The Meaning of Christianity

Soren Kierkegaard wrote in one of his journal entries:

Is God's meaning, in Christianity, simply to humble us through the model (putting before us the ideal) and to console us with "Grace," but between God and humanity there is no relationship, that we must express our thankfulness like a dog to a man, so that the adoration becomes more and more true, and more pleasing to God as it becomes less and less possible for us that we could be like the model? Is that the meaning of Christianity? Or is it the very reverse, that God's will is to express that he desires to be in relations with us, and therefore desires the thanks and the adoration which is in Spirit and truth: imitation. The latter is certainly the meaning of Christianity. But the former is a cunning invention of us men in order to escape from real relation to God.

Cause Cynicism

Shannon had a post on his blog describing an attempt to rally against government sanctions threatening internet radio. And his post got me to thinking – I have never been a big proponent of causes. It as not as though I don’t agree with the motivation and goal of certain causes. I suppose my biggest problem stems from a pessimistic attitude about the actual success of such causes. Do petitions actually work? Does contacting your senator actually work? Do thousands of names or thousands of letters actually sway government officials more than lobbyers? I tend to think no. Just because I think guns are an evil of society that need to be done away with, no matter how many signatures I get, I cannot influence my senator to introduce or vote for gun laws if s/he is in league with the gun companies.

But there are also causes that make little sense to me and I don’t see how the desired outcome is worth all of the effort. So many causes seem trite and though many rally around under the banner of “religious persecution,” the problem may not actually lie with the government or school system or whatever else. For example, though they have died down lately, I felt bombarded with email petitions and actual petitions from Christians wanting to “get prayer back in school.” These petitioners seemed to think that Christianity might become extinct if students could not pray visually. What is worse, they couched this cause as a reaction to persecution. It seems to be that such labeling does a great injustice to the real persecution that Christians endure in the rest of the world. Removing religion (all religions, not just Christianity) from schools is the government’s way of being impartial. It isn’t a Christian government, so why should they have special sympathies for Christianity? More than that, I think that we have bigger issues with our students than their perceived inability to pray. How about the rising pre-marital sex rate, the rising rate of depression among teens, or the presence of violence that seems to pervade our schools?

I tend to think that personal communication and changing worldviews through relationships is the way to affect real change. Sure, my technique is not as broad sweeping as a law change, but we all know that morality is not formed by law keeping. Causes are not a bad thing, as long as I see their validity. By making such a statement I understand that I am not the final say on what is valid. What is pertinent to me may not be so to others and vice versa. Just don’t get mad when I don’t forward the email, sign the sheet, or walk the streets with sign in hand.

Books of the Bible

Leadership Magazine hosts a blog called Out of Ur. In a recent post John Dunham of the International Bible Society bemoaned the presence of subject headings and inorganic chapter and verse divisions in Scripture.

Nothing new. Most of us have been shown how the presence of these divisions can distort our reading. For instance, in the NIV, Ephesians 5:21 says, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." And that line sits isolated at the end of a section about becoming imitators of God. It would be better grouped with comes next; five paragraphs about submitting.

The NIV instead splits that up into three sections, including a chapter break.

So Dunham's point was true, if not over-played. In the comments, people asked him what he was going to do about it, since he worked for a big time Bible publisher.

Dunham's response? "Glad you asked, we just happen to be publishing a Bible sans chapter/verse breaks, subject headings or any of those other nasty editorial additions." (paraphrase) He tried to use this format to make a pitch.

I suddenly felt like the kid from the Christmas story who had received his decoder ring only to discover the message: "Drink More Ovaltine."

I'll probably still get one. It should be interesting to read without those distractions. However, I was disappointed when I found out the out order of the books and letters.

They abandoned the traditional order, because that to is an editorial addition which distracts. Or so says Dunahm. That was not the part that bothers me.

This would have seemed like a perfect to introduce the Tanakh order of the First Testament to American Christians. Tanakh is the traditional order for Jews. This order was established Before the Christian Era and would have been the order early Christians would have experienced it. My professor at Great Lakes Christian College. Dr. Paul Kissling used to insist that the whole thing made more sense when read this way. I have found this to be true.

Instead they come up with their own arbitrary order based on a mixture of chronology and genre and theme. I don't see how their order is any less confusing than the one found in most Bibles.

Also, I believe the order they chose unravels some of the purpose. They try to strip away the editorial additions and then install their own addition by creating their own order.

You might say that it is subtraction by addition.

A Failed Attempt at Unity - The Restoration Movement (Part 1)

I read parts of Christianity Restored by Alexander Campbell earlier this year.

My initial thought in reading the book was that Alexander Campbell threw away all of the established creeds and created a creed that was much more complex in what could be described as a “hermeneutical approach” creed.

