Christmas is Stupid

This has become somewhat of a tradition. Here it is for the third year in a row (with some minor edits):


Call me scrooge, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, or your favorite Christmas villain of all time. I don't care. Christmas just gets in the way most of the time anyway. I have things to do, messages to preach, and money I would rather spend on myself (at least I would get what I wanted that way). bah humbug!!!

What is it with Christmas? Why did I see Christmas lights up before Halloween this year? I can't even have thanksgiving (a truly great holiday) without it being ruined by Christmas music and images of Santa in lights. Going to Target or Walmart only makes things worse with their mass marketing of a holiday that doesn't even resemble the real Christmas story.

I am no longer safe!! I must hibernate until New Years!!

Maybe this seems a little over the top, but why do we have to sing the same songs every year. Isn't there any new Christmas songs we can do? Thank God and some musicians I have finally found some. If someone sings Joy to the World one more time I might fall into a great big depression (so much for Joy)

Let's be real, Christmas isn't about Jesus anymore, it is about companies mass marketing to kids so they can bug there parents about the latest and greatest toy until mommy and daddy spend the kids college fund in order to get it for them (that makes a lot of sense, "my kid isn't very educated, but she had great toys growing up!!"). If Christmas were about Jesus there wouldn't be all this pressure to buy, buy, buy!!!!!! Buying a gift for someone you love is one thing, but being told you are going to a party and you "need" to bring a gift is a little much. What if I can't afford it?

I have had enough, I am boycotting Christmas this year(when my wife and kids aren't around). I am not decorating (until my 9 year old tells me to). I am definitely not going to watch any Christmas movies (really, I won't do that, they can watch without me. Ok, maybe one of the Tim Allen movies because they are sort of funny). I guess that means I am going to have to stay away from every store on the face of the planet and stop listening to the radio, but I think I can do that (thank BP for pay at the pump).

OK, I need to go drink some coffee before I loose it (I am not putting candy canes or some kind of Christmas spice in it either!!!!!!!!)

(For those of you who are upset I love the Christ of Christmas, it's everything else that gets me)

What's Offensive?

Yesterday my wife was told that Catrina would not be able to sing "Jesus Loves Me" with her ventriloquist doll for the talent show. She had worked on a whole bit that included this song. I should tell you that originally she basically wanted to get up and simply share the gospel. My wife helped her figure out a little better way to tell people how much Jesus means to her. For the record neither my wife nor I suggested that she do this. We simply helped her prepare knowing that this might happen.

The final word is no in yet, as we have not heard from the principal. Still I am anticipating the phone call sometime today or maybe Monday. Evidently singing "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so" is offensive. I wonder if the same assertion would be made if it was sung, "Fred loves me so this I know for MySpace tells me so"? I know there are all kinds of assumptions because Jesus is a religious figure. Catrina is not asking them to ask Jesus into their heart or anything like that, she just wants to tell people how important Jesus is to her.

My guess is this will not be a huge issue and this will be settled quickly. I also am pretty sure that she will be allowed to do her bit. Never the less, this is one of those moments where daddy's earn all those hugs and kisses they get from their daughters.

Be an evangelist

Being a parent is hard enough, but passionately desiring to see your daughter and your son grow up to be servants of Christ is even harder. How do you handle a situation where your child is planning on doing something that will probably cause some waves, but it is a good thing to do?
My daughter is apparently an evangelist. Of this I am proud!! Still I am a little nervous. She is planning to tell people about Jesus at the school talent show using her ventriloquism. She was simply going to have her dummy (Carlos I think) tell everyone about Jesus. My wife is helping her do it in a more humorous way. Either way she is trying out for the talent show on Wednesday.
How do I handle this? I encourage her, and I get ready for battle. Satan can not be happy with this. To be honest, there is a part of me that hopes there will be a fight. I can't help but think that God would use that kind of a fight for His glory.
Well, let's just wait and see.

Role Confusion

I was recently asked a question regarding Jesus and politics. The question went something like this, "Would Jesus be a Socialist?" This is not a question that can simply be dismissed, nor can it be assumed the answer is a resounding yes. Without too much depth I think we can come to some important conclusions about this subject.

Many believe that since Jesus was so concerned about helping the poor or less fortunate that government programs which do these things are Biblical. It is true that Jesus was concerned about the poor as He was all people. It is also true that He sometimes chastised people for their lack of concern. There is one ingredient that must not be overlooked. Jesus did not attempt to change the government, instead he was concerned about people's heart. When Jesus commanded the Rich Young Ruler to give what he had to the poor it was not because Jesus believed the man had too much money and it wasn't fair. Instead Jesus told him to give what he had to the poor because the rich man valued his possessions too much. Jesus was not suggesting that the man be forced to give what he had to the poor rather that he willingly and joyfully give what he had. This is consistent with Paul's exhortation to be joyful givers.

In the past few years I have seen many people make what I believe is a significant mistake regarding the role of government in helping the poor or those who have had misfortune. Jesus teaching about compassion and love towards those who are less fortunate in some way is for the church, not the government. The government does not promote joyful and compassionate giving, it promotes forced and resentful redistribution of wealth. I don't want to dive too far into the political side of things, but it seems to me that forced compassion is no compassion at all.

