I’ve been realizing over the last few days that I’m getting neglectful again about posting new content. For any of you that read this regularly, I apologize, but it has been quite a couple of weeks.
First, we had our daughter’s first birthday party. And being that her mom had been planning it for about the last twelve months, it was quite an undertaking. What an amazing time though. It all came off beautifully. I’m truly blessed to have a wife and daughter like I do. I can’t thank God enough for them.
Then, when I thought I’d finally have some time to write, my new church called and asked me to play for their Christmas Eve service. I haven’t played in nearly two years, and my wife has never seen me play, so needless to say I was pretty excited. But, as I said, it’s been two years so I’ve been putting in a lot of practice time trying to knock off the dust and re-form my calluses.
Regardless, I realize that I need to keep posting at least something. I know myself too well, and I know that the longer I go without doing it, the easier it will be for me to continue to put it off. So, in that spirit, I wanted to leave you with a little something I heard recently.
I have a wish list on Amazon that I mostly use just to keep track of the books and music that I want to buy, but don’t have the funds for yet. I finally bought a CD that had been on said list for quite some time. It’s “The Alter and the Door” by Casting Crowns. The first track contains a spoken word section that was not only thought provoking, but happened to associate very closely with what I’ve been writing about lately. Here is the text of that section:
“People aren’t confused by the Gospel, they’re confused by us. Jesus is the only way to God, but we are not the only way to Jesus. This world doesn’t need my tie, my hoodie, my denomination or my translation of the Bible. They just need Jesus. We can be passionate about what we believe, but we can’t strap ourselves to the Gospel, ‘cause we’re slowing it down. Jesus is going to save the world. But maybe the best thing we can do is just get out of the way.”
There’s a lot I want and could say about this, but I want to know what you think. Are we slowing down the Gospel? Are we so concerned with making the Gospel “culturally relevant” that we miss that fact that it’s timeless? Do we need to just get out of the way sometimes?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Peering Into the Church
So, in my post prior to Thanksgiving I mentioned that I had more thoughts on the subject of how our modern American church has been trending toward "Seeker Sensitivity." How it has been trying to devise a message that is founded, to a point, in the scriptures, but one that ultimately will ruffle few enough feathers as to attract people into its buildings. And I questioned whether that's really how Christ would have us deliver His message.
In this post, I had intended to expand on that thinking by giving you some exerpts from an article written by one of my favorite authors. Ted Dekker grew up as a child of missionaries in the jungles of Indonesia. He saw first hand the devotion, passion, commitment and courage of those trying to take God's world to a people who ultimately would be sentenced to an eternity apart from God without it. He recently wrote an article titled "Peering Into the American Church" in which he chronicles what he observed in the church upon his return to America as a young adult. My intention was to provide some passages of that article interspersed with some of my own thoughts. But as I re-read the article this morning trying to figure out what I would use and I what I wouldn't, I realized that he just says it so much better than I can. So, basically I'm going to just shut up now and let you read his article in it's entirety.
PEERING INTO THE AMERICAN CHURCH
People often ask me what I've seen while floating around outside the bubbles. Many things, some mundane, some interesting, - but nothing as wildly intriguing as the swirling eddies in the bubble called the Church.
My first view of the American Church was from what I'd always though of as the Stone Age, far, far away. My parents and their colleagues planted over seventy churches in one decade, and I witnessed an entire people group transformed from the inside out. I watched men and women from America risk their lives, and I saw them take arrows and die rather than abandon hope. I learned that missionaries - although fully human and as desperate for the mercy of God as their audiences - are extraordinary people. It takes a woman truly abandoned to the love of Christ, like my mother, to forsake a warm house in Glasgow, Montana, for a dingy hut in the jungles. Except for the grace of God, I think she would have gone mad a dozen times for the suffering she endured. I peered into this bubble and I saw a thing of beauty, tinged red with the blood of martyrs and gold with their crowns. I walked through the jungle, crying, desperate to be held in the arms of such a loving, passionate God.
Then I came to America and peered into virtually the same church, but now on this side of the ocean. Once again I saw love and passion, now with another element. Music! My, my such sweet music! Choirs and orchestras and singers worshipping in a way I could hardly fathom. And this Church had buildings overflowing with brightly dressed worshippers.
But as I peered into the American Church Bubble, I began to sense an absence - the absence of passion for remembering Christ's death. Didn't he urge his followers to take up the cross? Christianity is infused with a fundamental dependence on death in order to find life, yet we speak to little of it. Jesus Christ is most readily identified by a symbol of execution, the cross, and Christians are symbolically drowned in baptism, another kind of death, yet rarely is either mentioned. Perhaps knowing that man's tendency would be to shy away from the details of his death, Christ insisted that his followers do something so seemingly uncouth as drink a symbol of his blood in remembrance of his crucifixion.
I had to ask myself, why do those in this bubble fear death so much? Maybe its because they are so enthralled by all the music and the beautiful buildings and the brightly colored clothing. Maybe they are so thrilled to have escaped the fires of hell, that they can't stop dancing long enough to remember how they escaped.
