Election Reflection

The election is over and now the professional pundits and many of the rest of us are reflecting on its outcome.

It's fascinating how many Christians are lining up on opposite "sides" to rejoice or mourn and to assign praise or blame for the outcome...often framing their reflections in clear or even harsh moral and Biblical terms. It's interesting how easy it is to demonize those who don't see the issues as clearly as I do.

Certainly there were and are important issues about which Christ followers should be passionate concerned. However, I confess that too often I have discovered my own failure to listen, to understand, to re-examine, and my propensity to see people, platforms, and parties as if they were worthy of wholesale embrace, rather than as a mixture of relative good and evil. The kingdoms of this world simply are not the kingdom of our Lord.

This morning while researching for the December sermon series, "The Whole Gospel for the Whole World," I came across this sentence from a missional statement:

"The church is the community of God's people rather than an institution, and must not be identified with any particular culture, social or political system, or human ideology."

We cheapen the Gospel and the church when we think it can be identified with any political system or candidate, as if it or he/she embodies the whole Gospel rather than partial and often flawed pieces of it alongside of huge contradictions and compromises.

I had strong opinions in this election and cast my vote after careful thought. However, I would not (though this is not where I have always been) want to identify myself or certainly the church of Jesus Christ with either a donkey or an elephant. My primary focus should be expressed in the prayer Jesus taught us to pray, "let Your Kingdom come..."

I'm very glad that the eschatos is not in the hands of any politician or party, and want to remember that my primary loyalty is not to any one or anything other than to the Lord Jesus Christ.

A great story from the November issue of CT: A 19th century Russian priest named Father John of Kronstadt did what most of his fellow clergymen refused to do . . . visit the villages that surrounded their cathedrals. The villages were filled with chronic poverty which had fostered a debauched despair that made the rural areas treacherous. But Father John would enter the slums and get down in the gutters. He would find some guy sleeping off whatever he had done the night before, would cup his chin, look him in the eyes and say, “This is beneath your dignity. You were created to house the fullness of God.” Wherever Father John went revival broke out, because people discovered who and whose they were.

November 5, 2008

Dear President-Elect Obama,

Congratulations on your election as President of the United States of America! You have inspired millions with your vision for the future of American.

I promise to pray for you regularly as you assume the honor and responsibility God has entrusted to you. I will pray that God will protect you and your family, give you great wisdom as you govern, and use you to make a positive impact on our country and the world.

I appreciate your confession of faith as a follower of Christ and your desire to bring the values of your faith into your leadership.

It is thrilling that you have become the United States’ first black president. I am so happy for this wonderful accomplishment and its symbolic importance in the history of our nation in its ongoing journey to abolish the horrible sin of racism and its tragic consequences in our society. Thank you for all you have done to encourage unity in our land. Thank you also for your evident concern to address issues relating to poverty, education, and care for God’s creation.

Please give serious consideration to the legacy you will leave for decades and generations with regard to human life. You have the opportunity to become the Abraham Lincoln of the pre-born, or to be the facilitator of the genocide of the pre-born. Few things you do will be more important than the legislation you encourage or veto in this regard and the judges you appoint.

We will all give account before God of what we did with the opportunities and privileges He gave us. Please consider the implications of Proverbs 24:11, 12 in the Holy Scriptures (particularly with regard to the pre-born): “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who guards your life know it? Will He not repay each person according to what he has done?”

I believe that you could be one of America’s great presidents. You have come to this office in a time of crisis and opportunity. I pray that you will seek and follow God’s wisdom and surround yourself with godly counselors.

Sincerely,
Dr. William J. Rudd

REFORMATION.

As I write this, America is going to the voting booth.

Regardless of one’s political leanings, I suspect that most of us are anxious to have the election over with. We’ve been bombarded from all sides with the need for reformation in our country – change, out with the old, in with the new. I don’t know of any candidate who is running on a “status quo, no change” platform. Everyone seems to want things to be reformed. We just don’t all agree on what and how.

Is it possible that the church of Jesus Christ must continually be reformed? Ultimately we are or should be being reformed into the image of Christ. That calls for a lot of change. In about 30 A.D. Jesus burst on the scene in Israel with a message of reform. The New Testament letters were virtually all targeting specific ways in which the church needed reform. Jesus’ seven letters to the seven churches of Asia (Revelation 2 and 3) near the end of the first century were nearly all calls for reformation.

The famous Protestant Reformation in the 16th century is famous for the radical change it brought about in the church as is the consequent and subsequent reformation in the Roman Catholic church.

Do we need reformation? Does our church need reformation? Or do we think the church as it is and as it does is a perfect reflection of what Jesus desires? Is Calvary Church passionately and effective carrying out Jesus’ mission in West Michigan and around the world? If Jesus wrote us a letter would He simply congratulate us for having our act all together, or would He call us to reformation with the kind of strong language we see in Revelation 2 and 3?

Status quo or reformation -- what do we need? What will be the result of keeping things as they are? What will be the result of reformation? What price will we pay if everything stays pretty much the same? What price will we pay if we follow the path of reformation?

What is the standard by which we determine if reformation is needed and how it should take place?

The Real Story.

I included this quote in my sermon this morning. I taped it in my Bible across the page from the very last chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22. It comes from the last paragraph of the last of the books in The Chronicles of Narnia:

“But the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is not the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

Feast or Famine

After not blogging for quite a while, here go two in one day...of course, if you've read the previous one, you understand that I've placed myself under some pressure.

A few days ago, Angela sent me these challenging words from "Of the profit of Adversity" from Thomas a Kempis' The Imitation of Christ:

It is good that we sometimes have griefs and adversities, for they drive a man to behold himself and to see that he is here but as in exile, and to learn thereby that he ought not to put his trust in any worldly thing.

It also is good that we sometimes suffer contradiction, and that we be thought of by others as evil and wretched and sinful, though we do well and intend well; such things help us to humility, and mightily defend us from vainglory and pride. We take God better to be our judge and witness when we are outwardly despised in the world and the world does not judge well of us

Therefore, a man ought to establish himself so fully in God that, whatever adversity befall him, he will not need to seek any outward comfort. When a good man is troubled or tempted, or is disquieted by evil thoughts, then he understands and knows that God is most necessary to him, and that he may do nothing that is good without God. Then the good man sorrows and weeps and prays because of the miseries he rightly suffers. Then the wretchedness of this life burdens him, too, and he yearns to be dissolved from this body of death and to be with Christ, for he sees that there can be no full peace or perfect security here in this world.

Investing in people

Years ago Calvary had a radio program on a local station. It was a "call in" show where people could ask questions about the Bible...or almost anything. Usually two of our pastors would share the mic and when no one was calling, we would just "jabber" on .. . sometimes about the Bible, and sometimes just "jabber." I viewed it as a good investment of my time to reach people in a public space.

Most everyone in our church thought the broadcast was a great outreach, and hence, a great use of their pastors' time. I don't disagree, but in retrospect would have to acknowledge that a few hundred people were probably the actual audience on a good day. The total who could have tuned in for the 30 minutes (you listened at that time or it was gone forever) probably numbered in the thousands -- maybe 40 thousand at the very most if every person in the county had their radio tuned to that station at precisely that time.

Sometimes I hear people criticize pastors who blog as if it's a poor use of their time. That's interesting. I find blogs to be a wonderful source of spiritual instruction and thought-provoking insights--free if charge to anyone who cares to "click." Of course, the blogisphere has junk too, but then, so did the radio station.

It is estimated that at least 45 million people all over the world currently go to the internet to find spiritual instruction. That potential audience (and its global makeup) causes our old radio outreach to look rather puny at best -- 40 thousand to 45 million. Actually, that's the wrong comparison. The number of people who now have access to the internet is estimated at over a billion. The real comparison between the potential audience of our old radio broadcast and THIS BLOG is: 40,000 to 1,000,000,000+. And the neat thing is that a blog stays available without cost 24/7 virtually forever. Wow!

I wish I were more disciplined about blogging. Maybe I will be. There's no question that I should be. I'll try. Mean while, I'll keep reading blogs that help me a lot.

Saturday Gloria and I saw the new movie, FIREPROOF.

It's unfortunate that most "Christian" movies struggle to compete with the quality of Hollywood's productions, but I perceive that recent years include more awareness and effort in that direction. There's still a ways to go!

Strong pro and con arguments could be produced for how overt the message should be to be effective in this culture. I think we stand to learn from Jesus whose parables often left His audience hanging to supply their own meaning and application.

These concerns not-with-standing, we enjoyed this movie. It certainly includes some much needed messages about marriage and life even if they are sometimes a bit too obvious and preachy.

I appreciated the powerful reminders about what it takes for a marriage to thrive. I would recommend it highly with the above disclaimers. People whose marriage is at risk may especially be helped, though every husband and wife could benefit.

The gospel is very clearly presented. That's great for those who are ready to hear. A more subtle approach would likely gain a much larger hearing.

Go to the source.

I would not want to get a second-hand kiss from my wife -- that is to receive her kiss by kissing someone who had kissed her.

Sadly, too many people (too often me) are only "kissed" by the Bible second hand -- they read what others have said about the Bible rather than reading the Bible itself.

I would rather have someone hear something direct from me rather than have it reported and interpreted by someone else.

