About two years ago I finally gave in to the lure of online social networking, otherwise known as MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Now, I'm not exactly all that old, but I had always thought of these sites as catering to a younger generation; high school and college age mostly. I had no thoughts of becoming part of the phenomenon; that is until I wanted to download music to a song by a favorite band of mine. I went to their site like I had done so many times before only to find that the content I was looking for had been moved to their new MySpace site. Not wanting to give up my endeavor, I set up a quick account expecting only to use it for this express purpose. But as I navigated around a little bit, I found that many of my friends and family were signed up as well. I was amazed at the diversity of membership and I ended up finding people whom I hadn't seen or spoken to in years. A year or so after creating this account, I added an account at another of these sites, Facebook. And that brings me to want I want to share with you.
If you've ever been on Facebook (and if you're reading this on Facebook right now, yes I do realize that's a stupid question), you know that invitations to join groups are pretty common. And few groups on Facebook may be more popular than the group "Six Degrees of Separation." It's based on the theory that everyone in the world is no more than six "steps" away from any other person. I've yet to join the group myself, but it did remind me of an episode of Primetime I saw a couple of years ago.
I don't normally watch the primetime news programs, but this one was about the six degrees theory, and I've always been a bit fascinated by that so I decided to watch. The premise of the show was that they would take two complete strangers in New York City and see if they could connect in six steps or less. The one I remember paired an opera singer and a boxer; two polar opposites from opposite sides of the tracks who couldn't possibly run in the same circles, being asked to find each other in one of the largest cities on earth by no other means than mutual acquaintances. Fascinating, I thought. But there was no way she would do it.
To start the show, they took the opera singer and gave her nothing but the boxer's name, profession and photo. From there they followed her as she tried to find someone she knew who would know someone that would know someone that would know someone else, etc, until they found someone who knew this boxer personally. And she had only six steps to do it in. If I'm not mistaken, she did it in four. Unbelievable.
As I lay in bed later that night, I couldn't get the show out of my head. I kept thinking about all the people I know, and all the people they know and so on and so on until my brain began to hurt. But then another thought occurred to me. God calls us to take His word to all the nations, and if you're anything like me, that task seems awfully daunting. I've only occasionally been out of Mansfield, Ohio much less into all the nations. And how many people are there in the world now, six billion plus? Incredible. How can we possibly expect reach all of those people? But think about it for a minute. If each of us is only, on average, six steps away from everyone else in the world, then theoretically, if we tell only the people we know about Jesus and they in turn tell the people they know and so on, the whole world could know of the One true and living God in only six steps. Doesn't seem quite so daunting anymore does it? From six billion to six.
Lest you think I'm completely crazy, let me give you a quick mathmatical example. Going back to Facebook, I think I currently have a bit over 200 "friends." Some people have far fewer and some have many, many more than that. Regardless of the number, it usually doesn't begin to exemplify the true number of people we really know. I'm sure I could easily double or triple that number and more by just thinking of every person I ever encountered at every school, job, church or organization I've ever been a part of. But let's take the number 200 for arguments sake.
Step one is the 200 people I know. Assuming they each know 200 more unique individuals, step two gives you 40,000. If we continue to carry that out, making the assumption that every person will know 200 unique other people then step three gives you 8 million, step four takes you to 1.6 billion, step five makes 320 billion, and by the time you reach step six, you're at 64 trillion people, which, if I'm not mistaken, is roughly one thousand times the earth's current population.
I guess my point in all of this is that we really can make a difference. And we can't shy away from telling the people we come in contact with about Jesus. Who knows what effect it will have? Who knows how far the impact of each person you tell about God will reach. Look at all of the pastors, authors, musicians, filmmakers, etc. who are doing great things for God. They are having a far reaching impact, but along the way, someone had to be the one to tell them about God.
I think back to when I was in a band during and right after High School. One thing we always said was that if all of our time together as a band ended up being for the purpose of reaching just one single person, then it would have all been worth it. I don't know if we ever really did reach anyone, but I remember playing for the youth night at a local Church. I only vaguely remember the song, and I have no idea now who this person was, but a girl came up afterwards with tears still in her eyes and told us how much one song had impacted her. Like I said, I have no idea who she was, but I've thought a lot about that moment over the years. I wonder what became of the conviction she experienced that night. I wonder how many other people she may have in turn touched. The point is we just don't know. The person you tell about Jesus may laugh at you. They may want nothing to do with you. But they might also respond. And they might tell another person, or 100 people, or 1,000 people. You just don't know.