But this explanation seemed to pat, so I peered longer and harder. It was there, in the corners of the church buildings and under the rugs that I began to see something else.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CHURCH
Could it be that the people packing the parking lots on Sundays are going because of the music and the beautiful buildings and the brightly colored clothing, rather than to meet God? Do they even see the difference?
There is a vast difference. Are the people coming for God's benefit, or are they coming for their own benefit? Both, probably, but which takes preference? What consumes the mind of the congregation, the glory of God or the needs of the people?Surprisingly, most Americans struggle with understanding the distinction, and this ignorance is at the root of a problem we face in the church. If a churches' preoccupation is really with God, talk of His love and the price Christ paid would rule the day. His teachings would take center state. What He hears would be more important than what the visitors hear. The chief end of man is to glorify God, not man.
Why then do we favor teaching that gives us tools to live happier lives over teaching that brings our minds back to God? Why are we so consumed with our own needs over the desires of our Creator? A message on how to live a splendid life by following the five principals of John Doe will win a far heartier round of applause than picking through Christ's Sermon on the Mount any Sunday. Do most prefer the wit of an orator over the parables of Jesus?
There can be only one answer: We humans are preoccupied with ourselves. Maybe in our minds it's really not about God, at all. It's all about the Church. About us. The American is often saved into the church solely for his or her own benefit, and they attend church services for the same benefits. Worship is a way to say thank you, but in the end, it's all about what works for man.
COMPROMISING MESSAGE FOR THE SAKE OF MISSION
And I saw something else: Some churches were changing the message of Christ for the sake of their mission. To attract more people with brightly colored clothing into their big, beautiful buildings, leaders began whitewashing Christ's message by omitting portions from regular teachings. Where Jesus said that the road to his kingdom is narrow, the church called it wide. Success was defined by the number of people who attended the services, and what better way to flood the gates than widen the road? Strategy was developed, and the mission was to attract as many as possible. After all, isn't the great commission of Christ to take his Good News to the whole world?
Yes, but how can someone take part of Christ's message, and ignore the rest? It's all about God, God, God, but the American church began to focus on what attracted people, people, people. And apparently only part of Christ's teaching is immediately attractive to people.
We live in an age consumed with the feel-good doctrines of tolerance. The liberating teaching of Christ is no longer in vogue. Many of his teachings are called egotistical. They say that his assertion that he is the only way borders on hate speech. Even in the church seeker sensitivity has muted the fundamental teachings of Christ, simply because they don't play well to a politically correct crowd.
IN THE END
So these are my observations, as I sit here, peering in while I wait for this life to end and the next to begin. For now I'm still on the bubble, observing and writing, wondering if anyone cares. They are only words, after all, and they are only mine.
TED DEKKER
So, what do you think? I still have a few more thoughts, but those will come next time. For now, I want to know what you think. Leave you comments and let's have some discussion.
In this post, I had intended to expand on that thinking by giving you some exerpts from an article written by one of my favorite authors. Ted Dekker grew up as a child of missionaries in the jungles of Indonesia. He saw first hand the devotion, passion, commitment and courage of those trying to take God's world to a people who ultimately would be sentenced to an eternity apart from God without it. He recently wrote an article titled "Peering Into the American Church" in which he chronicles what he observed in the church upon his return to America as a young adult. My intention was to provide some passages of that article interspersed with some of my own thoughts. But as I re-read the article this morning trying to figure out what I would use and I what I wouldn't, I realized that he just says it so much better than I can. So, basically I'm going to just shut up now and let you read his article in it's entirety.
PEERING INTO THE AMERICAN CHURCH
People often ask me what I've seen while floating around outside the bubbles. Many things, some mundane, some interesting, - but nothing as wildly intriguing as the swirling eddies in the bubble called the Church.
My first view of the American Church was from what I'd always though of as the Stone Age, far, far away. My parents and their colleagues planted over seventy churches in one decade, and I witnessed an entire people group transformed from the inside out. I watched men and women from America risk their lives, and I saw them take arrows and die rather than abandon hope. I learned that missionaries - although fully human and as desperate for the mercy of God as their audiences - are extraordinary people. It takes a woman truly abandoned to the love of Christ, like my mother, to forsake a warm house in Glasgow, Montana, for a dingy hut in the jungles. Except for the grace of God, I think she would have gone mad a dozen times for the suffering she endured. I peered into this bubble and I saw a thing of beauty, tinged red with the blood of martyrs and gold with their crowns. I walked through the jungle, crying, desperate to be held in the arms of such a loving, passionate God.
Then I came to America and peered into virtually the same church, but now on this side of the ocean. Once again I saw love and passion, now with another element. Music! My, my such sweet music! Choirs and orchestras and singers worshipping in a way I could hardly fathom. And this Church had buildings overflowing with brightly dressed worshippers.
But as I peered into the American Church Bubble, I began to sense an absence - the absence of passion for remembering Christ's death. Didn't he urge his followers to take up the cross? Christianity is infused with a fundamental dependence on death in order to find life, yet we speak to little of it. Jesus Christ is most readily identified by a symbol of execution, the cross, and Christians are symbolically drowned in baptism, another kind of death, yet rarely is either mentioned. Perhaps knowing that man's tendency would be to shy away from the details of his death, Christ insisted that his followers do something so seemingly uncouth as drink a symbol of his blood in remembrance of his crucifixion.