Trusting others to interpret the Scriptures for me is as dangerous as trusting a gossip to tell me the truth. On the other hand, there is safety in a multitude of counselors (Proverbs), so when I do read the opinions of others about the Scriptures, I must read broadly and deeply, not just those who agree with my current understandings. I have too often done that. I should not be so arrogant as to think that I will discover a new and accurate interpretation of Scripture which godly generations have missed for centuries.

Certainly there is great value -- even essential dependence -- in learning what others say about the meaning and application of Scripture. My interpretations must always be checked by what the Spirit has said through the church through the ages and now.

But there is a wonderful freshness about allowing God's Spirit to speak anew to me as I open my mind and life to the transformative influence of the Scriptures.

Jesus often said, "You err because you do not know the Scriptures." Perhaps it was with a tinge of amazement, rebuke, and sadness when He repeatedly asked, "Haven't you read...?"

I'll keep reading to learn from others, but I'm renewing my commitment to GO TO THE SOURCE.

Silence is noisy.

While sitting in my eye doctor's examination chair, I was instructed to keep my eyes shut for a time while while she conducted a test to see how effectively tears were being produced (I flunked the test -- dry eyes are apparently another plague of the aging).

Sitting there in the dark silence for an interminable length of time (probably all of 3 or 4 minutes) I discovered sounds of which I had previously been unaware . . . such as the metronome-like ticking of a distant clock. Suddenly aware of this previously unnoticed sound, my foot began to tap in time.

I wonder how often I've sat in that chair and never heard the clock?

It occurred to me that my life is constantly filled with noise, movement, and business. Lost in it all are many sounds I never hear. Perhaps one of them is the quiet voice of God.

I love this Q&A from the Heidelberg Catechism:

Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A. That I am not my own,
but belong--
body and soul,
in life and in death--
to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven:
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him,
Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
assures me of eternal life
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.

Sometimes truths seem to coexist in tension, which is not the same as in contradiction.

For example, in the "one another" commands, "accept one another" seems at odds with "instruct one another." There is tension between "forgive one another" and "admonish one another." The command to "bear with one another" (see previous post) seems out of sync with "spur one another on to love and good deeds."

I suspect that one's temperament, experiences, and gifts determines which side of the tension is the default mode, and which comes more naturally or easily. Most of us are more "grace" people or "truth" people. Only Jesus perfectly balanced them, "full of grace and truth."

Which ever side of the tension is more difficult and less natural for me is probably the one that I need to work on. In every case, opening myself to the work of the Holy Spirit to make me more like Jesus as I live in community is the journey I must continually reaffirm.

For several years at Calvary, we have kept coming back to the "one another" commands in the New Testament. Many have observed that they "flesh out" the foundational directive to "love another" -- Jesus' "new command" in John 13.

In his excellent book, The Life You've Always Wanted," John Ortberg talks about the spiritual discipline of SERVANTHOOD, what he calls, "Appropriate Smallness." Included in that chapter is his disscussion of the command to "bear with one another."

"We are called to bear each other's burdens. Sometimes this may involve praying for another's need, or trying to comfort someone in pain. But at times it may feel as if an entire relationship is burdensome. I may need to 'bear with' people until I learn to love them...The ministry of bearing with one another is more than simply tolerating difficult people. It is also learning to hear God speak through them. It is learning to be 'for' them. It is learning that the difficult person I have most to deal with is me.

"This means that a part of the ministry to which I am called is to free people--repeatedly if necessary--from the little mental prisons to which I consign them."

Writing about the approval addiction and the spiritual discipline of secrecy, John Ortberg ("The Life You've Always Wanted") discusses the dangers of seeking the approval of others, being unduly affected by criticism, comparing ourselves to others, etc. He writes:

"Away from the winds, the earthquakes, and the fires of human recognition, I can hear again the still, small voice, posing the question it always asks of self-absorbed children: 'What are you doing here?' Too often I reply to the voice by whining about some of my own Ahabs and Jezebels. And the voice gently reminds me, as it has reminded thousands of Elijahs before me, that I am only a small part of a much larger movement and that at the end of the day there is only one King whose approval will matter: 'It is the Lord who judges me.'"

May I live for His approval alone.

Bible study . . . how easily it becomes a duty to check off my list each day rather than a transformational exercise whereby my life is opened to the Holy Spirit to make me like Jesus. Pride or guilt are often the result of reading the Scriptures as an end in itself rather than a means to an end.

In one of his messages, David shared some very practical helps for Bible study.

Every day as I read the Scriptures, I'm referring to his "contexts of application" to open myself for change:

Global--how does this change my view of the world?
Political--what does this mean for me as an American?
Social--how does this impact me as a member of my local community?
Relational--what does this mean about my interpersonal relationships?
Personal--how does this change me?

"Discipline" is a dirty word...at least it feels like it sometimes.

Our current Sunday series on "Formations" includes emphasis on the spiritual disciplines. It's been good for me to revisit a couple of the classics on that theme written by Foster and Willard.

David's devotional on Formations and one of our members both reminded me that Ben Franklin had about a dozen "disciplines" that shaped his life and to which he gave credit to much of his success. He concentrated on one each week. His weren't necessarily "spiritual" disciplines.

I'm having mixed success in a similar approach to the list of 13 disciplines I mentioned in my sermon a few weeks ago. I'm committed to the process.

DISCIPLINES OF ENGAGEMENT:
1. Bible study
2. Prayer
3. Worship
4. Fellowship (sharing life in community, Acts 2, the "one anothers")
5. Good works/service
6. Giving
7. Evangelism (I just finished the book our Life Group is studying about this--it's been really helpful: "Just Walk Across the Room," by Bill Hybels)
DISCIPLINES OF DENIAL:
8. Fasting
9. Solitude
10. Silence (in order to listen to God as well as to not talk too much, saying the wrong things, words that are defensive, retalitory, unkind, critical, condemning)
11. Secrecy (not sharing my perceived good works, etc.)
12. Simplicity (doing less, buying less, keeping less, eating less, etc.)
13. Chastity

In preparation for my sermon in the Formations series, I'm reading a great book by John Ortberg, The Life You've Always Wanted.

He references a scene from Homer Simpson in which the fundamentalist neighbor was asked by Homer where he'd been. He replied, "We went away to Christian Camp. We were learning how to be more judgmental."

Ortberg retorts, "Where is that camp, and why is it so well attended?"

It's not what you know . . .

It's nice to have famous relatives. At least, I think Kevin Rudd must be our relative. How many branches of the Rudd family tree can there be? We are undoubtedly close of kin back on the beautiful Irish island.

Check out our "cousin" at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Rudd

Actually, my VERY BEST relationship is that as a result of Jesus' redemptive work, I have become part of the family of God. Wow! God is my Father and Jesus my brother. What a privilege! John 1:12 and 1 Peter 2:9ff.

It's not what you know, it's whom you know.

I borrowed my son's Rev! magazine and am enjoying a lot of very helpful articles...nearly all rather short, likely reflecting their understanding that we live in a "Google" culture today rather than the "Gutenberg" culture people my age grew up in and too often still assume.

One article on "being a team player" had some good reminders: understand that your way is one way and not the only way; remember, if you always agreed with others, it wouldn't be called "submission;" and do what's asked of you first, ask questions later.

Those are good reminders for me.

Today is my mother's 91st birthday.

She's been in heaven since October 1999, joined by my father not quite two years later.

It's hard to believe they've been gone that long. I still miss them greatly and think of them virtually every day. Even after this many years I still find myself wanting to pick up the phone and call them to share some news about us, or about our children or grandchildren.

My brother and I both lived a minimum of 300 miles away from them from the time we graduated from high school (except a few summers), I sometimes feel pain for how they must've felt isolated from their children. I wrote to them often, but wish I had phoned them more.

The unselfishness, love, generosity, prayers, affirmation, and Christ-centered values of my parents is an amazing legacy. I hope our children and grandchildren will be able to say the same of us.

Hope of eternal reunion is one of the most wonderful aspects of our Christian faith. My heart aches for those who lack that hope.

Christianity Today magazine sends out an online version which arrived this morning. One link connected me to an article by Tim Stafford, "This Samaritan Life."

Starrord responds to the suggestion that American Christians often behave as if they are living in Jerusalem when in fact, they live in Babylon...or, more precisely in his view, in Samaria. Hmmmm. The article is very insightful about church history, the enlightenment, post-modernity, and how to live out our faith "in Samaria."

I would highly recommend reading the entire post: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/february/21.47.html. It's fairly long but definitely worth the read.

Here's the opening...

"Denis Haack, who critiques films, books, and music on his Ransom Fellowship website, says that Christians often act like they live in Jerusalem. Not so, argues Haack—we live in Babylon, as aliens and strangers. Why, therefore, are we surprised when we see a movie that offends our values? Babylonian movies reflect Babylonian values, not Christian ones.

I liked Haack's point, but I had a nagging sense that he was missing something. Eventually I figured out what: We don't live in Babylon. We live in Samaria.

Babylon is far from Jerusalem and doesn't know much about its religion. What you believe or how you worship is of little significance to Babylon, so long as you keep the peace and contribute to civic life. Daniel and other Jewish exiles did. They got in trouble only when they were perceived to undermine the government or got caught up in petty politics.

