Cliftondale Congregational

On the Cross and the Giving and Receiving of Criticism

2012-01-14T12:52:00.000-05:00

On the Cross and the Giving and Receiving of Criticism

Your eulogy

2012-01-09T05:53:00.000-05:00

I do a lot of funerals for non-church going people, which is a way of giving both comfort in time of need and of holding out hope, by preaching the Good News. In other words, it is a subtle form of evar of evangelism, which I take seriously.

At many of these funerals, people get up and give eulogies that are often bittersweet. The saddest ones make no mention of God, faith, or church. It appears that God simply hadn't been a factor in that person's long life; or if faith was a part, it didn't seem to be important enough to mention.

I wonder at your funeral, will your faith in God be mentioned at all when you're eulogized? Or will your friends and family just talk about your job, hobbies, vacations, and folksy stories, without a single mention of faith-matters? What might that indicate regarding your commitment to Christ?

The Road Ahead

2012-01-02T11:00:00.002-05:00

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself;
and the fact that I think I am following Your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please You
does in fact please You.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the
right road though I may now nothing about it.
Therefore I will trust You always, though I may seem
to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will
never leave me to face my perils alone.
-Thomas Merton

North Korean funeral

2011-12-29T07:30:00.000-05:00

Having served with the 2nd Infantry Division near the DMZ in the Republic of Korea, I've maintained an interest in the region. One cannot help but notice the outpouring of grief, and wonder if it was required, even coerced. While this may be true, a nation that claims to be atheist can have nothing good to say about death, the final enemy. For an atheist, death is the end, with nothing further to hope for. Life has little meaning, since life is an accident of nature on a world that just exists for no higher purpose, and thus how we live is a matter of arbitrary preferences...in other words, the message of he book of Ecclesiastes.

If there is no God, a funeral has to be the ultimate downer, a miserable experience that reminds us that we will all die and cease to exist...but for the Christian, death is not "the end" but "to be continued". We can talk about the future, with hope. There is grief and loss expressed at Christian funerals, but not despair; certainly not the gun-wrenching agony we've seen on TV over the death of a ruler. C.S. Lewis confidently stated, "There are better things ahead than any we leave behind." Amen.

Books!

2011-12-21T16:32:00.000-05:00

I've been asked what books I'd recommend to someone who's getting started in the Christian faith. Here are some suggestions...

Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, by R.C. Sproul
After You Believe, by N.T. Wright
Knowing God, by J.I. Packer
Prayer, by Phil Yancey
A Short Life of Christ, by Everette Harrison
...and a good Study Bible in a modern translation (like the Life Application Study Bible)

That's a good start.

Santa in School

2011-12-21T16:16:00.000-05:00

I was surprised when Saugus made national news yesterday because our Superintendent of Schools banned Santa Claus from the classroom. Yet if Christmas is to be removed from the public sector, Saint Nicholas is a logical extension of the ban. The only reason the ACLU hasn't opposed him is the public outcry. I feel sorry for Mr Langlois and for any who feel caught in the need to avoid offense by eliminating something most people cherish. While "Santa" may have devolved into myth, the real saint was a devoted follower of Christ. Let him back into school, and also the Reason for the Season, at least in the name of diversity and inclusion. By the way, most people aren't offended by Christmas. I had lunch the other day with group of Jewish friends, and when the waitress wished us a "Merry Christmas" they smiled, said "Thank you", and wished her one as well--no offense taken. Now that's the holiday spirit!

Advice for new believers

2011-12-19T12:24:00.000-05:00

1. Find an older Christian who will commit to discipling you on a regular basis.

2. Attend church regularly.

3. Make sure you understand the gospel. Clarify this before ‘moving on’ to other things. But don’t stay away too long! Learn to live a ‘gospel centred life’.

4. Start bible-reading daily. Follow a plan (eg. ‘I will read 2 chapters of the New Testament each day’). If you have the time and desire to do so, be ambitious in what you read. However, don’t be discouraged if you can’t read quickly. And don’t expect to take in everything you read.

5. Start praying daily. If it helps, meet with another Christian for a period to help get you started. Learn from how others pray, but don’t feel you must copy them. As a simple guide: praise God, confess sin and ask for things that you and others need.

6. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is a vital pathway to learning and growth. Naturally, you will have questions about countless things, so ask away!

7. If you are ‘a reader’, consider getting hold of a Christian book that will help you learn more about the bible. Ask your pastor or mature Christian friends for recommendations.

8. Tell others you are a Christian. New Christians make some of the best evangelists. Your first two years as a believer may be your most productive in reaching unbelievers.

9. Be patient with yourself. You have the rest of your life to grow as a Christian!

(from blog Unashamed Workman)

Christmas on Sunday

2011-12-16T08:18:00.000-05:00

When Christmas falls on a Sunday…

Many churches, finding that Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, are choosing to scale back their services or even cancel them in light of the holiday.

“This is a consumer mentality at work: ‘Let’s not impose the church on people. Let’s not make church in any way inconvenient,’” offered David Wells, professor of history and systematic theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. “I think what this does is feed into the individualism that is found throughout American culture, where everyone does their own thing.”

Fuller Theological Seminary professor Robert K. Johnston worries that another Christmas tradition is fading. “What’s going on here is a redefinition of Christmas as a time of family celebration rather than as a time of the community faithful celebrating the birth of the Savior. There is a risk that we will lose one more of our Christian rituals, one that’s at the heart of our faith.” Ben Witherington III, professor of New Testament interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary, called it a “capitulation to narcissism.”

It didn’t help that some of the megachurch spokespersons gave less than helpful answers as to why, such as the desire to cater to the family (which could hold true on any other Sunday as well), or simply to be “lifestyle-friendly,” which positions them to charges of wholesale capitulation to culture. Even worse was the response that church services would be cared for through DVD’s, which is jolting to anyone with even the barest of theological sensitivities to the doctrine of the church and its worship.

But somebody needs to call “time-out” for a minute, because neither side is getting this one right. The critics are being too quick on the draw, and the reasoning offered by the churches cancelling their services isn’t what best validates their choice.

First, evangelical churches of all kinds throughout the United States have seldom held services on Christmas Day even when it has not fallen on a Sunday (a tradition that dates back to the Puritans).

Second, marking Christmas has never been tied to a Sunday-specific celebration (as with Easter). If there is a day that has uniformly been seized by churches to celebrate the birth of Christ, it has been Christmas Eve - and the large churches being chastised for not having Sunday services on the 25th are planning on offering numerous services on the 24th.

Third, it is not simply the megachurches who are doing this – churches of all types are, at the very least, scaling back their service offerings for the 25th (so making this about a megachurch or seeker-targeted sellout is unfair).

Finally, some of the rhetoric criticizing churches for opting out of services on the 25th skates dangerously close to Sabbatarianism, with a fair dose of legalism to boot. To insist that we must meet on a Sunday – any Sunday – can be debated. Early church records show a preference for worship on the “Lord’s Day,” but only the second-century church manual, the Didache, directed Christians to meet at that time. No day was set aside in Gentile Christianity for worship until the time of Constantine and the institutionalization of the church, but nowhere is it directly commanded in Scripture.

So are we admonished to gather together as believers? Yes. But not necessarily on a Sunday morning.

For many years, Christmas Eve has been the day of choice for the communal celebration among Christians of the birth of Christ. Celebrations could be held on Christmas Day, but very few would come. If one cares about leading the church to celebrate the birth of Christ, they should go with the hundreds or even thousands that can assemble on Christmas Eve against the handful they might be able to engage on Christmas Day - particularly since there is the biblical freedom to do so.

This isn’t compromise; it is common sense. But it is a moot point for most churches. The volunteer base needed for a Christmas Day service simply cannot be met. As I joked with one reporter, the critics who want to insist on a Christmas Day service have no intention of being the one sitting in the nursery watching someone else’s child. They may not have any intention of attending at all. I recall a deacon in the church I pastored while in seminary insisting on a Sunday night service on Super Bowl Sunday. We had the service; he stayed home to watch the Super Bowl.

The larger issue, of course, is how best to address the valid cultural concerns expressed by individuals such as Wells, Johnston and Witherington, who are well-intentioned and justifiably concerned about the world in which we live and what it might be doing to the church.

My contention is that they have the right description of a cultural malady (materialism, individualism, consumerism), but the wrong diagnosis (that it is demonstrated by whether you go to church on December 24 vs. December 25), and have certainly applied it to the wrong patient (the churches choosing to scale back or cancel on the 25th) – which makes their prescription all the more ineffective (to fight the culture war, we should have services on the 25th).

We will not keep Christ in Christmas through a Christmas Day service, whether on a Sunday or any other day of the week. We will keep Christ in Christmas by working to keep His birth in the center of our hearts and celebrations (as Christmas Eve services will most certainly do).

We will keep Christ in Christmas by avoiding the materialism our culture places upon the holiday season.

We will keep Christ in Christmas most of all by reaching out to individuals within our culture for Christ so that one day they may celebrate His birth with us.

Whenever it is we meet to do it.

-James Emery White

Matt and Sabrina's wedding reception-the "shoe game"

2011-12-12T16:29:00.000-05:00

Questions

2011-12-02T15:26:00.000-05:00

"The Bible answers important personal questions like: Where do I come from? Who am I? What went wrong with this world? What went wrong with me? What can be done about it? And what can I expect in the future? Answers to each of these questions are found in the pages of Scripture, and these answers shape how we view ourselves, others, and the world in which we live. When these truths operate in our minds, we are living by a Christian worldview." –Tony Reinke (from Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading Books)

Who's your guide?

2011-11-13T08:14:00.000-05:00

Thomas Merton wrote, "The most dangerous man in the world is the contemplative who is guided by nobody. He trusts his own visions. He obeys the attraction of an interior voice but will not listen to other men. He identifies the will of God with anything that makes him feel, within his own heart, a big, warm, sweet interior glow...such a man can wreck a whole city, or even a nation" (New Seeds of Contemplation).

Veterans Day prayer

2011-11-11T09:07:00.000-05:00

Lord of hosts, quiet heroes surround us. They are our doctors, our letter carriers, our machinists, our accountants, our co-workers, our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, our neighbors and our best friends. Under their civilian attire beats hearts that will for a lifetime be proudly wrapped in the uniforms of the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. We honor their service and do not take lightly the sacrifices they have made to secure freedom from tyranny, fear and oppression. These heroes quietly carry with them the memories of those who did not return home. We owe them our gratitude, and ask You to bless them and their loved ones. This we pray, in Your strong and mighty Name, Amen.

the GLORY of God

2011-11-09T08:09:00.001-05:00

I’ve always seen the word “glory” as a mere superlative, without understanding its implications.

Eugene Peterson says that “glory” is a large word in our Scriptures, radiating the many dimensions of God’s grandeur, brightness, effulgence, and illuminating everything around it.”

Middle Eastern scholar Kenneth Bailey defines the word: “Behind the Greek word doxa (glory) is the Hebrew word kabod (weight). In Middle Eastern culture, a “weighty” person has to do with wisdom, balance, stability, reliability, second judgment, patience, impartiality, nobility, substance, and the like. Latin has preserved these ideas and attached them to the word gravitas. Glory has to do with gravitas! It’s not about us, it’s about God’s glory.”

Gravitas is a recently popular word, which we often use to describe candidates and politicians who appear to be people of substance.

The Westminster Confession opens with a question: “What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” This seems to coincide with I Cor 10:31, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

I worked at a Christian camp in North Carolina that quoted that verse nearly every day, at every meal; it was their defining statement. I was hiking to a waterfall and a teenager asked me how that played out in day-to-day life, not a simple question. I suggested that our enjoyment of God’s creation pleases and thus glorifies Him, and when we choose to stop living for self and live for God, this too brings Him glory. John Piper observed, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

But God has glory even if we don’t acknowledge Him. C.S. Lewis wrote, “A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word “darkness” on the walls of his cell.”

Finally, another of my favorite authors, Madeline L’Engle posed the challenging question: “What did I do today that might have given God pleasure?