Here are two defining quotes:

"Our opposition to creeds arose from a conviction, that whether the opinions in them were true or false, they were hostile to the uniion, peace, harmony, purity, and joy of christians; and adverse to the conversion of the world to Jesus Christ."

"All the differences in religious opinion and sentiment, amongst those who acknowledge the Bible, are occassioned by false principles of interpretation, or by a misapplication of the true principles. There is no law, nor standard--literary, moral, or religious--that can coerce human thought or action, by only promulging and acknowledging it. If a law can effect any thing, our actions must be conformed to it. Were all students of the Bible taught to apply the same rules of interpretation to its pages, there would be a greater uniformity in opinion and sentiment, than ever resulted from the simple adoption of any written creed."

Campbell then goes on to explain his hermeneutical principles for eighty-five pages. Instead of having a ten point creed, he produced an eighty-five page psuedo-creed. It was his firm belief that one must share hermeneutical methods in order to come to the same conclusions. I think he was somewhat correct in his belief that a unity could be achieved if we all shared the same hermeneutical methods; however, that unity would not be a genuine unity. It would be an “intellectual unity” that scholars could share but it would not unite the masses.

Alexander Campbell believed that intellectual unity would bring about a genuine unity; however, history shows that we can be intellectually divided and still have Christian unity or we can have intellectual unity and still be divided. I could beat my head against a wall trying to convince someone to intellectually agree with me. It would be more fruitful to get them to participate with me in action. Unity starts with sharing actions rather than sharing intellectual processes. Shared hermeneutics would result in a shared theology but that does not always translate into a shared spirituality. If we share actions, our differing theology might not matter all that much.

A friend of mine wrote: “Rather than ask how 18-19th century methods of reading ancient texts may guide the church's reading of Scripture, we might ask what contemporary methods are bearing fruit analyzing ancient texts and how such methods may be used to foster a shared hermeneutic for today.” The problem is that modern methods vary as the wind and location of the circumstances the scholar finds himself in. It seems that – at least in secular fields, particularly literature – the original intent of the author is irrelevant next to the interpretation of the reader. People seemed to be enthralled with movies like The Fountain where the writer/director refuses to tell what the point is and proclaims that everyone's interpretation is valid. This modern day approach cannot bring about a shared hermeneutic that would result in an intellectual unity.

Campbell's approach which was not even successful is no longer even practical. Unity will only come through humble communities of believers listening to the will of God.

Can I get an 'Amen'?

"Revelation tells us that in heaven, that God will lead his people to streams of living water, that we will never again hunger or thirst. That God will ever be with us, and that he will wipe every tear from our eyes.

We will enjoy a closeness with him, a dependence upon him. But this is not just good news for the already dead or for those who will soon die. The desire of Jesus is that God’s will would be done on earth just as it is in heaven. He wants us to be moving closer to God, closer to dependence on him now.

In doing so, there are available to us glimpses of eternity, snapshots of heaven, for us and the whole world as we move closer to him.

Today I want to focus on one particular way that happens. We find it in our text for the day. This is the last psalm of ascent we will be studying.

Psalm 133.

1 How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!

2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron's beard,
down upon the collar of his robes.

3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.

For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Verse one says, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! For,” says verse three, “ there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” The LORD bestows his blessing of forevermore life there in the place where brothers and sisters live together in untiy.

There we get a glimpse of eternal life. There we receive a foretaste of heaven. There God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven. When brothers and sisters live together in unity."

What will you do today to ensure unity tomorrow?

Friday Quotes

I couple of quotes on religion, morality, and law:

"Say what you will about the Ten Commandments, you must always come back to the pleasant fact that there are only ten of them. " - HL Mencken

"Try as hard as we may for perfection, the net result of our labors is an amazing variety of imperfectness. We are surprised at our own versatility in being able to fail in so many different ways." - Samuel McChord Crothers

"With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. " - Steven Weinberg

Membership - Part 2

Biblical Images of Membership

Membership must be more than a name on a roll or else it has little impact on kingdom work. The New Testament of course does not use the word, but there are plenty of images that allude to this idea and put forth a goal of a united community of like-minded individuals who are committed to more than affiliation with a church.

Members of the body of Christ
The first image gets referenced regularly: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). We are all members of one body. This passage goes on to lay out the need to work together in order to accomplish anything. If one part does not do its work, the entire body suffers. This image can be translated easily into our culture. Anyone who has hurt a foot, leg, arm, back, or any body part knows that when the body compensates for an injury then soreness and discomfort inevitably develop.

In the same way, if we are not committed to the body of Christ, it will suffer. This, I believe is where most people miss the understanding of why they should go to church, participate in activities, invest in other people’s lives. When asked why they don’t go to church, they say, “I don’t get anything out of it,” or “I can worship God by myself.” Though this sort of thinking may be true, it is also very selfish. Though you or I may be perfectly content to worship in solitude, we are hurting the body by withholding the blessings God has given us and expects us to us to help the body.

