One morning I drove down the beach in a pretty melancholy state. To be honest, I had been pretty dead for a while. Something was playing on the radio and I was not really paying attention to the water or the sky when suddenly I looked up to see God shining a beautiful, distinct circle of light beaming through the dark clouds. I immediately remembered God and wanted to hear something beautiful to accompany this beautiful scene. I reached over for the CD case and it fell open in my hand the page of the exact CD that had run through my mind when I saw God’s open window. I listened and wept as God reminded me that He was still walking with me. Even on a cloudy day.
Come broken and weary. Come battered and bruised.
My Jesus makes all things new, all things new.
Come lost and abandoned. Come blown by the wind.
He’ll bring you back home again, home again.
Rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, the light of the dawn is upon you.
Rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, he makes all things new.
Come frozen with shame. Come burning with guilt.
My Jesus, he loves you still, he loves you still.
*Lyrics from Andrew Peterson’s “All Things New” on Resurrection Letters, Vol. II.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Church/State
In my Christian Ethics class at the seminary, I had to read about and write a position paper on the separation of church and state. My professor was somewhat shocked when I wrote my paper on the position held, most famously, by the Quakers. (I guess I didn't look much like a Quaker to him)
This week, as he reads the news of Obama's new spins on "faith-based" government funding rules, I think my professor may by a bit more sympathetic to the Quaker position of strict separation.
Throughout church history, the Baptists have been on the bad side of church/state relations. The more closely a government aligns itself with a particular religion or denomination, the more dangerous it becomes to those who disagree. Many baptists have lost their lives because the government didn't approve of baptizing adults instead of babies. We should remember this when we call on the government to choose our side in the religion debate. I think we should, instead, call on them to choose no side.
Recently, President Obama has expanded the "faith-based initiatives" that George Bush initiated. In my view, Obama has just taken one step closer on the path Bush started toward the fire of persecution. Here is what I mean...
Bush wanted the government to help fund programs run by "faith-based institutions" (churches, mosques, synagogues, etc.) in order to provide social services to people in need. He believed these institutions should be able to hire people of similar beliefs to staff the services. Obama believes the same thing, only he wants to enforce strict non-discrimination policies for hiring.
In other words, if a church receives funds from the government for any social ministry, that church must be willing to hire muslims and mormons if they apply and are qualified. To this proposal, I say, "thanks, but no thanks."
All of us learned as teenagers, "as long as you live under my roof, you will follow my rules." Obama is saying the same thing here. "As long as you take our dollars, you will spend them the way we tell you to."
The Quakers get this.
I am not proposing that we trade in our SUVs for the horse and buggy, but I do think we should follow the Quakers example and keep government dollars out of our offering plates.
This week, as he reads the news of Obama's new spins on "faith-based" government funding rules, I think my professor may by a bit more sympathetic to the Quaker position of strict separation.
Throughout church history, the Baptists have been on the bad side of church/state relations. The more closely a government aligns itself with a particular religion or denomination, the more dangerous it becomes to those who disagree. Many baptists have lost their lives because the government didn't approve of baptizing adults instead of babies. We should remember this when we call on the government to choose our side in the religion debate. I think we should, instead, call on them to choose no side.
Recently, President Obama has expanded the "faith-based initiatives" that George Bush initiated. In my view, Obama has just taken one step closer on the path Bush started toward the fire of persecution. Here is what I mean...
Bush wanted the government to help fund programs run by "faith-based institutions" (churches, mosques, synagogues, etc.) in order to provide social services to people in need. He believed these institutions should be able to hire people of similar beliefs to staff the services. Obama believes the same thing, only he wants to enforce strict non-discrimination policies for hiring.
In other words, if a church receives funds from the government for any social ministry, that church must be willing to hire muslims and mormons if they apply and are qualified. To this proposal, I say, "thanks, but no thanks."
All of us learned as teenagers, "as long as you live under my roof, you will follow my rules." Obama is saying the same thing here. "As long as you take our dollars, you will spend them the way we tell you to."
The Quakers get this.
I am not proposing that we trade in our SUVs for the horse and buggy, but I do think we should follow the Quakers example and keep government dollars out of our offering plates.
Don't strain the gnat
One of the mistakes Christians commonly make when trying to be a witness to non-Christians has deep theological roots.