It's different in Samaria. People there know plenty about Jerusalem's religion (though some of their information is distorted), and have a definite grudge against it."

Don't read it if you prefer to live in blissful (but dangerous) ignorance of what's happening in the culture.

I read an article today that suggested that if evangelicals elected a pope, it would be John Stott.

Hmmmm. I'm not sure I agree and, of course, by definition, evangelicals would not elect a pope. But of course, that wasn't the author's point. He was merely engaging in a bit of overstatement to suggest the level of respect and confidence which is stirred by the name of English theologian, preacher, author, and rector of All Souls Church in London, John Stott. To that I agree. Stott is a giant. He has always been one of my favorite authors--one who stretches and challenges my thinking.

Anyway, the article quoted Stott (from his book, THE LIVING CHURCH):

“We cannot proclaim the gospel of God’s love with any degree of integrity if we do not exhibit it in our love for others. Perhaps nothing is so damaging to the cause of Christ as a church which is either torn apart by jealousy, rivalry, slander and malice, or preoccupied with it’s own selfish concerns. Such churches urgently need to be radically renewed in love.”


"....especially in the West, if I may generalize, the church is not growing. Its development is stunted. Its waters are stagnant. Its breath is stale. It is in a state not of renewal but of decay. We long to see it continually being reformed and renewed by the Word and the Spirit of God."

Wow!

This is the second time in the last couple of months Gloria has said to me, "You HAVE to read this book NOW!"

The first time it was TALE OF THREE KINGS. It was extremely helpful in helping me understand some very painful things going on in our lives. I don't agree with everything the author (Gene Edwards) says, but then, I don't agree with a lot of things I say shortly afterward. The book was immensely helpful to me.

The new book was recommended to us by our dear friend, Barb Yates. I ordered it but hadn't gotten to it yet, and Gloria picked it up and read it while I was in PA this week.

That's when the new recommendation/ultimatum came. "You HAVE to read this book NOW."

So, knowing where my bread is buttered, I've started reading WHO STOLE MY CHURCH. The author is one I have greatly appreciate in the past, Gordon MacDonald.

Gloria was right. I'm almost half way through it beginning last night. To all my readers who are struggling with change in church, this is a must read.

Perhaps every Christian over 40 who has been a Christian for 10 years or more needs to read this.

Back to the book . . .

Tomorrow morning I'll continue our current sermon series, "Questions Jesus Asked." This week's question lies in the middle of a famous miracle story, the feeding of the 5000: "What do you have?"

One aspect of the story is the issue of how to respond to staggering need (20,000 hungry people counting women and children, who, in that culture "didn't count" so weren't included in the numeration of 5,000 men) with insufficient resources (a little boy's lunch).

Studying for the story has brought depressing thoughts about the overwhelming suffering in this broken planet we call "home."

Today's mail brought an opportunity to send a note to Fred and Diborah, two African (Ghana) children we have the privilege of supporting. The communication included the following story:

“She was only four when genocide swept across her native Rwanda. ‘We fled our home. It was in the night.’ Her family was captured, and she saw her mother clubbed to death. Her siblings were also murdered. ‘They struck me on my back, but I did not die. I just lay there. I could not stand up, because my back was broken.’

Alice survived. But she was shattered in body and spirit. Her family was gone. She had little hope for a decent future.

By age 14, she was trapped in a ‘job’ that included abusive sexual exploitation. Her innocence was sold for 500 Rwandan francs—less than a dollar.

By God’s grace, Alice managed to escape. Thanks to help from generous friends like you, she was able to survive and go to a school to learn how to be a tailor. She graduated with the highest marks in her class. Taken in by a Christian family, she also turned to the Lord. ‘My faith has helped so much. Before…I lived in loneliness. I lived in self pity. Because of a Christian ministry I have been much blessed. I feel my future is good.'

And yet, her happiness is tinged with sorrow. [Alice says] 'I know there are many street children who are suffering and others living in households who do not have a happy life. I wish those children could be cared for.’”

Reading that reminded me how incredibly blessed I have been, growing up in "Disney Land" (the USA) where I have been pampered and insulated from a degree of suffering all-to-familiar in other parts of the world.

"Forgive me, Lord, for my ignorance and indifference. Help me to know how to place my limited resources in Your hands to multiply help to those in need. Help me to bring little glimpses of renewal into this broken world so others can see pictures of Your coming kingdom at the restoration of all things. Help me to give bread to the hungry as well as introducing the Bread of Life (John 6)."

SIMPLE

Last year I read three different books with a form of the word "simple" in the title. Hmmmmm, does that reveal something deeply significant about me or about that time in my life?

All three books deeply impacted me, though the theories are still a long ways from becoming practice to the degree I desire.

This week David sent our pastoral team a quote from The Orchard Church. It really resonated with me. So, here it is:

"One of the things we value here at The Orchard is simplicity. We don't just say that, we really DO keep things simple here.

So what does that look like for us?

Well it means that we pretty much stay focused on a handful of things we know we can do well and consider anything above that "bonus." For example, we don't have a lot of the "ministries" and "programs" that you'll find at most churches (i.e. men's ministry, women's ministry, classes out the whazoo, etc...) I'm certainly not saying that having these programs are bad or shouldn't be done in some churches - they're just something we've decided we're not going to do here at The Orchard.

Here are a few reasons why simplicity rules at The Orchard:

We'd rather keep people freed up throughout the week to engage missionally in the community around them and to gather in small groups. (Instead of keeping them inside the walls of the church three or four nights a week.)


We're not interested in having programs JUST to have programs. If we're going to offer a class, environment, etc... we want to make sure that it is a STEP TOWARDS something else. (See Seven Practices of Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley.) On a side note - the only people who WANT a gazillion programs are churched people. And that's not who we're trying to reach. I NEVER get asked by an unchurched person why we don't do women's ministry.

By keeping things simple, it allows us to maintain a good amount of "asking equity" from our volunteers. Since we don't have to maintain numerous programs and events throughout the month, it keeps our volunteers fresh and focused on what's most important. This is especially helpful when it comes to things like FUEL - our monthly leadership gathering. I'm convinced that the reason we don't have a problem getting our leaders to FUEL is because we aren't asking them to be at numerous other meetings throughout the month IN ADDITION to this one!

Keeping things simple allows us to pour a good amount of resources, time and energy into the things that we are most passionate about and consider to be missional priorities. So instead of doing a hundred different things poorly, we are able to do a handful of things very well. It communicates to EVERYONE what is most important.

Being simple helps clearly define what we will and will not do. This is beneficial all the way around! For example, because of this, staff meetings can stay focused on what they need to be focused on instead of wasting hours having conversations debating and going back and forth as to whether or not we should or shouldn't do a particular ministry or program. Does it mean we don't come up with new, innovative ideas? Of course not! But we don't add just to add. It's always strategic and directly tied to the mission - or else we don't waste time talking about it.

Now, with all that said, let me also say that keeping things simple is not always easy. It requires a lot of "NO's", tons of vision casting and lots of reminders as to WHY we value simplicity. It also requires a willingness to recognize that this is just one more reason why The Orchard isn't the right church for everyone. And that's ok!

How about you? What does simplicity look like for you?"

Selah

I could've been killed

Driving to Grand Rapids this morning to make a hospital visit on one of our LIFEGroup members, I was moving with the traffic (under 70 mph) on what appeared to be a dry road (I-96)when suddenly everyone in front of me was slowing down rapidly (I later learned that there was an accident around the bend ahead).

I touched the brake and discovered I was now on ice. Careful brakework didn't solve the problem and it appeared I might not be able to stop before my front bumper arrived in contact with the back bumper of the car in front of me.

I eased onto the shoulder so if I wasn't able to stop in time I could ease up beside the car rather than raming into his trunk.

Unfortunately, the shoulder was not plowed wide enough for my car to fit without my left tire going into the snow. Immediately, the snow grabbed my car and yanked me downward into the median.

As I sailed into the median at perhaps 50 mph, instantly my windshield was totally covered with flying snow so I could not see anything. After traveling a little ways and holding the car somewhat straight so as to not roll, I realized that I could be about to emerge on the other side of the median into the path of approaching traffic. A head-on-collision was not high on my "to do list" so at that point I decided to turn my wheel so that moving through the median sidewise could slow and stop the car.

I was very much aware of the automatic response of asking God for help -- the prayer wasn't fancy -- probably a little like Peter's when he began to sink into the Sea of Galilee after his brief walk-on-water experience. "Help, Lord!"

Thankfully, He did and I stopped in the median's deep snow -- but only a short distance from emerging into the oncoming trafic. I was very much aware that I was a few yards and a few seconds from what could easily have been a fatal head-on-crash.

30 minutes and a $75 tow job later I was back on the road . . . grateful that God hadn't wanted to end my earthly journey quite yet. Not because being with Christ isn't "better by far" (Philippians 1), but because I'm not eager yet to stop investing in the people I love and in the ministry to which I've been called.

Thank you, Lord.

We're all mixed bags.

Recently I read a book someone recommended to me and was profoundly impacted by it. It was just what I needed! It was well-written, amazingly insightful, Biblically sound, and so helpful! I have already recommended it and purchased and passed on numerous copies to others.

I ordered a second book by the same author and once again was deeply blessed. I've recommended it to others and purchased half a dozen copies to distribute.