Absolutes

2011-11-07T16:43:00.000-05:00

"Once we concede the assumption that is the citizens who arbitrarily determine what is right and wrong, we have cut ourselves adrift in a sea of relativism." –Jim Peterson

"If there are no absolutes by which to judge society, then society is absolute." –Francis Schaeffer

"The key question isn’t 'Is it ever OK to steal?' but 'Is it ever not wrong to steal?' If there is no absolute truth, then the matter of stealing doesn’t matter...unless someone’s stealing from you, though it’s a good deal for the thief." -RGL

"We are moving towards a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goal one’s own ego and one’s own desires." -Pope Benedict XVI

"In the act of destroying the idea of Diving authority we have largely destroyed the idea of human authority." –G.K. Chesterton

WeddingChannel.com

2011-11-04T10:32:00.000-04:00

WeddingChannel.com

Treasuring God's Word

2011-10-30T08:48:00.000-04:00

On YouTube there’s a inspiring video of the Kimyal tribe of West Papua Indonesia. This remote tribe was untouched by the outside world until World Team missionaries Phil & Phyliss Masters brought the Gospel to their area in 1963. Phil Masters was martyred in 1968 when he and fellow missionary Stan Dale were killed and cannibalized by the Yale tribe. But the tribe came to faith in Christ. For many years they were without a Bible in their own language, but after considerable effort, in 2010 the Scriptures were translated and published for them. The video shows a small plane belonging to Mission Aviation Fellowship landing on a gravel airstrip. The pilot remarks, “There’ll be a big party when we land.” The scene shifts to the airstrip, where tribal leaders instruct the people to clap and wave palm branches, and for dancers in traditional garb to begin dancing, as everyone sang, “Yes Jesus Loves Me, the Bible tells me so.” One of the leaders explained that only select passages had been translated, but now they would have it all--from Genesis to Revelation.

One of the translators was present, Rosa Kidd, who saw the response of the people and said this: “We know that it is God doing something here. We knew they would be happy, but the tears and emotion is overwhelming. Their respect for God’s word is palpable. We’ve had copies of the Bible so long we take it for granted; we don’t cherish it; we don’t realize what a gift we have.”

The first case of Bibles was unloaded, and the pilot handed it to the leader of the Kimyal tribe; then the tribal leaders led the people in prayer and thanksgiving, with tears running from their eyes. The pastor of the tribe prayed: “O Lord, the plan You had from the beginning regarding Your Kimyal--the month that You had set, the day that you had set-- has come to pass today. You decided that we should have Your word in our language. Today we are living in the light. For this we give You praise!” A woman holding one of the Bibles said, “I will pass this on to my children, and it will keep them on the path of righteousness, and our children will pass it on to their children.” The celebration continued on long into the night, an occasion that would not be forgotten.

Some of us were given a Bible in Sunday School; do we remember that day, do we remember how important that day was? How much do we treasure, how much do we cherish God’s word?

Rekindling devotions

2011-10-22T19:26:00.000-04:00

This "clergy appreciation month" my teriffic church congregation gave me an Amazon Kindle, and I'm really enjoying it. I downloaded a Bible, a devotional book, and a book of Puritan prayers...and now have an extremely portable way of doing daily devotions. I also have a few Christian books, along with some classics I've been wanting to read. I can't see this replacing my conventional books, but it is a convenient way to read, and anything that can "rekindle" devotions is great. Prayer is a spiritual discipline that comes easier to some than others, and if we can find a way of making it work for us, all the better--for our good and the glory of God.

Casual or Committed

2011-10-17T11:05:00.000-04:00

When it comes around to faith in Christ, isn't this what it's all about? Do we have a casual faith--one that says our trust in Christ occupies a small part of our lives, or are we committed, dedicated followers of our Lord? We are called in Scripture the bride of Christ...let's stop dating and get married. Casual faith is no faith at all. Bonhoeffer said, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." Jesus wants our all; He wants us to give Him top priority, over all earthly things. Let's put to death self-interest, self-idolatry. Anything less means we've bought into the agenda of the world. Let's put Christ first!

Not the way it's supposed to be

2011-09-28T17:47:00.000-04:00

The most-quoted movie in recent history when illustrating original sin...

In the 1991 film Grand Canyon, an immigration attorney breaks out of a traffic jam and tries to drive around it. He doesn’t know where he’s going and he’s alarmed to note that each street seems darker and more deserted than the last. Then, a nightmare. His fancy sports car stalls. He manages to call for a tow truck, but before it arrives, five local toughs surround his car and threaten him. Just in time, the tow truck shows up and its driver—an earnest, genial man—begins to hook up to the sports car. The toughs protest: the driver is interrupting their meal. So the driver takes the group leader aside and gives him a five-sentence introduction to sin:

Man, the world ain’t s’pposed to work like this. Maybe you don’t know that, but this ain’t the way it’s s’pposed to be. I’m s’pposed to be able to do my job without askin’ you if I can. And that dude is s’pposed to be able to wait with his car without you rippin’ him off. Everything’s s’pposed to be different than what it is here.

The driver’s summary of the human predicament is just about perfect.

The Law of God

2011-09-28T14:02:00.002-04:00

Those who attack Christianity often use the Leviticus strategy, listing some of the harsh and (to our modern perception) strange laws listed there. What they assume by so doing is that every biblical command is a universal law. The Law of God can be divided as such: Moral Law, Civil and Ceremonial Law, and Laws governing the occupation of Palestine. There are also practices alluded to such as primogeniture, the giving of the first-born a double inheritance (since he will take care of the extended, agrarian family). What a New Testament perspective takes away from this is the moral obligations to love God and one’s neighbor, embodied in the Ten Commandments. Besides those, we have principles of conduct, especially in the Book of Proverbs that help us live wisely. What is most important to know is that we do not live under the Law as a means of salvation. No one could meet the standard. Rather (and just as in the Old Covenant), we come to God through sacrifice. Atonement must be made, since God does not overlook our sin. Every sin must be paid for—and was—upon the Cross. When we receive pardon, we desire to live lawfully, not as a way to gain Heaven, but because we’re citizens of the place, and our lives have been transformed by God’s grace.

To the terrorist

2011-09-06T10:13:00.000-04:00

You who would hold the sky captive, The sea prisoner, The land in chains… You who hide in caves, Retreat to the wilderness, Disappear behind false names and forged papers… You who smuggle guns and arms, Hide rockets in cities and bombs in homes, Build weapons against the innocent and the bystander… You whose designs are destruction, Whose plans are fear, Whose joy is hate… You who harden your hearts And wrap yourselves in death… What evil has robbed you of your love, Your compassion, Your goodness, Your humanity? What lies have invaded your minds So that you choose to die in order to kill? We who love our lives and liberty Stand firm and strong against terror. We will defend our nation and our people. We will protect our land and our homes. And we pray for you to find hope and comfort In lives of peace. (Anonymous)

Ready for the storm

2011-08-28T11:28:00.000-04:00

My favorite musician is Scottish folksinger Dougie MacLean, known for his song “Ready for the Storm.” It’s such a great song that I wrote an extra verse to it an gave it to Dougie the last time I saw him in concert. We’re being hit with the impact of Irene, not as bad as Jersey, yet enough to rattle us here in New England. I won’t be kayaking today!

When natural disasters hit we’re reminded that we live in a broken world that was once perfect. Paradise is gone, and we’re seeing the effects of the Fall, a world where we experience what seems like the absence of God. Sometimes God is absent because people choose to exclude Him from their lives. They aren’t seeking God and don’t want to be found. This too is an effect of the Fall.

God works even when it seems like He’s absent. Praying in a seemingly empty room, it is a temptation to think that God is indifferent to our needs. We don’t actually see Him, and when we pray, we wonder if and how our prayers may be answered. We struggle with doubt. Jesus told the patron saint of doubters, Thomas: “You have seen and believed; blessed are they who believe without seeing.” We yearn to hear our Lord’s voice, but have to be content with the record we’ve been given in Scripture.

We find ourselves much like the children of Israel who waited and endured 430 years of Egyptian slavery, hoping for deliverance. Where was God all that time? Why was He silent? The Jews began to wonder if God no longer knew His once-chosen people. They felt abandoned…and so do we during low periods of our lives.

There are vast stretches of time, even in the Bible, when nothing remotely like salvation seems to be happening. We feel this absence and don’t know what to make of it. We need to understand that the absence of God is part of the story.

The Psalms are full of impatient waiting. In Psalm 13, David doesn’t hesitate to express his frustration; he cries out, “How long, O Lord?” God understands, yet He is not obligated to come at our beck and call. When He is silent, He has a reason, which He is not required to share. And if He did, we still might not comprehend His answer. And so the greatest part of faith remains waiting.

When Jesus was born, a 400-year period of silence was going on in Israel. The last word Israel had from God came in the Book of Malachi. In our Bibles, one turn of a page separates Malachi from Matthew, but that single page turning took over 400 years. By the time of our Savior’s birth, many wondered if they were a forgotten people. Pagan Rome was occupying their land, and bad things were happening to good people. But another Moses was born in Bethlehem who would deliver His people from the bondage of sin.

A minister was hiking the Appalachian Trail; he was tired and cold and had no place to sleep. He found a place to lay down under the stars, and it started to rain. Deciding to be like a prophet of old, he cried out, “Lord, I rebuke the wind and the rain in Jesus’ Name: Stop in the name of Jesus!” Yet the rain continued, and the minister looked heavenward, confused and discouraged and prayed, “Lord, I love You anyway.”

The rains come and we wait. Nothing changes God’s commitment to us; not even time. If we’re sensitive to God’s ways, we may glean some insight. It’s been said that “coincidence is when God chooses to be anonymous.” We believe He is sovereign, which means He is doing things right now in our lives, whether we realize it or not. One day this will be clear. God doesn’t guarantee that life will make sense, but there’s a comfort in knowing He has a plan, a reason for everything.

Faith means stepping out with no clear end in sight, and perhaps even no clear view of the next step…all the while, trusting in God whom we do not see…and regardless of how we may feel, we accept that He is present, caring, active. We look around at what appears to be a God-forsaken world and we still trust and obey.

When God is silent, we’re reduced to patient waiting, anticipating, and trusting. A better, brighter day is coming.

Prayer of John Baillie

2011-08-23T09:33:00.000-04:00

Let me use disappointment as material for patience.
Let me use success as material for thankfulness.
Let me use trouble as material for perseverance.
Let me use danger as material for courage.
Let me use reproach as material for long suffering.
Let me use praise as material for humility.
Let me use pleasures as material for temperance.
Let me use pain as material for endurance.

Belief in Science

2011-08-20T09:46:00.000-04:00

A presidential candidate last week was asked by a child (who was being coached by his mother; more about that shortly), "How old is the earth?" -which the candidate recognized as a way of obtaining his view of the creation/evolution debate. He stated that both views were being taught in his home state out of fairness. You can hear on the video the mother then saying, "Ask him why he doesn't believe in science."

Wow. So if you believe a higher power had anything to do with the existence of this planet, you have rejected science outright. I guess that makes you an idiot. I'd like to ask this woman, "Tell me why you don't believe in God. And why you're sure this world is the result of a cosmic accident." The Bible states that God created the world; it doesn't say how, just Who, and why. Intelligent design merely states that life can be best explained by the intervention of a designer. And scientists like Michael Behe (author of Darwin's Black Box) do a good job of defending ID--which is not religion--but simply a statement that the complexity of life indicates a power purposely behind it all. To say that theists don't believe in science is an offensive, unfair, prejudicial accusation.

God didn't make a mistake...

2011-08-16T09:25:00.000-04:00

by Joni Eareckson-Tada

I sure hope I can bring my wheelchair to Heaven.

Now, I know that’s not theologically correct.

But I hope to bring it and put it in a little corner of Heaven, and then in my new, perfect, glorified body, standing on grateful glorified legs, I’ll stand next to my Savior, holding His nail-pierced hands.

I’ll say, “Thank you, Jesus,” and He will know that I mean it, because He knows me.

He’ll recognize me from the fellowship we’re now sharing in His sufferings.

And I will say,

“Jesus, do you see that wheelchair? You were right when you said that in this world we would have trouble, because that thing was a lot of trouble. But the weaker I was in that thing, the harder I leaned on You. And the harder I leaned on You, the stronger I discovered You to be. It never would have happened had You not given me the bruising of the blessing of that wheelchair.”

Then the real ticker-tape parade of praise will begin. And all of earth will join in the party.

And at that point Christ will open up our eyes to the great fountain of joy in His heart for us beyond all that we ever experienced on earth.

And when we’re able to stop laughing and crying, the Lord Jesus really will wipe away our tears.

I find it so poignant that finally at the point when I do have the use of my arms to wipe away my own tears, I won’t have to, because God will.