When we allow the government to begin taking on these roles, we diminish the opportunity the church has to fill this very role. We take away ministry opportunities, and perhaps even opportunities to share the gospel. We make it easy for the church to become complacent. Some times a "good thing" or a "good program" in the wrong place or for the wrong motivation becomes less than good. Role confusion is not a small matter, it is actually very significant.

Winning is Everything

In the interest of full discloser, I am, by nature, a very competitive person. Over the years my competitive nature has gotten the best of me more times than I can count. My tendency is towards competition. To be honest, I hate it that I am not the best at everything I do, I have had to come to terms with this since there are probably people who are better than me at almost everything (I have come to terms by living in denial). Still the saying, "winning isn't everything" should be forbidden. Sure, we can and should learn from losing but we should never play to lose. It seems ridiculous to do anything without the intention of winning. Why start a business if you plan on going bankrupt? Why play a game if you plan on losing or simply don't care? There are times when winning isn't everything, like in a back yard volleyball game, but there are other times when winning is everything! And I really do mean everything. There are times when losing means death, or worse yet someone else's death. There are times when losing is the worst possible outcome. This is true for our soldiers who face death in a very real way, this is true for our police, our fire fighters, and it is definitely true when it comes to Jesus.

I coached little league baseball a couple years ago. I have to admit, I wasn't out to win the league championship. For a guy who has embarrassed himself by yelling at a few umps (only to apologize for my sinful actions later) at softball games this is quite and admission. Still, there was something more important for me to accomplish. I wanted to help these kids become better ball players even if they lost. I wanted them to enjoy the game, and I wanted them to learn what it meant to work hard for something. Winning wasn't everything. For the record we did win our share of games, but more importantly we learned to enjoy baseball. I might point out that this is the exception rather than the rule. There is a spiritual application to this train of thought.

Too often we look at Jesus like we look at 7 year olds playing baseball. Sure, we want them to win, but if we are honest we realize there are more important things in life than winning a little league baseball game at the age of 7. We treat church like its little league, we don't play to win, we play to feel good. Church and Christianity in this sense has been feminized (please don't send me angry emails ladies, I know some of you are very competative it is simply a generalization). The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9 that we are to run the race like we want to win!! The church isn't little league, and it isn't a back yard volleyball game. The church, Jesus, God, the Kingdom of God is the major leagues!! Anything less than winning the world series isn't enough. Jesus didn't send us into the world to make disciples when we have time or when we feel like it. He sent us with a goal to be accomplished, a battle to fight, and a victory to win. He gave us the task of making disciples of all nations starting in our own back yards. This isn't a joke and I promise both God and Satan are keeping score.

It is time we stopped trying to make everyone feel good. It is time we drew the proverbial line in the sand to find out who is really fighting to win and who is just taking batting practice. Spring training is over. It's time to stop playing for fun and start playing to win!!

The Greatest Nation and The Christian Faith

I love the U.S. I believe it is the greatest nation ever to exist on this planet apart from perhaps the nation of Israel when it was a true theocracy. I want to hang on to this nation as it was established as long as I can. Still I am under no illusions. This great nation will likely not be great forever. Its greatness may last another 5 years or maybe another 500 years. However long it lasts I will enjoy it. But what of my faith? Is my faith connected to my country? Should it be?

Sometimes I struggle with this, there is definitely some dissonance regarding my citizenship in the U.S. and the kingdom of God. I love Jesus first and foremost, but I find myself wanting to engage in political conversations more than spiritual ones. Maybe this is because I think politics are easier to talk about than spiritual things. I often find myself dealing with this conflict between my role as a pastor and my political convictions. In reality the two cannot be completely separated.

I don't stand up and preach politics even during presidential elections. A lot of the times I avoid making any kind of statements from the pulpit. Still there are a lot of political issues that should be heavily influenced by the convictions of our faith and a Biblical worldview. I don't want those who tend to have more liberal political views to be offended because my views tend to be more conservative. Yet it is hard for me to understand how people who believe and value God's word can come to conclusions that are different from mine (in certain areas).

So what am I to do? I don't know. I guess I will continue to stumble along trying to be mindful of what is appropriate in different situations. I will probably stick my foot in my mouth a few times, but oh well.

Basic Economics

I never took an economics course in school, not in high school and not in college. Still, I managed to understand what the economy was all about. Basically your provide a service or good and you get paid based on what the market says your service or product is worth. This seems so basic, yet so many students are graduating from high school without this basic understanding.

In my part time job at caribou coffee I work with young kids ranging from 16-22. Most of them seem to think the job they have been hired to do is somehow owed to them. This is a significant problem in our culture there are too many students who think they are some how "above" working at McDonald's or some other fast food joint. The ones that do work there don't seem to have a work ethic that has any kind of integrity. They punch in before they are ready to work and they punch out 10 minutes after they are finished with work. Once punched in they insist on standing around until someone tells them to do something.

I don't know if there is a point to this entry outside of complaining. Thanks for reading.

Gambling and the Bible

I have always been told that gambling is bad, that God hates gambling, and that gambling leads to poverty. I have listened to preachers (ones I highly respect) do gymnastics from behind the pulpit in an attempt to show that gambling is a sin. After all of this I remain unconvinced. I will admit that gambling can lead to poverty and that excess gambling is certainly sinful. Of course eating too much is also sin, so let's be careful where we go with the excess argument.

