End It Movement

Today, February 27th, is being used as a day to highlight the scourge of modern day slavery.

Why the 27th?


For starters, best estimates of the number of slaves right now is 27 million.

That is 27 million people that don't have the freedom to come and go as they please. People that live under fear and coercion, who suffer violence or the threat of violence daily.

They may be child sex slaves in southeast Asia or eastern Europe. It might be a family stuck in bonded labor in India, trapped on a brick kiln. It could even be an immigrant held against their will in the United States.

I've long advocated for the fight against modern slavery. It breaks my heart to know that their are people caught in such a horrible web. It hides in the dark, so it takes a lot of people shining the light to help expose it.

Please take a moment today to educate yourself a little on this issue. In my sidebar on the right I have listed several organizations that work in the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery.

Twitter is a great place to find organizations that fight this. Some that I know about are:
@IJM - International Justice Mission
@EndItMovement
@NFS - Not For Sale
@SavingInnocents
@AgapeIntMission - Agape International Missions
@TraffickingEnd
@TheSoldProject
@TheA21Campaign
@ECPAT - ECPAT International
@F2W - Free2Work
@SomalyMam
@Polaris_Project
@Love146
@FreeTheSlaves
@GEMSGirls
@CNNFreedom - CNN Freedom Project

There are others out there. It only takes a minute to look one up and find out what you can do in daily life to make a difference. If nothing else, put a red "X" on your hand today. When people ask you what it means, tell them you're shining a light on modern slavery.

Most of all, pray for the victims. Pray for those on the front lines of the fight. Pray for justice from the God of justice.

We can make a difference!

Let's do it.
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Is Missional "The New Legalism?"

There's a post from World Magazine making the rounds in Christian circles by Anthony Bradley entitled, "The New Legalism." He wrote it in response to a tweet he sent out that said:

“Being a ‘radical,’ ‘missional’ Christian is slowly becoming the ‘new legalism.’ We need more ordinary God and people lovers (Matt 22:36-40).”

 He goes on to decry the people that call for Christians to live missional lives and to walk in a radical Christianity. He makes a case that it comes from Millenials disdaining the suburbs they were raised in and the narcissistic world we live in now where everyone is special and needs to do grand things for God in order to be fully walking as Jesus walked.

I saw it posted by Mike Duran and Jaime the Very Worst Missionary, both mentioning it as an interesting read. It is a thought-provoking piece, but I think it is a flawed premise that misleads by focusing on a few points in exclusion to the whole context.

There are some areas where I agree with Anthony. I came of age in Christianity in the Charismatic/Third Wave movement of the 80s and 90s. Well-meaning preachers would call us the Joshua Generation (Psalm 24) and proclaim how we would do great things. Prophecies were made (it was Charismatic after all) and I was encouraged that I could be a leader/teacher/missionary and so on. I believed I had a call to missions, and I did two stints with Youth With A Mission in their Discipleship Training School and School of Biblical Studies.

Something happened in Bible school. God told me to get a skill. I went into medicine, thinking it could open doors for the mission field. Except...I got married. Now, I married my best friend who had also been in missions, and she taught school which would be another great tent-making opportunity. Except...we started having kids. And I had school loans. We bought a house.

All of a sudden I was settled down into a suburban life. I went to church on Sundays, tried to establish my career, coached kids in soccer, and wondered when I would get into missions, my real call.

This is where I agree with Anthony. In the Charismatic stream I came from, greatness was the promise we were told God had for us. I could see myself traveling and teaching, ministering in different countries. There was some narcissism there. Prophets never seemed to say, "You're going to live a boring life in the town you grew up in." There was always more suggested.

The problem was that basic commitment to serve the Lord in whatever way He called us. I was always willing to do whatever, or at least that's what I said. Still, I had my idea what that meant, and I struggled when things didn't go that way. If I had a heart for missions, why was I still in the U.S.?

Then last year things were turned upside down in our lives.

We found ourselves in a like-minded group that didn't have expectations of going to a regular church and doing the "typical Sunday things." We asked God what we could do. He gave us the Outreach Saga, where we met locally in the midst of a low-income housing area and worked with people that felt on the outside of church.

In the midst of this upheaval I've started following people like Neil Cole, Alan Hirsch, Francis Chan, and David Platt, people associated with groups like the Verge Conference. Verge talks a lot about missional, radical Christianity. And Anthony wonders if too much pressure is being placed on young Christians, teens and college students, to do something extraordinary in their lives. If they don't do certain things, they aren't being the best Christians they can.