A king with a fatal flaw

2011-08-14T09:25:00.000-04:00

Book Review: King Solomon-the temptations of money, sex, and power; by Philip Graham Ryken, President of Wheaton College

The sober reality that even the wise can fall prey to the temptations of the world is the thesis of this study of Solomon. I'd easily say that pastors preparing a sermon series on the life of Solomon would find this an essential resource. It is both substantive and devotional.

I've avoided Solomon because his life seems such a contradiction--a wise/foolish king who knew better. How can that be? If our beliefs truly affect our behavior, and if God makes us wise, how can we fall into such phenomenal sin? Those who trust in God are hardly perfect, but Solomon out did most of us with his polygamy and polytheism. So why did he act so foolishly? Did he reject his own God-given wisdom? When considering Solomon, we may worry whether we too might come to a tragic end. If Solomon could fail, is there any hope for us?

Ryken resolves the dilemma in chapter 12. Like King Lear, King Solomon had a tragic flaw: he did not continue to choose godliness and live out that choice. "The more he loved other things, the less he loved God, until one day he was not living for God at all." Solomon lost his first love and ended up where he had no business being. Ryken points out that even "our spiritual gifts will not prevent us from falling into grievous sin." Yet God's love did not depart from Solomon, though he suffered natural consequences of his sinful choices.

The only thing lacking is an overview of Solomon's writings--Song of Songs, parts of Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. I'd like to know if Ryken considers Ecclesiastes a sorrowful king looking back on a less-than-admirable life.

Bible study groups will appreciate the study guide in the back. And individuals looking for an inspiring read to help them in their spiritual journey will not be disappointed. There are many light-weight "popular books" in the Christian book market. This one has appeal for the average reader, yet is substantive. I suspect the chapters were originally sermons that have been expanded, which is in no way a criticism. This should be in every church library and in the pastor's study as well.

Freedom from religion

2011-08-09T06:24:00.000-04:00

An atheist group objected to a Christian concert at Fort Bragg NC, but now the Commanding General is allowing an atheist-themed concert for early next year. Why is it "unconstitutional" for one ideology but OK for another? It is come to this: only atheists have rights to spread their ideology. Militant atheist stands in sharp contrast to Christians who simply want to share the Good News of God's love.

Faith sharing

2011-08-05T07:58:00.000-04:00

We have to go outside our comfortable Christian environment to encounter people who need Christ. As we listen to them, and learn of their concerns, we can offer the answers found in God’s word and introduce them to our Savior. What kind of openings for the Gospel message might we find? At work, someone may be concerned about the pressures of their job or home life. At school, students may be stressed about their future, social pressures, and self-acceptance. At the neighborhood gym, civic or social club, we may meet someone worried about their health or world events--all these people we encounter may be wondering what God has to do with all these issues. When we become compassionate listeners, God will give us opportunities to share our faith.

Debt Ceiling debate

2011-08-01T21:24:00.000-04:00

In church Sunday someone asked that we pray about the debt debate in Congress, and not wanting to take sides, I remarked how LBJ liked to quote Isaiah during times of congressional conflict: "Come, let us reason together." I hope our leaders in Washington will take Isaiah's advice...also that we follow the advice on our currency: "In God we trust."

Amy Winehouse

2011-07-24T08:22:00.000-04:00

The 27-year old British singer has joined the sad ranks of Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, and Janis Joplin by self-destructive behavior. The news reports are clear about her addiction, but seem to be downplaying the fact that she received the natural consequences of lifestyle choices. She serves as an example for any who might be tempted to follow such a path. There's nothing good that can come from finding answers in addictive behavior. As William Glaser put it in Reality Therapy, we all have legitimate needs in life, but sometimes we're tempted to get them met with irresponsible means. When life hurts, there are healthy ways of escaping the stress. And there is God, Who stands ready to walk with us--as our Higher Power and our Friend.

Book Review: Worship & the Reality of God by John Jefferson Davis

2011-07-13T13:59:00.000-04:00

When we do away with ritual, we end up with anemic worship, if worship at all, according to Professor Davis. How is much of today's evangelical worship different from a contemporary Christian music concert? In order for worship to have substance, we need a return to liturgy, a theme expressed years ago by Robert Weber in his book Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail. As a pastor, I've chosen the middle ground between "high church" and "low church" with blended worship--a mix of the formal and informal, because, as Davis puts it, we are ministering to the whole body of Christ and not a "niche" group. I've seen "specialty" churches that indeed focus on one demographic, and I have tried instead to cover all the bases with a general/collective approach...and so I found much in this excellent book to say "Amen" to. The message of this book is much needed today. I spoke briefly with Professor Davis at GCTS who admitted this is a "tough sell" in many of today's churches, but I think more and more pastors are discovering the richness of ritual, culminating in substantive worship focused on God's glory; after all, He is our audience.

From Fear to Faith

2011-07-05T14:48:00.000-04:00

When I was an Army Chaplain, I invariably would be asked by Commanders during field exercises to pray for good training weather. And I would be reminded of General George Patton’s Chaplain. You may know the story. On December 14th, 1944, on the eve of the Battle of the Bulge, Patton called his Third Army Chaplain into his office and told him he wanted to publish a prayer for good weather. Now, what most people don’t know is that Patton also said to his Chaplain, “With your prayer, and my relationship with God, we’ll have good weather to fight.” When I explained this to one of my Commanders, he said, “Chaplain, we’re in trouble.” Patton’s Chaplain received the Bronze Star for his prayer. Since then, most Commanders have regarded Chaplains as meteorologists, even though we’re really in sales, not management!

Patton was known for being a fearless Commanding General. Listen to a few of his famous quotes:

o “Fear kills more people than death.”
o “There is only one direction—forward!”
o “The person who cannot face a fear will always be running from it.”
o “The courageous man is the man who forces himself, in spite of his fear, to carry on.”
o “You are not beaten until you admit it. Hence, DON’T.”

The reason Patton was able to face his fears and engage the enemy courageously was simple. Patton explained that the reason Patton conquered his fear was by reading the Bible (“every #@&*% day!”). While Patton’s language was typically soldier-rough, he sincerely trusted the promises of God in Scripture. Like King David, he declared, “God trains my hands for battle; He gives me His shield of victory and His right hand sustains me” (Psalm 18:34-35).

I don’t regard myself as an exceptionally courageous person, but when I entered Iraq during Desert Storm I wasn’t afraid. My confidence was not due to our effective weaponry, but due to God’s watch-care. I knew He was with me every step of the way. Because of God, we can face life and death.

In II Timothy 1:7, Paul explains, “God has not given us a spirit of fear/timidity, but a spirit of power, love and of self-discipline.” This is also the theme of the Old Testament Minor Prophets book of Habakkuk, in which the prophet encourages Israel to move from fear to faith in times of trouble.

While fear can mar our effectiveness as Christians and cause us to worry how people may respond to our efforts to express our faith, God can grant us boldness. We can serve God with confidence. We can be fearless because the Spirit is with us and gives us the ability to serve God effectively. Faith casts out fear, and helps us to see life from God’s viewpoint.

Book Review: Allah, a Christian Response by Miroslav Volf

2011-07-01T12:21:00.000-04:00

After reading this book on Muslim-Christian conflict, I think the author's unstated thesis is: "I can't change other people's attitudes and actions, I can only change mine." Volf's concern is not what Muslims think of us, or even whether they might be inclined to meet us halfway (although that is his hope) in dialogue and mutual tolerance. He can only speak as a Christian. But this limitation exposes the weakness of his argument in an otherwise excellent book. So what if our "circle" includes them; it matters little if their circle excludes us...unless we love them so much that they come around, which appears to be Volf's sincere hope.

In order to promote solidarity, Volf argues that Christianity and Islam have the same God: "Christians and Muslims name in different names and worship in different ways the one true God." However, there is no consensus among Muslims as to whether Allah is the God of Christians (Jews are omitted for the most part from the discussion, as are all other faiths). And some Christians respond to terrorism by concluding "their God can't be ours." Fear of Islam (however justified) does not welcome reconciliation.

A stumbling block to harmony is the Trinity. In order to defend a Trinitarian position against the charge that Christians say but don't mean that God is "one", Volf gives the best explanation I've read of the Trinity. Muslim criticism is toward a misguided view of the doctrine, Volf claims...which even many Christians admittedly get wrong; it's a difficult doctrine to grasp. Volf insists, "the talk about `three Persons' does not subvert God's oneness...God is beyond number" (which seems to imply 1 + 1 + 1 = 1). He speculates that the term "person" may not accurately describe what is largely inexpressible (language has limitations). He goes on to say, "The divine `Persons' are tied together in their mutual indwelling...you cannot say that the act of one is the act of that Person alone; the other two are always `in' the third."

In dealing with stereotypes, Volf spends considerable time unpacking Pope Benedict XVI's volatile comment that Islam is a violent religion...which resulted in some Muslims declaring the Pope must die. If a Muslim cleric said Christians were violent, would there have been comparable rioting in the streets?

My response to Volf's overall argument is that it doesn't matter whether we worship different deities; we can choose to be at peace regardless, with anyone. Volk asks, "Is monotheism by its very nature religiously and politically exclusive?" No, our prevalently Judeo-Christian nation is not at war with India, Japan, or China, yet their religions are even more at odds with ours. Does it really matter (politically) whether or not we worship the same God? Can Muslims and Christians "live under the same political roof and work together for the common good?" Volf asks.

In describing religious differences, Volf omits what I see as the major difference between the two, namely grace: "God demonstrates His love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," Romans 5:8. How do Muslims satisfy the justice of God? But Volf's book is about political theology, not soteriology. This emphasis on justice plays out with Islam's denial of love toward enemies. They are told to love their neighbor...but what if that neighbor isn't a Muslim? Is God's love conditional? In writing to a Christian audience, Volf rightly charges us: "If you say that Your God is unconditional Love, you should show unconditional love towards Muslims."

Volf envisions a world that can embrace diversity and religious pluralism, and the free exercise of religion, to include the right to witness and to leave one's religion--no problem in America, but a huge problem in some Muslim countries. But the real issue is the human heart: "Bad people, with no intention of doing good, can think alike about God, and that won't prevent them from being at each other's throats." Volf admits, "We fail often, and fail miserably, not because of our convictions, but despite them."

Volf is hoping that Muslims and Christians will decide our religions are not "radically incompatible" and thus choose to coexist for the sake of peace. Otherwise clashes and conflict will continue. Changes in attitudes on a global scale are critical: "Our common future is at stake." There will be no peace unless all nations choose religious tolerance. There must be charitable dialogue, engagement--conversation, not crusade.

Book Review

2011-06-25T10:23:00.000-04:00

Rest in the Shadow of the Almighty, by Daniel R. Ledwith (Living Grace and Truth Ministries)

What do we normally think of when we hear the theological term “the sovereignty of God”? For many, this doctrine means God’s providential, unconditional election, regarded as the hallmark of Reformed theology…but outside of seminary classrooms, people in the pews are more concerned over domestic, health and economic challenges. To put it bluntly, what is God up to when my car won’t start on a Monday morning? Pastor Dan Ledwith nails the matter--not dismissing TULIP, but focusing on the more practical aspects of God’s sovereignty. Everything God does is love, even when we can’t fathom His purpose.

Using Psalm 91 as his focus and foundation, Dan understands God’s promises in terms of “rest” as a multi-faceted manifestation of God’s providence. Rest is defined as “knowing that God knows what He is doing even when we don’t know what He is doing.” The One in control assures us that “nothing can stop Him from providing all that we need in order to do everything He has planned for us to do and to become all He wants us to be in Christ.” Believing this affects our behavior and frees us to live confidently for God. We may at times panic and fret; God does not. Even our guilt and human limitations present no obstacle for God who is remaking us. “We can let go of our past because God has let go of our past.”

While practical, the book does not suggest that a sovereignty of everyday challenges is less intellectual or less important than the “doctrines of grace”, though it is more relevant, especially when life hurts. It is comforting to know that is a reason, a “why” in the midst of suffering. Dan points out that we “do not need to fully understand everything about how the engine works in order to drive.” Rest in the Shadow of the Almighty is an encouraging book that explains why we can trust that God will bring us through the tough times intact.

Anniversary thoughts...