I had to ask myself, why do those in this bubble fear death so much? Maybe its because they are so enthralled by all the music and the beautiful buildings and the brightly colored clothing. Maybe they are so thrilled to have escaped the fires of hell, that they can't stop dancing long enough to remember how they escaped.
But this explanation seemed to pat, so I peered longer and harder. It was there, in the corners of the church buildings and under the rugs that I began to see something else.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CHURCH
Could it be that the people packing the parking lots on Sundays are going because of the music and the beautiful buildings and the brightly colored clothing, rather than to meet God? Do they even see the difference?
There is a vast difference. Are the people coming for God's benefit, or are they coming for their own benefit? Both, probably, but which takes preference? What consumes the mind of the congregation, the glory of God or the needs of the people?Surprisingly, most Americans struggle with understanding the distinction, and this ignorance is at the root of a problem we face in the church. If a churches' preoccupation is really with God, talk of His love and the price Christ paid would rule the day. His teachings would take center state. What He hears would be more important than what the visitors hear. The chief end of man is to glorify God, not man.
Why then do we favor teaching that gives us tools to live happier lives over teaching that brings our minds back to God? Why are we so consumed with our own needs over the desires of our Creator? A message on how to live a splendid life by following the five principals of John Doe will win a far heartier round of applause than picking through Christ's Sermon on the Mount any Sunday. Do most prefer the wit of an orator over the parables of Jesus?
There can be only one answer: We humans are preoccupied with ourselves. Maybe in our minds it's really not about God, at all. It's all about the Church. About us. The American is often saved into the church solely for his or her own benefit, and they attend church services for the same benefits. Worship is a way to say thank you, but in the end, it's all about what works for man.
COMPROMISING MESSAGE FOR THE SAKE OF MISSION
And I saw something else: Some churches were changing the message of Christ for the sake of their mission. To attract more people with brightly colored clothing into their big, beautiful buildings, leaders began whitewashing Christ's message by omitting portions from regular teachings. Where Jesus said that the road to his kingdom is narrow, the church called it wide. Success was defined by the number of people who attended the services, and what better way to flood the gates than widen the road? Strategy was developed, and the mission was to attract as many as possible. After all, isn't the great commission of Christ to take his Good News to the whole world?
Yes, but how can someone take part of Christ's message, and ignore the rest? It's all about God, God, God, but the American church began to focus on what attracted people, people, people. And apparently only part of Christ's teaching is immediately attractive to people.
We live in an age consumed with the feel-good doctrines of tolerance. The liberating teaching of Christ is no longer in vogue. Many of his teachings are called egotistical. They say that his assertion that he is the only way borders on hate speech. Even in the church seeker sensitivity has muted the fundamental teachings of Christ, simply because they don't play well to a politically correct crowd.
IN THE END
So these are my observations, as I sit here, peering in while I wait for this life to end and the next to begin. For now I'm still on the bubble, observing and writing, wondering if anyone cares. They are only words, after all, and they are only mine.
TED DEKKER
So, what do you think? I still have a few more thoughts, but those will come next time. For now, I want to know what you think. Leave you comments and let's have some discussion.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving
Ok, so what blogger in the world isn't doing a Thanksgiving post, right? I wasn't going to, but I really do have a lot to be thankful for, and in these times there's a lot to be said for that. I didn't really give this any thought, I just figured I'd make a quick list. So, in no particular order, here is what I'm thankful for this year.
1) Today. I'm thankful for today, just like I was thankful for yesterday and I'll be thankful for tomorrow if it comes. We're not promised a single day, so every day that I get to open my eyes and try again is a gift worth being thankful for.
2) My wife. I never thought I could be this happy. She is a true embodiment of a Godly wife. I don't know what I'd do without her.
3) My daughter. The other light of my life. She is truly a miracle, and I have no idea what I did to deserve her.
4) My job. It may not be making me rich, but it's a pretty good job. Sure I'd like to be a bit more comfortable, but there is a warm roof over my head and food on my table. Others aren't so lucky.
5) My house. It's small, unfinished and drafty. But I can think of a lot of people around the world that would gladly take it.
6) My church. It's truly a church with a heart for God's people, and I'm privilidged to call it my home, and the attenders my family.
7) Trials and hardships. It never seems like it at the time, but trials really do only make us stronger. I've been through a lot the last four or five years, but I would not be who I am or where I am today without any of it.
8) My country. Sure, we have our problems (lot's of them right now). A lot of things are broke. But at the end of the day, when you really think about it, we still have it pretty good.
9) Technology. It can be a distraction a lot of the time, with the t.v, cell phones, internet, etc. But I look at all of the people I'm able to reconnect and stay in contact with through e-mail, MySpace, Facebook and the like, and I really am thankful.
10) My God. There's really no adequate words here. I'm thankful for a God that loves me enough to give me the chace to spend eternity with him even though I don't deserve it.
11) I'm thankful that this world is not my home. I need to remember that I am just a vivitor here. That my time here is short. My real home awaits me and is more amazing than anything on this earth could even hope to aspire to.