Galatians 2:16 says: "...we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."
As Christians, we know this is true...at least we think we do.
I wonder how many of us blow our opportunities to be strong witnesses because we show people law by our words and attitude instead of showing Christ.
Here is what I mean.
If you have a co-worker or family member who smells like Budweiser, curses like a golfer in a sand trap, and laughs about the things that God hates, you have a perfect specimen to test yourself with.
Do you spend your time trying to get them to stop cussing? Or do you love and accept them and treat them like Jesus?
Do you display an attitude of contempt toward their ungodliness? Or do you love and accept them and treat them like Jesus?
Are you more concerned with their drinking, cussing, and mocking God than you are their souls?
The problem that we have with non-Christians is really a theological problem. We think we can save people by getting them to "act right" when they really need transformation. Law never saved anyone. Grace, however, does save.
As you relate to the people in your life this week who don't show fruits of being in Christ, consider the Jesus approach. It is not "good behavior" that they need. They need a new heart.
Remember, it is grace that is able to create a new heart...not law.
Let's make sure we get our theology straight. Otherwise, we are not offering Good News. We are just offering news.
Galatians 2:16 says: "...we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."
As Christians, we know this is true...at least we think we do.
I wonder how many of us blow our opportunities to be strong witnesses because we show people law by our words and attitude instead of showing Christ.
Here is what I mean.
If you have a co-worker or family member who smells like Budweiser, curses like a golfer in a sand trap, and laughs about the things that God hates, you have a perfect specimen to test yourself with.
Do you spend your time trying to get them to stop cussing? Or do you love and accept them and treat them like Jesus?
Do you display an attitude of contempt toward their ungodliness? Or do you love and accept them and treat them like Jesus?
Are you more concerned with their drinking, cussing, and mocking God than you are their souls?
The problem that we have with non-Christians is really a theological problem. We think we can save people by getting them to "act right" when they really need transformation. Law never saved anyone. Grace, however, does save.
As you relate to the people in your life this week who don't show fruits of being in Christ, consider the Jesus approach. It is not "good behavior" that they need. They need a new heart.
Remember, it is grace that is able to create a new heart...not law.
Let's make sure we get our theology straight. Otherwise, we are not offering Good News. We are just offering news.
You better start swimin'
Culture is constantly changing. I am constantly reminded of this when I look at current styles of music, clothing, and even language that is used in our nation and city.
This is challenging to our churches that have remained, for the most part, culturally unchanged for decades past.
For this reason, church services have become a sort of "refuge" for those of us who like the way culture used to but I am starting to feel like this is a form of selfishness.
When Jesus left heaven and became a man, He did so because he wanted to reach man. It would have been more comfortable for him to stay in heaven and not become like us, but he didn't. He came into culture because he wanted to save people, putting to death his own preferences.
He chose mission over comfort.
The more the news becomes doom and gloom about the future of the church in America, the more I wonder if we might need to change our game plan. Maybe we should try the "Jesus method."
Had Jesus not become a man just like us, we would not have listened to his message.
I wonder if the culture around us is not hearing our message because we do not look and sound like them.
What if our churches decided to modify its culture in order to look more like the culture around us for the sake of winning the people who don't currently look and sound like us?
If it worked for Jesus, I think it would work for us, too. Jesus didn't change his message. He just adjusted his methods for sharing his message.
I believe the time is coming and is at hand for us to put our own preferences aside for the sake of reaching the lost of our culture.
I believe the future of the church and the salvation of souls depends on it.
This is challenging to our churches that have remained, for the most part, culturally unchanged for decades past.
For this reason, church services have become a sort of "refuge" for those of us who like the way culture used to but I am starting to feel like this is a form of selfishness.
When Jesus left heaven and became a man, He did so because he wanted to reach man. It would have been more comfortable for him to stay in heaven and not become like us, but he didn't. He came into culture because he wanted to save people, putting to death his own preferences.
He chose mission over comfort.
The more the news becomes doom and gloom about the future of the church in America, the more I wonder if we might need to change our game plan. Maybe we should try the "Jesus method."
Had Jesus not become a man just like us, we would not have listened to his message.
I wonder if the culture around us is not hearing our message because we do not look and sound like them.