There's a song that comes to mind by the band Casting Crowns. One of the lines is "Jesus paid much too high a price for us to pick and choose who should come." Is that what we're doing? Deciding for ourselves who we will tell? Deciding who we think will respond and who won't? Waiting for just that right opportunity to tell someone when we think they will be most responsive? Or are we telling everyone, at every opportunity we get? Realizing that we could be just six small steps away from reaching them all.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
What Kind of Sorrow?
Larry Lee Palmer. March 25, 1950 - June 16, 2004
I miss my dad. He was taken way too early at the age of fifty four. I often wish I would have spent more time with him at the end. I wish he could have still been here to meet my wife; he would have loved my wife. I wish he could have been here to see his granddaughter; he would have really loved her, and she would have loved him. But we don't always get what we wish for, do we?
So, why do I tell you this? Is it so I can write a nice little piece about being content and thankful for what we have? No, I tell you this about my dad because something I heard in church a couple of weeks ago made me think about him. Or rather, about the week that he passed away.
To be perfectly honest, I don't remember exactly what the sermon was about. I kind of zoned out after I heard these verses from II Corinthians. They're from chapter 7, verses 8-10:
"Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it-I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while-yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."
The passage continues on through verse 16 if you want to get the full context, but this is the gist of what I wanted to share. I suppose what struck me the most about this was the concept of there being a distinction in our sorrow. Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. And as I started to think on that, my mind was taken to the weekend of my dad's calling hours and funeral.
My dad passed away sometime shortly after eight o'clock in the evening on Wednesday June 16, 2004. He had been battling an inoperable brain tumor for about a year, so his passing was not sudden. We had time to prepare (as much as you can prepare for a loved one's passing that is). I remember that night so vividly. I had been playing at church and was leaving to go see my dad right after the service. I made it about halfway there when I got the call that he had passed away. Shortly after my arrival, the house was nearly filled. My step-mom, my sisters, my dad's brother and sister, a multitude of family friends, all were there to offer support and pay their respects. There were many tears shed, but also more than a few smiles.
Fast forward a couple of days to the calling hours. I've been to a few of these in my day, but always to offer sympathies, never to receive them. It was kind of surreal, just standing up in the front by my dad's casket while throngs of people passed by offering their condolences, a handshake or hug, and maybe some brief memory they had of my dad. And when I say throngs, I'm not exaggerating. Countless people filed through that night. Whether it was his playing for the church softball team, his four mission trips to Ukraine, the years spent as a youth leader and Sunday School teacher, his time as a CASA volunteer, or the countless hours spent on various church finance committees and mission boards, it was clear that he had come in contact with and had touched many, many lives. But back to those smiles I mentioned a minute ago.
My dad was a born-again Christian. He had been since he was in his thirties and I was in my early teens. I tell you this because it is at the heart of what makes this weekend stick out for me after all these years. You see, I had expected his calling hours to be a difficult time to get through. I wasn't sure how I would be able to manage talking to all of those people while keeping some sort of composure. But as person after person filed by, it became more and more clear that this was more of a celebration of his life than a mourning of his passing. And for all of the lip service we often give to people being in a "better place", it was clear that everyone passing by knew that my dad truly was in a far better place and that it was only a matter of time until we were all reunited. Sure, there were still tears. But the overall feeling was one of joy. Joy that he had finally been eased of his pain and taken home. Joy for all of the lives he had touched. And joy that we would one day, very soon, all see each other again. Godly sorrow.
Now, let me take you forward a couple more days. As cruel fate would have it, I received a call from my mom on Sunday, the day before my dad's funeral. My cousin Brandon (second cousin actually) had been in a car accident and had been killed. Honestly, I didn't spend a lot of time with that side of the family and probably hadn't seen Brandon since he was waist high on me. But, I made arrangements to take an extra day off work and attend his calling hours on Tuesday.