I'm sure I could think of more more, but there's a nice little top ten list, plus one to grow on. So, what are you thankful for?
1) Today. I'm thankful for today, just like I was thankful for yesterday and I'll be thankful for tomorrow if it comes. We're not promised a single day, so every day that I get to open my eyes and try again is a gift worth being thankful for.
2) My wife. I never thought I could be this happy. She is a true embodiment of a Godly wife. I don't know what I'd do without her.
3) My daughter. The other light of my life. She is truly a miracle, and I have no idea what I did to deserve her.
4) My job. It may not be making me rich, but it's a pretty good job. Sure I'd like to be a bit more comfortable, but there is a warm roof over my head and food on my table. Others aren't so lucky.
5) My house. It's small, unfinished and drafty. But I can think of a lot of people around the world that would gladly take it.
6) My church. It's truly a church with a heart for God's people, and I'm privilidged to call it my home, and the attenders my family.
7) Trials and hardships. It never seems like it at the time, but trials really do only make us stronger. I've been through a lot the last four or five years, but I would not be who I am or where I am today without any of it.
8) My country. Sure, we have our problems (lot's of them right now). A lot of things are broke. But at the end of the day, when you really think about it, we still have it pretty good.
9) Technology. It can be a distraction a lot of the time, with the t.v, cell phones, internet, etc. But I look at all of the people I'm able to reconnect and stay in contact with through e-mail, MySpace, Facebook and the like, and I really am thankful.
10) My God. There's really no adequate words here. I'm thankful for a God that loves me enough to give me the chace to spend eternity with him even though I don't deserve it.
11) I'm thankful that this world is not my home. I need to remember that I am just a vivitor here. That my time here is short. My real home awaits me and is more amazing than anything on this earth could even hope to aspire to.
I'm sure I could think of more more, but there's a nice little top ten list, plus one to grow on. So, what are you thankful for?
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Too Sensitive?
I've written before that God has a wonderful way of tying things together in my life. There's been something on my mind lately to write about and it seems that for the last couple of weeks I just keep seeing, reading or hearing something that reinforces it. I love how God works. I have a feeling this will be a theme for a couple or three posts, so bear with me. I want to focus this first one though on something I just read.
A few months ago, I bought a book by John MacArthur titled "A Tale of Two Sons." It an entire book on the parable of the prodigal son. I started to read it but only got a few pages in. I got side tracked by two or three novels and just never picked it back up until a few days ago. After only twenty or so pages, I realized how awesome God's timing is.
Throughout the beginning of the book MacArthur lays out the background and setting for the parable. He offers a real insight into the culture of that time and into how Jesus' public ministry had progresed. One subject he continues to tackle is the role of the Pharisees. At every turn they were trying to discredit Jesus, oftentimes calling Him a "friend of sinners." This provided quite a quandry for most of the throngs that followed Christ. Here is a man claiming to be the Messiah that had been promised to them. A man who had a clear message and performed miraculous works. But they were taught from childhood to see the Pharisees as their spiritual leaders, and the Pharisees were continually finding fault with Jesus. Besides, Christ's teaching was becoming much more personal and challenging in the time leading up to the parable of the prodigal son. The Pharisees hatred of Jesus began to spread and more and more people began to turn away. This is where I love what MacArthur says. Rather than try and condense, I'm just going to reprint it all here. He says it so much better than I could.
"John 6 shows how and why the vast majority of people finally turned away from Christ-and many even turned completely against Him. The multitudes followed Him as long as He was feeding them and doing other miraculous works, but they did not like His strong teaching. As a matter of fact, Luke 14:26-35, the passage imediately preceeding the exchange in Luke 15, includes some of Jesus' most strongly worded teaching. It's all about denying self, hating father and mother, and counting the cost of discipleship. Ironically, just when the self-satisfied, respectable, materialistic multitudes began to drift away because of that kind of teaching, that's when Luke says that the tax collectors and siners drew near. (That, by the way, is a damning commentary on today's popular strategies for reaching the rebellious, disenfranchised, and outcasts of society by softening the gospel and stressing only it's positive elements.)"
I remember about twelve years ago leaving my church home with a group of thirty or so other people in order to plant a new church. During the planning process we decided that this new church was going to be "seeker-sensitve." Basically, the idea was to offer a casual, non-threatening environment where people who normally wouldn't go to church could come and feel comfortable. The dress was casual, and the music contemporary. The sermons were designed to be life-applicable while remaining biblically based. Nothing too deep, just something that people could take away and actually apply to their life. The in-depth study was relegated to Wednesday nights. It was wildly successful by societies standards. The church is now classified as one of the nation's relatively few "mega-churches", with weekly attendance well over 2,000 people.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I find myself at a different church now. Actually, I'm right back where I first started. That's not to be taken as any indictment on the church I helped plant though. I have many friends there, and I try to stay informed on what they are doing for God. But I have to say that as I've steped back into a slightly more traditional setting, I've started to wonder if our modern "seeker sensitive" philosophy is doing more harm than good. Not in all areas mind you. The casual atmosphere, to me, is fine. After all, Jesus said to come as you are. The music is fine too. I think there is a very very fine line between worship and entertainment sometimes, but so long as we are ever vigilant and aware of that line I think there can be a lot of power in contemporary worship.