If I am to be honest, and I am, I must admit that I like to play a friendly game of poker from time to time. I also play fantasy football (I am not convinced that belongs under the label of gambling). As far as I can recall, that is the extent of my gambling exploits. Of course I haven't played poker in long time. So what is this post?

This is an invitation to convince me. I want to be convinced that gambling is a sin, but there are some parameters.

• If your argument references the effect of gambling too much on society I probably already agree with it. That does not make moderate gambling sinful.
• If you argument is scriptural it is more likely to be considered.
• If you argument is based on what you like or don't like I will remain unconvinced.
• Last, if your argument is a story about someone you know or simply a story you heard somewhere it will likely be disregarded.
• In the end the best arguments are Biblical and logical.

Scared to Disagree

I work at Caribou Coffee part time. For the most part I enjoy the job. I like talking to people and the coffee is pretty good too. Recently, however, I was informed that there are several people who don't like to work with me because I like to debate. I have to admit, I like to debate and have important conversations.

When I heard this I wasn't sure what to think, for most of my life I have been well liked by those I am around. Over the past several years I have become more bold in talking to people about controversial issues. I like to talk about them because there have been too many times where I have left important things unsaid. It seems like most people don't like to talk with people about things where they might disagree. Instead they would rather go through life ignorant and blissful. They have opinions simply because someone somewhere told them something was true. They arrive at these opinions and hold on to them strongly without ever questioning their validity. They don't really think about things as much as they feel about things.

So what now? This is tricky because for the most part I have a reputation based on only a few select conversations. I also have this reputation because I have allegedly said certain things that in reality I never said. Some of them were said by the person I was talking to and then attributed to me. First, I am not going to stop having these conversations, they are important ones and I would rather place questions in other peoples minds about important issues than be liked. Second, I am going to listen carefully not to their words, but to there emotions. This is going to be hard. Our world is full of thin skinned people. Unfortunately the only way our society will ever learn to have conversations about difficult issues is by having them. It's a lot like building up calluses when you are learning to play guitar.

Generational Sins Are They Real? Part deux

The comments left regarding the previous post on this subject have motivated me to leave another post on the same subject. Let me be clear, it would be ridiculous to think that the actions we take in life will not impact our children, their children, and so on. Generational sin, however, is often understood as something more then simply cause and effect.

The fact that children of divorced parents are far more likely to get divorced themselves or that abused children tend to become abusers is not evidence for generational sin, at least not good evidence. This is evidence of some kind of cause and effect. That does not mean it is a spiritual cause and effect. Attitudes and actions are seen and understood by kids and when they grow up they often follow those same patterns because it is what they know.

As I stated in my first post, there are more scriptures that speak about "generational sin." because they were brought up in the comments area I want to make a couple observations. First, Leviticus 26:34-45. This passage in a broader context is about simply disobeying God and how He will respond. God as Father tells His children if they disobey they will be punished by God. In other words this is not the work of a demon or Satan. I think these verses are likely talking about a cause and effect. Starting in Verse 40 confession and repentance is seen as a way to overcome the circumstances or punishment of God. In essence it is God who changes His attitude toward Israel. God keeps His covenant. This is consistent with Exodus 20 where the way to overcome this is by loving God (see the first post). Deuteronomy 28:58ff seems to be consistent with God doing the action and punishing Israel.

Let me be clear. If there is such a thing as a generational curse or generational sin especially as it is understood by many deliverance ministries these cannot be used to support that theology. I love hearing of stories where people come to Jesus and overcome oppression or even demonic possession. This is not an argument against the viability of Satan working, but it is a challenge to how we understand these things.

I will leave the demon possession and oppression argument for another post. Before we go down that road we need to find some kind of Biblical text that supports these curses (generational curses) being the action of Satan and not that of God. Certainly demons and Satan are real and at work, that is not the point.

This theology of generational curses has caught on because it allows people to blame someone or something besides themselves. It allows the believer to blame Satan or their parents for what they are doing. It alleviates themselves, in some sense, of any kind of responsibility of past actions. Forgive me for suggesting this, but is almost like purchasing an indulgence for past sins.

Stories are great, but it is important to remember that scripture helps understand our experiences not the other way around.

The Funeral Part 1

Funerals are a part of life, at least attending them is a part of life. Still the one I attended yesterday was particularly difficult. This funeral was for a child, a baby. This baby was born too early, he didn't have lungs that were developed enough to survive. The parents are friends of ours whom we love dearly. I respect and honor their strength.

I would not have been so strong, I would have been a wreck. My wife tells me I am a passionate person, I would never describe myself this way, but perhaps she is right. At this funeral the pastor put the normal spin on it. He said things like, "we are celebrating a homecoming for this baby" and "he (the baby) is in the arms of Jesus." We (I should say they, I couldn't muster the strength to sing) sang songs about children and how Jesus loved them or how they are such a great blessing. The normal passages about heaven and the time Jesus' spent with children were read. It was suppose to be this happy time, this celebration. I could not do it. I was not happy and could not convince myself to be happy.