Almost as soon as I arrived I could feel a difference. The whole room seemed darker; the people more solemn. I don't know how to describe it really. There was such a sense of despair in the room, like a dark cloud just hovering overhead. The family was almost inconsolable, and people just didn't know what to say. I'm sure some of it had to do with the suddenness of his departure. Whereas my dad passed slowly over the course of a year, Brandon's life was gone in an instant. Not to mention, Brandon was only 18. He still had so much of a future in front of him. Most importantly though, Brandon (at least to my knowledge) did not have a relationship with God, and I believe that was the overriding difference. There wasn't that solid assurance that he was truly in a better place. Sure, some people said it, but you didn't get the sense that they really believed it. Lip service. Worldly sorrow.
As I left the funeral home that day, it struck me right away that I had no idea how people without a relationship with Christ can possibly handle death. Those two experiences were so polar opposite of each other. We have to remember that God never a promised us a life without trials, pain, hardship or sorrow. Whether it's losing a father to a brain tumor, or losing a cousin to a sudden car accident, sorrow will most definitely be a part of our lives. The question is what kind of sorrow will it be? Godly sorrow or worldly sorrow? Will it be sorrow that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, or sorrow that brings death? There is a difference and we are all free to choose.
As for my "wish list" from before. I still wish I would have spent more time with my dad, but I know that in a short while I'll have an eternity to spend with him. I still wish he could have met my wife. But I know that he is smiling down on us, even as I write this, and couldn't be happier for me. And I still really wish he could have known my daughter, and she him. But who knows, maybe he got to hold her and play with her even before we did. Godly sorrow.
I miss my dad. He was taken way too early at the age of fifty four. I often wish I would have spent more time with him at the end. I wish he could have still been here to meet my wife; he would have loved my wife. I wish he could have been here to see his granddaughter; he would have really loved her, and she would have loved him. But we don't always get what we wish for, do we?
So, why do I tell you this? Is it so I can write a nice little piece about being content and thankful for what we have? No, I tell you this about my dad because something I heard in church a couple of weeks ago made me think about him. Or rather, about the week that he passed away.
To be perfectly honest, I don't remember exactly what the sermon was about. I kind of zoned out after I heard these verses from II Corinthians. They're from chapter 7, verses 8-10:
"Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it-I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while-yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."
The passage continues on through verse 16 if you want to get the full context, but this is the gist of what I wanted to share. I suppose what struck me the most about this was the concept of there being a distinction in our sorrow. Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. And as I started to think on that, my mind was taken to the weekend of my dad's calling hours and funeral.
My dad passed away sometime shortly after eight o'clock in the evening on Wednesday June 16, 2004. He had been battling an inoperable brain tumor for about a year, so his passing was not sudden. We had time to prepare (as much as you can prepare for a loved one's passing that is). I remember that night so vividly. I had been playing at church and was leaving to go see my dad right after the service. I made it about halfway there when I got the call that he had passed away. Shortly after my arrival, the house was nearly filled. My step-mom, my sisters, my dad's brother and sister, a multitude of family friends, all were there to offer support and pay their respects. There were many tears shed, but also more than a few smiles.
Fast forward a couple of days to the calling hours. I've been to a few of these in my day, but always to offer sympathies, never to receive them. It was kind of surreal, just standing up in the front by my dad's casket while throngs of people passed by offering their condolences, a handshake or hug, and maybe some brief memory they had of my dad. And when I say throngs, I'm not exaggerating. Countless people filed through that night. Whether it was his playing for the church softball team, his four mission trips to Ukraine, the years spent as a youth leader and Sunday School teacher, his time as a CASA volunteer, or the countless hours spent on various church finance committees and mission boards, it was clear that he had come in contact with and had touched many, many lives. But back to those smiles I mentioned a minute ago.
My dad was a born-again Christian. He had been since he was in his thirties and I was in my early teens. I tell you this because it is at the heart of what makes this weekend stick out for me after all these years. You see, I had expected his calling hours to be a difficult time to get through. I wasn't sure how I would be able to manage talking to all of those people while keeping some sort of composure. But as person after person filed by, it became more and more clear that this was more of a celebration of his life than a mourning of his passing. And for all of the lip service we often give to people being in a "better place", it was clear that everyone passing by knew that my dad truly was in a far better place and that it was only a matter of time until we were all reunited. Sure, there were still tears. But the overall feeling was one of joy. Joy that he had finally been eased of his pain and taken home. Joy for all of the lives he had touched. And joy that we would one day, very soon, all see each other again. Godly sorrow.