The next two images come from the following passage from Ephesians 2:19-22:

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Members of God’s Household
As Christians, we are joined by more than common beliefs, a common heritage, or even a common background. There is a saying that I have heard before, “You can’t choose your family.” Even those kids that divorce their parents are still linked to them for life by something greater than some piece of paper. Families are bound by blood – their genes unite them and are passed down from generation. Families care for one another and actively seek to uplift and encourage one another while maintaining the status of the family name.

This is the relationship that God invites every believer to inherit. God has adopted us into his family, but this adoption breaks barriers of blood lines and genealogy. We are now part of God’s family, and the just as Christ has shown His commitment to the family by sacrificing His own life, as members of the family of God we commit to one another in the same way that a functioning family does. We don’t renounce our love for our family nor do we for the family of God.

A Holy Temple
This final image was not one that I had originally intended to discuss as I brainstormed images of the church. And yet, it stands out as quite different than the other images, especially in the Ephesians passage. As members of the universal church, the way we truly display that membership is by becoming a place a holy temple – a place where God lives and where His Spirit dwells. Though we are each individual temples, there is also a plurality described here that the combines our individual lives to form a place where we see God revealed – together. For a complete picture of God, for a complete revelation of God, for a full indwelling of the Spirit, God calls us to be “built together” and united as one.

This building is not limited to your church of your chosen denomination in the city you reside in the 21st century. It consists of all churches across the world, across all denominational lines, across all times. This temple has been built by those who have gone before us, and we continue to build. This image reminds me that the church is so much bigger than what I see. I am a brick that has been fused together with countless others that stands as a testament to God’s presence in this world. And relegating that wonderful status to a name on a roll diminishes the power and impact of membership in the church.

Evan Elp Us

In 2004 Hollywood learned that there is a Christian sub-culture that is 1. Enormous, 2. Well-connected, 3. Capable of some pretty savvy marketing 4. and willing to market for free.

Mel Gibson was giving the tutorial, but Hollywood was a quick study. After Churches bought out whole theaters for the community to view "The Passion of The Christ", Hollywood started courting the church.

They piggy-back on "para-church" media organizations. I receive a few fliers per week trying to get me to mention these films, use clips as illustrations, and use them for small group studies. Off the top of my head, these films include: "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe", "The End of the Spear", "Amazing Grace", "Pursuit of Happiness", "The Nativity", and "The Da Vinci Code". There are more, that I can't recall as quickly.

They're persuasive too. They give out free movie passes, send you free merchandise, and give you free sermons and illustrations. I even heard about one company giving away a chance to win a cruise to anyone who could prove they mentioned "The Chronicles of Narnia" in a sermon.

Of course, I'm dubious about allowing Hollywood hi-jack the pulpit. They are simply trying to increase their bottom line. Christians are spending a lot of money on entertainment, and they want their slice of that pie. And there are plenty of things that Hollywood is pitching that is disdainful, even in some of the movies they want us to pitch.

Having said all that, let me introduce the dilemma. The latest marketing blitzkrieg on the church is for "Evan Almighty". It is a sequel of sorts of "Bruce Almighty", one of my favorite all-time movies.

When "Bruce" came out, it was not marketed to or through the church. In fact, many of us were quite leery of what Jim Carrey (and the writers, directors, and producers behind him) were going to be saying about God. however, despite having some questionable scenes, it had some great lines about prayer, about God's love, and power. It was a really funny movie, one of Carrey's funniest.

So, I was definitely already excited about the new one. Then the marketing started. I received free movie passes to see it three weeks before it opened. (I was too busy to go, but I sent a friend who loved it). At the screening they handed out a tote bag of freebies including five books, a video about church impact, and a water bottle.

They have five movie clips, written illustrations, and a study guide all free at Sermon Spice. They are giving away resource kits that include posters, hats, shirts, and more.

But their most innovative idea is the invention of ARK Almighty. It is like Craig's List, but for a church community. People post their needs ( dryer, math tutor, etc...), and others in the church log on to see what they can do to help. It's a pretty neat idea, and they have it all set up to use for free (the only cost I see is viewing "Evan Almighty" banners).

The film itself intends (as I understand it) to promote the "Acts of Random Kindness" (ARK), which is a good thing. Purposeful Acts of Intentional Kindness would be better. But still it is good. On the "Evan Almighty" website they have a place to donate trees, and those who do will have their names listed on the DVD. I can think of better causes, but still planting trees is a good thing.

So, knowing that Hollywood is trying to maneuver my church to make money, knowing my flock will be spending dollars on movies anyway, knowing that there are some good things in and around the movie, knowing that Hollywood could be putting out something much worse in the place of "Evan Almighty", what do I do?

Am I spending credibility by following such fads, or am I gaining credibility by not getting too stuck in the mud to recognize a good thing when it comes along?