Baby's are not suppose to die. Children are suppose to outlive their children. That baby may have "gone home," but he went home too soon. Why can't we just be mad at God once and a while? I am mad at God for allowing my friends to go through this. If it was my child, I would be absolutely furious. I wouldn't sing happy songs, I would probably go into a deep depression. Why does everything in Christianity have to be happy? How does an untimely death like this bring joy? This isn't a blessing, it is part of the curse!! It is the sinfulness of man and the curse that resulted from the sin of Adam and Eve that causes these kind of things. We need to take a look at how we deal with these things. Two hours, that is all the parents had, two hours...two stinkin' hours. What is so great about that? The first time the baby was ever tucked in it was at the funeral. His dad never played catch, and his mom never had the opportunity to change a dirty diaper or get up at 1:30 AM to feed him. There is nothing great or even good about this!

Matt (my friend) showed amazing strength. I would have been out of my mind. There needs to be a place for anger, for depression, for sadness, for crying, for all of this stuff. We don't have to be happy all the time!!

Bikini Car Wash

A few weeks ago we (www.wechurch.com) had a free car wash for people in our community to get their cars washed. It was great, we had a good time and made some good connections in the community. The week before our car wash was an interesting week. I saw a few other car washes and talked to several people about the car wash we were going to do. Now, let me explain the title.

One week before our car wash I was driving to a local archery shop where I was unexpectedly and suddenly distracted by what at first glance appeared to be a topless girl waving a sign. It turned out she was not topless, but here and several other HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS were wearing bikinis. There was no shortage of cars to be washed and a fair amount of honking. For the record my car remained dirty. A couple days before our car wash I was inviting a guy at the pizza place I frequent to bring his car to get washed. After inviting him he asked if there would be girls wearing bikinis. So, whats the significance?

Let me see if I can make the significance clear. If my daughter was fully and modestly dressed at a car wash where the other girls were selling their bodies for a school fundraiser she would be removed from the car wash. Our culture has become so inundated with sex that parents (probably some of them claim to know Jesus) allow their daughters to parade around in bikinis next to a busy highway. Am I so naive that somehow I have missed this progression to an all out sex crazed world? No, for the most part I have seen this happen in most areas of life. I was naive enough to think that some parents actually cared about how their daughters were looked at.

What will this post accomplish? Probably not much. Still this is a call to any parent who calls themselves a Christian to begin protecting their children. This is a call to stand up to culture. This means standing up to coaches, other parents, and maybe even school boards. This means being willing to say what no one else will. This means being popular is insignificant and unimportant. I am of course assuming that the parents who read this have emotionally moved beyond the popularity contest of high school. I am also assuming that you are more concerned about teaching your kids to do what is right than you are about whether they have a date for their Senior Prom.

If you read this and think that I am some insane parent who has clearly gone off the deep end, you might be right. Even if that is true, it is impossible to read scripture and believe that kind of behavior is acceptable.

American Idol & Hosea

It's amazing isn't it. I never thought of it before this moment, but the title of America's favorite reality show is about worship. What good is an idol if you don't worship it? Ironically I don't think most Americans worship the singers, although I am sure there are some who do. Maybe the American Idol has nothing to do with singing at all. Israel (or as Hosea like to call them Ephraim) made idols in their day. They did it with their hands. You might say it was like going to a craft show only the craft was little gods. America has created another kind of god.

During the time of Hosea the chosen people of God had begun worshiping Idols. Undoubtedly many of these same people attended worship gatherings on a weekly basis. Certainly they believed they were worshiping Yahweh. Yet if you entered their house or watched them the rest of the week you would certainly see the worship of idols. They did not see it as idolatry because they were simply worshiping the same god in different forms and using different methods.

Today in America our idol worship has become much more sophisticated. We don't generally worship wooden carvings or golden calves. We worship a god made in the image of man. We look at God and instead of seeking out Him we seek to change Him into something else. We want God to be a god that we like, one we can control, or one we can understand. The American Idol is one of the mind. These people who worship this false god are found all over the place. Many of them are found in the temple (church) worshiping on Sunday mornings. They believe they are worshiping Yahweh. They think they are worshiping Jesus the God-Man! In reality they are worshiping idols created by their own mind.

As seen continually throughout the book of Hosea the answer is first to see the error (exegetical preaching would help in this area) and then to repent. WOW, that is a little too Old Testament for me...wait, I guess the New Testament isn't really that much different. I guess Jesus demanded worship as the only way to the father. There is also that one passage that says something like there is only one name by which men can be saved. Hmmmm.

The idols in America are pervasive and found everywhere. Perhaps what hurts most to God is not that people worship idols, but that they confuse Him for someone else. Let me illustrate, I once went to a wedding where one of my former students was getting married. I knew the family well. I don't often where a suit (most people are shocked when they hear that I own one). As I was going through the greeting line the mother of the bride, whom I know well, did not recognize me. She thought I was from the grooms side of the family. Potentially that could hurt. This mom was embarrassed and apologized profusely (all is forgiven of course). This is the same kind of thing that happens with God. We have created this image in our mind, but it does not resemble the real thing. When we see the real thing we are confused, we realize we have been worshiping something that is not real.

Flying With Kids

Not long ago I heard about a family that was asked to get off an airplane because they refused to make their kid behave. Recently my family and I flew to Florida for vacation and Council (a national event for the C&MA). I was a little nervous about how my 22 month old boy would do.