2011-06-21T08:20:00.000-04:00

Today's my wedding anniversary, so a few thoughts on the subject of "LOVE":

Love is an unconditional, sacrificial, compassionate, mature, lifelong commitment...and not simply a "feeling." Unfortunately for many, loneliness plus hormones equals disaster. Thanks to Hollywood, many people expect to hear bells ringing and birds singing, and not the hard work true love demands. Love is also a choice; it doesn't "grab" us; we choose it. We love intentionally. What many call love is born of insecurity and often becomes jealousy. Love may be tested, but the genuine article will survive.

Fan the Flame

2011-06-13T08:00:00.002-04:00

II Timothy 1:6, “Fan into flame the gift of God”

Harley Sheffield was part of the 15,000-mile relay to carry the Olympic torch to the 100th gathering of the games in Atlanta. His section of the relay went over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington, on May 7th, 1996. While carrying the torch in a special holder on his bicycle, the rear tire blew out, he lost control of the bike, fell, the torch got damaged, and the flame went out. The crowd gasped in disbelief, but members of the Olympic committee accompanying Sheffield knew just what to do. They reached into their van, pulled out another torch and lit it from the “mother flame” that stayed with the van. The procession continued without further incident.

At times we need to rekindle the flame, with a little help. A relative of mine worked at a kids’ summer camp, and to get the campfire going would used an old “Native American” method: Wakunda Juice…otherwise known as lighter fluid!

Has our flame gone out at times? As we make our journey through life, we hit some rough spots, take some spills, and occasionally the fire goes out…but we can regain our fire from the Source, and we can again burn with spiritual passion. When we fall, we get up, learn from our experience, repent, and keep driving on, with renewed strength. When we get weary, God renews our strength. By His grace, we persevere.

People who talk about “fire in the belly” are declaring that they have the motivation to accomplish something difficult and challenging, that they have the drive to do it, to see it through--because it is well worth doing. Preachers often talk about “being on fire for Jesus”, meaning the same thing. Are we committed followers, or has our fire gone out?

In the Book of Acts, on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit appeared as flames atop each disciple, energizing them for the task of telling the world the Good News. They were “fired up” for the job! They burned brightly for God.

How do we fan into flame God’s fire? By first realizing that it’s not about us; God’s flame is a gift. God is the one who kindles and reignites us so that we can burn brightly. He uses others; one spark becomes a stronger flame when it is joined to others. We’re better able to live for God and reflect His light when we’re together. Here’s our mission…

Matthew 5, from the Message: “You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand--shine!”

Memorial Day

2011-05-28T07:56:00.000-04:00

It's an hour before the annual Memorial Day parade in Saugus. We always do it on Saturday, leaving Monday free for cook-outs, plus we can get more bands who are booked on Monday. This year Senator Scott Brown (LTC/JAG) is participating, along with the Captain of the USS Constitution. A bagpiper from my church will be playing at the cemetery. When people tell me "Thank you for your service" I smile and answer, "It was a blessing to serve." I'm sure a lot of soldiers don't see the Army as a "blessing", but for me it was. I had a wonderful opportunity for 25 years to live all over the world, have some exciting adventures along the way, and communicate the hope and meaning God gives. I retired with fond memories and no regrets.

The End of the World

2011-05-22T07:35:00.000-04:00

Well, the world didn’t end last night, though I suppose it did for Harold Camping; but disappointment is nothing new to him, for he predicted that 1998 would see the Second Coming. Camping is a civil engineer and the founder of Family Radio, a nation-wide network of religious programs. He is not a biblical scholar, and his view of the Apocalypse is not shared by most Christians. He is not a cult leader, but someone who views the Bible from an engineer’s perspective, which caused him to mathematically work out his end-time scenario. What Scripture does teach is that Jesus will return some day, that His return is imminent…though to say it is soon or to set dates is very presumptuous. There are several popular views of the end times, and we should not use what others believe about this as a litmus test of their faithfulness to Scripture. Jesus could return today, but that is knowledge above our understanding. We should keep this in mind while scoffers make fun of Christians over this non-event. When someone asks your opinion, share what Scripture does say about the blessed hope of the end-times, when every wrong will be made right, and every knee will bow and every tongue confess Christ as Lord.

Libertarians

2011-05-19T12:29:00.000-04:00

I am very concerned about libertarians who are attracting support among fiscal conservatives, as if the economy were the only important issue. A libertarian view is unconcerned about social issues, and places personal freedom above all else, even when that might not be such a good thing. Libertarians appear to be saying "who cares" about matters such as the legalization of drugs and prostitution. If there are no moral absolutes, then anything goes, which would be a dangerous thing. I spoke recently to a libertarian anarchist who was upset because someone stole his laptop...yet if there is no right or wrong, why not swipe stuff? Get away with whatever you can. C.S. Lewis noted that people who believe there are no moral absolutes quickly change their tune when they're treated un fairly. Let's not vote with our wallets.

Heresy we're reluctant to name

2011-05-05T10:32:00.000-04:00

A lot of blogspace has been devoted to Rob Bell's universalism, along with charges of heresy. Yet why are my fellow-Reformed friends so reluctant to call Arminianism heresy, when it is a greater error and does more damage to the doctrines of grace? To say that man is sovereign over salvation and that the atonement is not sufficient to keep believers secure is a terrible heresy, yet we smile and agree to disagree. I think Rob Bell may at least have a higher view of the atonement than most Arminians.

my father

2011-04-28T21:00:00.000-04:00

After suffering a subdural hematoma, my dad peacefully departed this world. He was 92. He spent his last few days in a hospice that looked more like a retreat center. He regained consciousness (after a week asleep) briefly and I was able to talk to him, play my guitar, and pray with him. It was as good an exit as one could hope for, and I thank God for having the past four months with him. The past few years I lived in dread of getting a phone call from New Jersey telling me he died; being with him, having him live with us has been a blessing, so I'm more grateful than grieving. I'm so pleased my church congregation got to know him, and after services I'd see people sitting with him talking. It's all been good. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the paperwork and I'm hoping to go kayaking soon on the Annisquam (see photo above). Thanks to all who've expressed their prayerful concern.

What they don't teach in seminary

2011-03-31T07:18:00.000-04:00

Seminaries train theologians, not pastors. They teach hermeneutics, systematic theology, Biblical languages, church history...but with the exception of homiletics, there's little offered for many of the critical tasks pastors need to do regularly, to include:
-The Lord's Supper/Communion
-Baptism
-Weddings
-Anointing the sick
-Funerals
-the conduct of church/board meetings
Some seminaries hope their mentored ministry (apprentice) program will cover these matters, as the student works with local clergy. But there's no way of knowing for sure, unless the pastor maintains a thorough checklist of topics.
Case in point: the first funeral I ever attended, I conducted, and with absolutely no preparation. I literally made it up, and hoped what I was saying and doing was OK.
Hopefully the church will strive to do a better job of equipping future pastors to effectively serve God's people.

Dad

2011-03-28T07:25:00.000-04:00

It was pretty exciting for me yesterday in church. My father (92), who moved in with us a month ago, came to church...he asked to come. He'd been living in New Jersey and his doctor told him he couldn't live alone any more. We are now caregivers, and it is going better than expected. Yesterday for the first time ever he saw me conduct worship, and heard me sing and preach. I will admit to some nervousness, but twelve years at a church does make one confident, and the service went by nearly flawlessly (we had a problem with one of the candles, that's it). Everyone fussed over dad and it was a great day. I showed him my office with all my Army memorabilia, to include a photo of him in uniform. Afterwards, he told me "the people at the church really like you," which is a nice affirmation. Praise the Lord for something I never thought I'd ever see.

Heresy or Hope?

2011-03-15T10:13:00.000-04:00

Rob Bell is getting a lot of criticism for his new book, Love Wins. He was on Good Morning America this morning explaining his view of universal redemption, how he believes that one's destiny is not fixed at death, that even in Hell people may be given an opportunity to repent and trust in Christ. The result is that one day "every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Christ as Lord."

This could be classified as a theology of hope. No one hopes people will end up in Hell (I hope no one wants that). Before using the "H" word (Heresy, not Hell), let's be charitable and remember that evangelical universalists (not Unitarians) believe the critical Christian doctrines such as the Trinity, creation, sin/the Fall, the atonement, the inspiration of Scripture, the return of Christ, and salvation through Christ alone, by grace alone, with faith alone.

God can save everyone if He wanted to...does He not want to? Should we limit the scope of God's love? If Hell is eternal conscious torment, how does God console the intolerable loss of believers who have non-believing loved ones? Will we get a lobotomy or make us callous to their torment? Does this mean He loves me but not my mother? And does human choice end at death? These are but a few questions that arise from this debate.

Bell is likely going to lose a lot of followers for his controversial book. "Gregory MacDonald" published The Evangelical Universalist under a pseudonym out of concern over backlash. I realize that wanting something to be true doesn't make it true, and that Scripture is our only authority. While we might disagree with the paradigm, are these individuals heretics, or simply hopeful?

John Piper's prayer for Japan

2011-03-12T07:30:00.000-05:00

Father in Heaven, you are the absolute Sovereign over the shaking of the earth, the rising of the sea, and the raging of the waves. We tremble at your power and bow before your unsearchable judgments and inscrutable ways. We cover our faces and kiss your omnipotent hand. We fall helpless to the floor in prayer and feel how fragile the very ground is beneath our knees.

O God, we humble ourselves under your holy majesty and repent. In a moment—in the twinkling of an eye—we too could be swept away. We are not more deserving of firm ground than our fellowmen in Japan. We too are flesh. We have bodies and homes and cars and family and precious places. We know that if we were treated according to our sins, who could stand? All of it would be gone in a moment. So in this dark hour we turn against our sins, not against you.

And we cry for mercy for Japan. Mercy, Father. Not for what they or we deserve. But mercy.

Have you not encouraged us in this? Have we not heard a hundred times in your Word the riches of your kindness, forbearance, and patience? Do you not a thousand times withhold your judgments, leading your rebellious world toward repentance? Yes, Lord. For your ways are not our ways, and your thoughts are not our thoughts.

Grant, O God, that the wicked will forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Grant us, your sinful creatures, to return to you, that you may have compassion. For surely you will abundantly pardon. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus, your beloved Son, will be saved.

May every heart-breaking loss—millions upon millions of losses—be healed by the wounded hands of the risen Christ. You are not unacquainted with your creatures’ pain. You did not spare your own Son, but gave him up for us all.
In Jesus you tasted loss. In Jesus you shared the overwhelming flood of our sorrows and suffering. In Jesus you are a sympathetic Priest in the midst of our pain.

Deal tenderly now, Father, with this fragile people. Woo them. Win them. Save them.

And may the floods they so much dread make blessings break upon their head.

O let them not judge you with feeble sense, but trust you for your grace. And so behind this providence, soon find a smiling face.
In Jesus’ merciful name, Amen.

Healthy Churches

2011-03-07T08:10:00.000-05:00

Churches are a lot like families...they're often dysfunctional. So the messy stuff of interaction and healing relationships goes on in the fellowship hall. This should come as no surprise. I talk to a lot of pastors, and some are very discouraged by in-fighting, gossip, and general dissatisfaction within their congregations. I realize how blessed I am that my church is so healthy. It is hard enough to be a pastor without having a stressful environment in which to minister. Ministers need the support of their flock, and I'm not talking money. It is an encouragement to me that my congregation prays for me and doesn't expect me (or my family) to be perfect.

A fresh start

2011-02-24T16:15:00.000-05:00

A while back I got fed up with all the junk on my home computer. I suspect I had several viruses, and needed to do something about the “infection”. Programs were slowing down, and I was getting lots of “error” messages. Scandisk wasn’t working. It was a mess. So I backed up my important files, and did a radical restore function, returning my PC to the mint condition it was in when I first bought it several years ago. I got a fresh start.

I thought how we all could use such a refreshing reboot. In a way, we do so through confession and the reassurance of God’s forgiveness. Ideally, we could begin every day with such a new beginning. But there’s our cluttered memory, those hidden files, the viruses we hold onto. We put up with the condition of our inner computer far too long before considering something radical...like repentance.

A Christian is not someone who never does wrong. We are instead, models of God’s grace. We’re not sinless, though we try to sin less. When we fall, we get up and (hopefully) learn from the experience; we may even help keep others from stumbling. We admit our failures to God and to ourselves (and maybe also a trusted friend). We go on, with God’s help. When we encounter a system failure, we trust the Lord to clean us up and remove all the “junk” we’ve been accumulating.

