Memorable Quote

"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

Good Works that Actually Work for the Good

"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.

Self-Consumptive Patriotism and American Global Leadership

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?

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.

1. I, personally, can have the American dream (however that's defined) ... if I become a Christian.
2. 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.

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

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

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.

Coming of Age Can Come at Any Age

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

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

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.

Signs of Revolution

"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