I ordered a third -- it was very good, but the themes didn't connect as much with where I was in my journey. None-the-less, I appreciated the fresh insights into the Biblical story.

I ordered #4 -- this author really hooked me.

Wow! I could hardly believe it was by the same author. It reeked with sarcasm and negativity. It was brutal and harsh in its judgments on other believers and painted large segments of Christianity with broad strokes of horrendously ugly shades--even using coarse language to describe Christian brothers and sisters. It was full of logical fallacies, and, in my opinion, gross ignorance and perversion of the Scriptures and church history.

Could this be the same author who had so blessed me?

Yes. We are all "mixed bags" -- made of dust (Psalm 103:14) -- fallen and depraved dust. Yet, we are made in God's image, and the worst of us display moments of His beauty shining through.

Should I throw this author out the window because I have found one book with which I have profound disagreement? No! Even in it I must remain open for what I can learn and need to hear. And even if my negative evaluation of this book is accurate, it does not cancel the profound value of the others.

"Lord, help me to balance grace and truth. Help me to judge as I want to be judged. Help me to set aside the bones and enjoy the fish."

Ticking People Off

Every Monday, I get an email from mondarymorninginsights.com (by Todd Rhoades). It seems specially designed for pastors who, after Sunday, need to be restored, renewed, and revisioned.

Today, he wrote about a book by Oren Harari entitled, The Leadership Secrets of Collin Powell.

Former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, is quoted as saying, "Being responsible sometimes means ticking people off." Todd observes: "Sometimes when you're a responsible leader, people will not like what you're doing. Sometimes people will get quite angry. Unfortunately, in a church leadership setting, many times this means that people will get so angry they will leave the church."

Again, he quotes Powell: "Making people mad was part of being a good leader. As I had learned long ago, an individual's hurt feelings run a distant second to the good of the service."

The author writes: "Leadership can't be a popularity contest. Trying not to offend anyone, or trying to get everyone to like you, will set you on the road to mediocrity. Why? Because leaders who are afraid to make people angry are likely to waver and procrastinate when it comes time to make tough choices. Leaders who care more about being liked than about being effective are unlikely to confront people who need confronting. They won't challenge the status quo. And inevitably, by not challenging tradition, they hurt both their own credibility and their organization's performance."

Rhoades concludes: "Clearly, in ministry work, peoples' feelings are important. But the work God has called us to do for the kingdom is equally important. Many churches are deadlocked in tradition and will never change because there's a group of people whose feelings (or even sins) will never be confronted...As effective leaders, sometimes being responsible means ticking people off."

Ouch! Wow! That's tough! Especially for someone with my temperament which wants to make everyone happy. "Can't we all just get along?" I'm sure there are some who would not believe that is my temperament, but rather have suggested I am manipulative, self-seeking, insensitive, and high-handed. Ouch! Lord, help me to be open to what I need to learn.

I must remember that Jesus did not hesitate to "tick people off" with the truth and by exposing their hypocrisy, deceitfulness, and lack of comprehension of the way of the Kingdom and the cross.

One of my hindrances is that I know that I am not Jesus and that I, like everyone, have a proclivity for self-deception (Jeremiah 17:9) and often nurture a lack of self-perception. After all, a "blind spot" is, by definition, a "BLIND" spot -- i.e. a flaw I cannot see.

People with a temperamental bent like mine (which includes both a strength and a weakness) often promote a "culture of niceness" in which ticking people off feels very wrong. As suggested above, it can really contribute to mediocrity.

Of course, the pendulum may be swung too far the other way, and often is by those whose temperament is more confrontational than conciliatory.

May God help me to self-perceive and, guided by the Holy Spirit, to be fearless about integrity and truth, even when it is offensive. I must fear offending God far more than offending people.

Forgiven! How incredibly freeing!

What does it mean to be forgiven?

My O.T. reading today in Jeremiah 50 uncovered a great illustration in the future restoration of God's covenant people, Israel: "In those days...declares the Lord, search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare."

To be forgiven is to have no remaining record of one's sin. Wow!

I'm so grateful!

God calls on us to forgive others as He has forgiven us.

If this means that I eliminate all evidence of their wrongs (real or perceived) against me, I will need God's grace to make and maintain that commitment.

A related challenging issue relates to wrongs which are not merely personal (which I must forgive) but which fall into the category of crimes against other individuals, or institutions, or society --wrongful actions which go beyond personal offenses.

What is personal, I must forgive -- erase the record. What is civil or social I must release to God and to those He has ordained to deal with such (e.g. Romans 13).

I have sometimes briefly thought (this is undoubtedly the suggestion of my sinful nature) how gratifying it will be someday to receive God's vindication where I have been wronged. Then sanity returns and I recognize that in His presence, I will undoubtedly be so overwhelmed by a new comprehension of His grace and mercy in MY life, that I will not desire nor find any pleasure in anything but God's grace and mercy in the lives of others as well.

I am so thankful for the forgiveness Jesus provides.

The metaphor of the church as the Body of Christ "extends the incarnation through time."

That is one conclusion Philip Yancey makes as he reflected on a pre-Reformation debate between theologians Thomas Aquinas and John Duns Scotus.

Believing that baptizes all of life with astounding worth. Whether carpenter or teacher, I continue Jesus' mission on earth.

How tragic that I settle for much less -- not so much in what I do, but in my awareness of what it means, and thus, how I carry it out.

How does Jesus want to change the world through me today?

Philip Yancey is one of my favorite authors. The most recent book of his I read was "Prayer." His gutsy honesty and depth are refreshing. He has great insights. CT on line included a piece he wrote about "A Believer's To Be List." It's really worth reading: http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2001/001/4.45.html

The same CT included an article entitled "What Evangelism Isn't." I wouldn't put it on a parr with the above, but it's also worth a read: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/decemberweb-only/101-12.0.html?start=1

One of my 2007 goals which I met and exceeded (that doesn't happen very often!) was a targeted number of books to read. My reading took a different turn than usual as I dipped into a number of novels...partly, I'm confident to escape pain into a world of fantasy. Imagination is a wonderful gift from God.

But most of the books were not fiction.

Thanks to Dan Lenz for suggesting A TALE OF THREE KINGS by Gene Edwards, and my bride's not-so-gentle-encouragement, "you HAVE to read this book TODAY," I "ate the whole thing" in one day. The timing of it's message was providential -- convicting, healing, insightful, affirming, revealing . . . It would probably not be as impactful (is that a word?) to someone not experiencing some of what we were at the time.

I followed up with another book by Gene Edwards (I've now read four by him but was as enamored by all), PRISONER IN THE THIRD CELL. Wow! For those whose lives include lots of disappointment and a sense of "where-is-God-when-you-really-need-Him?", this one is really helpful.

Books are great. Shouldn't be a surprise as God chose to use a book (a book of books) to tell His story so we could frame our existence and live as people of hope in a very broken world.

This Sunday we will begin our new Sunday morning series which is a study of "Questions Jesus Asked."

In my Bible reading this morning in Mark 6, I came on another of the hundreds of questions Jesus asked: "What do you have?" In this face of a huge mob of hungry people, Jesus' question challenged His disciples to check their available resources.

As with us, their resources (a little boy's lunch) were woefully inadequate to meet the need, but sacrificed to the mission, Jesus multiplied their impact both to fill stomachs and to picture the coming kingdom/restoration when the Promised One will return and restore the ruined creation to its original perfection. Hunger will be banished.

Jesus' question, "What do you have?," reminded me of a note I recently saw which I had written some time ago in the front of my Bible:

"If you have household assets exceeding $61,000 then you are among the richest 10% in the world. If you have assests exceeding $500,000, you are among the 1% -- which numbers 37 million people. The bottom half of the world’s adult population have 1% of the world’s wealth."

As another modern prophetic voice reminded me, I "live on an island of luxury in an ocean of need."

May my heart be tender to how God wants to change me, and my hands open to share what He has so graciously given.

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19

From CT magazine (1/08, p. 34): "Jesus Christ, the Lord of Creation, Redemption, and Fulfillment, calls the church the salt and light of the world. Jesus seems to have had in mind a community engaged in virorous, self-sacrificing mission that goes to great lengths to enact costly love, that inconveniences itself regularly to seek justice for the oppressed, that creatively serves the forgotten, all to portray that the kingdom of God is at hand.

Depending on where we look in the world, however, that church seems to have gone missing.

Rather than seek the God who spoke from the burning bush, we have decided that the real drama is found in debating whether to podcast our services. Rather than encounter the God who sees idolatry as a pervasive, life-threatening temptation, we decorate Pottery Barn lives with our tasteful collections of godlings. Rather than follow the God who burns with justice for the needy, we are more likely to ask the Lord to give us our own fair share. A bland God for a bland church, with a mission that is at best innocuous and quaint--in a tumultuous world."

Wow! That's painful to read...but important to ponder.

PRAYING FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN

There is nothing I pray about as much as for our children, their spouses, and our seven amazing grandchildren.

While praying for them this morning it occurred to me that my selfishness might be reflected in the disproportionate amount of time I spend praying for them compared to world evangelism and for resolution of needs such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, injustice, and other prevalent kinds of global suffering.