But lately I've been wondering about our message. And when I say "our", I'm referring to the modern church in general. Why is it that we feel the need to be so sensitive? Are we saying that the message of Christ is too much to handle? Are we saying that the way Jesus delivered his message was not the best way? We have one ultimate source of truth in the Bible, and we have one living example of that truth in Jesus. Didn't Jesus say that it is not the healthy who need doctors, but the sick? And that he didn't come to call the righteous, but the sinners? (Mt. 9 12-13) If then, Jesus came for the sinners, and we are also trying to reach sinners, then why are we changing the message instead of letting the message change us? Isn't it almost in a way invalidating the methods and message of Jesus? MacArthur pointed out that it was as Jesus' message became more challenging that the tax collectors and siners drew near. Why then, as a modern church society, are we seeking to soften the message and be more "sensitive" to those who are seeking?
Like I said, this is something that has been on my mind a lot the last couple of weeks and I have more illustrations and more comments. But for now, what do you think? Are we too sensitive?
A few months ago, I bought a book by John MacArthur titled "A Tale of Two Sons." It an entire book on the parable of the prodigal son. I started to read it but only got a few pages in. I got side tracked by two or three novels and just never picked it back up until a few days ago. After only twenty or so pages, I realized how awesome God's timing is.
Throughout the beginning of the book MacArthur lays out the background and setting for the parable. He offers a real insight into the culture of that time and into how Jesus' public ministry had progresed. One subject he continues to tackle is the role of the Pharisees. At every turn they were trying to discredit Jesus, oftentimes calling Him a "friend of sinners." This provided quite a quandry for most of the throngs that followed Christ. Here is a man claiming to be the Messiah that had been promised to them. A man who had a clear message and performed miraculous works. But they were taught from childhood to see the Pharisees as their spiritual leaders, and the Pharisees were continually finding fault with Jesus. Besides, Christ's teaching was becoming much more personal and challenging in the time leading up to the parable of the prodigal son. The Pharisees hatred of Jesus began to spread and more and more people began to turn away. This is where I love what MacArthur says. Rather than try and condense, I'm just going to reprint it all here. He says it so much better than I could.
"John 6 shows how and why the vast majority of people finally turned away from Christ-and many even turned completely against Him. The multitudes followed Him as long as He was feeding them and doing other miraculous works, but they did not like His strong teaching. As a matter of fact, Luke 14:26-35, the passage imediately preceeding the exchange in Luke 15, includes some of Jesus' most strongly worded teaching. It's all about denying self, hating father and mother, and counting the cost of discipleship. Ironically, just when the self-satisfied, respectable, materialistic multitudes began to drift away because of that kind of teaching, that's when Luke says that the tax collectors and siners drew near. (That, by the way, is a damning commentary on today's popular strategies for reaching the rebellious, disenfranchised, and outcasts of society by softening the gospel and stressing only it's positive elements.)"
I remember about twelve years ago leaving my church home with a group of thirty or so other people in order to plant a new church. During the planning process we decided that this new church was going to be "seeker-sensitve." Basically, the idea was to offer a casual, non-threatening environment where people who normally wouldn't go to church could come and feel comfortable. The dress was casual, and the music contemporary. The sermons were designed to be life-applicable while remaining biblically based. Nothing too deep, just something that people could take away and actually apply to their life. The in-depth study was relegated to Wednesday nights. It was wildly successful by societies standards. The church is now classified as one of the nation's relatively few "mega-churches", with weekly attendance well over 2,000 people.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I find myself at a different church now. Actually, I'm right back where I first started. That's not to be taken as any indictment on the church I helped plant though. I have many friends there, and I try to stay informed on what they are doing for God. But I have to say that as I've steped back into a slightly more traditional setting, I've started to wonder if our modern "seeker sensitive" philosophy is doing more harm than good. Not in all areas mind you. The casual atmosphere, to me, is fine. After all, Jesus said to come as you are. The music is fine too. I think there is a very very fine line between worship and entertainment sometimes, but so long as we are ever vigilant and aware of that line I think there can be a lot of power in contemporary worship.
But lately I've been wondering about our message. And when I say "our", I'm referring to the modern church in general. Why is it that we feel the need to be so sensitive? Are we saying that the message of Christ is too much to handle? Are we saying that the way Jesus delivered his message was not the best way? We have one ultimate source of truth in the Bible, and we have one living example of that truth in Jesus. Didn't Jesus say that it is not the healthy who need doctors, but the sick? And that he didn't come to call the righteous, but the sinners? (Mt. 9 12-13) If then, Jesus came for the sinners, and we are also trying to reach sinners, then why are we changing the message instead of letting the message change us? Isn't it almost in a way invalidating the methods and message of Jesus? MacArthur pointed out that it was as Jesus' message became more challenging that the tax collectors and siners drew near. Why then, as a modern church society, are we seeking to soften the message and be more "sensitive" to those who are seeking?