As Regan might say, I'm just trying to "watch out for the potholes".

Prayer Tuesday

An Office of Compline Prayer that can be said alone at home

May the Lord grant to us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen
Thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy name
Leave us not, O Lord, Our God.
Have mercy upon us, O God: And hearken unto our prayer.
O God, you are my God, for you I long.
My soul thirsts for you, like a dry weary land without water.
Your steadfast love is better than life
I will bless you as long as I live.
I will lift up my hands and call upon your name
My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,
I think of you as I lay upon my bed
I meditate upon you in the watches of the night
For you have been my help
In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy,
My soul clings to you
And your right hand upholds me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be.
World without end. Amen.
Have Mercy on us, O God; And Hearken unto our prayer.
Before the ending of the day: creator of the world, we pray
That thou with wonted love wouldst keep
thy watch around us while we sleep.
O let no evil dreams be near; nor phantoms of the night appear.
Our ghostly enemy restrain; lest ought of sin our bodies stain.
Almighty Father, hear our cry; through Jesus Christ our Lord most high
Who with the Holy Ghost and thee; doth live and reign eternally. Amen.
Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit
For thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth:
Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of an eye:
Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.
Save us, O Lord, waking; guard us sleeping,
that awake we may watch with Christ;
and asleep we may rest in peace.

Love is Difficult

This last week I have been in a lot of conversations with other Christians in which love has been morphed into something that is not love. In reaction to my death penalty post, a friend of mine told me that he thought it was more loving to kill someone than to keep them in jail their whole life.

In another conversation with a friend, I was talking about loving our enemies. He shared a personal experience in which he thought he was being loving when he threatened a guy with violence that would lead to hospitilization because of what the guy was doing to his wife. I am befuddled to say the least.

How we define love marks how we live out our Christian life. Let us let Scripture define love for us.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:38-45)

We love because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. (1 John 4:19-21)

"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, " "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)

Then the king will say to those at his right hand, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' (Matthew 25:34-40)

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:12-13)

Love is necessary to our neighbors and to our enemies. I think that covers all the bases and means that we are to love everyone.

And the most difficult part of all of this is that we can see how much that we love God by looking at our love for the person we love the least. May God have mercy on our souls.

Sunday Pulpit

Today's sermon is from Max Lucado, preacher extaordinaire. It has been lifted from his website, maxlucado.com, without permission. It is from a longer peice about being a good father.

(After describing how hard it was to drop his daughter off for her first day of school...)

As I was walking back to my truck, a verse pounced on me. It was a passage I’d studied before. Today’s events took it from black-and-white theology to technicolor reality.

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32)

Is that how you felt, God? Is what I felt this morning anything like what you felt when you gave up your son?

If so, it explains so much. It explains the proclamation of the angels to the shepherds outside Bethlehem. (A proud father was announcing the birth of a son.)

It explains the voice at Jesus baptism; “This is my son....” (You did what I wanted to do, but couldn’t.)

It explains the transfiguration of Moses and Elijah on the mountaintop. (You sent them to encourage him.)

And it explains how your heart must have ached as you heard the cracking voice of your son, “Father, take this cup away."

I was releasing Jenna into a safe environment with a compassionate teacher who stood ready to wipe away any tears. You released Jesus into a hostile arena with a cruel soldier who turned the back of your son into raw meat.

I said good-bye to Jenna knowing she would make friends, laugh, and draw pictures. You said good-bye to Jesus knowing he would be spat upon, laughed at, and killed.

I gave up my child fully aware that were she to need me I would be at her side in a heartbeat. You said goodbye to your son fully aware that when he would need you the most, when his cry of despair would roar through the heavens, you would sit in silence. The angels, though positioned, would hear no command from you. Your son, though in anguish, would feel no comfort from your hands.

"He gave his best," Paul reasons, "why should we doubt his love?"

Before the day was over, I sat in silence a second time. This time, not beside my daughter, but before my Father. This time not sad over what I had to give, but grateful for what I’d already received—living proof that God does care.

Welcome to the Church in America

I ran across this quote this week. It's from Thr3e by Ted Dekker. This is a conversation between the main character and one of his friends.

"A preacher stands against the immorality of adultery, but all the while he harbors anger toward the third parishioner from the left because the parishioner challenged one of his teachings three months ago. Is anger not as evil as adultery? Or a woman who scorns the man across the aisle for alcoholic indiscretions, while she routinely gossips about him after services. Is gossip not as evil as any vice? What's especially damaging in both cases is that neither the man who harbors anger nor the woman who gossips seriously considers the evil of their own actions. Their sins remain hidden. This is the true cancer in the church."

"Sounds like the same cancer that eats away at the rest of society."

"Exactly. Although in the church it makes every attempt to remain hidden, where it is left alone to grow in the dark. You ever wonder why incidences of divorce and gluttony and virtually all of evil's fruits are as high in the church as in society at large?"