I don’t know if the next thought was my own rationalization or a word from the Spirit, but I recognized that love of family is not evil, but rather is a reflection of being made in the image of the heavenly Father who takes great delight in His only Son. The problem is not that I spend too much time praying for my immediate family, but that I spend too little praying for the vast global family of which I am also a part.

Further, while praying for our family recently, I’ve been convicted about the shallowness of many of my prayers. I realized that a great deal of my prayers were focused on the short-term happiness of my children as a result of their living “good Christian lives,” having strong marriages, being good parents, having success in their vocations, etc.

But now, nagging at the edge of my consciousness was the thought that God’s plan for our children may include pain and suffering through which God would ultimately be glorified, though not always by joyous deliverances this side of “the renewal of all things.”

If the Old Testament prophet Hosea’s parents prayed for him, I wonder how they felt about how God was glorified in his life? His wife was repeatedly unfaithful to him and presented him with children not his own. It could not have been a happy marriage and then she left him for her lovers. Yet in obedience to God, Hosea took her back, restored her as his wife, and showered her and her children with an unconditional love which for more than two thousand years has been an astounding object lesson of the love of God for His wandering people.

Do I really want God to be glorified in the lives of our children no matter what it takes? Is the glory of God more important than the comfortableness of my family? Am I willing to pray that God would be honored even if it is through great suffering in the lives of those for whom I would gladly die to protect them from the slightest pain?

I’m struggling, but finding myself increasingly asking God to glorify Himself through our children and grandchildren and leaving the details of “how” to His infinitely wise, loving, and eternal plan. Of course I want them spared from pain, and often ask for that without sense of guilt or selfishness. But I find myself whispering what our Lord exampled for us, “Nevertheless not my will but Yours be done.”

“Lord teach me to pray and to love Your glory more than anything. Thank you for assuring me that you are always good and that you love my children more than I ever could.”

BAD PLANNING

Gloria has a very attractive hanging fern just outside our front door. It requires a fair amount of water, so nearly every day one of us will run the hose into it for an extended time.

For a couple of days we were startled by a bird flying out of the fern. Inspecting, we discovered she was building a nest. We should have immediately removed the partly constructed structure, but waited a couple of days. When I went outside tonight to remove the nest before the mama bird became too attached to her site, I discovered . . . you guessed it…two eggs.

Now what do we do? If we immerse the fern every day, it will flood the nest. If we don’t, the fern may not survive. If we remove the nest, the eggs will be lost, and, I assume, the mother bird will grieve.

When you think about it, the location of the nest reflects really bad planning by the mother bird. She didn’t take into account the possibility that someone much bigger than her could frustrate her plan and obliterate her carefully prepared but ill-placed “nursery.”

Some of our plans are really bad too. Like our short-sighted, feathered friend, we don’t see the big picture. Our illadvised actions place us and others at risk.

Aren’t you glad that the all-powerful God is not in His nature a home-wrecker and egg smasher? He is loving and kind, and works His sure plan for the ultimate good of all who nest in Him.

Homosexuality, part 3 (see previous 2 posts)

10. I really struggle with some practical issues such as providing health insurance for a committed homosexual couple. A part of me favors this in spite of my conviction about the morality of the relationship. However, I’m not sure I comprehend all the related issues (other groups of people, economic impact, etc.) which may be involved. Should any two people (regardless of gender) who live together in a long-term, non-sexual relationship be granted these benefits? If two heterosexual women share a committed relationship, even adopting a child, but are not homosexual, should they qualify or be given the right of some legal recognition and benefits (we have such a “couple” in our church – 2 ladies who have lived together, not sexually, for 40 years and raised a child—but are not homosexual). How about a parent and an adult child – or three generations -- living together? If one of them qualifies for medical insurance, should the others have a right to be included in the plan? I suspect that this needs to be considered apart from the question of the validity of homosexual “marriage” though I think I understand why many want it to be connected.

11. I really grieve that many of those who hold to the same Biblical understanding as I do about homosexuality have too often been guilty of the sin of hate, unkindness, misunderstanding, discrimination, and even violence. That is deplorable and all Christians should speak out against it. I am embarrassed and ashamed that I have not always recognized this and practiced it myself—at least to the degree I should.

12. I do not believe the United States ever was or should become a “Christian nation” in the sense those terms are typically used. Although our nation was founded on many Judeo-Christian principles, it never was nor should it have been another “Geneva.” The nation of Israel was a theocracy – ruled by God and His law (at least, it was supposed to be). When Jesus returns, He will establish/impose His righteous kingdom on the entire earth. Today, we are called to live as aliens and strangers in this world (1 Peter 1:3, 17; 2:11; Hebrews 11:13; Philippians 3:20). We certainly should impact our culture and our nation by our good works and our values, but we are not called to impose our values or beliefs on others. I would no longer support any part of the view that we are called to make this a “Christian nation” in any sense other than that we want to share the Gospel with everyone in America to give them the opportunity to freely choose to become a Christian.

Homosexuality, part 2 (see previous post)

7. Homosexual inclination is not necessarily sinful. As God’s people (Israel and the church) have always understood the Scriptures, homosexual practice is sinful. When a person struggles with sexual desires (heterosexual or homosexual) which cannot be legitimately fulfilled, there are spiritual practices that can decrease temptation’s power, persistence, and victory (though they will not necessarily eliminate them in every case). I am responsible to engage these spiritual disciplines and practices. I believe that some homosexuals can be “healed” so as to be able to enjoy God’s original creation plan, while others may not be “healed” in this life, but nevertheless are called to a life of purity and chastity. The church should surround those who struggle with homosexual temptations with love, support, respect, and help, even as they should do for those who struggle with heterosexual and other kinds of temptation. This should be in an atmosphere of grace, acceptance, respect, and support of the person – not of the sin, whatever kind. Christians should have great compassion for those whose sexual inclinations must be resisted and unfulfilled throughout their life. It is tragic that some (both homosexual and heterosexual) will never enjoy a relationship for the fulfillment of these longings. We are all broken in different ways and should support each other with our struggles and God’s call on our lives as we await Jesus’ return and the restoration of all things. Hence we pray with passion, “May Your kingdom come!”

8. It is my opinion that the “jury is out” with regard to definitive and comprehensive identification of the reasons for homosexual inclinations/vulnerability. It seems probable that the influences toward homosexual inclinations are diverse and complex, but all expressions of the brokenness of this fallen world since sin entered. Although some may choose to experiment with and become addicted to sinful sexual practices of various kinds (including homosexuality), I suspect that most homosexuals did not make an initial choice resulting in their vulnerability/inclinations. I am certainly open to believing that some homosexual vulnerability may be genetic, even as some people are genetically more vulnerable to alcoholism. This does not eliminate the need to live a pure and self-controlled life in either case. This is not to say that the inclinations are sinful for the individual struggling with them, but that the origin of inclinations contrary to God’s design and will are continuing results of the sin of Adam and Eve, as are many other things in the fallen human condition. It seems clear that not all homosexual vulnerability is genetic, but in many cases springs from other causes – abuse, dysfunctional family, etc. – all of which are symptoms of the fallenness of this world. In these cases, the individual is not responsible for the cause, but they are responsible for their response and choices.

9. Persons are not defined by their “sexual orientation.” They are defined by God and His image. I am not my sexual orientation. I am a person made in the image of God, the object of His love and redemptive plan.

Homosexuality

I'm involved in several on-going conversations regarding homosexualilty, the Bible, and our culture, so put down some preliminary thoughts. Please feel free to comment to sharpen my thinking. This is too long for a single post, so it will take two or three.

1. Jesus’ followers, like their Master, should treat all people with love, respect, and kindness, regardless of their lifestyle or beliefs. Jesus showed us the balance of grace and truth. We too often emphasize one without the other.

2. Christians should be agents of justice and mercy in the world—seeking to relieve suffering without being judgmental and standing up for justice for everyone. This will sometimes mean responding to the symptoms of (e.g. hunger, etc.) apart from the deeper causes, sometimes means responding to causes (e.g. lack of education, systemic discrimination, etc.), and sometimes (most preferable) to both.

3. Christians should always affirm, practice, and communicate Biblical truth, even if it is unpopular or misunderstood, because they believe that obeying God’s commands is always for everyone’s ultimate benefit, even though it may involve in temporary pain or suffering.

4. God’s plan for sexuality, consistently communicated throughout the Scriptures (including by Jesus) is for one man and woman to enjoy sexual intimacy within a loving, lifetime marital relationship. The New Testament indicates that the relationship of a man and a woman (not just of two people – but specifically of a man and woman) in marriage is to beautifully portray the relationship of Christ and the church. The Old Testament suggests a similar portrayal by the faithful marriage of a man and woman with regard to the relationship between God and His people (e.g. the story of Hosea).

5. Outside of a committed heterosexual marriage, the Bible consistently calls all humans to lives of purity, chastity, and self-control. The Bible teaches that self denial and suffering are purposeful and beneficial for God’s children. We must all deny ourselves and take up our cross daily to follow Jesus (Luke 9:23) though for each of us that will play out in different ways. Fulfillment of physical desires (of all kinds) is not a right to be pursued at all cost (cf Matthew 4:4 on Jesus and the need for food). My physical desires must always be subjugated into conformity with God’s revealed will – even if that requires self-denial and suffering. As a real human, Jesus most certainly had a powerful sex drive. But, because of His mission was never able to give it expression or find fulfillment in a sexual relationship. He is our example and should give encouragement and comfort to any who must deny the fulfillment of their sexual desires whether heterosexual or homosexual.