What if our churches decided to modify its culture in order to look more like the culture around us for the sake of winning the people who don't currently look and sound like us?
If it worked for Jesus, I think it would work for us, too. Jesus didn't change his message. He just adjusted his methods for sharing his message.
I believe the time is coming and is at hand for us to put our own preferences aside for the sake of reaching the lost of our culture.
I believe the future of the church and the salvation of souls depends on it.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
On Marriage
I have spent a lot of time lately thinking about marriage and how to have a "godly marriage."
I believe, with all of my heart, that most of the problems in our country, schools, churches and even Christian families can be traced back to the lack of "godly marriages."
I don't have room here to explain everything that I mean by that, but I would like to offer a word of advise.
We can call ourselves "Christian families" but, for most of us, that just means that we are involved in church and we try to work toward a healthy relationship with God as individuals. But being a Christian individually and being married to a Christian individual does not necessarily mean that you will have a "godly marriage."
Here is the way I think this works for us:
-Dad does his own thing (bible reading, prayer, etc.) and keeps it mostly to himself...
-Mom does the same thing...and keeps it mostly to herself
-The kids may or may not see this going on, but they know that they are expected to go to church, so that is where they are
encouraged to pursue their own personal relationship with God.
But what if we quit doing all of this individually and started doing it together?
Jess and I don't have kids (yet) but we struggled for the longest time with living completely separate spiritual lives. Praying together was awkward. Bible reading together seemed forced. It just didn't feel natural. So we just didn't do it.
But then we started realizing that we weren't connecting spiritually. We weren't pursuing God together. We were on two separate journeys, headed down two separate paths (even though they were heading in the same direction). And our marriage was starting to suffer for it. So we decided to bite the bullett...and just start doing it!
We WILL pray together and read a devotion together every night EVEN IF IT IS AWKWARD FOR AWHILE!!!
We have been doing this for some time now and it is no longer awkward or forced. It is just what we do every night. And it has made a world of difference in our marriage and spiritual lives.
I want to challenge you couples out there who are not doing something similar to MAKE IT HAPPEN! You don't have to follow our method, but you need to be doing something.
You may be shocked at how many of the problems you have having in your marriage and family could be solved with 15 minutes together with the Lord every night. (Not to mention the impact it would have on your kids) It's done wonders for our marriage and I think it would for yours, too.
I believe, with all of my heart, that most of the problems in our country, schools, churches and even Christian families can be traced back to the lack of "godly marriages."
I don't have room here to explain everything that I mean by that, but I would like to offer a word of advise.
We can call ourselves "Christian families" but, for most of us, that just means that we are involved in church and we try to work toward a healthy relationship with God as individuals. But being a Christian individually and being married to a Christian individual does not necessarily mean that you will have a "godly marriage."
Here is the way I think this works for us:
-Dad does his own thing (bible reading, prayer, etc.) and keeps it mostly to himself...
-Mom does the same thing...and keeps it mostly to herself
-The kids may or may not see this going on, but they know that they are expected to go to church, so that is where they are
encouraged to pursue their own personal relationship with God.
But what if we quit doing all of this individually and started doing it together?
Jess and I don't have kids (yet) but we struggled for the longest time with living completely separate spiritual lives. Praying together was awkward. Bible reading together seemed forced. It just didn't feel natural. So we just didn't do it.
But then we started realizing that we weren't connecting spiritually. We weren't pursuing God together. We were on two separate journeys, headed down two separate paths (even though they were heading in the same direction). And our marriage was starting to suffer for it. So we decided to bite the bullett...and just start doing it!
We WILL pray together and read a devotion together every night EVEN IF IT IS AWKWARD FOR AWHILE!!!
We have been doing this for some time now and it is no longer awkward or forced. It is just what we do every night. And it has made a world of difference in our marriage and spiritual lives.
I want to challenge you couples out there who are not doing something similar to MAKE IT HAPPEN! You don't have to follow our method, but you need to be doing something.
You may be shocked at how many of the problems you have having in your marriage and family could be solved with 15 minutes together with the Lord every night. (Not to mention the impact it would have on your kids) It's done wonders for our marriage and I think it would for yours, too.
On Sundays
How do Sunday mornings start at your house?