Anthony creates a straw man argument here. Yes, if leaders are telling people that you can only live for God if you do a certain set of things, it is a form of legalism just like the Pharisees. The problem with this is that it is an extreme and not the norm, as far as my perspective goes. I think Anthony has a particular theological slant against David Platt as evidenced by his review of Platt's book. I don't know all of Platt's teachings, so there may be more here than I realize.

However, Anthony's article makes it sound like every Christian is being told by the missional/radical movement should move to the inner city, do social justice and artistic work, and give up worldly possessions to proclaim the gospel.

You know what. Why not?

I think it comes down to being obedient to what God calls you to do. If it is to work in a successful law firm and make money so you can support other ministries and causes, that is great. If it is to volunteer your law skills to help victims of trafficking, great.

Anthony seems to be asking for a corrective. Americans are very into themselves, and I know that some of the theology and teaching/prophecy from my early years tickled my ears more than spoke of true discipleship. But doesn't the church in America need awakening?

I have many friends that give up so much for the sake of the gospel. I have other friends that love God but segment their lives and don't live in the fullness I believe God has for them. They travel out of town to a large, fancier church with a gifted teacher as the pastor to worship and get fed...and that's it. I know they go there so it can be no muss, no fuss. They don't have to get involved with the church, because it is large and they are anonymous. They don't have to get in the midst of people's messy lives if they don't want to.

I fear this is a large segment of American Christianity. Thus I believe a call to discover missional living, where people are intentional in all they do in order to be used for the Kingdom, is sorely needed. I see the need for Christians to be called to "radical" Christianity. The issue is that it shouldn't be radical in the first place - it should be common-place of a disciple of Christ.

The intro to Anthony's article states:

Is Paul’s urging to live quietly, mind your own affairs, and work with your hands (1 Thessalonians 4:11) only for losers? Do you feel that you’re wasting your gifts if you “settle” into an ordinary job, get married early and start a family, or live in a small town or suburb?

I did struggle with this for a time. I knew God was an extraordinary God, and I wondered if I was missing out. I was faithful serving in my local church, and walked with Him the best I could. Slowly I realized there are seasons of testing or training, and there are seasons of adventure. I knew in my head that we are all missionaries wherever we are, but now I am living it in my heart as I work among the people at the housing complex. I don't have to travel or speak to large groups. I am allowing God to use me to target a small, specific group of people, and it is right where I am supposed to be. I don't worry about not fulfilling my call, because I know I am now.

God can use us in so many ways. But "living quietly" in the above verse also must be alongside "take up my cross and follow Me."

I'm glad I read the article. It sharpened my thinking in this arena. But I disagree with the premise that a missional or radical emphasis is inherently legalistic. My blog is called Spoiled For The Ordinary. We may live an "ordinary" life. But our God is anything but ordinary, and I believe all Christians would do well to see the crazy love He gives us and then go and do likewise. 

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Special Offer From Frank Viola

Hey, I've been following a lot of stuff by Frank Viola in the last year, and I've been tremendously blessed by his work. His latest book just came out. Check out below for more information and a special offer if you order it before May 7th.

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Frank Viola’s new book, God’s Favorite Place on Earth, has just released. If you get the book between May 1^st to May 7^th, you will also receive 25 FREE books from over 15 different authors.

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Recommendations

“In Frank Viola’s hands, the story of Lazarus—like Lazarus himself—once again comes to life. In a world where hope is battered and life can so easily beat down the human spirit, we are reminded once more of the possibility of becoming a host of Life.”

John Ortberg, pastor and author of Who Is This Man?

“God’s Favorite Place on Earth realigned my heart toward Jesus and His mysterious, confounding, surprising, beautiful ways. It’s not often I learn something new when reading a book, but Frank Viola’s sharp storytelling and insightful interpretation made me hunger for more of the real Jesus.”

Mary DeMuth, author of Everything: What You Give

“God’s Favorite Place on Earth is the kind of book I’ve discovered I need to periodically find and read. Frank Viola’s pen and voice are consistently both penetrating and trustworthy. Beyond his invitingly beautiful writing skill—which makes reading a joy and a sight-seeing tour that brings God’s Word into 3-D when he relates narrative passages, I’m grateful for the depth of his themes.”

Pastor Jack Hayford, Chancellor of The King’s University, Los Angeles

“This is a masterfully engaging book that distills the vision of the Christian life into one focused quest: To be God’s favorite place on earth today. I recommend this little volume to all Christians and Christian leaders.”

Mark Batterson, New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker

“Combining masterful storytelling, historical knowledge, biblical insight and practical wisdom, Frank artfully uses the Gospels’ depiction of Lazarus and the small town of Bethany to lay out a beautiful and compelling vision of a God who longs to make every human heart and every church ‘His favorite place.’ This is a beautifully written, timely, prophetic work all would benefit from reading!”