6. Every reference to homosexuality in the Bible is prohibitive—there are no exceptions. Recent efforts by some to reinterpret Biblical passages in support of some kinds of homosexual practice do not stand up against the standards of unbiased Biblical scholarship, consistent hermeneutical practice, or the united voice of Jesus’ global church through time. We should always be open to reexamining our interpretations of Scripture but must attempt do so without bias (that’s hard!) and without giving in to external pressures (cultural, governmental, emotional, or personal).

The Justice and Mercy series at Calvary (see www.calvarymuskegon.com) was an emotional series -- even more for those who participated in the breakout sessions during the week in addition to the Sunday services.

God has been stirring in my heart with new insight, understanding, conviction, and compassion.

Most of the responses I've heard have been extremely positive with people growing in their understanding about the tragedies of poverty and racism--not just in the world, but also in West Michigan. Some are seeing the importance of responding to need without also trying to judge or attach responsibility and blame (something that comes rather naturally, cf John 9:1ff). There is a new wave of people committed to growing in justice and mercy.

Perhaps the cummulative effect of (1) the long Book of Acts series with it's frequent mention of ministering to the poor (chs. 2, 4, 6, etc), (2) the "stories Jesus told series" which spotlighted poverty-related themes again, and now (3) the 4-week Justice and Mercy series, have left some understandably weary and wanting to move on to new themes. That's why our next series will focus on 1 Peter, Contentment, and a survey of the Old Testament.

Some are wondering what happened to their pastor...even wondering if he has "gone Liberal" with his new interest in the "social gospel." I haven't. But I have had to repent of having an "unsociable gospel," a perversion of Scripture, which too often didn't address the whole man. Certainly our priority is the proclamation of the Gospel of salvation through faith in Christ. The biggest changes in poverty and racism will come when people experience the transformation of Christ's redemption in their lives. But I now have had the blinders removed (at least in part) that hindered me from seeing the powerful emphasis in Scripture on Justice and Mercy related issues.

Today I was challenged by the "virtually book" Bono has written (with others) at http://one.v1.myvirtualpaper.com/brochure/2007051702.

Read it!

Perhaps some have responded negatively because of God's conviction in their lives of hidden racist attitudes or of a lack of a compassionate and generous spirit. If we are not ready to repent, we typically find ways to excuse, justify, rationalize, or accuse and counter attack.

I certainly am not suggesting that anyone who had negative feelings about our Justice and Mercy series is in this last category. These are difficult and complex issues and we all look at them through the lens of our own experiences and understanding. We are all at different stages of maturity and immaturity.

I was deeply convicted by the prophet's words (Isaiah 58:6-9):

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousnessa will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

A Day with a Perfect Stranger

Last year I read a short book by David Gregory entitled, DINNER WITH A PERFECT STRANGER. It was a very engaging story (a short, easy read) about a businessman who received an invitation to have dinner with Jesus of Nazareth at an Italian restaurant. Interesting that Jesus ordered wine. Does that catch your interest?

I liked the book so well I've given away more than a dozen copies -- especially to those who might be seeking God and truth but struggle with some of the classic (and very difficult) objections to the Christian faith or have been exposed to offensive caricatures of Christianity.

Don't be fooled if the idea sounds a bit cheesy. The book will surprise you.

Tonight I finished reading A DAY WITH A PERFECT STRANGER. It's a continuation of the original story, but this time the wife of the man who had dinner with Jesus has a remarkable conversation with "Jay" while crossing the country on an airplane.

If someone "hates religion," they just might enjoy spending a day with this perfect stranger.

I recommend it...for a fresh reminder of what it means to enter into a relationship with God and as a unoffensive gift to share with someone who might be seeking more than they know.

White Privilege

The Justice and Mercy series we're doing at church (see http://justiceandmercy.com/) is part of an ongoing journey God has been taking me on. I feel like I'm slowly waking from a long Rip Van Winkle slumber with regard to issues of poverty and racism.

I must've heard the expression, "white privilege" before, but until fairly recently, had little comprehension of how much a part of my life it has been and is.

WHITE PRIVILEGE is an invisible package of unearned assets which I cash in every day of my life, giving me a significant, lifetime advantage over many of those whose skin-color is different than mine.

This web site gives some helpful discussion and illustration on the theme: http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~mcisaac/emc598ge/Unpacking.html

My friend Pastor Terry Williams from Unquenchable Fire Ministries, a really great inner city, diverse church in Muskegon, handed me a video to watch this week: WORDS BY HEART, about a young black girl in a rural town at the turn of the century. I'm pretty sure it never won any cinematic awards, but it is a helpful, though gentle portrayal of privilege and racism. Children could watch it and benefit.

Pastor T also recommended I watch the just-released-on-DVD movie staring Hilary Swank entitled FREEDOM WRITERS. It's based on the true story of Erin Gruwell, a first year teacher who believed in her students. Gloria and I watched it tonight. Wow! What a powerful portrayal of the jungle that exists in many cities and schools today, and the amazing difference one person can make. Get it!

When the excitement is gone

Thinking about the contrast between the spirit of the worship gatherings we experienced in Mexico and many in the United States, I wonder if some of the difference is that we are no longer overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude for God's mercy, grace, and love.

Living under the addictive opiate of Disneyland (the USA), we too often forget what it meant/means to be "lost." Hence, our sense of wonder at being "found" is diminished.

If I am not filled with wonder at God's salvation, "worship" too easily becomes diminished into an "entertain me" mentality in which I evaluate the various elements of the service based on my preferences and how I feel about what is happening.

Similarly, an awareness of the presence of God, burns away any idea that "it's about me."

Mexico with Pastor Tony Gomez

In our recent trip to Mexico, Gloria and I were impressed with the vibrancy of the believers. Their church gatherings could not have been farther from a duty-driven or "business-as-usual" atmosphere.

In one poverty-filled village on a Saturday about 250 believers of all ages came together (most walked some distance to be there) for fellowship and worship. This was a monthly gathering of village churches. The location rotates between the churches each month.

The people's enthusiasm for praising God and responding to preaching was contagious even though I could only understand a smattering of words.

We arrived about 11 a.m. to find a packed church auditorium (a very simple block building with hard wooden benches) and a worship service which had already been underway for some length of time. I was the third preacher. The first two were native pastors who, of course, spoke in Spanish (about 40 minutes each). Though I couldn't understand very many words, their passion and warm connection with the audience were inspiring to sense.

Before, between, and after the two sermons there was lots of great congregational singing, choirs, randalla bands, and a missionary presentation (a church planting ministry with the native Indians in the mountains), etc.

We took a half-hour break for lunch (Wow! Delicious! It was as authentic as the Christianity), and then the the singing, special music, etc. resumed.

It was my turn to preach (Pastor Tony Gomez was my wonderful interpreter). The congregation responded with the kind of enthusiasm that shouts their love for the teaching of God's Word.

When I finished preaching about 5 p.m. (about 6 hours after we arrived) we had to leave in order to get back to Torreon for an evening meeting. As we left, the service was going strong with no sign of an approaching conclusion.

Imagine a service in the USA that went more than 6 hours! Who would stay? Rather than the kind of unabated, enthusiastic participation I witnessed, in the USA a pastor could expect a continuing exodus of those whose priorities had no room for 6 hours of meeting with God and His church. There would be the "devil to pay" if we trapped people in that kind of marathon.

Perhaps we have completely lost touch with what it means to worship. If I am subconsciously saying, "God, I've come to worship You today, but I can only spare 60-90 minutes and then I really have to be about other parts of my life," I wonder if genuine worship is even possible. It seems like worship involves giving myself totally to God -- everything, including my time and schedule--surrendering to His agenda, not demanding mine.

I understand that we must be incarnational to the culture in which we live. Ours is obsessively time conscious.

But then, time is the currency with which I purchase my real values.

I dreamed last night that our church was located near a large university campus and that I needed to come up with a sermon title targeting the incoming students.

I thought of "Fitting God Into Your Class Schedule," but then realized that God is not be to be "fit" into anything. He FILLS EVERYTHING.

Herein lies a good deal of my problem. I want to fit God into my life -- making Him another important element along with the others I have selected for myself. God will not be "fit" into anything. Either He fills it or He does not fit at all.

Why do we meet?

Believers are called together by God (church = the ἐκκλησία).

But why do we meet?

I'm playing with this . . . We meet in community with other Christ followers in order to encounter God and His truth in ways that are transformational.

What do you think?

Trends in the American Church

Recently I read a paper (“Measuring What Matters Most”) by IgniteUS, Inc., with thought provoking statistics. They were introduced as follows: “The following are issues that are endemic in the church in America. We must be humble, diligent, courageous, and wise as we seek to bring corrective theological solutions to this profile. Think carefully and systematically through these facts - - prayer is essential.”

1. Only 3% of the churches in America (386,000) are growing by conversion growth; people being redeemed, baptized, and becoming growing disciples in that local church.

2. Around the globe, Christianity is the fastest growing religion. There are approximately 4,000 churches begun per week around the world.