Now, let me take you forward a couple more days. As cruel fate would have it, I received a call from my mom on Sunday, the day before my dad's funeral. My cousin Brandon (second cousin actually) had been in a car accident and had been killed. Honestly, I didn't spend a lot of time with that side of the family and probably hadn't seen Brandon since he was waist high on me. But, I made arrangements to take an extra day off work and attend his calling hours on Tuesday.
Almost as soon as I arrived I could feel a difference. The whole room seemed darker; the people more solemn. I don't know how to describe it really. There was such a sense of despair in the room, like a dark cloud just hovering overhead. The family was almost inconsolable, and people just didn't know what to say. I'm sure some of it had to do with the suddenness of his departure. Whereas my dad passed slowly over the course of a year, Brandon's life was gone in an instant. Not to mention, Brandon was only 18. He still had so much of a future in front of him. Most importantly though, Brandon (at least to my knowledge) did not have a relationship with God, and I believe that was the overriding difference. There wasn't that solid assurance that he was truly in a better place. Sure, some people said it, but you didn't get the sense that they really believed it. Lip service. Worldly sorrow.
As I left the funeral home that day, it struck me right away that I had no idea how people without a relationship with Christ can possibly handle death. Those two experiences were so polar opposite of each other. We have to remember that God never a promised us a life without trials, pain, hardship or sorrow. Whether it's losing a father to a brain tumor, or losing a cousin to a sudden car accident, sorrow will most definitely be a part of our lives. The question is what kind of sorrow will it be? Godly sorrow or worldly sorrow? Will it be sorrow that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, or sorrow that brings death? There is a difference and we are all free to choose.
As for my "wish list" from before. I still wish I would have spent more time with my dad, but I know that in a short while I'll have an eternity to spend with him. I still wish he could have met my wife. But I know that he is smiling down on us, even as I write this, and couldn't be happier for me. And I still really wish he could have known my daughter, and she him. But who knows, maybe he got to hold her and play with her even before we did. Godly sorrow.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
New(er) Features
I'm currently working on a couple of new posts, but they are stuck in my Blackberry right now. I wanted to try out my new bluetooth keyboard so I downloaded a trial version of Microsoft Office Mobile and started typing away. I was working on one post today when I realized the program was having trouble keeping up with my typing. I decided to just save the file to the memory card and transfer it to my laptop to finish. Well apparently, since it's only a trial version, the file seems to be encrypted to where I can't do anything with it. So, all that is to say that I promise I'm working on new content, but it will have to wait until I either re-type it or pony up the $29.95 to register the program.
In the meantime, I figured I would alert you all to some of the new features here at 6:22. Some have already been in place for a little while while a couple others are new.
1) Subscription. You can now subscribe to, or "follow" this blog by clicking on the link on the right of the page and following the instructions. Some of you have already done this and I encourage others to do it as well. This way, you'll always be alerted when there is a new post. Also, you can see who else subscribes and check out their blogs as well. You do not need to have a blog of your own to subscribe.
2) E-mail a post. This one is new. If you look at the bottom of each post now, you'll see a small envelope icon. You can use this to e-mail a link to that post to any of your friends who might find it interesting.
3) Bible Gateway Search. Bible Gateway is one of my favorite free online Bible resources. They offer a multitude of versions and plenty of cross reference and topical options. I know that many times, when reading other blogs, I've had a thought cross my mind and have wanted to look up some passage or another. Now you can do that with the search box located on the right hand side of the page.
4) C.S. Lewis Quote of the day. Not much to say about this really. I like C.S. Lewis and his approach to Christianity. I'm noticing that there is not a lot of variety in the number of quotes, so we'll see how long I keep it up. For now though, enjoy thinking on the wisdom of Lewis.
That's really about it for now. There're a few other things I'm contemplating but we'll see. Any suggestions are appreciated. And look for a new post shortly. I think I'm just going to bite the bullet for now and re-type one.
In the meantime, I figured I would alert you all to some of the new features here at 6:22. Some have already been in place for a little while while a couple others are new.
1) Subscription. You can now subscribe to, or "follow" this blog by clicking on the link on the right of the page and following the instructions. Some of you have already done this and I encourage others to do it as well. This way, you'll always be alerted when there is a new post. Also, you can see who else subscribes and check out their blogs as well. You do not need to have a blog of your own to subscribe.
2) E-mail a post. This one is new. If you look at the bottom of each post now, you'll see a small envelope icon. You can use this to e-mail a link to that post to any of your friends who might find it interesting.