He runs everywhere he goes climbs everything he can (at about 18 months I found him sitting on the kitchen table once and on one other occasion celebrating his accent to the peak of Mt. Bunk Bed). He doesn't sit still (except for Jeff Gordan and the other Nascar drivers) and the thought of asking him to sit still on an airplane for 1 & 2 hours on the same day was rather frightening. I thought for sure we would be the next family to dawn a poster for bad parenting. Sometimes I feel bad for parents because America has created a culture where punishment (especially physical punishment) is frowned upon and sometimes viewed as abuse. In this same culture we expect kids to behave when in public. We expect parents who don't discipline to some how find a way to control their kids when they do go into public places. There is nothing more irritating than going to a nice dinner with your wife and having some spoiled little kid screaming at his parents because he doesn't like the macaroni and cheese.

Our kids are pretty well behaved (although we are still working on tantrums with the boy). Still I wasn't sure if I could get away with spanking my boy on an airplane if I needed to do so. Fortunately it all worked out well, even the extra half an hour we spent on the Ground in Chicago. No spankings, only a tiny bit of crying, and Joash (my boy) loved the take off and landing. Of course it helped that he slept almost the entire flight from Chicago to Orlando.

I'll Say It If No One Else Will

It seems like no one really wants to say what is on every one's mind. The war on terror is essentially a war on Islam. I hate to say it, but Islam seems to breed terrorists. I know there are peace loving Muslims and most of them are not terrorists. Still after authorities stopped the attack on Fort Dix it seems the fight is broader than just organized terror groups.

These men were Muslims and they were terrorists, but they had no organizational connection to Bin Laden or any other terrorist groups. Yes they were radical, but radical seems to be in vogue with too many Muslims. This is a religious war between everyone who is not Muslim and those who claim to fight on behalf of Allah.

I am not blaming all Muslims for what some of them are doing. Still I rarely hear peace loving Muslims going after these Radical Muslims. If there are so many good Muslims then I would like to challenge them with these words: "All it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing." (Author Unknown) I fully support our president and our troops, but I do wonder if this war can be won if we do not know who our enemy really is. Perhaps we will win in Iraq, but the war on terror may last beyond this generation.

A Copy Cat Already?

A student in St. Johns County Florida was arrested for a plot to kill 100 students.

Things We Shouldn't Know

I am as curious as anyone about the state of mind the shooter had at Va Tech. I want to know what caused him to do such a horrible thing. I watched the video on TV because of my curiosity. Still I am not so sure it was good for me to see it. Perhaps this is the very kind of thing that should be voluntarily edited.

The networks have the right to do whatever they want with it. It was given to them. That said these networks will not even show a fan running out onto a football field. They won't do that because they do not want to encourage others to do it. Shouldn't the same logic be applied here? Showing this kind of behavior benefits no one. There is no upside it is disturbing.

Someone running out onto a football field or baseball field is pretty insignificant (and really stupid), but 32 people dead is not. This shooter referenced his idols (those who perpetrated Columbine) on this video. In essence this was a copy cat shooting. Instead of simply saying this guy was mentally ill (a case that could easily be made without the video of him with guns) we provide food for the sharks. This guy became famous in his death! That is what he wanted and we gave it to him. Now we have told any wanna be mass murderers that they too will become famous in their death if they do something like this.

We would have been better off not seeing these disturbing videos and not hearing the disturbing audio.

Nice job networks, way to show some self discipline!!

Jumping on the Gun Law Bandwagon

I hate to say it, but my mom was right again. Before I elaborate on what exactly she was right about let me make some things clear. Guns scare me. I love hunting and I enjoy shooting guns of all kinds. Still I have witnessed guns going off accidentally. Fortunately care was being taken and the gun was pointed in a safe direction! The only thing that got hit was the dirt. Of course one of my brothers accidentally shot his middle toe off with a deer rifle while deer hunting. Fortunately no deer were harmed in the incident.

Last year a student at Virginia Tech got in trouble for legally carrying a concealed hand gun to class. He had a permit to carry the weapon and was not breaking any law by doing so. Virginia Tech evidently believed a gun free zone was the best way to keep students safe. I wonder if we would be talking about this tragedy in the same way had VT decided to allow students who went through the necessary applications and training to acquire such a permit to carry on campus?

The thought of incompetent or unqualified people carrying around a hand gun scares the living daylights out of me. Still I continue to think about what my mom said, "if we outlaw guns only the outlaws will have guns!" It turns out in the gun free zone VT had created that adage was true. I guess mom is smarter than I thought.

Christianity and the Fairness Doctrine

I don't care what your political views are! Actually I do, but not for the moment. Whether you are liberal or conservative this is a big deal. The Fairness Doctrine (some of you may remember this idea from the mid 80's) is making a comeback. Basically this doctrine says if you propagate a conservative view you MUST also provide a liberal view on public airways. The reverse is also true.

At first this idea sounds good. You might be thinking, "hey this may allow my viewpoint to be heard by people who may not want to hear it, and that would be good!" Ya, you might be right about that, but is that really what you want? The opposite is also true. For the moment this doctrine is focused on political speech, but again what is good for the goose is good for the gander.............. OK, I don't know what that means but my grandma says it, so it must be good. I think it means that if this principal applies to political speech why wouldn't it apply to religious speech?

Imagine for a moment holding a church service in which you were preaching the gospel story (hopefully that is every Sunday) This service was going so good you thought an alter call might be appropriate. You had given a convincing presentation of the gospel story and there were many "unbelievers" attending that day. many people responded to the gospel, well say 15. What a day!!! Then when you were done a Muslim got up and pointed out all the flaws in your argument and presented the "Muslim gospel." If you think your services are long now, just wait!!