"Actually, I didn't know that."

"Though being freed from sin, most remain slaves, blinded and gagged by their own deception. 'The good that I would, that I do not do and that which I would not, that I do.' Welcome to the church in America."

Membership - Part 1

Why “membership” has lost its meaning

I was talking to the missionaries of Christusgemeinde Peine (a missionary couple in Germany that my church supports) the last time they were here on furlough. Apparently something like 65% of the population in Germany has placed its membership in the State supported religion – Lutheran and Catholic churches. But if you were to walk into a service on a given Sunday, you can expect to see perhaps 3% attending. Reread those numbers because they are astounding. Why do most people call themselves members of the body of Christ and yet have very little interaction with that body? Many reasons could be cited, but the following is the answer from the missionaries themselves:

Randy likes to compare this system with the Jewish system. Here most people are "born" into the church; the choice is made for them. Confirmation is when they say "yes" to that choice. It is difficult for some to make the decision to get out of the church, because of family, job or political pressure.

The reason most people are still members is tradition. If you are a member you can have your baby christened and this is usually a big family affair. If you ask the young people that age why they are going to confirmation, most would say because of the money. They usually get several thousand dollars in gift money from grandparents, godparents and other relatives. If you were confirmed and stay in the church, then you can have a church wedding. And of course the circle closes with a religious funeral. In some places the local cemetery is owned by the church and if you aren't a member, you must be buried elsewhere. Some people see their church membership as a kind of insurance: "If there really is a God, then I'll be covered."

We might look at that and say, “How silly. Membership in a church has lost its meaning. They are no more members of a church than the building is the church.” And such a statement would be true. But as I look around, is membership in our churches much different? Not really. Many Christians are “born into it.” Many want to be married in a church despite having little to no affiliation with that church. Many may attend on Sunday to put their time in but are not truly invested in the church. And of course there is the fire insurance aspect of saying “I belong to the church, therefore I won’t go to hell.”

As shallow as those reasons are, I sort of expect them from worldly people. And yet, church people also focus on membership. It seems, especially in the Church of Christ, that many churchgoers place a high priority on membership. They worry about whether a person has placed or transferred his or her membership with the church. Once they figure out the numbers, they can then pass them on to the Christian Standard or other news outlet perhaps as a way to measure and compare themselves. Then, of course, there are things only members are allowed to do as if coming forward and speaking a few rote words miraculously enables and empowers you to serve in certain ways.

As a result, membership has lost its meaning. Membership has become a matter of numbers and not belonging to something bigger than ourselves. If I may paraphrase Matthew 23:15 – “You try and try to get people to place their membership in your church and then once you do, you make them as much mediocre pew sitters as you are.”

What will follow in my next post in a week will be a way of approaching membership that reminds us all of what it is truly about, and perhaps return that sense of belonging that has been lost.

Some thoughts on eulogies

Update: A third-cousin I met for the first time at my granmother's funeral wrote a column about her.

Monday morning, I was in St. Louis, MO for my grandmother's funeral. Elizabeth Akers Caroland was 90, a Southern Bell, a minister's wife, a teacher of grammar, a character, and many other things. But that's not what I want to talk about.

The minister, Dr. Suzanne Webb, provided a very good eulogy, very good words. She told some of her personal experiences with my grandmother. Her storytelling reminded us of her most memorable and admirable qualities. She had us read from Romans 8, reminding us that there would be no condemnation for her, that nothing, not even death, would be able separate her from the love of God.

I was encouraged through memories which reconnected me to my grandma. Then I was encouraged through Scripture which reconnected me to my Lord.

Things were very different five years ago. I don't just mean that my brother's death was different than my grandmother's. I don't think I could articulate how true that is. Brandon might have come close when he said, "After Jason's death, nothing is tragic." Certainly not a 90 year old widow finding an end to pain and being reunited with her beloved Lord.

The eulogies were also very different. I would have very much preferred Dr. Suzanne Webb's approach. We were barely holding on. We needed encouragement. We needed to try make sense of some of it. We needed the comforting effect of hearing kind words spoken about him. We really needed to be reminded that God was still good and available. What we got was a lecture about sin and forgiveness.

Now, I love that part of the gospel. I preach it to whomever will listen. But on that day I felt like I was a pig being tossed pearls. Not because the message was too good for me (I don't think that's what Jesus meant either or who would the worthy non-pigs be?), but because the message was not something I had any need for at the moment. I did not want it or know what to do with it. I needed food.

It came off as random theories completely irrelevant to our current state. The effect was that Jesus seemed further away than ever.

I guess the moral of all this would be that if you get a chance to do a eulogy, come close to the people by helping them reminisce about the person they love, then help them see how Jesus fits into the situation, as a comforter.