3) Bible Gateway Search. Bible Gateway is one of my favorite free online Bible resources. They offer a multitude of versions and plenty of cross reference and topical options. I know that many times, when reading other blogs, I've had a thought cross my mind and have wanted to look up some passage or another. Now you can do that with the search box located on the right hand side of the page.
4) C.S. Lewis Quote of the day. Not much to say about this really. I like C.S. Lewis and his approach to Christianity. I'm noticing that there is not a lot of variety in the number of quotes, so we'll see how long I keep it up. For now though, enjoy thinking on the wisdom of Lewis.
That's really about it for now. There're a few other things I'm contemplating but we'll see. Any suggestions are appreciated. And look for a new post shortly. I think I'm just going to bite the bullet for now and re-type one.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Mr. Nanny? Seriously?
One of the blogs that I follow recently posted a link to Christianity Today's list of the ten most redeeming films of 2008. I admit, I think that most "Christian" films still lack serious quality so I almost didn't click the link. But my curiosity got the best of me and, if for no other reason than a good laugh, I decided to check it out. What I found there was not what I expected at all and it reinforced something that I've been thinking about lately, but I'm still not sure how to feel.
I figured that when I got to the site I would find films such as Prince Caspian, Fireproof, and a host of other low budget, low quality films I had never heard of. Surprise! That's not what I found at all. Fireproof was on the list, but at number six. Prince Caspian? Not on the list at all. Here is a sampling of the films that did make the list:
Wall*E - No.1
Gran Torino - No.3
Horton Hears a Who - No.4
Rachel Getting Married - No.5
The Dark Knight - No.7
Slumdog Millionaire - No.9
Do you see why I was a bit taken aback? One of the comments for The Dark Knight even said this: "Under the surface—perhaps unknown even to the filmmakers—is that this film shows Batman as a Christ-figure who self-sacrificially takes the sins of others onto himself, knowing it is the only way to save others and bring hope. Batman becomes an outcast so that the people of Gotham would have hope." Kind of a stretch if you ask me.
And this is where I run into my dilemma. I just don't know what to think. I've seen some of these films and they are excellent. My point in this is not to disparage these works or try to make a case for whether Christians should or should not watch them. That's a discussion that we just don't have time for. But do these films belong in a magazine like Christianity Today? Granted, Jesus used parables all the time as one of His primary forms of teaching. And although there are plenty of family unfriendly scenes and imagery in some of these movies, let's not forget that the Bible is strewn with scenes so violent that we would shudder to see them portrayed on the big screen. Even some of the "Christian" fiction that I read is frowned on in some of the more conservative circles for being too radical and too graphic. But have we gone too far? Are we over analyzing and trying to find Christ in the mainstream in some desperate attempt to make Christ culturally relevant? I don't know, but it leads me to something else that's been bothering me.
If you've read any of my posts at all it's hard to miss the fact that I love to read. And while I can usually find what I want sooner and cheaper at places like Amazon, I try to frequent my local Christian book store as much as I can. I may soon have to put an end to that though. The last few times I've been in there have caused me nothing but frustration, as my wife can attest to (I feel bad for her sometimes for having to listen to my rantings.) I went in on three separate occasions recently to find a certain CD by a popular Christian artist. Not once did I find it in stock, and I finally had to order it. Not that that in itself bothered me. What bothered me was what I did find in stock there. You want the new Jonas Brothers CD? No problem. High School Musical soundtrack? In Stock. How about Daughtry's newest release? On the shelf. And when I glanced over to the movie section, I saw selections such as The Princess Bride, Air Bud, and Mr. Nanny (yeah, the one with Hulk Hogan.)