Greg Boyd, pastor and author of Benefit of the Doubt

“A lot of people write books, Frank writes stories and in this one we once again see why he’s such a master. Honored to call him a friend, excited to call him an author I love to read.”

Jon Acuff, bestselling author of Start, Quitter, and Stuff Christians Like 

“Frank Viola surpasses himself in his best book yet—a work of serene, soaring magnificence. Part novel, part biography, part theology, part Bible study, Frank’s imaginative touch and command of prose haiku leaves the reader resolved more than ever to be a Bethany—God’s favorite place on earth.”

Leonard Sweet, Drew University, George Fox University, sermons.com

“Reading God’s Favorite Place on Earth by Frank Viola, my soul began to burn from Chapter One. To delve into Lazarus’ heart and thoughts … I received a beautiful glimpse into the life of Christ on earth. Lazarus’ stories make a perfect foundation for God’s truth, God’s intimacy. I can’t wait to share this book!”

Tricia Goyer, USA Today best-selling author of 35 books

“In spite of my Ph.D. in Theology, I had never considered the importance of Bethany in the life of Jesus.”

Phil Cooke, media consultant and author of Unique

“The best thing I can say about Frank Viola is this: When I read his books—and I read them all—I don’t think much about Frank Viola. I think about Jesus. And I learn to love Him more. This book is no different. Read it, and you’ll find yourself thinking, if you’re like me, ‘I knew Jesus was great, but… Wow!’ And that, at least from me, is as good as it gets.”

Brant Hansen, Radio personality and blogger 

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CSFF Tour - Broken Wings Day 3

Day 3 of the CSFF Tour - the wrap up day.

We've been featuring Shannon Dittemore and her latest book,  Broken Wings, second in the Angel Eyes trilogy. I introduced the book on Monday, and gave my overall review yesterday.

I wasn't quite finished though.

Being a Christian novel, there is another layer to consider when reviewing or discussing a book like Broken Wings. There are the spiritual underpinnings of a CBA book to explore.

Faith can be applied as one layer of a multi-layered story. It may be more of a base layer, the foundation of what happens, but not as apparent on the surface. This would be a book where a character is a Christian, but overt aspects of faith aren't featured in the story. Or it may be a novel written with the idea of a Christian worldview without explicit statements or actions of Christianity. I wouldn't say these are any less of a Christian novel, but the story has another purpose. It isn't dealing with the specifics of faith and belief.

Other novels are Christian from specific content. Whether it is set in a church community, a crisis of faith, or a conversion story, the author wants to explore themes and ideas of faith and religion. The layer of faith is close to the surface, easily discernible.

Since Broken Wings deals with angels and demons, it is not the former.

It is a criticism if a book forces the faith aspect when it isn't natural to the story. It comes across as preachy. Thankfully, Shannon has created an organic exploration of faith, fear, and living for worship in her series. Brielle is on a journey of faith, and throughout she has ups and downs. She can see into the spiritual realm, what Shannon terms "the Celestial." It is the crux of the plot.

It doesn't become a gimmick. The spiritual life is a beautiful thing in Broken Wings. By ascribing colors to emotions and spiritual aspects of life, it allows for imaginative descriptions of what happens in the unseen realm. Worship shows colors dancing in ribbons and waves that captivate Brielle. More than having "angel eyes," she can sense the spiritual. She can smell worship. Rich scents accompany worship. Hearing the angelic worship draws her and calls to her. Brielle may not be a singer, but as a dancer she expresses her feelings in movement, and this is a precious depiction of a way of worship that is not always appreciated in church today.

The descriptions are rich and varied, but the themes resonate with power. I don't want to spoil things, so I won't explain each one, but one theme is sacrifice. As the little cherub Pearla notes toward the end:

"It's the greatest expression of love, she knows, to lay one's life down. But she wonders if humans know just how unique the ability is to do that. Death is not something an angel has to offer her loved ones. How glorious it must be to have one's days numbered by the Father.

How precious it makes each and every one." (page 259, emphasis mine)

What a statement to consider. Wow.

In short, Broken Wings is exactly the type of Christian YA fiction I would want my daughter to read. Now, she's only four, but I will be saving these for her.

That's all I have for this tour, but there are other great people talking about this book - just go to Becky Miller's page to find other posts. And remember how precious each day is.
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Escaping The Zombie Life

The Walking Dead just ended.

I actually can't watch horror shows with things like zombies. My imagination is too active and too sticky - I will retain what I see and it will keep coming back to me. Don't like it, so I don't watch them.