Of course this is crazy, it would never happen right! Don't be so sure. The right to free speech does not guarantee the right to be heard. We have to earn the right to be heard. That is as it should be. Examine the problems of preaching God's word in countries that do not allow free speech in a similar fashion to the United States. That should motivate you to pay attention to this political issue. Perhaps persecution is exactly what the church needs, but I would like to try without it.

The Culture of Entitlement and Laziness

In a society ruled by consumerism and ME, ME, MEness I am amazed at the lazy attitude so many teens and twenty somethings have toward their job. You would think those who demand so much of the world to revolve around them would understand something as simple as customer service.

No longer does anyone really need to be good at there job in order to keep it. All they have to do is show up on time and look busy most of the time. Never mind having any sort of competence. It seems so many people need a basic economics lesson. In other words: The company exist to make money, the customer consumes the product or service, so if the individuals who work for the company do a good job of providing the product or service the company makes more money and the employees make more money as well (if it is a good company).

I am sick of being ignored when I go to consume my product of choice and having to settle for a poor product. Certainly this is a parenting issue, but you would think in the many years most of these students spend in the school system they would find some time to explain the free market to students. I guess there is probably enough blame to go around to the employers as well. Of course lets not for the workers themselves.

All I ever hear from so many people is a bunch of whining and complaining, "I don't get paid enough, so I'm not going to work hard" (maybe that is why they don't get paid well), "I don't have health insurance" (as if that is somehow the companies fault. Work a little harder and maybe you will get some benefits, they aren't free for the company to provide so it is just like a pay raise), "I am not doing my job because I don't like it" (fine, go live in a homeless shelter and see if you like that!). The list seems endless!!

I have only two words for those people, MAN UP......That should work for the men at least.

For the women I have different words they are the same as "man up" except they are more gender sensitive. I would simply say them, but I am afraid that would be too direct for the ladies. I figure if I beat around the bush and imply the meaning women will understand more clearly what I am trying to say only they won't take any offense to it. Of course I am beginning to wonder if my choice of many words is really keeping me out of trouble. As with my wife I am afraid that in my attempt to be more considerate and gentle I have simply dug a deeper hole than if I had just come out and said what I was thinking.

It's The Churches Fault!

The "church" is the culprit of many things. It is the church that has, at times, done such things as support Hitler, performed witch hunts, used political power for unworthy causes, protected pedophiles, and probably other horrible things. When the church does perpetrate evil, it should be held accountable!

Many evils the church is given credit for perpetrating are not really the church's fault at all. In many circles the church is viewed as being harsh and judgmental. Sometimes it is, but more often than not it is more a perception than a reality. We all have stories about we have been judged or hurt by someone. I know I do. I am not convinced the church is nearly as judgmental as they have been made out to be.

I have experienced two things that I believe show this perception to be at least partially false. First, I have seen to many people with a guilty conscience claim judgmentalism when there wasn't any. I have watched people who have sin or some other kind of struggle claim people were talking behind their back, avoiding them, or judging them in some way when people didn't even know anything was going on.

Second, I have found that when people are brave enough to be honest about their struggles more often than not the church responds with love and a desire for restoration.

Maybe it (whatever it is) is not the fault of the church as much as the fault of fallen humanity in general. Maybe we should quit blaming the church for everything and simply do our best to practice biblical Christianity.

I'm Not Against Anything

Today I met with a bunch of pastors in my area. One church has been having revival meetings. Of course revival meetings probably bring all different kinds of thoughts and emotions for people. These meetings are being portrayed as building the body and "unifying" in nature. I am all for revival as long as it doesn't mean I have to go brain dead in the process. Let me explain.

The "Revivalist" ( I was unaware that anyone could actually hold that kind of a title ) came and shared his heart. He was very humble. He seemed like a nice guy who had good motives. Let's be clear. I am going to critique his methods and and the conversation we had with the other pastors. I am not attacking him as a person or even questioning his spirituality. I am qualified to do neither.

First, let me say the among pastors there appears to be many who like to keep the peace, but few who are willing to actually see that we can have some disagreements about things, even strong disagreements. Why is that every time I disagree with another pastor there is always someone there to tell me we are actually saying the same thing? This happened several times today. I was not saying the same thing. Of course I could understand how this mistake could me made since this guy was trying so hard not offend anyone that he was actually doing a good job of offending everyone.

God is not the god of diversity (unless you are talking about skin color or ethnic background, that is what diversity meant in the past). God is not the god of the Muslim, Buddhist, and Jehovah Witness. He is the God of the Christian, the Christ follower. This guy ( I will not mention his name to protect him and myself ) said God is the god of diversity. Though this may be a difference in terminology, it is imperative that we understand diversity doesn't mean what it used to mean.

Being for Jesus is great, but when you are for Jesus and believe in his teachings you are by default against many things. This man said, "I am not against anything, I am just for Jesus!" We had a lively discussion regarding this issue and I appreciate his willingness to have that discussion without taking any kind of personal offense. It turns out, thanks to one of the other pastors there, that him and I agree (sort of). It is true (I think) that we agree that Jesus takes stands against sin in general. It is also true that both of us would rather not offend people unnecessarily. Unfortunately we very much disagree on the method we will use to avoid offending. He would rather avoid the issue all together and I would rather make my stance clear and let people know God loves them and has paid the penalty for their sin on the cross.