Prayer of St. Patrick

This prayer is often called "St. Patrick's Breastplate" because of those parts of it which seek God's protection.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

A Christian View on the Death Penalty

A discussion on the death penalty came up yesterday after church. Part of me debated whether I should just remain silent or to bring up my take on the issue. I am probably the only person in the whole church that takes the stance that a Christian should not be for the death penalty. Let me explain.

We can argue whether the state has authority to enact the death penalty, but I think that argument is irrelevant to the discussion. The state give doctors the authority to abort a baby, yet we still say that it is something that we should not do. The state gives people authority to do all sorts of actions we would deem immoral, yet we still call those actions wrong. Just because the state allows something does not make that action right. The state has the authority to do all sorts of disgusting actions. The United States is not the kingdom of God, and we need to be extra careful in all times to never lift it up as being such.

One can obviously argue that there was a death penalty in the Old Testament. There is no question about that. But to say that since it was in the Old Testament law it still applies today does not seem logical since none of the people who say that try to live out all of the law. We believe that the law was useful for revealing sin and a placeholder until the coming of the Messiah(very simplified explanation for the law), but that we are now under the law of the Christ rather than the law of the Old Testament. Because of this, I cannot buy the argument that the death penalty should be practiced today because it was prescribed in the Old Testament law. We cannot just pick and choose parts of the law that we feel are still applicable and proclaim them as such. That is not a consistent use of the Old Testament law as explained in the writings of the New Testament.

Our primary citizenship as Christians is to the kingdom of God. This means that we are only obedient to the United States if it does not go against obedience to our king, God. We subject ourselves at all times to our nation's authority; however, subjection does not mean that we must be obedient. It sometimes means that we will accept our punishment when we feel that we must be disobedient.

Is there ever a reason to kill someone for the kingdom of God? There must be, or we should not be for the death penalty. I cannot think of an example where killing does not violate the "turning the other cheek" principle or the teaching that we are supposed to "love our neighbors" and "love our enemies". If we should not kill, then we should not ask our state to kill, which is what we are doing if we are Christians who support the death penalty and live in a democracy. We should never ask anyone, whether that is our state or our neighbor, to do something we would not do ourselves.

In conclusion, I might be open to changing my mind, but none of what I have heard to date has caused me to consider that a Christian should be an executioner for our secular state. I have read some articles on the internet, and they always demonize anti-death penalty people as being against the Scriptures. Please do not do such; I will not demonize pro-death penalty adherents. If you can show me in Scripture where a Christian should be for the death penalty (that does not mean that Paul or Jesus acknowledges that there is a death penalty), please show it to me.

Toward an Irrational Obedience

"Now you, my friends, are children of the promise, like Isaac." (Galatians 4:28)

To be children of the promise we need to have irrational obedience towards God. We see this exemplified in the life of Abraham. In the promise, he was told to leave his home and go make a new one.

We have many teachings of Jesus that at times of our life seem irrational. Just looking at them through purely worldly logic, they still seem that way.

Who would give a percentage of their paycheck every week to a church instead of using that money on savings, investments, or personal entertainment? It is completely, worldly irrational.

Who would not eat meals and fast in order to show submission to God and dependence on Him? Who would treat non-biological brothers and sisters as real brothers and sisters? Who would not stand up for their own rights and turn the other cheek? Someone completely, worldly irrational.

Most everyone does what makes sense to them. For some, lying and manipulating, is rational. All sorts of wrong and destructive behavior is viewed as rational to the people who practice such behavior. It makes sense for them to commit sin in order to get their way, which to them is the right way.

For us, as followers of Jesus, we need to become the type of people where the irrational obedience becomes rational. For many areas of our life, it probably already has. As we mature in the faith we become more and more irrational according to the world, yet we become more and more what Jesus wants us to be. Our Christian journey should be a journey from a life lived by what is rational by the world's standards to a life lived by what is rational by God's standards. Becoming a follower of Jesus is making the decision to start viewing the world in the way that God sees the world and to start living in that new paradigm.

When given the Promise, Abraham was faced with a major decision. He could continue on his normal life and not go to the far off land he had never seen or he could grasp hold of the promise and begin with an irrational step of obedience. Those around him probably thought he was crazy. A wise preacher once said, “Your faith ought to get you in trouble at times. If everyone thinks you are nuts, you may be. It's okay if some think you are. You're probably in trouble if no one thinks you are.”

A few quotes from Paul Madonna's All Over Coffee

The first few quotes come from All Over Coffee by Paul Madonna. It is a collection of strips from the San Francisco Chronicle that was just published. These quotes might not be as powerful without the images of beautiful churches obstructed by power lines or other sort of beautiful structure that is marred. Here is the most recent strip. I love his artwork. There is a link to the archives at the bottom; however, my quotes are from much older strips that are not online any more.