But in honor of the cultural zeitgeist that is The Walking Dead, let me share some thoughts on zombies. And yes, this is for Mission Mondays!

Zombies are such a big deal in pop culture right now. I did try to watch Zombieland in the past to be up on things. In the movie the main guy, Columbus, has an attractive neighbor in apartment 406, whom he silently crushes on her. As things start going crazy in the world, he finds her banging on on his door, asking to stay with him. She barely escaped an encounter with the undead, and wanted some company after her trauma.

They dozed on the couch, but Columbus woke up just in time. Miss 406 apparently had a closer call than she let on, because her eyes were sunken, her skin was pale, and she hungered for more than his company.

He jumped away just before he got more than a playful nibble on his ear. I suppose he got away as it was too early in the movie for the hero to die, but I couldn't deal with the suspense and violence of her chasing him around.

This is something I can control - whether to subject myself to something like that movie.

Still, the zombie theme makes me think of the struggles we have in the Christian life.

See, she didn't come in to his apartment intending to munch on him. She was infected by a virus (as most zombies are) and she was driven to fulfill her flesh. Desire for flesh. Whatever.

Have you ever felt like this - not able to control what you want to do? At least we're not alone. We have good company in Paul.

Romans 7:14-24
     We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
    So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?

The sin nature in us is powerful. Paul is talking to Christians in this passage. These aren't people who need Jesus - but people who have already found Him. In Romans 1-8 Paul talks about the three stages of Christian life - the full process of salvation.

1. Justification - The initial entrance into the Kingdom (what most people think of as salvation, when our debt is paid).
2. Sanctification - Discipleship; growing in Christ. 
3. Glorification - Eternal life in heaven.

So how do we get out of walking in the sin nature?

Galatians 5:22-25 tells us about the fruit of the Spirit. Beautiful attributes are listed: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. However, as my pastor has said recently, we are not responsible, nor are we able, to live the Christian life.

We can't manufacture the fruit. I have an apple tree. I can talk nice to it. I can encourage it, exhort it, but I can't get a nice red apple unless - there is death.

I'm amazed at my compost pile each spring. The dead leaves and grass make rich soil, helping life come to my garden and fruit trees. So it is in the Christian life. We live by dying.

Francis Shaeffer says in his book The Finished Work of Christ says, "Jesus didn't die on the cross just to die on the cross. Jesus died on the cross in order that we might be redeemed. Likewise, we are not called upon to die daily just in order to be dead;, we are called upon to die daily in order that we might experience the reality of being alive with Christ" (p155).

We will see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives by dying to ourselves.

Romans 8:10-13 says:
    But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
     Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

I've heard this termed the "resurrection life." If we can submit to the Holy Spirit day by day, we can walk in the life intended for us - not the life we struggle through.

Schaeffer says, "It means that, through faith, I am to die to all things both good and bad, but then to take my resurrected body, as though I had already been raised physically from the dead, and step back into this present world, to serve in the power of the indwelling Spirit" (p188).

We won't be these physical bodies that are shuffling around waiting for the grave. Salvation is not waiting to get into heaven. Like I said, that is the third aspect of salvation. As Schaeffer said, we can live as if we're already in that state. It becomes a battle to submit or yield everyday.

Romans 6:12-14
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

"You and I have the possibility every moment of our lives to hand ourselves to the Lord, to be that out of which He will bring forth all that is wonderful. 'Yield yourselves' (the phrase from Romans 6:13 in the King James for 'offer') is an 'active passivity.' People are naturally afraid of that which is only passive, but we should be afraid of that which is only active as well. Our calling is to active passivity. God will bring about our sanctification, but we are called to be active partners in the process as we yield ourselves to Him" (Schaeffer, p172). 

This is a major challenge to us as modern Americans. We like our individuality and our own initiative to carry us. I wake up most every morning with an agenda, whether it is to work hard, play hard, or even veg. If we can learn to submit day by day to the Spirit's leading, we won't be mindlessly shuffling along in our lives, but we can truly walk in the glorious adventure God has for us. Even if we have to do something - work, care for family, etc. - if we give it up each day. He can make something new with it.

Our fruit will grow as we let the Spirit lead. The fruit will come in season, and provide what we need at that time. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)

I didn't intend to follow a zombie metaphor through my whole sermon. I was going for a hook, but it certainly is one that can be used to speak Kingdom truth. Not that I'd recommend any zombie movies as spiritual guidance.
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Most Influential Book of 2012

In my last post, I shared my favorite fiction books from 2012. Fiction books can be very influential as well, but there was one non-fiction book that helped with a paradigm shift in how I thought about church and its mission.