Like I said, this is something that has been on my mind a lot the last couple of weeks and I have more illustrations and more comments. But for now, what do you think? Are we too sensitive?
Sunday, November 23, 2008
My daughter, my example
So, my wife is out with the girls tonight. The "Twilight" movie is out now and they decided to brave the throngs of screaming, vampire infatuated teenage girls to go see it. More power to them I say.
What this means for me is an evening alone with my eleven month old daughter. I love my daughter. Anyone that knows me intimately knows that for a long while I wasn't sure I even wanted kids. Sure, I liked kids well enough. I had some neices and nephews that I enjoyed spending time with, but I was always more than content to be able to hand them back to their parents and go about my own way. Of course, the comment I would always hear was, "It's different when they're your own." I'd always scoffed at that, but I'll tell you what, truer words have never been spoken. My daughter is the light of my life and I can't imagine my world without her.
Which brings me to what crossed my mind tonight. As I said, Sophie (that's her name) and I were having an evening to ourselves. Much as I miss her mother, I relish the time I get to spend with Sophie. I find myself just staring at her a lot. I'm truly facinated and amazed by almost everything she does. Parents, you know what I'm talking about. And tonight it made me think about our relationship with God. I can't help but wonder a little if part of the reason God created the parent child dynamic was to help us better understand His relationship with us.
I look at Sophie and I think now more than ever I understand what it means to have child like faith. Sure, the concept is easy enough to grasp on the surface, but it's never been as concrete. I sit here watching her play and I realize she has no worries or concerns at all. She has no idea or concern for what is going on in the world around her. All she knows is that her parents will meet her needs. That we'll care for her when she's sick, feed her when she's hungry, clothe her when she's cold and protect her when she's in danger. It's an immense responsibility when I think about it but she takes it purely for granted and with rock solid faith. There's never a hint of doubt. And that's exactly how God wants us to be in our relationship with Him. In the book of Matthew, chapter 6, verses 25-34 God lets us know that He knows what our needs are and will be faithful to provide for them. That we should not worry or doubt that at all. Believe me, I realize in these economic times, with so many layoffs and plant closings and bank failures that it seems crazy to have that kind of confidence. That's why I'm so grateful for Sophie and that tangible example of the faith we are commanded to have.
On the flip side, I also have come to a greater understanding of the Father's love for us. To be honest, there are times that I really don't want Sophie to grow up. I want her to stay in that innocent state with that unconditional love for me and her mother. I know that as she grows up, she'll stumble. She'll make mistakes and she'll get hurt. To what degree, only God knows. But those things will likely happen, and it will break my heart when they do. But I look into those eyes, into that smiling angel face, and I know that I will always be there for her. And even if she were to hurt me or somehow disappoint me, I could never stop loving her or hesitate to take her back with open arms. I can't believe I have a God that loves me like that. It causes me to feel guilt for the way I've lived my life at times, but it also gives me great joy to know that He has always been there ready to take me back.
So, as I sit here and wait for my wife to get home I thank God once again. I thank Him for my daughter. I thank Him for that living example of the faith He requires of me and of the unconditional love He has for me. And I'll thank my wife for giving me this precious gift as well. Assuming, that is, that she wasn't trampled in a sea of teenage girls.
What this means for me is an evening alone with my eleven month old daughter. I love my daughter. Anyone that knows me intimately knows that for a long while I wasn't sure I even wanted kids. Sure, I liked kids well enough. I had some neices and nephews that I enjoyed spending time with, but I was always more than content to be able to hand them back to their parents and go about my own way. Of course, the comment I would always hear was, "It's different when they're your own." I'd always scoffed at that, but I'll tell you what, truer words have never been spoken. My daughter is the light of my life and I can't imagine my world without her.
Which brings me to what crossed my mind tonight. As I said, Sophie (that's her name) and I were having an evening to ourselves. Much as I miss her mother, I relish the time I get to spend with Sophie. I find myself just staring at her a lot. I'm truly facinated and amazed by almost everything she does. Parents, you know what I'm talking about. And tonight it made me think about our relationship with God. I can't help but wonder a little if part of the reason God created the parent child dynamic was to help us better understand His relationship with us.
I look at Sophie and I think now more than ever I understand what it means to have child like faith. Sure, the concept is easy enough to grasp on the surface, but it's never been as concrete. I sit here watching her play and I realize she has no worries or concerns at all. She has no idea or concern for what is going on in the world around her. All she knows is that her parents will meet her needs. That we'll care for her when she's sick, feed her when she's hungry, clothe her when she's cold and protect her when she's in danger. It's an immense responsibility when I think about it but she takes it purely for granted and with rock solid faith. There's never a hint of doubt. And that's exactly how God wants us to be in our relationship with Him. In the book of Matthew, chapter 6, verses 25-34 God lets us know that He knows what our needs are and will be faithful to provide for them. That we should not worry or doubt that at all. Believe me, I realize in these economic times, with so many layoffs and plant closings and bank failures that it seems crazy to have that kind of confidence. That's why I'm so grateful for Sophie and that tangible example of the faith we are commanded to have.