"Contemporary wisdom is quoting the man who quoted the man who put truth in eloquent words."

"It's absurd to think that all people believe in fairness but not as absurd as thinking that they have the same definition for it."

Good quotes oftentimes leave me without the ability to add anything additional to them. And commenting on them would just weaken them. I feel these fall into that category.

Be a Witness (Part 1)

(Update: Henry Abbott writes a blog called TrueHoop for ESPN. He attempts to write a defense for LeBron. In it he gives lots of good information about the conflict in the Sudan. However, his main arguments seem to be that the letter is imperfect, and the NBA and Nike might not like it. These excuses do not cut it for me.)
Tomorrow night is game 1 of the NBA finals. I'm torn about this. I'm a little heart-broken that my Pistons won't be there. But the bigger issue is my feelings toward basketball's messiah.

It seems that there powers at work to try make us forget this guy's character flaws. All those stories of him being paid as a high school player disappeared pretty quickly. Nobody seems to care that he dubbed himself "King James". I have always thought it lame to nickname yourself, but to nickname yourself "King" is royally lame.

But none of this is beyond normal pro-athlete megalomania. And I would look the other way, and count myself a witness of LeBron's (anyone uncomfortable with this campaign?). He is fun to watch. However, the latest scandal may be too difficult to ignore.

Bron Bron's teammate and Mo-town native, Ira Newble, has written an open letter to China, asking them to stop aiding the genocide in the Sudan. What does China have to do with Darfur?David Aldridge of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

According to the Web site dreamfordarfur.org , China has provided $10 billion in economic aid to the Sudanese government, buying oil and providing the Sudanese government with weapons and weapons technology.

Those weapons and the oil money are then used by the Janjaweed, perhaps the
most lethal of the Sudanese militias, which has waged unrelenting attacks on the
non-Arab Muslim farmers throughout the country for the last five years.

The advocacy group Human Rights Watch said that more than 200,000 people
have been killed by the Janjaweed since 2003, more than two million people are
displaced and homeless, and another two million have been adversely impacted by
the economic displacement created, with the conflict spilling into neighboring Chad.

China blocked implementation of a resolution passed last August that calls for a peacekeeping force of more than 22,000 soldiers to be put on the ground in Darfur to stop the fighting.

Newble asked his teammates to sign the letter with him. All but Damon Jones and Lebron James did. Damon Jones did not comment (he's used to putting up no defense), but he is under contract with a Chinese athletic apparel company. (Have they seen him play? Do they specialize in clothing for sitting on the bench?) James said he did not know enough about the situation, but he is under a $90 million contract with Nike who has heavy business relations in China.

Really? You don't know enough? Well, I can do the math. there are only 200,000 (slayed farmers) reasons to sign it and 90,000,000 (dollars) reasons not to sign it. The sad part is that his signature would be the most influential (perhaps only influential) signature on the letter. He will likely be the biggest star in Beijing's 2008 Olympic games.

Well, I am a witness. But I do not like what I'm witnessing. Another heartless millionaire too in love with the dollar sign to give a damn about the worst suffering in the world. Some king.

I hope all the Spurs volunteer to sign it just to highlight what a classless move the petulant 22 year-old made.

Be a Witness (Part 2)

As I mentioned in the last post, LeBron James has declined to sign a letter to China, asking them to stop sponsoring genocide. For what reason did he decline? Too lazy to do some research? Too wrapped up in selfish pursuits?

Imagine having the power to stop that kind of worldwide tragedy, and choosing instead to do nothing.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:19-21)

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know... his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:18-20)

The power of God that can do more than we ask or imagine resides in us. How shall we bear witness to this? Does LeBron, who to my knowledge does not have the power of resurrection within him, have more power than we do?

Mormonmism, Romney, Christianity, and American Politics

I ran across an interesting article:
Will Romney's Mormonism influence Christian voters?

Does his religious persuasion matter to you when considering who you would vote for?

This article referenced a book that will be coming out: Claiming Christ - A Mormon/Evangelical Debate.

What would it take for unity to happen between Evangelicals and Mormons? Can it happen?

Prayer Tuesday

I used this passage from Psalm 139 in a sermon I preached last night at camp (to be posted at a later time). The point I made from it is that God is always there with us in the best, worst, and normal times. So wherever you are on the journey, pray this psalm with the confidence that God is faithful and God with you.

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O Lord.
You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

--Psalm 139:1-10 (NIV)

Christians on American Idol and the Conflict Within the "Christian" Community

There was an editorial in the March 7, 2007, World Magazine entitled Religious Idols (unfortuately, the link does not show the whole article - you have to be a subscriber for that).

One of the idol contestants, Chris Sligh, was from Bob Jones University. That was until he was expelled for going to a 4Him concert. The Greenville News in his hometown in South Carolina did an article on him.