The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating The Missional Church by Alan Hirsch was recommended to me over a year ago by my friend and former pastor Brian Harrison. I didn't read it until this year when my friends and I started into our Outreach Saga. A group of us had left our former church and were looking into what God had for us.

As we started to meet together and tried to hear from the Lord each week, I was also reading this book. It truly opened my eyes to ideas that I hadn't considered in a fleshed out manner before. Sure, through intuition and talking with other people I had touched on ideas from The Forgotten Ways but I wasn't getting the full picture.

Hirsch discusses how the model of Christendom we operate in nowadays in modern evangelical culture (for the most part) is not necessarily how the early church (up to 300 AD) did things. From 300 AD to now the church developed hierarchy and structure that was adopted from Roman systems. They worked in a Christian culture context of Europe in the Dark and Middle Ages, even through the Renaissance and Reformation. However, now that our culture is post-Christian and pluralistic, it cannot meet the changing forces in the world in an adequate way.

The majority of the book describes his theory on how church should operate. Through the complex diagram to the right, he shows how the church needs to function. Stemming from the Lordship of Jesus are the five hubs that continue to expand out and encompass the life of a Christian and the community of believers.

Hirsch has worked in missional fields for a long time and has spent a lot of effort into this study. From the Biblical basis to historical activity and modern theory involving organic systems, he brings a thorough and convincing argument for the need to discover forgotten ways and to fully reactivate the life believers need to have today to fully reach the people out there.

In writing this post I am not doing the book justice in a short summation. Perhaps my testimony will help spell it out. As I read the book, I realized that as we tried to reach out to a needy sub-group in our community, we needed to be willing to risk and try new things in order to touch the people. Instead of being a controlled environment where one person (the pastor) speaks and runs the meeting, we're developing a time of sharing with each other from the Word and our own testimonies. In this way everyone in the meeting has the potential to share something that another person may desperately need. I know I don't have all the answers in life - that I don't have the exclusive on God. In relying on the body of Christ to be the body, I've seen the strength it brings by allowing others the opportunity to step up when they have what is needed at the time.

I had a reawakening through reading this book and studying Scripture alongside it. I haven't had a book challenge me like this in many years. It is an easy choice for me to recommend it to anyone who's wondering if there are better ways of doing "church." There are better ways, but we've just built human structures onto things that should be organic and not just formed into boxes. For an introduction into this, I can't do better except to highly suggest reading The Forgotten Ways and seeing if it speaks of His truth and the reality of the world today. I think it does both.

So here's to 2013. May there be many excellent books in your future, and may you dare to take a risk for Jesus in your life in the coming year.
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Short Term Missions

I'm a fan. What can I say?

"How about WHAT you're a fan of," a random surfer could ask.

Well, random surfer, let me tell you what I like.

I like it when people take a period in their life and dedicate it to the Lord.

It is no secret that I support mission work. Today is Mission Monday if you needed any other hint. I've blogged frequently about Youth With A Mission (YWAM), a non-denominational mission organization that I did two training programs with in the 90's. (Yeah, way back then.)

When I was 18 I attended their Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Lakeside, MT. Even though they have these programs all over, the rustic mountain location was a great place to get away from distractions and spend time with God. We spent three months learning about God, His character and ways, His word, prayer, evangelism, and missions. This time changed my life, from letting me see the depth of the Father's love for me to His heart for the whole world to come to know Him.

Our school then did a two month outreach in Asia, with my team going to Thailand and the other to Taiwan. Now we put our newfound knowledge and experience to test in the real world. We went to parks and prisons to share about His freedom. We did acts of service and prayed for a demon-possessed man chained to a bare-bones hut in a remote village. We tried to love as best we could. We even played Christian music in a Thai disco on New Year's Eve. 

This changed my life forever in so many ways. I not only knew more about Jesus, I had experienced so much of Him. I got away from the small town in Idaho and saw the big, bad world. I learned that we are incredibly blessed in the West, and that there are tremendous needs around the world. Even though I have not been called (so far) to work overseas, my heart has been to shine a light on these needs to people here at home since going.

But this is not the biggest way that my life was changed by a short term mission trip.

My older sister, 15 years older, was often like a second mom to me. She got active in Campus Crusade for Christ while in college. She served a couple of summer outreaches with them, and became dedicated in her walk. At the time our family was not going to church back home. When my sister moved back for a while, she started taking me to the local Southern Baptist church where I got saved and ended up becoming a true disciple in my high school years.