3. In America we close 70+ churches per week.

4. In any local church, 47% of the people are highly resistant to change. 17% are devoted to peace, don’t make any waves. They always side with those who oppose change. The collective result is we face a 64% opposition force in almost every church in introducing change.

5. Recent studies indicate that at least 19,000 churches are split or scarred by major conflict each year.

6. The average pastoral tenure is about 4.3 years. The most effective ministry occurs between years 5.4 and 14.3 of a pastor’s tenure.

7. Less than 1 in 10 regular attendees of Christian Churches give 10% (3% in 2003) or more of their income to the Lord through the church.

8. People say they believe in truth, yet, 2 out of 3 adults and 4 out of 5 teenagers say that truth is relative, there is no absolute truth.

9. The number of ‘regular attendees’ in local churches that are absent on any given Sunday continues to increase. 10 years ago it was 2 in 10. It is now 3 in 10, soon to be 4 in 10. This means that if you have 500 regular members, on any given Sunday you will have 30-40% of them absent. This is a clear reflection of values when the absence is discretionary, that is, they choose to not attend in deference to another activity.

10. There is a famine of hearing of the Words of the Lord (Amos 8:11) . . . People say that they believe in the Scriptures as the Word of God, but, when their shepherd seeks to make application to daily living and conduct, he is castigated, rebuffed, or worse, fired. Culture, not Scripture, shapes many aspects of the church in America.

Wow! Some of those I can affirm from my own experience. Some are like a knife in my heart, exposing the apathy and indifference of which I am part.

“Lord, teach us to love the faithless as You do. Give hands and feet to Jesus’ love by energizing our bodies by Your Spirit. Break our hearts for those who need to experience Jesus’ mission through us – the redemption of sinners and the relief of suffering. Forgive us for our idolatrous commitment to our own comfort and our sinful resistance to sacrificing our preferences in order to be incarnational to this broken and diverse culture. Amen.”

What about liturgy?

In the words of www.wikipedia.com, “A liturgy comprises a prescribed ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular group or event.”

Actually the English word “liturgy” comes from the Greek λειτουργία which refers to service rendered for a god (or, for God).

Many denominations follow a prescribed litury in their weekly worship services. Anglicans, Episcopalians, and Roman Catholics would be among those whose worship orders are ancient and familiar to their regular congregants.

Even within the “free” church where spontinaeity or at least lack of prescribed or traditional liturgy has often been a high value, liturgy nevertheless exists. Often a rather predictable “order of service” is followed without deviation week after week: song, prayer, song, song, announcements and offering, song, special number, sermon. The order may not be found in The Book of Common Prayer, but its elements may be more rigidly adhered to than a Lutheran collect during Advent.

How sad that I have too often viewed the traditions of other groups as unbiblical or inferior either because they were unfamiliar, because I was ignorant of their origin or purpose, or because I unnecessarily associated them with some group with whom I differed.

I am very embarrassed that for many years of my ministry I did not encourage the use of “the Lord’s Prayer” in our worship services, because some suspect “liturgical” church regularly “chanted” it’s syllables. "Vain repetition" was my horribly judgmental analysis. I rejected the use of that glorious prayer because of its suspicious association. This in spite of the fact that it’s words are inspired Scripture given by the Lord Jesus for the use of His followers (Matthew 6).

Recently, I have been enriched by keeping The Book of Common Prayer by my bedside to read before I fell asleep. The depth of many of its ancient prayers has challenged the shallowness of many of mine. Praying them as my own has strengthened my prayer life, much like praying the Biblical prayers of David or Paul.

“Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against thee in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved thee with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in thy will, and walk in thy ways, to the glory of thy Name. Amen.”

“Lord Jesus Christ, who didst stretch out thine arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of thy saving embrace: So clothe us in thy Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know thee to the knowledge and love of thee; for the honor thy Name. Amen.”

Sharp or dull?

I have a couple of axes that belonged to my father and to my grandfather before him. A good ax is quite indestructible.

The effectiveness of an ax is determined by the quality of the metal, the sharpness of the blade, and the skill of the user. No matter how skillful the user may be, a dull ax makes it difficult to cut wood.

Dullness comes from lack of use, misuse, neglect, as well as from ordinary use – the harder the wood, the faster dullness occurs.

Dullness happens inexorably and often imperceptively. Perhaps there should be a bumper sticker that reads, “Dullness happens!” Unless a person is alert to the dulling of his blade, he may not realize that he is working harder with less results.

To keep an ax at peak performance, it must be sharpened regularly (on a schedule) as well as periodically as needed. Further, in order to sharpen an ax, you have to stop working with it. But sharpening time is not wasted. Ultimately the “down time” for sharpening maintains and significantly increases productivity.

Proverbs 27:17 is a great reminder that these observations apply to me and my work: “As iron sharpens iron, so one many sharpens another.”

I get dull! If I’m not alert, I may not recognize how much harder I’m working and how my productivity has declined. I need to stop working at times to engage in sharpening.

Sharpening is the result of contact (sometimes abrasive contact) with other people. Contact with other metal may sharpen an ax or dull an ax, even as my contact with another person may do either depending on the angle of impact.

Some people sharpen me and others hasten the dulling process. Sometimes if I make a slight adjustment in our contact, I can turn a dulling experience/person into a sharpening one. Some people will never be sharpeners. I need to be sure that I get away from them long enough to get near someone who sharpens me.

I bring sharpness or dullness to others. It all depends on how I connect with them.

Needs and wants…a long time ago

Preparing for today’s sermon on Jesus’ story about the rich fool (Luke 12:13-21), I ran into some very old but fascinating statistics about the average American's sense of what is a “need” and what is a “want.” It seems that during the century between 1840 and 1940 peoples’ perception of what they needed as well as their identification of what they wanted rose exponentially. During the same period, the number of manufactured articles in the US increased at an even faster pace.

In 1840 the average American needed 16 things and wanted 72 things in an environment in which 6,000 items were manufactured.

In 1940, people needed 94 things and wanted 484 things, while the number of manufactured items had risen to 356,000.

I wish I had been able to find similar statistics for the present, but I was unsuccessful in my attempts. I would like to think that the number of needs, at some point, would level off rather than continuing to multiply. On the other hand, probably no one would be surprised if the number of wants and manufactured items have both continued to increase significantly.

Intertwined with all of this is the subject of Jesus’ story: greed – the desire to have MORE. The rich man thought he had a storage problem. He assumed he had too little storage when in fact he had too much stuff. Both his storage problem and his greed problem would’ve been solved if he had determined to give generously to the poor, rather than hoarding for himself.

No culture has ever needed as much storage space as ours. We add closets, additional stalls in our garages, storage buildings out back, and even rent “self-storage” space somewhere down the road.

Somehow we don’t seem to recognize our addiction to SUPERSIZING and our aversion to DOWNSIZING, nor does it seem to occur to us that if we gave more away to those in need, both our storage problem and our heart problem might be resolved.

The author of Proverbs 30:8, 9 prayed a rather surprising prayer based on his remarkably candid assessment of his tendencies toward independence and idolatry on the one hand or unbelieving panic on the other. I wonder if I would dare to make his prayer my own?

“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Speaking their language

This morning I was reading Acts 21 and 22. At the end of chapter 21, Paul spoke to the commander of the Roman Soldiers who "rescued" him from the mob.

He grabbed the commander's interest and attention by speaking his language, Greek (21:37). Moments later, Paul captured the attention of the mob by speaking their language, Aramaic (22:2).

When we send missionaries into a different culture, their first assignment is to learn to speak their language -- usually a multi-year process. We understand that if people are going to listen to you, you have to speak their language.

For Jesus' church, eager to tell His story to everyone everywhere, learning the "languages" in a rapidly changing and diversifying culture will be an on-going challenge. In many ways it seems as if the Babel-effect is accelerating.

I am so embarrassed!

I can't believe how many years I have studied the Bible with some degree of diligence, yet missed the in-your-face, pervasive emphasis about poverty and injustice and how God's people are to respond to it.

Last Sunday's theme in our "Stories Jesus Told" series was the vivid and frightening story about hell (actually "hades" in the Greek) in Luke 16. The full sermon is available at http://www.calvarymuskegon.com/. It includes a discussion of five different ways people understand the doctrine of hell, including the one I have tentatively adopted (a change from most of my life).

What now seems inescapable in this story that I completely overlooked in the past was the equally shocking theme of wealth and poverty in relationship to hades and paradise.

Obviously Jesus was not suggesting that if one is rich and wears purple, he is headed for the fire. Nor was He advancing the idea that if one is poor and licked by scavenging dogs he will sit beside Abraham in the great heavenly banquet.

However, it would be hard to miss the point that what we do with our resources and how we respond to suffering and need are infallible indicators of the true condition of our heart.

Perhaps the rich man’s wealth served to isolate him to some degree from the suffering of the beggar at his gate. But, it did not excuse him from his heartless and wicked indifference.

In today’s “flat earth,” I have to be willfully indifferent to isolate myself from the horrible suffering of poverty and injustice in West Michigan and the world. The comfortableness of my middle-class suburban lifestyle has isolated me, but does not excuse me.

This is the only one of Jesus’ stories in which a character is named. The pathetic beggar is “Lazarus.” His name meant “God is my helper”—it must’ve mocked him with the realization that God didn’t seem to be doing a very good job of helping him. Yet his angel-escorted-arrival at the heavenly banquet table next to the father of Arabs and Jews would suggest that his trust in God was not destroyed by his earthly suffering.