The author of Hebrews counsels us to “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress” (12:1). We fight against sin, which isn’t easy. We are born swimming in polluted waters. Our environment is thoroughly secular and filled with ungodly influences that call to us, enticing us. Non-Christian worldviews clamor for our attention. If we’re not careful, we can easily become infected by false thinking. But then there are the “weights”. These are the things that, while not sinful, can burden us. They impede our progress. They become excess baggage. Like a computer with insufficient memory, we find we can’t handle much more, often because we’re too encumbered with stuff. We may have to carefully appraise what we should delete and send to the recycle bin.

After performing a system analysis (appraising the demands placed on us) we unload the items that are keeping us from being effective. We don’t merely eliminate stuff; we add positive activities that will enrich us. Just like we may want to free memory on your PC by getting rid of some mindless games so you can load some Bible software, we can reprogram our thinking by getting into God’s word and taking time to pray. We can let the System Manager, the Webmaster of our soul maximize our effectiveness in life.

Defiant Gratitude

2011-02-20T07:58:00.000-05:00

Defiant Joy by Kevin Belmonte is both biography and literary analysis, much like the biographies written by Chesterton himself: a view of the man and his thinking from an admirer. I’d read Belmonte’s excellent biography of William Wilberforce and was eager to learn about “G.K.C.” Belmonte clearly christens him as the forerunner of C.S. Lewis. And while a convert to Catholicism, Chesterton is depicted as a Christian first, and a Catholic second. As such, and because of his apologetics (and awesome quotes) he is a favorite of Protestants, a guilty pleasure some of us are hesitant to admit to.

I think the title is a bit off; Belmonte clearly and repeatedly states that it was gratitude, not joy, that foremost defined Chesterton and that led to his becoming a Christian. Joy is the attribute we ascribe to Lewis. Also I would have preferred more biography. I now know Chesterton’s writings better, but I would like to know more about the man. His day-job as a journalist is briefly noted, but I wanted to know more about that, and more on his personal life. As Belmonte is Protestant, perhaps he could have also spent some pages talking about Chesterton’s appeal to Protestants (he does record Phil Yancey’s admiration, and it is because of Yancey that I read Orthodoxy). Now I am eager to read more of Chesterton’s books, particularly The Man Who Was Thursday.

In an age which Deborah Tannen has described as “the argument culture”, we need more witty and winsome debaters like Chesterton, who are endearing even (and especially) to their opponents. That may be the biggest “take-away” from Defiant Joy.

Just as Chesterton caused a revival of interest in Charles Dickens, I hope Belmonte’s new bio will inspire a Chesterton revival.

Are you surprised?

2011-02-01T15:04:00.000-05:00

From D.A. Carson's book, How Long, O Lord? -reflections on suffering & evil:

"Christians undergoing pain and suffering will be well served by contemplating the Bible's story line and meditating on the price of sin. We live in an age where everyone is concerned about their 'rights'. But there is a profound sense in which our 'rights' before God have been sacrificed by our sin...if we see suffering as the result of living in a fallen world, the consequence of evil in which we ourselves all too frequently indulge, then however much we may grieve when we suffer, we will not be taken by surprise" (pp. 44-45).

Is freedom overrated?

2011-01-18T15:48:00.000-05:00

People who argue for more freedom may in fact want license to live without moral restraint, and to justify their behavior, often based on the rejection of absolutes (even God). In his book Generous Justice, Tim Keller raises the objection of people who wish to participate in vices privately, arguing "What I do in private doesn't harm anyone." Yet Keller observes that "What you do in private shapes the kind of person you become...since you interact with the community, what you do in private does affect others." I suspect freedom can only work when society has a firm moral basis.

How to answer a fool

2011-01-13T13:23:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 26:4 says "Do not answer a fool according to his folly."
Proverbs 26:5 says "Answer a fool according to his folly."
So, what is the proper response to a fool?

Prov 26:4--Don't become a fool to argue with a fool.
Prov 26:5--Don't let a fool think himself wise because no one can defeat his 'sterling logic' yet give him a wise answer to chew on.

In one sentence

2011-01-13T07:17:00.000-05:00

On another blog, Strawberry Rubarb Theology, Dane Ortland asks leading Bible scholars and pastors to summarize the messsage of the Bible in one sentence. To read all the results, go to http://dogmadoxa.blogspot.com/2011/01/whats-message-of-bible-in-one-sentence.html

Here are my favorites:

"The Creation of the Father, devastated by sin, is restored in the death of the Son of God, and recreated by the Holy Spirit into the Kingdom of God."

"God is in the process of restoring a lost humanity corrupted by sin, redeeming His creation and reestablishing His rule through Jesus Christ and making it possible for those who follow Him to be part of a glorious, eternal community."

"God made it, we broke it, Jesus fixes it."

Exhausted

2011-01-12T08:44:00.000-05:00

I just got back from visiting my dad in, NJ who was in the hospital; he is 92 and had some procedures and will be returning to his home. I wish he'd move in with us but he's very independent. I'm back just in time for the blizzard and I can't even go out to shovel the way it continues to come down. So I'm working on my blog. I also have Tim Keller's latest book, Generous Justice, and a commentary on James (my next sermon series). It has been a stressful week away, but God got us through. Thanks for your prayers, and please continue to pray for my dad.

Parents Can't...

2011-01-02T07:53:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I will conduct the funeral of a young adult who died from a drug overdose, and try to console his parents--who have lost their future. They will likely feel some guilt, in wondering whether they did enough to prevent their son's self-abuse, in spite of knowing that there comes a time when young people are responsible for their decisions. This personal accountability was highlighted in a wise collection of sayings I picked up a few years ago, called "Parents Can't"...

I gave you life, but I can’t live it for you.
I can teach you things, but I cannot make you learn.
I can allow you freedom, but I cannot be accountable for it.
I can define “joy” for you, but I can’t be responsible for your happiness.
I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot make moral choices for you.
I can encourage you to learn, but I can’t take your tests for you.
I can buy you beautiful clothes, but I cannot make you beautiful inside.
I can show you what’s healthy, but I cannot make you embrace a healthy lifestyle.
I can offer you advice, but I cannot accept it for you.
I can listen to you, but I can’t make you talk.
I can counsel you to care about others, but I cannot make you compassionate.
I can give you love, but I can’t force it on you.
I can urge you to share, but I cannot make you unselfish.
I can convey how everyone has value, but I can’t stop you from judging others.
I can teach you respect, but I cannot force you to show honor.
I can advise you concerning friends, but cannot choose them for you.
I can instruct you about sex, but I cannot keep you pure.
I can caution you about alcohol, but I can’t say “no” for you.
I can warn you about drugs, but I can’t prevent you from using them.
I can teach you about kindness, but I can’t force you to be considerate.
I can take you to church, but I can’t make you believe.
I can admonish you about sin, but I can’t make you holy.
I can love you as God’s gift, but I cannot place you in God’s family.
I can pray for you, but I cannot make you walk with God.
I can teach you about Jesus, but I can’t make Him your Lord.
I can tell you how to live, but I can’t give you eternal life.

Inactive members

2011-01-02T07:48:00.000-05:00

In his book The Purpose Driven Church, Rick Warren counsels pastors to let go of their inactive members, saying that they left for a reason, and to spend your energy on getting new people in...and while I agree with that, it is so hard to let go. I feel that we have so much to offer, so why would people neglect their own spiritual well-being by not coming to church? If they're going elsewhere, I could live with that, but it is painful to think that these people are content to live apart from their extended spiritual family. Did they leave us because they weren't "of" us? This is the argument of the first epistle of John. I wish I knew. It hurts.

Best Books of 2010

2010-12-30T10:26:00.000-05:00

At my favorite blog, the Gospel Coalition, was posted several lists of favorite books read over the past year. I maintain a book log of all the books I've read every year, and here's my favorites from 2010:

• Decision Making and the Will of God – Garry Friesen, J. Robin Maxson (a paradigm-shift from the traditional view, and the best book of the year, but not a new book...how did it take me so long to find it?)
• America’s Prophet, Moses and the American Story – Bruce Feiler (tells how the Exodus narrative is American's story)
• After You Believe – N.T. Wright (substantive advice for the journey)
• Bonhoeffer-Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy – Eric Metaxas (inspiring new biography)
• Paradise General – Dr. David Hnida (life in a Combat Support Hospital in Iraq)
• Christianity’s Dangerous Idea – Alister McGrath (a historical look at how the "priesthood of the believer" has formed Protestants)
• Confessions – St. Augustine (I try to include some "classics" in my reading, and this was well worth my time)

I have a stack of books on my shelf in my "to-read" pile, and I'm eager to get to them. Happy New Year everyone!

Personal Relationship?

2010-12-24T09:21:00.002-05:00

Christian authors and speakers often talk about having a “personal relationship” with God, an “intimate”, “close” connection. We sing “In the Garden” how Jesus “walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own.” Here’s my problem with that…

Let’s say a woman agrees to marry you, even though you’ve never met face-to-face, and you set her up in a house, insure that her basic needs are met, but don’t live with her. She never sees you. She can contact you by phone, but you won’t answer or speak; you’ll only listen. You’ve left instructions for her, written out…everything she needs to know is there, and you even write that you love her.

Is this a personal relationship? Yet doesn’t this describe our relationship with God? Some people of faith see a “relationship with God” as their new identity as God’s children, in terms of status based on faith. I choose to follow, serve, worship, and obey God, I’ve trusted the atoning sacrifice of Christ, I even pray, but this concept of a “personal relationship” eludes me. God seems distant, though Scripture assures me that He is near. That seems enough most of the time.

I think when people talk about having “personal relationship” with God we might want to challenge them to define what they mean by this. I suspect most are stating how those who trust God are in a new position. Being justified by faith, we are declared righteous, declared as God’s children, grafted onto the vine, etc. Previously dead in sin, we were God’s enemies. We now have a new status, a new standing. When we pray, God hears us, even though we don’t hear Him. When we read the Scriptures, we discover God’s will. When we hurt, God provides strength. When we grieve, He is our comfort. We might like more, but blessed are those who believe without hearing.

Christmas fantasy and reality

2010-12-21T07:05:00.000-05:00

I wonder if Santa is the expression of wishful thinking, the desire for magic over faith amid difficulty, that we've invented out of hope that Christmas will be carefree? We hope "this Christmas things will be better," or as the sad song goes, "all our troubles will be out of sight." That's usually unrealistic. Life goes on, regardless of the season. Yesterday I visited a family grieving over the death of their son, something parents should never have to go through, and days before Christmas. All I can say is that Jesus came to die, to defeat death by His own, and for us. If there's no cross in the manger, we miss the point of it all. His death is what gives us hope, what really brings "joy to the world". And He is with us always, even when we walk the dark valley. We face tomorrow, not with wishful thinking or unrealistic hopes, but with confidence girded by faith that God somehow works all things together for our good and His glory.

Tolerance and DADT

2010-12-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

As a retired Army Chaplain, I have a concern about the repeal of DATD. Will chaplains who believe that same-sex attraction is not God’s design be demonized? Will they receive negative Officer Evaluation Reports and/or official letters of reprimand? Will they be forced out of the military?

Many chaplains believe that gambling, drinking alcohol, pornography, smoking, and premarital sex are sin, and that we're ALL sinners...and for the most part they have been protected for holding such beliefs. Chaplains welcome everyone at their chapel services, but that doesn’t mean they accept and affirm everyone’s behavior. Chaplains welcome adulterers, alcoholics, gamblers, fornicators, people who swear, and even pacifists. I was going to add over-eaters, but the military doesn’t accept fat people. Maybe some day they will. Some overweight people are convinced they have a “fat gene” and should have an equal right to serve in the military, along with people with physical handicaps.

Hatred or persecution of any group is sin. Yet to love all people does not mean one must accept all they do. In the repeal of DADT, service members will have to agree to disagree. Tolerance is not indifference or acceptance. We are not tolerant of something unless we object to it. True tolerance is valuing the right of another person to hold beliefs that we believe to be wrong. Let's hope this will become a non-issue. Let's hope that tolerance will be a two-way street.

10 questions to ask at Christmas gatherings

2010-12-16T08:22:00.000-05:00

Christmas is a time for gatherings of family and friends. The conversation is often about fond memories of Christmases past. Here's a list of questions designed not only to kindle a conversation in almost any Christmas situation, but also to take the dialogue gradually to a deeper level. Use them in a private conversation or as a group exercise, with believers or unbelievers, with strangers or with family.