If it weren't for her influence, and the influence of her short term trip, I may not be standing here today. (And I'm literally standing - I have this cool desk that elevates and...never mind)

This is why I'm an advocate for people to do some kind of trip or service to the Lord where they get away for even just a few months and dedicate it to Him. The rewards are more than you can imagine - IF you let it transform you, and you stay with the Lord.

It isn't a panacea to all problems. I have had friends who have done these trips and have not continued leaning on God afterwards, and they have had trouble in life. I've had my share of trials too, but by trying to stay close to Him, I have by His grace weathered every one so far.

YWAM is awesome, but it is not necessarily for everyone. There are many ways Christians could partake in the type of experience I am talking about today. I encourage anyone reading this to consider taking a similar opportunity if possible.

It may just change someone's life. Not just your own.

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Tebow Haters

Here we go again.

I'm a big football fan, but I generally try to keep it off this blog. I'm not willing to turn this into a sports yak place.

Still, I have to comment on the continued hubbub that surrounds the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos.

Tim Tebow. #15.

The man is polarizing. That much both fans and detractors can admit. I can see the points on both sides as far as his football acumen goes.

His throws are often inaccurate. He runs at the first sign of trouble. The offense generally looks miserable for a good portion of the game. Still, he is 4-1 as the starting quarterback. His late-game heroics against the Jets were amazing. You can't deny the kid's will to win and competitive attitude. And I suggest people compare Tim's stats to those of John Elway in his first starts - interesting to say the least.

If you're picking on him for his unpolished football skills, I say that's fair game. But the people that spew personal venom and attacks at him are boggling my mind. I've seen comments on the internet (by people hiding behind anonymous "screen names" I might add) that hope he is caught with a prostitute or some other compromising situation.

Why is this?

My opinion is that he is not afraid to stand up for what he believes. And some people are not comfortable with that. Jake Plummer, the ex-Broncos QB, complained this week that people get that Tebow loves Jesus, and he shouldn't keep mentioning it. So self-promotion is acceptable, but when someone wants to mention Jesus, that needs to be kept private.

There are many people anymore who think faith is fine for others, if they keep it to themselves. You can believe in Jesus, but don't wave it my face. It has gone from don't talk about religion and politics in polite conversation to not bringing it up at all. Don't witness to me, don't even bring it up.

Then Tebow walks what he talks. I don't blame our culture for being sick of Christians who spout religion and don't actually follow through with it (this could be considered "taking the Lord's name in vain"). But Tim Tebow is a man of faith. He has spent time volunteering in orphanages oversees, he has a foundation that supports numerous worthy causes, and he is never negative when discussing his attackers or those who spew hate toward him. He is a good witness to what he believes.

Personally, I think Tebow brings conviction to people. They are not living the life that they should, and they know it. When you see someone like Tebow come along who is bold in his faith and lives it even bolder, it strikes at their own failings. Instead of listening to the message, they attack the messenger.

I think Tim is strong enough to handle this - not because of his power, but because of the Savior he lives for. I'm tired of seeing it though. People are entitled to their opinions, and if Tim doesn't pan out as an NFL quarterback he will have more to live for than most people who ever don a pro uniform. But be real if you're going to criticize him. If you don't like him because of his faith, why is that? Don't go with the surface answer - that you don't want to hear others' religion. Why do you REALLY dislike it? Is there a deeper reason?

I dare you to be honest. 
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Escaping The Zombie Life

I've never shared online a sermon that I've given before. However, this Sunday (October 23) I had the opportunity to share at our church with our pastor on vacation. I really struggled putting this one together, even though I have preached many times before. Finally, it started to come together as I worked on a hook, and it actually became the theme for my talk. It is a unique sermon for me, and I had one friend who was interested in hearing it - so I thought I'd share it here.

It makes for a long blog post, but I hope you are blessed by it.

Jason
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Tis the season for horror shows.

I actually can't watch them. My imagination is too active and too sticky - I will retain what I see and it will keep coming back to me. Don't like it, so I don't watch them.

Zombies are such a big deal in pop culture right now. I did try to watch Zombieland earlier this year to be up on things. In the movie the main guy, Columbus, has an attractive neighbor in apartment 406, whom he silently crushes on her. As things start going crazy in the world, he finds her banging on on his door, asking to stay with him. She barely escaped an encounter with the undead, and wanted some company after her trauma.

They dozed on the couch, but Columbus woke up just in time. Miss 406 apparently had a closer call than she let on, because her eyes were sunken, her skin was pale, and she hungered for more than his company.

He jumped away just before he got more than a playful nibble on his ear. I suppose he got away as it was too early in the movie for the hero to die, but I couldn't deal with the suspense and violence of her chasing him around.

This is something I can control - whether to subject myself to something like that movie.

