, I find the impossible far more interesting.

God Is Looking for a Few Good Worshippers

2007-10-11T22:48:00.000-07:00

During college I served in the Marine Forces Reserve. It was often said of us that we were "weekend warriors." However, upon being called to active duty in January of 2003, we "part-timers" showed up in force and proudly served our country at Camp Lejeune, NC with great honor and distinction. In fact we reservists (as a whole) vastly out-preformed our "Active Duty" comrads by a margin wide enough to drive a Bradley Tank through. Granted many of us had college and career experiences in which being overachievers is not an option. Yet Parris Island gave us no choice but to be transformed from the inside out into Marines through and through. In other words, though our duty as Reservists only beckoned our presence once a month, Parris Island called our hearts to attention every waking moment. There was never a moment we were (or are) not Marines. "Honor, courage, and commitment" flow through our veins long after we no longer wear the uniform.

"Please join us for worship today." "I like contemporary praise and worship." "Hymns are the tried and true choice of worship for the church." Such phrases are quite commonly heard in many churches today...and belies an understanding of "worship" that is vastly too narrow. Perhaps many of us are Worship-Reservists not only in deed but also in heart, showing up for part-time duty on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Scriptural worship, however, is vastly more consuming. The call of Jesus is for us to "present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God" (Romans 12:1). Note Scripture's use of the phrase "present your bodies as living sacrifices." Such a radical call demands not only our church attendence, but indeed every aspect of lives being given over to God as worship. For the true believer there is never a moment when we are not in "worship." Loving God with all of your heart, soul, and mind and loving your neighbor as yourself continues to flow through your veins, long after you as a true believer leaves the church grounds. God is looking for a few good worshippers. Will we answer His call to duty?