Again, I'm not in any way trying to disparage any of these titles. After all, who in their right mind doesn't think that The Princess Bride is one the greatest movies ever? I won't comment on my feelings about the Jonas Brothers or High School Musical, but in reality, all of these are pretty wholesome family entertainment. They are all "good" movies and "good" music. But we weren't called to just be "good" people or to lead "good" lives. We were called to be Christlike. Go back to that Christianity Today poll and to what they said about The Dark Knight. This is an excellent, albeit dark, movie. There certainly is a redemptive quality to it and I totally understand how the reviewer arrived at the Batman as a sort of Christ figure analogy. But when Jesus spoke in parables, they were very direct correlations to the point he was trying to make. They were stories specifically built around the message. It wasn't the message trying to be squeezed into the story (as is the case with the Batman analogy), and therein lies the very important and very dangerous distinction.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, I think this whole seeker sensitive/culturally relevant philosophy may be getting a little out of hand. I have to wonder if, in our quest to make Christ relevant, we've crossed the line from simply being "in" the world to now being "of" the world. How far should we go in trying to be culturally relevant? I can't find the latest book by my favorite author, but I can get a PG or PG-13 edition of a small group bible study based around mainstream movies (yes, I've seen this.) Don't want the kids to play Guitar Hero? No problem, just go buy Guitar Praise. Need to fill some seats at Church? Throw in a couple of Top 40 tunes and tie them in to your message. Where do we draw the line?
I guess in the end I'm just frustrated. I'm frustrated that we're so desperate to sell magazines to the masses that we have to search for the redemptive message in movies like Horton Hears a Who, Gran Torino, and The Dark Knight. I'm frustrated that we have to fill our shelves with mainstream pop music and every imaginable trinket that can be emblazoned with a cross, a fish, or a catchy Jesus slogan. I'm frustrated that even though we have a timeless God, with a timeless message, we still feel the need to make God more relevant. I'm frustrated that in the process of doing that, we actually water down the message and we're not even realizing it. And I'm frustrated that I just don't know what to think of it all. I mean seriously, Mr. Nanny?
I figured that when I got to the site I would find films such as Prince Caspian, Fireproof, and a host of other low budget, low quality films I had never heard of. Surprise! That's not what I found at all. Fireproof was on the list, but at number six. Prince Caspian? Not on the list at all. Here is a sampling of the films that did make the list:
Wall*E - No.1
Gran Torino - No.3
Horton Hears a Who - No.4
Rachel Getting Married - No.5
The Dark Knight - No.7
Slumdog Millionaire - No.9
Do you see why I was a bit taken aback? One of the comments for The Dark Knight even said this: "Under the surface—perhaps unknown even to the filmmakers—is that this film shows Batman as a Christ-figure who self-sacrificially takes the sins of others onto himself, knowing it is the only way to save others and bring hope. Batman becomes an outcast so that the people of Gotham would have hope." Kind of a stretch if you ask me.
And this is where I run into my dilemma. I just don't know what to think. I've seen some of these films and they are excellent. My point in this is not to disparage these works or try to make a case for whether Christians should or should not watch them. That's a discussion that we just don't have time for. But do these films belong in a magazine like Christianity Today? Granted, Jesus used parables all the time as one of His primary forms of teaching. And although there are plenty of family unfriendly scenes and imagery in some of these movies, let's not forget that the Bible is strewn with scenes so violent that we would shudder to see them portrayed on the big screen. Even some of the "Christian" fiction that I read is frowned on in some of the more conservative circles for being too radical and too graphic. But have we gone too far? Are we over analyzing and trying to find Christ in the mainstream in some desperate attempt to make Christ culturally relevant? I don't know, but it leads me to something else that's been bothering me.
If you've read any of my posts at all it's hard to miss the fact that I love to read. And while I can usually find what I want sooner and cheaper at places like Amazon, I try to frequent my local Christian book store as much as I can. I may soon have to put an end to that though. The last few times I've been in there have caused me nothing but frustration, as my wife can attest to (I feel bad for her sometimes for having to listen to my rantings.) I went in on three separate occasions recently to find a certain CD by a popular Christian artist. Not once did I find it in stock, and I finally had to order it. Not that that in itself bothered me. What bothered me was what I did find in stock there. You want the new Jonas Brothers CD? No problem. High School Musical soundtrack? In Stock. How about Daughtry's newest release? On the shelf. And when I glanced over to the movie section, I saw selections such as The Princess Bride, Air Bud, and Mr. Nanny (yeah, the one with Hulk Hogan.)