Still, the zombie theme makes me think of the struggles we have in the Christian life.

See, she didn't come in to his apartment intending to munch on him. She was infected by a virus (as most zombies are) and she was driven to fulfill her flesh. Desire for flesh. Whatever.

Have you ever felt like this - not able to control what you want to do? At least we're not alone. We have good company in Paul.

Romans 7:14-24
     We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
    So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?

The sin nature in us is powerful. Paul is talking to Christians in this passage. These aren't people who need Jesus - but people who have already found Him. In Romans 1-8 Paul talks about the three stages of Christian life - the full process of salvation.

1. Justification - The initial entrance into the Kingdom (what most people think of as salvation, when our debt is paid).
2. Sanctification - Discipleship; growing in Christ. 
3. Glorification - Eternal life in heaven.

So how do we get out of walking in the sin nature?

Galatians 5:22-25 tells us about the fruit of the Spirit. Beautiful attributes are listed: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. However, as my pastor has said recently, we are not responsible, nor are we able, to live the Christian life.

We can't manufacture the fruit. I have an apple tree. I can talk nice to it. I can encourage it, exhort it, but I can't get a nice red apple unless - there is death.

I'm amazed at my compost pile each spring. The dead leaves and grass make rich soil, helping life come to my garden and fruit trees. So it is in the Christian life. We live by dying.

Francis Shaeffer says in his book The Finished Work of Christ says, "Jesus didn't die on the cross just to die on the cross. Jesus died on the cross in order that we might be redeemed. Likewise, we are not called upon to die daily just in order to be dead;, we are called upon to die daily in order that we might experience the reality of being alive with Christ" (p155).

We will see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives by dying to ourselves.

Romans 8:10-13 says:
    But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
     Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

I've heard this termed the "resurrection life." If we can submit to the Holy Spirit day by day, we can walk in the life intended for us - not the life we struggle through.

Schaeffer says, "It means that, through faith, I am to die to all things both good and bad, but then to take my resurrected body, as though I had already been raised physically from the dead, and step back into this present world, to serve in the power of the indwelling Spirit" (p188).

We won't be these physical bodies that are shuffling around waiting for the grave. Salvation is not waiting to get into heaven. Like I said, that is the third aspect of salvation. As Schaeffer said, we can live as if we're already in that state. It becomes a battle to submit or yield everyday.

Romans 6:12-14
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

"You and I have the possibility every moment of our lives to hand ourselves to the Lord, to be that out of which He will bring forth all that is wonderful. 'Yield yourselves' (the phrase from Romans 6:13 in the King James for 'offer') is an 'active passivity.' People are naturally afraid of that which is only passive, but we should be afraid of that which is only active as well. Our calling is to active passivity. God will bring about our sanctification, but we are called to be active partners in the process as we yield ourselves to Him" (Schaeffer, p172). 

This is a major challenge to us as modern Americans. We like our individuality and our own initiative to carry us. I wake up most every morning with an agenda, whether it is to work hard, play hard, or even veg. If we can learn to submit day by day to the Spirit's leading, we won't be mindlessly shuffling along in our lives, but we can truly walk in the glorious adventure God has for us. Even if we have to do something - work, care for family, etc. - if we give it up each day. He can make something new with it.

Our fruit will grow as we let the Spirit lead. The fruit will come in season, and provide what we need at that time. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)

I didn't intend to follow a zombie metaphor through my whole sermon. I was going for a hook, but it certainly is one that can be used to speak Kingdom truth. Not that I'd recommend any zombie movies as spiritual guidance.
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Doctrine and Discussion, Part 2

Ready for round 2?

Yesterday I posted about the discussion surrounding Rob Bell and his latest book Love Wins. (Not about the book itself, if that's what you're looking for - but stick around anyway!) In watching the discussion online, I noticed an accusation that was disconcerting. Many people questioned whether there was heresy or an admission of universalism in the book. That wasn't my issue. My concern came when some commenters started hitting back accusing critics of placing more importance on doctrine over love and relationship.

My previous point was the repetitive admonishment in the books of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus over teaching sound doctrine. Paul stressed that over and over again in those books, so I don't think it is out of line for people to actually question whether there are doctrinal problems in any author's work.

I had another point though, the subject of today's post. Again, I go to the pastoral letters for support.



"Did not!" "Did so!"

 Paul repeats another theme for Timothy and Titus: avoid quarrelsome speech (Titus 3:2, 1 Tim 3:3, 2 Tim 2:14, 24). This idea is suggested several times, also in the form of controversies, dissensions, or myths.