I ask this question because I believe Sunday morning, before the organ has warmed up or the Sunday school doors have been unlocked, the Lord keeping a close eye on the homes of His people. He sees the coffee pot come on. He hears those showers running. He visits in and listens for the hearts of his worshippers...
Sunday mornings are different for different people...
Some say Sunday is a great day for fishing...
Some believe it is the best of days to catch up on sleep...
Those who have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, say with the Psalmist:
"O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells!
"My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly, I will bless the Lord." (Psalm 27)
As the brew drips in the coffee pot and those first chills of ice cold waters shout from the showers, the heart of the redeemed should turn his heart unto the Lord and rush to the place where the people of God gather to sing of the rescue that is called Immanuel.
Don't let worship start for you when you drive into the parking lot at church. Grow in anticipation as soon as the Lord gently wakes you. Let your heart begin to be stirred. Wake your family up with peace and rejoicing. And crave like a starving and thirsty man for the body and blood that awaits you in the assembly of God's redeemed.
I ask this question because I believe Sunday morning, before the organ has warmed up or the Sunday school doors have been unlocked, the Lord keeping a close eye on the homes of His people. He sees the coffee pot come on. He hears those showers running. He visits in and listens for the hearts of his worshippers...
Sunday mornings are different for different people...
Some say Sunday is a great day for fishing...
Some believe it is the best of days to catch up on sleep...
Those who have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, say with the Psalmist:
"O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells!
"My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly, I will bless the Lord." (Psalm 27)
As the brew drips in the coffee pot and those first chills of ice cold waters shout from the showers, the heart of the redeemed should turn his heart unto the Lord and rush to the place where the people of God gather to sing of the rescue that is called Immanuel.
Don't let worship start for you when you drive into the parking lot at church. Grow in anticipation as soon as the Lord gently wakes you. Let your heart begin to be stirred. Wake your family up with peace and rejoicing. And crave like a starving and thirsty man for the body and blood that awaits you in the assembly of God's redeemed.
How to be wise and young
There is no substitute for experience.
The more I live, the more I realize the wisdom of those who have gone before me. I am grateful for the "old guys" that are willing to sit down with me and share their perspectives on our world, our God, and the people we interact with daily. It is funny to me how a young man will sit down and read a book about something, thinking he understands. If he is wise, he will sit with someone with experience and talk the subject over. If he is a fool, he will disregard experience.
What a great teacher experience is!
I am fearful that we don't take full advantage of this in our churches. Age draws lines between generations and the younger folks are left ignorant and the older folks feel ignored. This is a horrible tragedy. If we want to move into the future and have any lasting success, we must combine the instinct of the young with the wisdom of ages. One without the other either becomes stagnated or foolish.
Throughout the scriptures, we are mandated to learn and teach. This doesn't just happen in Sunday school rooms. This happens when we "sit in our houses...walk by the way...lie down...rise up" (Deut. 6:6). The classroom of life is where our greatest lessons are learned.
If you are not in fellowship with folks from another generation in our church, you are absent from one of the most fundamental, life giving aspects of being in Christ.
I would encourage you all to pour yourself into others. And don't let age create iron barriers that interrupt the flow of wisdom.
The more I live, the more I realize the wisdom of those who have gone before me. I am grateful for the "old guys" that are willing to sit down with me and share their perspectives on our world, our God, and the people we interact with daily. It is funny to me how a young man will sit down and read a book about something, thinking he understands. If he is wise, he will sit with someone with experience and talk the subject over. If he is a fool, he will disregard experience.
What a great teacher experience is!
I am fearful that we don't take full advantage of this in our churches. Age draws lines between generations and the younger folks are left ignorant and the older folks feel ignored. This is a horrible tragedy. If we want to move into the future and have any lasting success, we must combine the instinct of the young with the wisdom of ages. One without the other either becomes stagnated or foolish.
Throughout the scriptures, we are mandated to learn and teach. This doesn't just happen in Sunday school rooms. This happens when we "sit in our houses...walk by the way...lie down...rise up" (Deut. 6:6). The classroom of life is where our greatest lessons are learned.
If you are not in fellowship with folks from another generation in our church, you are absent from one of the most fundamental, life giving aspects of being in Christ.
I would encourage you all to pour yourself into others. And don't let age create iron barriers that interrupt the flow of wisdom.
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