Again, I'm not in any way trying to disparage any of these titles. After all, who in their right mind doesn't think that The Princess Bride is one the greatest movies ever? I won't comment on my feelings about the Jonas Brothers or High School Musical, but in reality, all of these are pretty wholesome family entertainment. They are all "good" movies and "good" music. But we weren't called to just be "good" people or to lead "good" lives. We were called to be Christlike. Go back to that Christianity Today poll and to what they said about The Dark Knight. This is an excellent, albeit dark, movie. There certainly is a redemptive quality to it and I totally understand how the reviewer arrived at the Batman as a sort of Christ figure analogy. But when Jesus spoke in parables, they were very direct correlations to the point he was trying to make. They were stories specifically built around the message. It wasn't the message trying to be squeezed into the story (as is the case with the Batman analogy), and therein lies the very important and very dangerous distinction.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, I think this whole seeker sensitive/culturally relevant philosophy may be getting a little out of hand. I have to wonder if, in our quest to make Christ relevant, we've crossed the line from simply being "in" the world to now being "of" the world. How far should we go in trying to be culturally relevant? I can't find the latest book by my favorite author, but I can get a PG or PG-13 edition of a small group bible study based around mainstream movies (yes, I've seen this.) Don't want the kids to play Guitar Hero? No problem, just go buy Guitar Praise. Need to fill some seats at Church? Throw in a couple of Top 40 tunes and tie them in to your message. Where do we draw the line?
I guess in the end I'm just frustrated. I'm frustrated that we're so desperate to sell magazines to the masses that we have to search for the redemptive message in movies like Horton Hears a Who, Gran Torino, and The Dark Knight. I'm frustrated that we have to fill our shelves with mainstream pop music and every imaginable trinket that can be emblazoned with a cross, a fish, or a catchy Jesus slogan. I'm frustrated that even though we have a timeless God, with a timeless message, we still feel the need to make God more relevant. I'm frustrated that in the process of doing that, we actually water down the message and we're not even realizing it. And I'm frustrated that I just don't know what to think of it all. I mean seriously, Mr. Nanny?
Friday, January 9, 2009
Most of All...
As I tried to decide how I wanted to start the New Year here, all that kept coming to mind was resolutions. But I didn’t really want to write about that. Not that I have anything against resolutions per se. Personally, I don’t make them but I know that they work for a lot of people, so whatever. It’s more of the fact that it’s just so overdone. I mean, who isn’t writing about New Year’s resolutions right now? Whether it’s something about how to keep your resolution, or it’s why you don’t need to or shouldn’t make them because they don’t really work anyway, the topic just seems to be everywhere.
But in the end, the turn of a new year does hold some significance and it’s hard to ignore that. If nothing else, for me, it’s at least a time review and evaluate. And in doing that, I was reminded of something that I posted a couple years ago on another site. I didn’t write a whole lot about it at the time, and I had always intended to re-post it at some point. The more I thought on it, the more I realized that it was exactly what I wanted to start the New Year with.
You see, years ago I bought a CD by a group called “Benjamin.” They were fronted by Benjamin Gaither (of The Gaither Family fame) and to my knowledge it’s the only CD they put out. There were some decent songs on there but what has always stuck in my mind is a spoken word intro to one of the songs. It’s by Brennan Manning, author of the books “Abba’s Child” and “Ragamuffin Gospel”, among others. It’s just a short prayer, but it packs a serious punch, especially at this time when so many people are making resolutions for how they want to live in the coming year.
“Abba, Dear Father. If I had my life to live over again I’d climb more mountains, swim more rivers, and watch more sunsets. But most of all I would love Your Son Jesus and those around me, and I would let them know before life’s evening. If I had my life to live over again, I’d take a few more chances next time. I’d have more real problems and fewer imaginary ones. I’d ride more merry-go-rounds. I’d pick more daisies. I’d go barefoot earlier in the spring. I’d stay out later in the fall. But most of all I’d love Your Son Jesus and those around me, and I would let them know before life’s evening.”
I’ve always loved that and have aspired to live my life in that fashion. To be enamored with and experience God’s creation to the fullest. To slow down a bit and take the time to just enjoy life. And to be the kind of person that will take leaps of faith and will focus only on what’s truly important rather then cluttering my daily worries with things that don’t really matter. Granted, I can’t say that I’ve been overly successful in those endeavors, but I’m finding it easier as I get older, especially now that I have my daughter. What an absolute blessing she is. I find myself so intrigued by just watching her experience even the smallest things life has to offer. It reminds me that God’s creation is magnificent and it hasn’t gotten any less so just because I’ve aged. We need to look at it through a child’s eyes once in a while and remember just how awesome He really is.