On the flip side, I also have come to a greater understanding of the Father's love for us. To be honest, there are times that I really don't want Sophie to grow up. I want her to stay in that innocent state with that unconditional love for me and her mother. I know that as she grows up, she'll stumble. She'll make mistakes and she'll get hurt. To what degree, only God knows. But those things will likely happen, and it will break my heart when they do. But I look into those eyes, into that smiling angel face, and I know that I will always be there for her. And even if she were to hurt me or somehow disappoint me, I could never stop loving her or hesitate to take her back with open arms. I can't believe I have a God that loves me like that. It causes me to feel guilt for the way I've lived my life at times, but it also gives me great joy to know that He has always been there ready to take me back.
So, as I sit here and wait for my wife to get home I thank God once again. I thank Him for my daughter. I thank Him for that living example of the faith He requires of me and of the unconditional love He has for me. And I'll thank my wife for giving me this precious gift as well. Assuming, that is, that she wasn't trampled in a sea of teenage girls.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Commentary
In his book "Velvet Elvis", Rob Bell wrote, "God has spoken. The rest is just commentary." There's a lot of truth to that. Think about it. When it comes to Chritianity, we have only one source of ultimate truth. And that source was written over a period of centuries and was completed nearly two thousand years ago. Every other book, sermon, and blog since then is simply a commentary on that one source. The writers of the Bible aren't exactly available for an interview, so it's up to us to bring forth meaning from those pages.
Why do I mention this? Because I want to try and encourage discussion. As I've said before, I really have no motive for writing any of what I do other than to simply put my thoughts into a concrete form for myself. If anyone else wants to read along, that's great. On the other hand though, I would love to see some interaction. I'm certainly not the only one out there with an opinion. I'd love to know if someone thinks I'm totally off base or if I'm on the right track. To be honest, I really thought my post on the election would draw some feedback. After all, what's more "controversial" than religion and politics? But that's ok. We'll get there.
If you're reading this on MySpace or Facebook (and likely you are), and you've thought about commenting but don't want your name tied to it, that's ok. Just go to my actual site at www.scottpalmer622.blogspot.com and you can comment there annonomously if you prefer.
Gos has spoken, let's have some commentary.
Why do I mention this? Because I want to try and encourage discussion. As I've said before, I really have no motive for writing any of what I do other than to simply put my thoughts into a concrete form for myself. If anyone else wants to read along, that's great. On the other hand though, I would love to see some interaction. I'm certainly not the only one out there with an opinion. I'd love to know if someone thinks I'm totally off base or if I'm on the right track. To be honest, I really thought my post on the election would draw some feedback. After all, what's more "controversial" than religion and politics? But that's ok. We'll get there.
If you're reading this on MySpace or Facebook (and likely you are), and you've thought about commenting but don't want your name tied to it, that's ok. Just go to my actual site at www.scottpalmer622.blogspot.com and you can comment there annonomously if you prefer.
Gos has spoken, let's have some commentary.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Thoughts on the Election
Now that we're all basically past our post election hangovers, I figured I'd weigh in on a few thoughts and observations I had in the weeks leading up to what some have deemed one of the most historically significant elections of all time. Not that my opinions mean anything to anyone mind you, but so many things bothered me that I'm sure my wife will appreciate someone else having to listen to my ranting besides just her. So without further ado (or any ado really) here is what I thought of the election:
- I'm wondering how long we're going to call Obama the first black president of the US instead of simply the 44th president of the US? Don’t misunderstand me; I do understand the historical significance. But how long should we dwell on it? And more importantly, how much of a factor should it have even been in the first place? I'll tell you right now, if you voted for Obama because he was black or if you voted against him because he was black, then you made an ignorant and uninformed decision. And our country is no better off for it. If you truly think that Obama has the right agenda to take our country forward, then fine, that's what democracy is all about. But if, deep down, you simply voted for him because he was black and it was historical, then shame on you. And frankly, you may have done more to further racism in this country than you did to expel it.
- In a related thought, I basically just can’t believe how uninformed we seem to be as a voting public in general. Maybe it’s just who the news organizations chose to interview, but I saw so many utterly ignorant and uninformed voters on TV that it nearly made me think that we should reconsider this whole democracy thing. Ok, not really, but people really do amaze me. I saw countless interviews where it was clear that the person was voting for Obama simply because he was black or because he was not named George W. Bush. Most had no idea what Obama’s platforms were and some didn’t even know who his running mate was. Amazing.
- On the flip side, I don’t like how much emphasis “Christians” seem to put on the social platforms. I saw interviews with so many people that probably had no idea what McCain’s tax plan or foreign policies were, but by golly he opposes abortion so he must be the right man for the job. Since when did being a moral person mean that you were qualified to be in office? I couldn’t believe how many people I knew voted for Mike Huckabee in the primaries simply because he was a former minister. Let’s try something. Raise your hand if you think that Iran will agree to shut down their nuclear program if we make abortion illegal. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? I didn’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Christ follower and I hold the Bible to be my ultimate truth and authority. I’m as opposed to many of these issues as anyone. But I feel that God has given me, as a follower of Him, the task of spreading that message, not the government. I want the government to keep me safe. I want them to focus on health care, on education, on energy concerns, on taxation issues. If that means voting for someone that may hold to a slightly different moral standard than myself, then so be it. I’ll continue the Great Commission regardless.