1. What's the best thing that's happened to you since last Christmas?
2. What was your best Christmas ever? Why?
3. What's the most meaningful Christmas gift you've ever received?
4. What was the most appreciated Christmas gift you've ever given?
5. What was your favorite Christmas tradition as a child?
6. What is your favorite Christmas tradition now?
7. What do you do to try to keep Christ in Christmas?
8. Why do you think people started celebrating the birth of Jesus?
9. Do you think the birth of Jesus deserves such a nearly worldwide celebration?
10. Why do you think Jesus came to earth?

In preparing for Christmas gatherings, ask the Lord to grant you divine appointments to guide your conversation, and to open doors to communicate the Good News. May God empower and use you to bring glory to Christ this Christmas!

An Advent Prayer

2010-12-13T08:37:00.000-05:00

Gracious Jesus, the juxtaposition of images in the nativity scene are almost too much to wrap my tiny heart around. Your mother, Mary, is just beginning to nurse and know you. Even as I write these words I realize what a holy mystery and immeasurable condescension your incarnation was. You, the very God who created all things… the Lord who sustains all things by the power of your word...the King who is making all things new...as a baby you drew life-sustaining nourishment from a young maiden’s breast. I’m stunned by your inconceivable humility--a humility that marked your life from cradle to cross.

Shepherds ran off to spread the word of your birth, while Mary “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” “Hurrying off” like a shepherd to tell others about you has always been easier for me than sitting still and letting you tell me about yourself. It’s always been easier for me to do “productive” things for you, rather than spend undistracted, unrushed time with you. I confess this as sin, Jesus. This simply isn’t okay, for knowing about you is not the same thing as knowing you. An informed mind is not the same thing as an enflamed heart...by any stretch.

To know you is eternal life, and I do want to know you, Jesus...so much better than I already do. I want to treasure you in my heart and ponder who you are. I want to contemplate your joyful life within the Trinity, from all eternity. I want to marinate in everything you’ve already accomplished through your life, death and resurrection...and everything you’re presently doing as the King of kings and Lord of lords...and everything you will be to us in the new heaven and new earth--the Bridegroom of your beloved Bride.

O, blessed circuit board overloading and breaking glory...there’s so much to treasure and so much to ponder. It’s not as though I’m a stranger to treasuring and pondering. I treasure and ponder a lot of things, Jesus—things, however, that lead to a bankrupt spirit...an impoverished heart...and a spent body.

Jesus, this very Advent season, by the power of the gospel, slow all of us down...settle us afresh...center us on yourself, that each of us might say with awe and adoration, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And being with you, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Ps 73:25-26).” So very Amen, we pray, in your peerless and priceless name.

-Scottie Smith

RSPs

2010-12-11T09:10:00.000-05:00

This posting is a bit of a rant (one of the purposes of blogs, right?)

Some people regard clergy as RSPs- Religious Service Providers. They call on pastors when there's a need for a wedding, baptism, or some crisis. I get the impression any pastor will do...then when they get what they need, it's "So long."

I went to the nearby Air Force Base to get a new will done. I asked to see a JAG officer, and it didn't matter which one. But the difference between a pastor and a JAG is that pastors truly hope to shepherd people, to have a personal relationship with them (apologies to those who have a friendship with their lawyers).

I had a woman come see for a baptism. I'd baptized her first child five years before, and hadn't seen her since. I asked her, "If you have no more children, will I never see you again?"

People are missing out on so much by regarding the church as just a place that provides religious services when needed. Every Sunday we're providing for the spiritual needs of people, and coming by for some "procedure" is hardly what the life of faith is about. The church offers worship, instruction, fellowship, and opportunities for service, and the pastor is more than merely a "Religious Service Provider."

The extent of God's love

2010-12-10T11:23:00.000-05:00

We’re told in the Book of Revelation that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. How will that be accomplished if we have loved ones who are suffering in Hell? How will God console us? Will He wipe away our memories? I can’t imagine such a thing.

A comforting promise to believers with unbelieving loved ones is the assurance that one day “Every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess Christ, to the glory of God the Father” (Romans 14:11). These people will not be coerced but convinced. The original language indicates a willingness to declare Jesus as Lord. What does this mean with regard to those who have died without faith? Will they have another opportunity after death to receive Jesus? God can save everyone if He wanted to…does He not want to?

In comparing our ruin with God’s remedy, the Apostle Paul states that “in Adam all died; in Christ, all will be made alive” (I Corinthians 15:22). We agree the “all” of Adam refers to everyone…can we say the “all” who will be redeemed also refers to everyone, eventually? Does human choice end after death? Can people resist God forever? The very ones who came under condemnation, as a result of the first Adam’s disobedience, will eventually be brought to justification and life, as a result of the second Adam’s act of obedience. The first Adam brought doom upon all; the second Adam brings life to all. The Apostle Paul affirmed both human responsibility and the universal victory of God’s grace.

Knowing what we do about Hell, is divine punishment to be understood in terms of retribution or restoration? And while Hell exists in eternity (a realm beyond time), is the separation of Hell eternal? The Greek word used in our English translations to describe eternal/everlasting suffering could be translated “of an age”--a limited, defined period of time, which transcends time; a quality of time, but not endless.

How could eternal, conscious torment ever be the just punishment for the finite sins of any individual? This seems massively disproportionate. Christian scholarship has developed a theology of fear and arbitrary wrath. The alternative is hope.

It’s been said that people choose Hell, that Hell has “a door locked on the inside.” Yet if people choose horror over bliss, Hell over Heaven, does this defeat God, who desires that all be saved?

Let’s not limit God. C.S. Lewis noted: “We don’t know what the scope of God’s saving capacity is.” We all die physically--the wages (natural consequences) of sin, a severe mercy--but Paul rejoices that the last enemy to be overcome is death…through the powerful, inexhaustible, and perfect love of God. Do you know anyone who hopes this is not true?

Madeline L’Engle remarked: “I don’t think God is going to fail with Creation; I don’t believe in a failing God. Do you want God to fail? I cannot believe that God wants punishment to go on interminably any more than does a loving parent. The entire purpose of loving punishment is to teach, and it lasts only as long as is needed for the lesson. And the lesson is always love. I know that a loving God will not abandon what He creates.”

This teaching is a paradigm shift from what we have heard in our evangelical churches, yet this hope does not mean that “all roads lead to God.” Christ is the only Way, Truth, and Life, and His vicarious atonement will cover the sins of the world. No one comes to the Father except through His Son. One day everyone will accept this truth, and the victory of God will be complete.

Xmas?

2010-12-09T08:22:00.000-05:00

Every Christmas we encounter people who are offended by the term "Xmas", who object to "X-ing Christ out of Christmas." X can mean an unknown quantity, or a place, as in "X marks the spot." In the case of "Xmas" what we're dealing with is actually an abbreviation and transliteration. The name of Christ in Greek is xristos, sometimes spelled in English as Christos. In some churches you'll see the first two Greek letters superimposed, another abbreviation. There's no intended disrespect here, though in other ways we might well "put Christ back into Christmas" by focusing on His incarnation and by making holy this special time of the year.

Addiction and Satisfaction

2010-12-07T10:15:00.000-05:00

"I can't get no satisfaction" sang Mick Jagger. When we choose not to get our needs met responsibly, we open ourselves to unrealistic, counter-productive, self-destructive options. Ultimately this is a spiritual disease stemming from rejection of God. When this happens, we experience pain and a longing for relief. Unless God is in our lives, we may fall prey to activities and/or substances that will consume and enslave us as unworthy masters. All substitutes for God only intensify the hunger for meaning we all have. Without God, we're "striving after wind," the point of Ecclesiastes. With God, we have purpose for living and new life to face tomorrow. We have contentment and satisfaction.

The power of appreciation

2010-12-06T05:50:00.000-05:00

I got an email from an Army Chaplain friend who was in Giebelstadt, Germany having lunch at a Gasthaus (an Inn) and saw on the wall a framed certificate of appreciation I'd given the place for hosting a Valentine's banquet for my chapel congregation in 1997. This seemingly insignificant gesture of showing appreciation obviously meant a lot to them that it's still being displayed. Hearing this made me pleased that something I gave was on their wall (a place I'd sure like to have dinner at now--no German restaruants around here!), and it made me realize how important it is to express thanks to people. I had a Commander at the same time who had a habit of saying frequently to his staff, "Thanks for all you do." Like my certificate, it was a simple thing, but I believe when we take the time to give an "atta-boy" it makes a difference...or as a soldier told me once, "Getting praise is like getting paid."

Selective Censorship

2010-12-03T09:51:00.000-05:00

Someone builds a snowman who looks like a klansman, and there is (justifiable) outrage...yet the "ant-covered Jesus" at a Smithsonian exhibit is apparantly OK. Granted, it was (finally) removed, but not before the liberal media protested at the narrow-mindedness of Christians. Give me a break. It seems that offending Christians is acceptable these days, and we should be ashamed of ourselves for objecting to any sort of blasphemy. Good grief.

What if...

2010-12-02T21:18:00.000-05:00

What would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone? What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we flipped through it several times a day? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn’t live without it? What if we used it when we travelled? Unlike our cell phone, we don’t have to worry about our Bible getting out of range. No dropped calls! What we need is right there where we need it.

the Road Cutter & Puppies

2010-12-02T05:43:00.000-05:00

This is an Advent devotional from Jeffrey Arthurs of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, based on 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

As we wait for the second Advent, Scripture tells us Satan prowls like a lion, or in the context of this passage, he is a “road cutter.” That term comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:18: “Satan hindered us.” The term “hinder” was originally a military term meaning to “chop” or “cut.” In the ancient world, retreating armies would chop up the road behind them to hinder the advancing army. That’s what Satan does. He hinders the advancement of the gospel by destroying the testimony of the messengers, by causing disunity and by persecuting the witnesses; and that can turn us into “puppies.” The word for “unsettled” in 3:3 was used to describe the wriggling and shaking of puppies. No wonder the apostle thanks God that his dear people in Thessalonica were standing firm (vs. 8), and no wonder he prays that God would strengthen their hearts (vs. 13). As Satan tries to delay, hinder and stop the spread of the gospel, may you be strengthened, and may you be blameless and holy in the presence of God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again (vs. 13).

During Advent we live in two worlds...

2010-11-30T10:58:00.000-05:00

There’s the secular celebration, with Frosty and Rudolph. People in stores wish us “Happy Holiday” and we may feel like asking, “Which one?” I’m tempted to wish store clerks “Happy Holiday” on Presidents’ Day and the 4th of July.

And there’s the other world, a world of wonder. We come to church and re-focus. We are reminded of why this is a special time. It’s not just the presents and parties, it’s not the decorations (and there’s nothing wrong with these things). The only thing that matters is the coming of Christ to a world in great need.

The two worlds frequently intersect. When they do, we’re given a wonderful opportunity to communicate JOY to the world. There are some Scrooges out there, some skeptics, even some pagans (who only observe the Winter Solstice), and many for whom the holiday is entirely secular…but there are also some who see the wonder and are open to hear the Good News of Christmas.

CS Lewis summed up the message of Christmas: 'The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.' This is the message we proclaim to a world weary of the stresses of the season. To a people who have bashed expectations, we offer something firm and unchanging. The Messiah is born and can be born in us.

Trying Church

2010-11-17T15:06:00.002-05:00

If you’re no longer attending church, what caused you to leave? Was someone unkind to you? Were the messages not meeting your needs? Was the music not to your taste? Did you have a doctrinal disagreement? Were you starting to get lazy? When was the last time you “tried” church?

Someone told me he had a bad experience in church so he stopped attending altogether. I responded that I had a bad experience at a restaurant so I don’t eat out anymore. That’s just as ludicrous, don’t you think? So something happened at your church. You can deal with it, or depart…but to stop worshipping only punishes you. Find some other place to grow spiritually; otherwise you may well stop growing.

Church has resources for spiritual growth. Here’s an analogy: you can work out without using a gym and you can learn without going to school, but these “institutions” make it easier. They’re designed to do so. In the same way, the church helps us be what God wants us to be.

This brings up the argument I hear that “I can be a Christian on my own.” Individualism is a big thing today. People rely on technology more than community. But how are you growing if not at church? Do you faithfully pray and read the Bible? Do you listen to Christian music? Do you read Christian books? Go on religious websites? What do you do about the Lord’s Supper? And what are you doing to serve the Lord?