By naming Him, Jesus humanized a person who had been dehumanized and marginalized by his community. We’re more comfortable if we don’t know a beggar’s name for the same reason we avoid eye contact with him. If we look him in the eyes or give him a name, he becomes a person – a fellow human being like us who is suffering and needs our help. It’s easier to walk by if he isn’t a real person to us.

How big a deal is it whether or not we use our resources to help the needy?

If asked, “What was the sin of Sodom?” most would respond with a hot-button moral issue. How shocking when the Scripture (Ezekiel 16:49f) describes a different primary issue: “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.”

Jesus’ story in Matthew 25 describes entrance into or exclusion from God’s kingdom on the basis of whether or not people fed the hungry, gave water to the thirsty, took in the stranger, clothed the naked, and visited the sick and imprisoned.

We tend to think our reward will depend on how often we went to church. The Bible says it will be based on what we did for the poor and needy.

I am so embarrassed that these themes have been largely absent from my teaching. I repent. God is changing me. Do I ever need it!

Which church would you choose?

A regular email I receive from MondayMorningInsight.com posed three sobering questions recently:

1. If you weren't on staff at your church, would you worship there? I think we've all served at churches that we wouldn't worship at. (I know I have). And many times we are in the process of transitioning them into a church that we'd love to attend. If you're in that position right now, this is still a great question to ask. Why wouldn't you want to worship there? And what is keeping other people away from the church that you serve?

2. If you didn't know ANYTHING about Jesus, what would you know about him after a normal weekend at your church? Think about your service yesterday. If you didn't know squat about Jesus yesterday morning; what would you know about Him or think about Him today? This is a question that we need to ask each and every week. How does your church communicate Jesus?

3. If you had a loved one who didn't know Christ, and they had one week left to live, would you take them to your church or another? In this last question, it goes one level deeper. How's your church doing at communicating the main message? Truthfully; would you take your dying unsaved mother to a service at your church or another church across town? How clear is the gospel presented in your church?

Those are great questions, not just for church staffers, but for anyone to ask about the community of faith in which God has called them to share life.

The consumer mindset so prevalent in our culture has infiltrated the thinking of many Christians so that rather than investing themselves and their resources to help their church become more formative, caring, and missional, they "jump ship" for another church where "their needs are better met."

I am very thankful for the church to which God has called me. I do not hesitate to invite people to our celebration gatherings and LIFEGroups. Yet, I am painfully aware of how far we are from the "beautiful bride" Jesus longs for, and how far we have to go if we are going to effectively model and pass authentic Christianity to our children and grandchildren.

Perhaps the greatest challenge facing the dying church of America is whether it is able and willing to make the changes necessary to be incarnational to future generations in this rapidly changing world. I am committed to spending whatever years God gives me to that process.

And You Thougtht You Were Worshipping

My daily Bible reading this morning took me to Isaiah 58. God's people were frustrated because they felt that their worship and pursuit of God were stellar and yet God didn't seem to notice or reward their self-acknowledged spirituality.

God responding by exposing the hypocrisy of their worship because their lives were selfish and self-centered resulting in failure to show loving care for others and in ungodly conflict with each other.

God described the kind of "fast" He desired: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" (Isaiah 58:6-8).

This chapter was another rebuke to me as to how much our Western "churchianity" has become focused on "going to church" instead of the church going into the world's pockets of suffering to carry out Jesus' mission. God is unimpressed with my "worship" if I am not immersed in feeding the hungry, bringing justice to the oppressed, providing shelter for the homeless, and clothing the naked. May God forgive my comfort, self-centered ignorance and indifference!

When I started my current sermon series on "Stories Jesus Told," I had no idea how much God was going to speak to me (and to our church) on issues related to using our resources to relieve suffering. Nor did we realize how appropriate it would be to follow up (right after Easter) with a special four-week series we're calling "Justice and Mercy." God's providence in the sequence and timing is evident. I'm praying that this special focus, April 16-May 6, will help us to translate into action what God has begun speaking to us about. We plan to focus our celebration gatherings, LIFEGroups, adult Discipleship Communities, and student ministries on the theme of Justice and Mercy.

I hope I'm ready for this and I pray that I will never be the same!

Too much of a good thing?

Computer viruses are bad. Right? Very bad!

So anti-virus programs are good. Right? Very good!

If one anti-virus program is good, two are better. Right?

Not necessarily!

In fact, by 2 a.m. this morning, I was totally convinced that when it comes to computer anti-virus programs, you really can have too much of a good thing.

For several days my computer has been getting painfully slower and slower like an arthritic senior in damp weather. Finally, about 11 p.m. last night, it decided to slow to a virtual stop. The problem is, my sermon for tomorrow, and a great deal of my "life," were now unretrievable on this recalcitrant beast called a lap top. Okay, so if my life can be locked up in rebellious technology, maybe my life has become a little pathetic. Sorry.

With computers, shutting down and restarting cures a lot of junk. But, after initiating and watching a number of horrendously slow and fruitless restarts (kind of like watching paint dry), I finally chased down a technical support number for Dell. If you haven't yet discovered, technical support is now an intercultural experience. After a couple of very frustrating contacts, a sweet lady in the Philippines was very helpful but ultimately connected me to a $79-just-to-get-started-for-pay-technical-support-person not covered by our service contract. Actually, I never did get connected or pass my credit card numbers to an unknown person in order to rescue my stalled life.

While on hold, I slowly navigated through the add-and-remove process and wiped out one of those good anti-virus programs. INSTANTLY, MY COMPUTER WAS WELL! Hmmmm. I guess you can have too much of a good thing, aka, two good anti-virus programs.

Going to church (that may be an interesting alternative to "being the church") is a good thing. Right? So going to church a lot (a concept which seems quite building- and program-oriented) is a really good thing. Right? I grew up in the era when good Christians went to church "every time the doors were open." I apologize to all those to whom I encouraged that abominable idea.

Maybe going to church a lot is not a good thing. Maybe the church in the USA (one of the few places in the world where the church is in decline) has substituted "going to church" for "being the church." We feel like good Christians when we go to church, whether or not we really are more and more like Christ.

Perhaps our seemingly infinite expansion of meetings, events, and programs (all likely good in themselves--like my two anti-virus programs) has been substituted for authentic Christianity and the enactment of Jesus' mission in the world (redeeming sinners and relieving suffering--bringing the newness of the kingdom of God to broken people and a broken culture/world).

At 60, I'm slowing down (not quite as badly as my computer last night) and I sense that I'm running out of time. I want to invest what time I have left in moving toward a different model of being Jesus' church--His new community bringing new life to a broken world. That's why the pastors are talking quite a bit about "sharpening our focus" and "doing less better." It's not just about doing less things though. It's about trying to do the right things -- nurturing relational communities that are formative, caring, and missional. But we don't want to just add that to an already too full menu.

I guess you can tell that I'm thinking that our model of church and Christianity may have inadvertently (with all good intent) become too much of a good thing.

President's Wife Pregnant by Alien

Have you seen that headline in the news? Probably not, but you might expect it in one of the tabloids at the grocery checkout. I always marvel that anyone would spend money on such obviously sensationalized idiocy.

The Discovery Channel seems to have become the video version of the grocery store tabloid. Consider the recently announced television "documentary" on "The Lost Tomb of Jesus." Not having seen the program, it may be that the sensational topic is presented with appropriate contradictory information.

The advance publicity reports that Jesus' tomb has been discovered in Israel with burial boxes which once contained the bodies of Jesus, Mary, Jesus' wife, and Jesus' son. Archeological, statistical, and DNA evidence are marsheled in support of these conclusions, which, of course, would disprove the physical resurrection of Jesus, a sine qua non doctrine of Christianity.

Nevermind that no serious scholar, atheist or Christian, gives the slightest credance to these claims. The discovery is not new. The tomb and burial boxes were found in 1980. No one then or since thought they were of any significance, until a talented movie producer grabbed it for a sensational, if ludicrous, story.

Christ followers must never fear having their faith questioned or examining any claim to the contrary. By definition, faith commitments are not always testable by the scientific method. But, we must never fear or run from true science. We believe that God's Word, rightly interpreted, will be in agreement with God's world, rightly interpreted. God's word and world inform each other, and, in my conviction, will never ultimately contradict each other. There may be temporary tentions and apparent contradictions because fallible humans sometimes misinterpret the Word and/or the world. Christ-followers must continually pursue better understanding of both.

There are issues of interpretation where I believe the "jury is still out" as to whether the current interpretation of the Word or the current interpretation of the world is flawed. In some cases, both contemporary interpretations may be incorrect. Ultimately, I believe that the Word and world will be seen to be in perfect harmony, though maybe not entirely this side of the "restoration of all things." Then theologians and scientists will be completely agreed and God will be glorified by our better understanding of His revelation and His creation. Don't be alarmed if we don't get it all worked out right now, and don't be overly dogmatic where Scripture does not clearly demand it. Both theologians and scientists probably need a bit more humility than they sometimes display.

In the mean time, forgive my sarcasm if I suggest that the alien impregnation seems more credible than the claims of the "lost tomb of Jesus."