- I think we put way too much stock in one single person. The President may be at the top of the totem pole, so to speak, but it’s a three headed pole, each head designed by our forefathers to offer checks and balances to the other two. Obama won’t be doing it alone any more than McCain would have been or any more than Bush has been. Aside from the other branches of government, the President is continually surrounded by secretaries, cabinet members and advisors. Although he is the commander-in-chief and does have some ultimate authority, the President rarely has to make a policy decision on his own. And as such, we need to stop elevating our leaders to the nearly messianic levels that we oftentimes do. It’s just one person people.
- My last thought here is also the most important. It’s Romans 13:1-3.
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
Whether it’s our American President, the leader of one of our allies such as Britain, Spain, or Canada, or it’s the harshest of dictators from Iran, Cuba, China, or North Korea, ALL authority on earth is established by God. And as such, we are called (actually commanded) as Christ followers to submit to those authorities. In the end, now that the election is over, I really don’t care who you voted for or why. I don’t care what you may or may not think about Obama being president. The simple fact is that he has a mess to deal with. The economy is crumbling; health care and social security are on shaky ground, and in just less than a day after being elected, the US received a new threat from Iran. I don’t envy this man at all. Personally, I went back and forth a few times on whom I was going to vote for this year. I really did. In the end, I voted for John McCain. I have my reasons and I’d like to think it was an educated decision. But as of this moment, Barack Obama has my full support and my prayers are with him. God has a plan for this world and Obama has a part to play in it. I have no idea what it is, but I can’t wait to find out.
- I'm wondering how long we're going to call Obama the first black president of the US instead of simply the 44th president of the US? Don’t misunderstand me; I do understand the historical significance. But how long should we dwell on it? And more importantly, how much of a factor should it have even been in the first place? I'll tell you right now, if you voted for Obama because he was black or if you voted against him because he was black, then you made an ignorant and uninformed decision. And our country is no better off for it. If you truly think that Obama has the right agenda to take our country forward, then fine, that's what democracy is all about. But if, deep down, you simply voted for him because he was black and it was historical, then shame on you. And frankly, you may have done more to further racism in this country than you did to expel it.
- In a related thought, I basically just can’t believe how uninformed we seem to be as a voting public in general. Maybe it’s just who the news organizations chose to interview, but I saw so many utterly ignorant and uninformed voters on TV that it nearly made me think that we should reconsider this whole democracy thing. Ok, not really, but people really do amaze me. I saw countless interviews where it was clear that the person was voting for Obama simply because he was black or because he was not named George W. Bush. Most had no idea what Obama’s platforms were and some didn’t even know who his running mate was. Amazing.
- On the flip side, I don’t like how much emphasis “Christians” seem to put on the social platforms. I saw interviews with so many people that probably had no idea what McCain’s tax plan or foreign policies were, but by golly he opposes abortion so he must be the right man for the job. Since when did being a moral person mean that you were qualified to be in office? I couldn’t believe how many people I knew voted for Mike Huckabee in the primaries simply because he was a former minister. Let’s try something. Raise your hand if you think that Iran will agree to shut down their nuclear program if we make abortion illegal. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? I didn’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Christ follower and I hold the Bible to be my ultimate truth and authority. I’m as opposed to many of these issues as anyone. But I feel that God has given me, as a follower of Him, the task of spreading that message, not the government. I want the government to keep me safe. I want them to focus on health care, on education, on energy concerns, on taxation issues. If that means voting for someone that may hold to a slightly different moral standard than myself, then so be it. I’ll continue the Great Commission regardless.
- I think we put way too much stock in one single person. The President may be at the top of the totem pole, so to speak, but it’s a three headed pole, each head designed by our forefathers to offer checks and balances to the other two. Obama won’t be doing it alone any more than McCain would have been or any more than Bush has been. Aside from the other branches of government, the President is continually surrounded by secretaries, cabinet members and advisors. Although he is the commander-in-chief and does have some ultimate authority, the President rarely has to make a policy decision on his own. And as such, we need to stop elevating our leaders to the nearly messianic levels that we oftentimes do. It’s just one person people.
- My last thought here is also the most important. It’s Romans 13:1-3.
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
Whether it’s our American President, the leader of one of our allies such as Britain, Spain, or Canada, or it’s the harshest of dictators from Iran, Cuba, China, or North Korea, ALL authority on earth is established by God. And as such, we are called (actually commanded) as Christ followers to submit to those authorities. In the end, now that the election is over, I really don’t care who you voted for or why. I don’t care what you may or may not think about Obama being president. The simple fact is that he has a mess to deal with. The economy is crumbling; health care and social security are on shaky ground, and in just less than a day after being elected, the US received a new threat from Iran. I don’t envy this man at all. Personally, I went back and forth a few times on whom I was going to vote for this year. I really did. In the end, I voted for John McCain. I have my reasons and I’d like to think it was an educated decision. But as of this moment, Barack Obama has my full support and my prayers are with him. God has a plan for this world and Obama has a part to play in it. I have no idea what it is, but I can’t wait to find out.
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