Some people stop attending church because they’re unhappy with the only “version” of the church they’ve known. One advantage I’ve had as an Army Chaplain is seeing the vast diversity of worship styles—contemporary, traditional, liturgical, Gospel, emerging, charismatic, blended, and so on. I recently read a book by a woman who visited a different church every Sunday of the year. There are a lot of varying styles. Churches are somewhat like restaurants, when you come to think of it. They’re not all the same.

A former interim pastor of my church told me, “If you really love the Lord, you’ll crawl on your hands and needs to get to church.” Sounds a bit harsh, but get the intent—if we’re really are committed to Christ, we won’t let anything interfere with this necessity. We need what the church supplies. John Calvin said “You can’t have God as your Father without the church as your mother.” Going on your own is playing games with God. We need one another. Paul in the book of Romans says we need to “rejoice with those rejoicing and weep with those who weep.” Church supplies a place to do just that.

Worship isn’t optional. The bottom line is this: We worship because God deserves it, we need it, and Scripture commands it.

A veteran's prayer for Veterans Day

2010-11-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

Author of Liberty, as veterans we appreciate the acknowledgement of our grateful nation. It’s wonderful to be recognized for our service, but we’re simply glad to have had the privilege of serving. Not everyone who wanted to serve had the opportunity, yet their prayerful support sustained us in difficult times. We thank You, Lord of hosts, for opening the door so that we could give back to our country. Some of us didn’t have a choice, while others served in the all-volunteer military. Either way, we look back with fond (and a few not so fond) memories of experiences that helped define who we are today. And we can hardly take all the credit, for Your hand was upon us, strengthening us for the task. You made us fit for battle and helped us bring peace to a troubled world. Equip us all to be instruments of Your peace. All glory to You, O Lord, Amen.

Thanksgiving prayer

2010-11-08T09:14:00.002-05:00

To Thee, O Lord, we offer our thanks:
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
(Emerson)

Wisdom when Christians differ...

2010-10-31T06:55:00.000-04:00

I attended a seminar at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary this week, and presenter Dr Garry Frieseen made the following points on handling differences when our doctrinal viewpoints (our theology) differs:

-Learn to distinguish between matters of command and matters of freedom (Romans 14:14 & 20).

-On debatable issues, cultivate your own convictions (Romans 14:5).

-Allow your friends the freedom to determine their own convictions, even when they differ from yours (Romans 1-2).

-Let your liberty be limited, when necessary, by love (Romans 14:13-15:2).

-Follow Christ as the model and motivator of servanthood (Romans 15:3-13).

Commissioning

2010-10-14T08:15:00.000-04:00

Sunday afternoon I participated in the commissioning of a Navy Chaplain aboard the USS Constitution in Boston harbor. As the LTJG's mentor it has been a satisfying culmination of helping in the preparation of a seminarian for military service. The chaplaincy is a unique institutional ministry, unlike traditional parish work in many ways. There are unique challenges and opportunities with the military lifestyle. As a retired chaplain, after 25 years I departed the Army with fond memories and no regrets. I wish the same for this young Navy Chaplain.

Handling the aftermath of suicide

2010-10-08T15:36:00.001-04:00

A teen committed suicide in my town this past week. Now his friends and family have to deal with a myriad of emotions. Here's some hope for survivors...

• You may be experiencing a complicated grief by dealing with both love and anger towards the person and the stigma of suicide. You may also be falling into the unhealthy guilt game (“If only I did….”). We’re accountable for our choices only.

• Pain is universal and unique; we all grieve in our own time and fashion. Don’t listen to anyone who disapprovingly tells you to “be strong” or “get over it.” Eventually you’ll begin to feel the pain less frequently.

• Your church is a safe place to struggle openly, a place where you’ll receive non-judgmental, non-critical support among friends.

• You may be trying to attach blame in an effort to resolve the unknown “whys”, especially when there are few clues as to why your loved one chose a desperate, permanent, unnecessary solution.

• You could be struggling with “role hiatus;” in other words, who will fill the shoes and assume your loved one’s functions. You may feel unable to deal with personal effects. You don’t have to do anything right away.

• You need to be able to express your sorrow uncensored; tears are healthy, appropriate, and necessary for healing and talking is therapeutic…sometimes people grieve with what seems like inappropriate laughter, withdrawal, or uncharacteristic anger.

• Survivors often feel that they should not show their grief due to the social stigma of suicide; you may need encouragement to grieve.

• You may take on heightened activity as a substitute for grief. Some people channel their pain into positive activities, like supporting suicide prevention organizations.

• You likely will have some unresolved issues & unfinished business.

• Consider journaling, or writing a letter to the deceased, or join a grief support group.

• The bottom-line is: “No good thing has happened here…but we can rely on God’s grace.” Your goal is not to forget the pain of the past but to move on to the business of living.

• We’re not limited to human resources. Jesus gave His followers this promise: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, and do not be afraid....Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Fellowship

2010-10-06T11:35:00.000-04:00

We need one another; we can't make progress spiritually by ourselves. Here's a great quote from Madeline L'Engle:

"If I am attempting to understand what it means to be a Christian, this cannot be done in lofty isolation...to find God only in private ways is to break off from the Body, to leave the mainland, and ultimately to worship myself more than my Creator."

Confession

2010-09-23T15:45:00.000-04:00

Confession is a spiritual discipline and means of grace. It is a way in which we connect to God in a healing manner, opening up to all sorts of possibilities of transformation and renewal. Without confession, we remain stuck in our sins and hang-ups and prejudices.

Confession means telling ourselves the truth--about us, about our situation. To confess means we agree with God that a deed or thought is wrong. We can get so used to the unhealthy mess we’re in we think that it’s normal, when it is anything but. Confession means waking up to reality, seeing life from God’s perspective, claiming ownership of our choices, and taking off our blinders so we can see clearly what’s wrong and what needs to change.

Confession is the first step of repentance, a turning away from actions that are hurting us and others. Repentance is surrender to the Lordship of Christ, a change of heart and direction. We won’t change direction till we realize we’re on the wrong path.

Confessing our sins before God tells God something He already knows. Yet the act of confession draws us closer to God and helps us experience His grace. In confession we humbly make ourselves vulnerable and dependent. We do more than bring information; we bring our hearts.

Rest in grace

2010-09-12T19:17:00.000-04:00

-from a book review in Christianity Today magazine...

"We do not have to compete for grace, mine for it, earn it, or pay for it. It does not come and go. We can only rest in grace, thus becoming agents of grace. When we rest from our frantic labor, we are being asked to trust another that everything is going to be okay. We don't have to save ourselves; we are being saved. We do not have to fret and flail and snatch. We are being cared for."

Koran controversy

2010-09-10T05:55:00.001-04:00

I'm waiting for someone to threaten to delete a Koran from a Kindle or other e-book device. Seriously, this whole matter is distressing on many levels. The Florida fringe minister got his 15 minutes, so now let's concentrate on relevant ways to resolve the hostility. On a related note, someone wrote TIME magazine claiming that people in our country don't want Moslems to build mosques. This is ridiculous--the concern is over the LOCATION. It seems a good time to ask the question WWJD? Also, whatever happened to "Blessed are the peacemakers"?

Eye-witnesses

2010-09-07T12:01:00.000-04:00

An Iranian cleric has proclaimed the Holocaust as "superstition", in spite of the fact that eye-witnesses are still around today to testify to the truth of this horrific event. I'm reminded of the Apostle Paul reminding his Corinthian readers that over 500 people saw the resurrected Christ. It was as if he were suggesting, "If you don't believe me, ask them!" For some people, no amount of evidence will suffice. Refusal to believe keeps people in the dark; it's as if they don't want to know the truth.

Chaplain (CPT) Dale Goetz

2010-09-02T15:16:00.000-04:00

Chaplain (CPT) Dale Goetz was killed in action in Afghanistan Monday. He was assigned to the 1-66 Armor Bn, 4th ID. This is the first Chaplain combat death since 1970.

We who serve or have served in harm's way know full well the risks of military service, but none of us like to dwell on this; our lives are in God's hands. Our intention is to carry out our mission and return home.

The Apostle Paul never served in the military, but as a tentmaker he compared death to the striking of a tent, folding it up, and moving on to our permanent home. Soldiers spend a lot of time in tents, looking foward to homecoming...but for some, their lives are cut short by the nature of war. Ch (CPT) Goetz served within a chain-of-command, but his ultimate Commander was the Lord Jesus Christ, Who has promoted him and welcomed him to his true home.

Let's remember Dale's wife and three children, and pray that they will find peace in the midst of their pain.

PRO DEO ET PATRIA.

the blessing of a stolen book

2010-08-28T09:15:00.000-04:00

At least a year ago I lent someone my copy of Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Normally I write down who has borrowed my books, but somehow I failed to do so...and never got it back. A bit disgruntled, I bought another copy, one without my notes in the margins and underlining. So I decided to read it again (the third time). It was like reading it for the first time, except for the familiar quotes that seem to read like Scripture (I know Lewis isn't inspired, but he seems close). While not my favorite Lewis book (that would be The Great Divorce), this is considered his magnum opus. People tell me it is a difficult book to read. On one level that's true; it deals with deep subjects...but there is no theological jargon or intellectual language. The result is a book that is simple yet profound. I hate to lose books, but Lewis himself when asked if we would have books in Heaven replied, "Only those we were willing to lend."

Managing Quotations

2010-08-22T07:37:00.000-04:00

When I was a new Christian I began recording catchy quotes in the back of my Bible. After awhile I needed more pages and bought a journal. After awhile, my journal became cumbersome since these quotations weren't in any order. Eventually I put them in a MS-Word document, alphabetized by topic. Now when I hear or read a quote worth saving, it goes into the "quotations" document. Whenever I finish reading a book, I review what I've underlined and usually a few end up in my collection. I've been doing this for many years, and I'm getting close to 200 pages (if you'd like a copy, send me an email). When I prepare a sermon, I find this a helpful and quick way to find good quotes. This is something I'd recommend to anyone, an organized way to retain thoughts worth saving.

the Mercy Seat

2010-08-05T09:12:00.000-04:00

I heard Dr. Drake Williams from Tyndale Theological Seminary in the Netherlands speak on Romans 3:20, "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished"

Dr. Williams pointed out some significant differences in translation for a phrase in verse 25…

NIV: “sacrifice of atonement” –Christ's death takes away sin.
KJV, ESV: “propitiation” –God’s wrath has been satisfied by thee sacrifice of Christ.
RSV, NAB: “expiation”/NAB God’s wrath has been covered and appeased; our condition has been rendered favorable.
NET, Tyndale: “mercy seat” Jesus is the mercy seat who intercepts God’s wrath and restores us to a relationship with God. *This is the most exact rendering of the Greek.

This Greek word is rendered "mercy seat" in Hebrews 9:5 as well. Under the Old Covenant, sins were forgiven but not absolutely/permanently taken away. Temple sacrifices had to be repeated; the Cross is the new Temple, and Christ’s blood covers our sin. The work is done.

"Innocent" and "unjust"

2010-08-04T14:32:00.000-04:00

I was reading an interview with a Moslem who was attempting to state the case that Islam is a religion of peace. Regarding so-called "extremists", she claimed that "we reject killing innocent people", then went on to quote the Qur'an, "If you kill one person unjustly it is as if you have killed the whole of humanity unjustly."

The problem with this is that Moslem leaders claimed that no "innocent" people died on 9/11, and that they died "justly". This is the problem we have with Islam claiming to be a religion of peace.

Dante's Infirmary

2010-07-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

Book Review: Paradise General by Dave Hnida
Having served as an Army chaplain with the 28th CSH in Desert Storm, I was eager to read how another CSH did in Iraq, which the author dubbed "Dante's Infirmary" and "Paradise General." Major Dave Hnida is a Reserve doctor who was assigned to the 399th CSH during the surge, which means he was kept busy every single day with horrific injuries. He was old enough to be most of his patients' father, which is one reason he volunteered to serve. Another was the service of his dad in WWII. I've read a lot of books about combat, but none as engaging as Paradise General, the best first-person account I've ever read about war...but as Dave says, it's really a book about life. He takes the reader into his experience of arriving as a fish out of water from a family practice to the very worst imaginable injuries ("the rude unhinging of the machinery of life") and operating under less-than-desirable conditions. A bond quickly formed with fellow physicians, and at times the narrative reads like a sequel to MASH. I found myself laughing and getting choked up with every chapter. As a chaplain, I appreciated his mention of faith, and I understand his reluctance to attend "military-style hooah chapel" services, which some chaplains are guilty of conducting. But his faith and friends get him through this hellish ordeal. He complains about the bureaucracy of the military subculture, but not with what troops call an "attitude problem." The little things, like the battle to get a decent cup of coffee (and NOT "foo foo coffee"), and the practical jokes the doctors played on one another are hilarious. He describes in detail the human face of the war, and how "some wounds just aren't fixable." The language is rough, but realistic, especially in a combat environment. There are stories you'll want to read again, and observations you'll want to remember. Don't get this from the library; you'll want your own copy.