But there’s more to the prayer than that. And being a Christian, I hate to admit that I used to gloss over the most important part of all, to love Jesus and those around me, and to let them know before life’s evening. After all, that’s what our time here is really all about. Sure, God gave us much to enjoy and to behold, but at the end of the day it all comes down to three things and they are clearly outlined in the Gospels. Matthew 22:37-39 says:
37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
There’s the “love God and those around me part.” As for the rest, we find that in Matthew 28:18-20:
18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
So, like I said earlier, I don’t really make resolutions. I choose instead to review and evaluate. To take stock of where I’ve been and look at where I’m headed. Sure, there are things I’d like to do this year. I’d like to spend as much time with my wife and daughter as I possibly can, just enjoying their presence and watching in wonder as my daughter begins to discover this world one piece at a time. (On a related note, I wouldn’t mind dropping a couple of pounds so that I can spend time with my family) I’d like to write more. I only posted fourteen times last year, and I’m pretty sure I can do better than that. Maybe I’ll even start on the book I’ve been thinking about, who knows? I’d like to read more. My pile is growing again and I’d like to get it a little more under control. But most of all I want to love Jesus and those around me, and I want to let them know before life’s evening.
But in the end, the turn of a new year does hold some significance and it’s hard to ignore that. If nothing else, for me, it’s at least a time review and evaluate. And in doing that, I was reminded of something that I posted a couple years ago on another site. I didn’t write a whole lot about it at the time, and I had always intended to re-post it at some point. The more I thought on it, the more I realized that it was exactly what I wanted to start the New Year with.
You see, years ago I bought a CD by a group called “Benjamin.” They were fronted by Benjamin Gaither (of The Gaither Family fame) and to my knowledge it’s the only CD they put out. There were some decent songs on there but what has always stuck in my mind is a spoken word intro to one of the songs. It’s by Brennan Manning, author of the books “Abba’s Child” and “Ragamuffin Gospel”, among others. It’s just a short prayer, but it packs a serious punch, especially at this time when so many people are making resolutions for how they want to live in the coming year.
“Abba, Dear Father. If I had my life to live over again I’d climb more mountains, swim more rivers, and watch more sunsets. But most of all I would love Your Son Jesus and those around me, and I would let them know before life’s evening. If I had my life to live over again, I’d take a few more chances next time. I’d have more real problems and fewer imaginary ones. I’d ride more merry-go-rounds. I’d pick more daisies. I’d go barefoot earlier in the spring. I’d stay out later in the fall. But most of all I’d love Your Son Jesus and those around me, and I would let them know before life’s evening.”
I’ve always loved that and have aspired to live my life in that fashion. To be enamored with and experience God’s creation to the fullest. To slow down a bit and take the time to just enjoy life. And to be the kind of person that will take leaps of faith and will focus only on what’s truly important rather then cluttering my daily worries with things that don’t really matter. Granted, I can’t say that I’ve been overly successful in those endeavors, but I’m finding it easier as I get older, especially now that I have my daughter. What an absolute blessing she is. I find myself so intrigued by just watching her experience even the smallest things life has to offer. It reminds me that God’s creation is magnificent and it hasn’t gotten any less so just because I’ve aged. We need to look at it through a child’s eyes once in a while and remember just how awesome He really is.
But there’s more to the prayer than that. And being a Christian, I hate to admit that I used to gloss over the most important part of all, to love Jesus and those around me, and to let them know before life’s evening. After all, that’s what our time here is really all about. Sure, God gave us much to enjoy and to behold, but at the end of the day it all comes down to three things and they are clearly outlined in the Gospels. Matthew 22:37-39 says:
37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
There’s the “love God and those around me part.” As for the rest, we find that in Matthew 28:18-20:
18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
So, like I said earlier, I don’t really make resolutions. I choose instead to review and evaluate. To take stock of where I’ve been and look at where I’m headed. Sure, there are things I’d like to do this year. I’d like to spend as much time with my wife and daughter as I possibly can, just enjoying their presence and watching in wonder as my daughter begins to discover this world one piece at a time. (On a related note, I wouldn’t mind dropping a couple of pounds so that I can spend time with my family) I’d like to write more. I only posted fourteen times last year, and I’m pretty sure I can do better than that. Maybe I’ll even start on the book I’ve been thinking about, who knows? I’d like to read more. My pile is growing again and I’d like to get it a little more under control. But most of all I want to love Jesus and those around me, and I want to let them know before life’s evening.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Get out of the way
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?
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?
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.
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