Unity does not mean putting doctrine aside. We can be united without worshiping under the same tent. Doctrinal differences can get in the way of some things, but they also serve a purpose. He pointed out that many Pentecostals are willing to participate in events that non-Pentecostals are putting on, but the opposite is not true. He is probably correct in his observation. There is a good reason for this. Sure it looks like it is hypocritical on the surface, but a closer look will reveal that it is not. Those who practice tongues in what I would say is a biblically inappropriate way or slay people in the spirit or use "prayer cloths" or "laugh in the spirit" or "bark in the spirit" can quickly become distractions rather then contributing to anything. This makes (at the very least) a very uncomfortable atmosphere for those who disagree with these practices. In the opposite situation our culture is used to people sitting quietly and listening or doing things like singing in a group (everyone was in choir at one point even if they were terrible). Even if someone doesn't sing it is hardly noticed.

I could probably go on, but I won't. Unity is over rated when it means I have to give up much of what I believe to be true just to get along. I would rather have clarity and have enemies than have a bunch of friends who have no idea what I believe.

Is Christianity Useful?

Is this the question we must answer? The goal of the church is to reach the world, to make disciples. How the church answers this question might well determine what road we travel and if that road leads to a dead end.

It seems like this is the question the church has focused on. The church growth people of the 80's and 90's tell us we must find out what peoples "felt needs" are and meet them. When we do that we will grow. They are undoubtedly right, but is this kind of growth the problem or the solution? I honestly don't know for sure. The emerging church gives us a very similar message focusing on a more social gospel. Again, I don't know if this is all bad as long as we don't lose sight of the gospel story and man's need to be saved. That said, the question "is Christianity Useful?" has at its center a poor premise. The idea that God is either useful to me or He is irrelevant is a very dangerous idea. This concept will lead us to either a name it and claim it theology or perhaps a moralistic view of Christianity (Live Your Best Life Now).

We should expect non-Christians (I am not sure if it is PC to say "non-Christian" perhaps I should say "eternally challenged" or "friends of fire") to have that kind of perspective. The problem is many "Christians" have this very perspective. They want to know what their church can do for them without ever asking what they can do for their church. It is all about God serving my needs without ever asking how I might express love and gratitude to my savior (Obedience John 14).

I wonder if this is the same question Israel asked when they turned their back on Yahweh and toward Baal. Baal was useful, he could be manipulated and contorted to take on the form any individual wanted.

Perhaps the answer to the question is Christianity is not useful. Sometimes it is a burden, but it it true and right. It is much more cumbersome and difficult to approach life with concern for God and others then it is to simply ask what is best for us.

I will be back to the gay theology on my next post. Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I have been out of town.

Conversations with a Pro-Gay Pastor: Good arguements

There is a difference between having a discussion about what the Bible says about homosexuality and a discussion about the political decisions being made in our country regarding the same issue. Before we go on and speak about the biblical arguments I want to suggest that none of these are good arguments regarding political decisions. Most people who would like to see the marriage laws changed so that same sex marriage is recognized by the state don't give credence to the Bible anyway. There are good arguments apart from scripture that can be used in that situation.

In my conversation with the gay pastor I started with Leviticus 18-20 & 20:13. Pro- Gay theologians would like us to simply disregard this passage. They attack the traditional view that these verses can be taken at face value by listing several Levitical laws we no longer pay any attention to. It is important to note that non of the laws I have heard referenced are found in the immediate context. Actually the opposite is true. Bestiality, incest, and child sacrifice are found in the immediate context. Most, if not all, pro-gay theologians would say these things are immoral and against God's law. It is not only important to take notice of this, but to point out the inconsistency. Second, they will say these verses are not valid in today's situation because it is specifically speaking about cultic practices. While it certainly is speaking about cultic practices these things are mentioned to show the depravity of the cultic practices and the societies that practice them. This would be inconsistent with Paul's treatment of eating meat that was part of cultic practices in 1 Corinthians 10. The fact that cultic practices are being referenced actually strengthens the traditional view.

Starting with Leviticus is also good because it allows you to show consistency in Scripture regarding this issue. There are several reasons to take this passage seriously, but there is one that is often overlooked. When Jesus was asked about the great commandments he first quoted Deuteronomy 6. Then he continued and quoted Leviticus 19:18. It appears that Jesus' view of Leviticus, specifically these chapters, was very different from the way pro-gay theologians would like to treat this passage.

The third way pro-gay theologians will attack this passage is the Hebrew word translated abomination. They say this word is reserved for references to cultic practices. This is clearly not true. This word is used over 100 times in the Old Testament alone. Many of those instances do not have any connection to cultic practices including Prov. 6:16ff.

Some of the same arguments regarding cultic practices are used in reference to Romans 1. Again I would point out that the Romans 1 passage is a list of sins which show the depravity of mankind. It does not appear to list any neutral or good things (unless you hold a pro-gay position). Romans 1 again shows consistency regarding the homosexual issue. A plain reading of this passage makes clear the perspective God holds regarding the issue of homosexuality. The attempts to discredit this passage are shallow at best. A simple reading of the passage and consideration of the language used should be sufficient to debunk any of these arguments.