Another Sunday walk

2010-07-08T10:58:00.000-04:00

I was asked this morning to support an organization holding a walk on a Sunday morning, which seems the time period for most walks these days, regardless of the cause. Why not Saturday or Sunday afternoon? Why are all these walks held during morning worship? Perhaps because the public deems Sunday morning a prime time to hold an event since nothing important is going on during that time--in their opinion. I do not support these events, no matter how worthy the cause. I respect the Lord's Day and it is not asking too much to expect organizations to hold their fundraisers (or awareness raisers) at some other time.

What defines us?

2010-07-05T06:57:00.000-04:00

As I talk with people, I often wonder what defines them…
-Their politics?
-Their health?
-Their jobs?
-Their relationships?
-Their interests and hobbies?
-Their faith?

And the answer is, to some degree, all of these. But which has prominence in their lives? Perhaps what they talk about the most. When I visit a shut-in, and all I hear are health concerns, and none of the other “defining” matters, I pretty-much know what has priority. Poor health can certainly seize our attention, but should it define us? I knew of a cancer patient who didn’t want to do a cancer walk because she was tired of being defined as a cancer patient…and that made perfect sense to me.

I would hope that our position as followers of Christ would get some priority. But if we never talk about our faith, perhaps it is a minor matter. May God get our attention so that we might give Christ preeminence.

2 options

2010-06-23T15:55:00.000-04:00

As I see it, there are only two options in life:

1) There is a God who made this world and has a purpose for it;

2) Everything came about by accident and nothing matters.

Which option seems best for you? I honestly can't think of any other option.

It’s one or the other: faith, or despair...meaning or meaningless...hope or futility.

The beauty of this world leads me to believe in a creative God who made us and the world in which we live. I believe we need to seek Him. I believe we can find Him. He's spoken to us--in the Bible. And His fingerprints are everywhere. A nature photographer observed, “Sunsets are God’s final brushstrokes on the beauty of the day.”

Without God, there is no basis for ethics. Why do atheists want there to be no God? So they can be free to do as they like. Without moral absolutes we’re left with personal preferences. But if God exists, it matters what we believe and how we live.

Why I go to church

2010-06-17T08:31:00.000-04:00

At a clergy roundtable discussion at Gordon-Conwell Seminary this week, one of the pastors gave an interesting reason why someone in his church decided to start attending his church. The reason: "I've got to find a better story than the one I'm living." I think if we were honest most of us would have to agree that the way we're going about life isn't working. We need a better Way. Our hope isn't found in education, political or economic reform...but in the comfort and direction God offers.

Protesting teachers

2010-06-15T13:17:00.000-04:00

This past week, public high school teachers protested their own students who were being honored for their choice to serve in our nation's military at a special assembly. They held up anti-military protest signs, claiming First Amendment privilege...if this was appropriate, then it may well also be appropriate for their students to hold up signs protesting their teachers during class.

Where did she think she was studying?

2010-06-10T15:47:00.000-04:00

According to Christianity Today magazine, a Muslim student campaigned to have the phrase "in the Year of our Lord" removed from her diploma, because it referenced Jesus Christ. The school? Trinity University. Maybe her diploma should list the school as "University."

The questions we ask future pastors

2010-06-06T13:26:00.000-04:00

Candidates for the ministry go before rigorous Vicinage Councils at which their theological positions are put under a microscope. I've attended two recently and was surprised at how few questions were asked about pastoral ministry. I'm assuming that, with a seminary education and a position paper I've already read, the candidate is doctrinally sound. Any concerns would be raised with their paper (which we don't need to dissect). What I want to know is whether this person is capable of working with people and ready to serve in a church. Most Vicinage Councils seek to determine if the candidate is a theologian. Doctrine matters, believe me, but the reason most pastors quit the ministry is due to a lack of people skills. Plus if the person is wanting to serve as a military chaplain, I have a host of other questions to ask to determine his/her readiness for this unique institutional calling. It is time to re-look the process of examining/appraising those who wish to serve.

the Annisquam

2010-05-31T17:39:00.001-04:00

In case you're wondering, the photo above is the Annisquam lighthouse off the coast of Cape Ann/Gloucester where the Annisquam River merges with the ocean. It's a great place for kayaking. There are so many scenic paddling places in the north shore and this is one of the best. Though we're living in a fallen world we can still get some glimpses of Paradise and anticipate the new earth that one day God will bring about, Eden restored, and a Day when "the knowledge of God will fill the earth as the waters cover the seas" (Isaiah 11:9).

Memorial Day

2010-05-27T13:25:00.000-04:00

It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the minister, who has given us freedom of religion (unless he's an Army Chaplain!).
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,who has given us freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier who salutes the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
-Father Denis Edward O’Brien, USMC

True Followers

2010-05-21T16:18:00.002-04:00

Are we true followers of Christ, or just believers according to contemporary standards? What does it really mean to be a “follower” of Christ? Jesus said, “If any of you want to be My follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:25). Taking up our cross means putting to death any plans or priorities that are self-centered and out of line with God’s will. We discover the will of God by first being willing to yield to God, letting Jesus be our Lord and Master. Being a disciple may involve some self-denial. The closest contemporary word to “disciple” is “apprentice”. We learn the Christian life by living it, often guided by others and by the time we spend in the Bible and on our knees. We may want to follow Jesus, but we sometimes are apt to tell Jesus what we need instead of surrendering to Him. When we pray, do we issue orders or report for duty? Discipleship means learning how to listen to Jesus, not getting Him to listen to us.

Jesus was approached by a wealthy young man (in Mark chapter 10) who wanted to know how to get to Heaven. He was disappointed to learn that Jesus wanted total commitment. Jesus knew that this young man had made an idol of wealth, and before we can come to God, we have to be willing to forsake anything that’s in the way. An idol is anything we trust in and love more than God. We can make an idol of our possessions, our education, even our relationships. When we put Jesus first, everything else in life fits into place. But it takes discipline to be a disciple. We need to make time for Bible study, worship, fellowship and Christian service. A pro football player expressed his passion for the game when he shared his personal motto: “Go hard or go home!” We could use the same commitment.

The time to be a follower of Jesus is NOW. It’s ludicrous to think, “I’ll visit people in the hospitals and prisons and nursing homes when I get to Heaven and have the time. I’ll tell people about Jesus and I’ll hand out Bibles to the lost.” We show that we believe Jesus by making Him part of every decision, every project. A man went to pick up his wife from church one Sunday. When she got into the car, he jokingly said, “So I guess the sermon’s finally over, huh?” She answered, “No, the sermon is only half-over. The Pastor is done preaching it, but now I need to go do it.” If we’re not living what we learn in church, all we’re left with are unfinished sermons. Let’s give the Master our all!

Anti-Semitism and self-hatred

2010-05-18T14:40:00.000-04:00

I think it’s important that the we understand the roots of anti-Semitism, and why it goes against the teachings of Scripture, both Old and New Testaments...

Initial animosity towards the Jews among the early followers of Christ was not possible, because the overwhelming majority were Jews. The Messiah’s arrival was the culmination of Judaism, and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. John the Baptist, who heralded the advent of Jesus, is often regarded as the “last Old Testament prophet” in that he was the last link in the prophetic chain. One has to only look through the Gospel genealogies to see the Jewish heritage of Jesus. The Apostle Paul, who was trained as a Pharisee, admitted that the Gospel was “for the Jew first” (Romans 1:16). Paul didn’t view Christianity as a religion distinct from Judaism. Faith in Christ the Messiah was the fulfillment of all Old Testament hopes and promises. Since Hebrew culture gave birth to Christianity, we find our true identity in connection with Israel. We could not exist without Judaism. The more biblical we become, the more Judaic we will be.

Jesus used Hebraic images to show His connection with Judaism: He stated that He was the true Vine, the Passover bread, the Temple and the atoning sacrifice. He declared that He was the embodiment of these Jewish symbols. Jesus did not start a non-Jewish Church.

Animosity towards the Jewish nation came for two reasons: First is the crucifixion of Christ. We need to understand that a small, special interest group, not the majority of Jews, but a faction in Jerusalem, put political pressure on Pontius Pilate, who lacked the integrity to refuse them. The Apostles’ Creed doesn’t blame the Jews, but states that Christ was “crucified under Pontius Pilate”. The buck stops in ancient Rome.

Although Jesus proclaimed Himself Israel’s Messiah, He was not theirs exclusively. He came for Gentiles as well, and gradually with massive conversions, the makeup of the fellowship of believers became increasingly non-Jewish. The move to Sunday worship was in part to focus on the day of our Lord’s resurrection, but also to distinguish Christian worship from Judaism and Sabbath traditions. Many Christians today believe we need to return to our Hebraic roots. Paul states in Galatians that when non-Jews receive Jesus as Lord, they become the spiritual seed of Abraham. This means that we are linked to the father of Judaism. To hate Jews is to hate one’s self. There is no room for hatred in any form in Christian thinking. We disagree with Jews regarding the Person and Work of Christ, but Scripture compels us to do so lovingly. Anti-Semitism is inconsistent with the love Jesus taught us to show towards all people.

God loves Israel. The Psalmist has declared, “the Lord has chosen Israel to be His treasured possession” (Ps 135:4). Zechariah records God’s warning to those who oppose Israel: “whoever touches you touches the apple of My eye” (2:8). The Jewish nation has maintained its ethnic identity in spite of numerous dispersions and persecutions, and according to Paul in Romans 11, God is not finished with His chosen people. He has a special future for them, in spite of their rejection of Jesus. They have stumbled, Paul states, but they have not fallen “beyond recovery” (vs. 11).

We see Christianity as a “Western religion”, but it is not. We have westernized Christianity by imposing our culture onto it. But Christianity is Jewish. As we study the First Testament, we Gentiles should see it as part of our story. From our Western/American cultural perspective the culture, customs, and traditions of Israel may seem strange, even alien to our experience. Yet when we trace our spiritual roots, we find the rich heritage of our father Abraham.

Vicinage Councils and Mentored Ministry

2010-05-15T19:45:00.000-04:00

Today our church convened a Vicinage Council to appraise the gifts and calling of a young man for the US Navy Chaplaincy. A diverse group of pastors, chaplains and seminary professors gathered to ask some challenging questions after the reading of the candidate's ordination paper, an overview of his theological positions and pastoral vision.

It is a wonderful thing when a local church can participate in the preparation of future clergy. We've been investing in our time to mentor and encourage two young men training for ministry. The Army used to have a slogan, "We don't ask for experience, we give it." I am convinced that this future chaplain will be better equipped to serve effectively in the Navy and manage to meet the unique challenges of military ministry.

Churches that are near seminaries should open their doors to seminarians and offer them an opportunity to learn by doing. Pastors should take the time to teach the skills that seminaries often don't cover. I think back on my seminary days; I learned theology but when called on to conduct my first funeral, I had no preparation whatsoever. I want to make sure this doesn't happen to others.

Being a mentor is an important work. The Apostle Paul was careful to develop Timothy, and seasoned clergy should be generous with sharing the wisdom of their experience to the next generation of clergy, to the glory of God

Natural Selection & the Fall

2010-05-11T20:00:00.000-04:00

I've been reading about how Darwin's natural selection contradicts the notion of God creating a world that He would call "good". Why would any Creator fashion a world in which animals prey on others and disease and death reign? Because this world isn't the world God originally fashioned. The world as we now see it isn't what it was originally. The Fall of humankind turned a garden into a grave. We have no concept of an innocent, pre-fall world. Yet in spite of it all, even our fallen world is pretty amazing, as secular nature videos can attest. When Jesus returns, He will right every wrong and the New Earth will be most unlike the present corrupted planet in which we live.