Friends and fellow church-goers at Seacoast Church in Greenville -- where he served as music director until the whirlwind of "American Idol" -- have gathered to hold viewing parties during each performance.

At Bob Jones, where the son of overseas Christian missionaries studied music before leaving for North Greenville, his Hollywood adventure hasn't been embraced institutionally.

While not on an overt mission to denounce Sligh's participation in "American Idol," BJU spokesman Jonathan Pait said the school has distanced itself from any connection between Sligh's affiliation with the university and the talent show watched by millions.

"One of the reasons he left Bob Jones is he had chosen another direction musically, and he was not going to get that type of training here," Pait said.

The show, Pait said, doesn't represent the values of the university.

"It's not any ill thoughts toward Chris because he made that decision," Pait said. "Chris is a likeable guy. We wish him well in his life."

It is common within the Christian community for some to become guerilla fighters for Christ. They want to slap bumper stickers on the back of their cars. They want to wear shirts or bracelets with catchy Christian phrases. Others get Christian tattoos (probably frowned upon by the Bob Jones crowd). Whatever it is, Christians have a tendency to jam our faith in the face of those around us. We feel that is a good witnessing technique.

1 Peter 3:15 reads: "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

It appears to me that it is our hope that is to bring about questions as to why we are different. Even when asked, we are supposed to deal with people with gentleness and respect; something that a shirt, bracelet, or tattoo might not be able to do. If you have been depending on tattoos, shirts, or bracelets to get the message of Christ, maybe you should get them removed, take them off, or throw them away and just depend on the pure unadulterated hope we should have in Christ.

The writer of the World magazine editorial ending his article with the following: "Sligh, alas, was voted out of the competition March 28. But if Sparks or Doolittle or Stacey wants to sing "Peace Like a River," go for it. But what will surely be more pleasing—to the judges, to us, to God—is for them to sing well."

I could not agree more.

Sunday Pulpit

Excerpt of Shannon's June 3rd sermon. It is from a series about our journey toward God from the Psalms of Ascent.

Psalm 127:1-2
Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

I was a youth minister for two years, in that time I gave over 100 lessons to high school kids. I don’t remember most of them. I do remember one quite well, because of the response it got.

Most of the time when I give a teaching, I challenged the kids to obey. And I might ask them how to obey it. And the kids would say, "Read your Bible more and pray more." "Sunday School Answers". But even in those responses, which were not very well thought out, there was a level of recognition and submission. Even if they weren't sure how to obey, they knew that they should.

But on this Wednesday night, a group of church-grown kids, really good, God-loving kids, dug their heels in. They just refused to accept what I was teaching. They might have known I was right, but they could not submit to it.

What was it that I was teaching that drew such a rebellious reaction from good Christian kids? I asked them what their career goals were. “What do you wanna be when you grow up?” They gave their answers. One said a school teacher. Another said a lawyer. Then I asked them how they came to those decisions. Not one of them mentioned prayer or obedience to God’s call, or consulting him in any way.

So I taught them that when they got baptized, their baptism was a symbol of their surrendering the reign of their lives. They were accepting Jesus, not just as a Savior, but as Lord, boss, owner. How then could they go about arranging their (His) lives without consulting Him? “Don’t you think he should have a say in what you do with the life that is now his?” I asked.

But they did not want to open themselves up to his direction on such an important decision. It was almost as if they were saying, “This is my life. I’ll go to church and be good, but God does not need to stick his nose into my business.”

Well, you know I didn’t let that go. I suddenly had an idea for eight week lesson plan on how to make good decisions.

That might sound harsh, but I saw it as an act of mercy. Because unless the Lord builds the house, it’s builders labor in vain.

If a kid does not make a good decision on that stuff, it can be very costly. That’s a life-alternating decision, for good or for ill. Should we not involve Him who knows best, and is the primary stock holder?

This is not just a lesson for kids deciding what they will do with the rest of their lives, it’s for all of us. What are you doing and what will you do with this life that you’ve given to God? Are you letting him have a say? Do you realize that that without his support, you labor in vain… or worse?

I'm just asking,

What can God do through you?

What'd He Say?

"At horse races the spectators intent on victory shout to their favorites in the contest, even though their horses are eager to run. From the stands they participate in the race with their eyes, thinking to incite the charioteer to keener effort, at the same time urging the horses on while leaning forward and flailing the air with their outstretched hands instead of a whip.

"They do this not because their actions themselves contribute anything to the victory; but in this way, by their good will, they eagerly show in voice and deed their concern for the contestants. I seem to be doing the same myself, most valued friend and brother. While you are competing admirably in the divine race along the course of virtue, lightfootedly leaping and straining constantly for the prize of the heavenly calling, I exhort, urge, and encourage you to increase your speed."

(Gregory of Nyssa, from The Life of Moses, cited in Richard Foster’s Devotional Classics, p. 123)