There is a third passage which in conjunction with the Leviticus passage is very powerful. This passage is 1 Corinthians 6:9. The pro-gay theologians attack this passage by saying Paul coined the Greek term translated homosexual and it is unclear whether this term refers to homosexuality as it is practiced today. Instead Paul is referring to some form of temple prostitution or pederasty. It is true that Paul coined this term along with over 170 other Greek terms. Instead of saying we simply can't know what it means we should perhaps consider where this word came from. Without going into a bunch of Greek I will simply point out that this term is a combination of two words which are found in the Septuagint. Specifically in Leviticus 18:22 & 20:13. It appears Paul was making a specific reference to those passages.

It appears the Bible speaks clearly on the issue. It is consistent and to the point. The New Testament backs up the Old Testament. Jesus himself gives credence to the Leviticus passage. the question then is not whether the Bible condemns homosexuality, the question is what should we do when confronted with the truth?

My next post will deal with how to present these arguments in a conversation.

Rocky II

I wonder if I have to do six posts about Rocky Balboa? I saw the movie last night with my wife. It was a nice farewell tour to the movie. While I was never a huge Rocky fan I do like Stallone. There was one truth that hit home with me more than anything else about the movie.

Rocky if fictional, but I bet if we take the time to think about it we could think of some real life characters who resemble him. For me the best and most inspiring part of the movie was not the fight itself, it was what Balboa says to his son, "how hard of a hit can you take and keep moving forward?" (something like that).

No one lives a charmed life. Every one is going to take hits (just like in boxing or my favorite ultimate fighting) being good isn't about having the greatest technique or how good your overhand right hook is. It is more about your chin. No matter how athletic you are or how good your defense is someone is going to catch you at some point. Are you going to be able to take the hit? We have all probably taken some hits in life, maybe even our spiritual life. The questions is not what we have done or how bad did we mess up, the question is what are we going to do next.

Proverbs 24:16 says, "for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity."

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Pr 24:16). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Bible or Koran

Kieth Ellison is the first Muslim to be elected to congress. At the ceremony to be sworn in Rep. elect Ellison wants to use the Koran instead of the Bible. Dennis Pragar (A Jewish talk show host) has asked Mr. Ellison to use the Bible because of its influence in the establishment of our country.

I thought we could take a little pole to see what everyone thought. Should he use the Bible or the Koran? Respond to the post with your vote.

Why I don't read the paper!

My son woke me up this morning crying (18 months old). Sometime during the night he found his way into my bed. Still, it was a good start to the day. I drove my daughter to school (7, almost 8) which I don't normally do. Normally I get to sleep in a little bit. Still, a great day. Then I went to the local coffee shop where I spend a lot of time. It is basically my office. Before I went inside I heard some disturbing news about schools and "trans-gender" students. I am talking about grade schoolers. I listen for a few minutes getting more and more upset by the moment. Then I went in and booted up the laptop only to read Chuck Colson's article about the culture of death in England and the church's promotion of it.

Thanks for reporting Chuck! It was a good day, but now I am just angry. I don't read the paper, but evidently I can't listen to the radio or go on the internet either. Perhaps I should just be content in the fact that the world is hopeless. I keep fighting for what is right and I keep hoping people will learn to think clearly and biblically about things, and I keep getting disappointed.

I can't wait until Jesus comes. I just get so sick of this world!! Sometimes I want to look at the world and say, "Go to Hell!" Of course I mean that literally. But then I realize I deserves hell too. I love the gospel! I love Jesus! I love the church, even as messed up as it is sometimes!

Christmas is Stupid!!

Call me scrooge, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, or your favorite Christmas villain of all time. I don't care. Christmas just gets in the way most of the time anyway. I have things to do, messages to preach, and money I would rather spend on myself (at least I would get what I wanted that way). bah humbug!!!

What is it with Christmas? Why did I see Christmas lights up before Halloween this year? I can't even have thanksgiving (a truly great holiday) without it being ruined by Christmas music and images of Santa in lights. Going to Target or Walmart only makes things worse with their mass marketing of a holiday that doesn't even resemble the real Christmas story.

I am no longer safe!! I must hibernate until New Years!!

Maybe this seems a little over the top, but why do we have to sing the same songs every year. Isn't there any new Christmas songs we can do? If someone sings Joy to the World one more time I might fall into a great big depression.

Let's be real, Christmas isn't about Jesus anymore, it is about companies mass marketing to kids so they can bug there parents about the latest and greatest toy until mommy and daddy spend the kids college fund in order to get it for them (that makes a lot of sense, "my kid isn't very educated, but she had great toys growing up!!"). If Christmas were about Jesus there wouldn't be all this pressure to buy, buy, buy!!!!!!

I have had enough, I am boycotting (when my wife and kids aren't around) Christmas this year. I am not decorating (until my 7 year old tells me to). I am definitely not going to watch any Christmas movies (really, I won't do that, they can watch without me. Ok, maybe one of the Tim Allen movies because they are sort of funny.) I guess that means I am going to have to stay away from every store on the face of the planet and stop listening to the radio, but I think I can do that (thank BP for pay at the pump).

OK, I need to go drink some coffee before I loose it (I am not putting candy canes or some kind of Christmas spice in it either!!!!!!!!)