I've seen this in many arenas, from Christians fighting amongst themselves to politicians tearing each other down. This has frustrated me for a long time. A person can spout fully orthodox positions, be clearly speaking God's word, but they do it in such an ugly manner that it totally demeans the very point they're trying to make.

People on both sides of the Rob Bell debate have been guilty of this. Whether they're angry, smug, sarcastic, condemning, or just plain nasty or rude, they are violating another key point of the pastoral letters. "And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth." (2 Tim 2:24-25).

How we react in such things is just as important as the what and why! We may be speaking the truth, but if we do it in the wrong spirit, then we are also disobeying the Lord and walking in sin. I've been very disturbed to see televangelists or a conservative Christian politician tear down opponents of their positions. That, to me, is not the Spirit of Christ.

Don't get me wrong. Titus 1:9 tells us that an overseer must "be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it." Mature believers have a responsibility to examine an idea from a book, a teacher, a church, and to see if it matches up with sound doctrine. But the heart of the matter can be lost if it is done in anger or putting someone down.

Romans 12:20-21 says: “'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." OK, so I don't think this passage should be considered to be calling Rob Bell or his detractors "enemies" or "evil." The principle is moving in the opposite spirit. Shouldn't Christians be able to speak with grace and gentleness, especially with issues involving other Christians?

I've really enjoyed studying the letters of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus lately. I've had to step up into a new leadership position at my church, so I figured Paul's advice here would be valuable. The dual emphasis on teaching sound doctrine but doing so without quarreling/with gentleness in these letters has been a poignant reminder in what I've been reading online lately. My hope for anyone reading these two posts is that they continue to seek the truth, but speak it in love.
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Doctrine and Discussion



I <3 questions!



Rob Bell. Universalism. Heresy. Love Wins.

There's a few words that should hit the search engines! There's been a lot of discussion in the Christian blogosphere over the last month, and much of it was related to those points above. The discussion has ranged from rancorous to gentle, and has often generated more heat than light.

I've been an interested observer during this. I haven't read the book, I'm not afraid to read it, but I don't know if I'll get around to it (as a friend has said before, my "to be read" pile threatens low-flying aircraft). What I have been reading compels me to share a few thoughts.

There's been a lot of critique over Love Wins, and there's been backlash over this. People have been critical of those raising objections to some of the theology in the book. At times, it has seemed to be a push-back against the questions. I've seen posts on Facebook and Twitter talking about legalism vs. love, as if we are only dealing with a dualism in this. Those who ask questions whether Rob Bell is theologically correct are being likened to the Pharisees. Can't we reason together without it denigrating one side or the other?

Paul, when writing the pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus, keeps hammering a theme home: the need to teach sound doctrine. When a book of the Bible repeats a subject, it is a clue to us that it is important. When three books do that, even more so. I was amazed reading through these books how often he stresses this to Timothy and Titus. Didn't these guys spend a lot of time with Paul? Wouldn't they see how important it was by then?

Obviously it is important to Paul, because there are several mentions of the idea of "sound doctrine/instruction/teaching." The qualifications of an elder including holding on to the trustworthy message (Titus 1:9). They are to pass the teaching on to reliable people (2 Tim 2:2). If he mentions it this much to two men who stood with Paul to the end, then the idea of sound doctrine is an important idea, even if our post-modern age likes to ask questions without many answers.

I don't pretend that the Church has God totally figured out. He is so grand and majestic that there is a mystery to Him. As John said, books on end could be written about Jesus and they wouldn't cover enough about him. (I'm also reminded of the Teacher who says "Of making many books there is no end.")

Still, we have the Word of God that is reliable and God-breathed. We can know Him, and we can understand principles of right doctrine. Paul admonishes us repeatedly to hold to sound doctrine. It may not be in favor, but I'll stand there instead of quelling any criticism. We should be able to discuss issues like Love Wins in a way that honors Paul's teaching fully...

Which is why I've got a follow up post tomorrow with more on this point! See you then ;)
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Creating Our Own Idols?

In this blog I've been an advocate for Christian artists to have the freedom to make art for beauty's sake, that our creativity can give glory to God even if it is not specifically relating Jesus or other aspects of Christianity. I made the argument of Francis Schaeffer, that if you look over a Christian artist's work over time, you would see their worldview coming out, even if a specific work did not seem to have a Biblical worldview. This post has the links to my longest run of posts concerning Christianity and art, and it goes into greater detail and nuance.


Made to worship?



Having said this, lately I have concerns. I love to see thoughtful creativity, and I think it is an act of worship to emulate our Creator. However, I think like everything else, it can become an idol.

 

We can't sacrifice truth or faith for creativity.



There are different types of creative people. I believe I'm creative, but I like a certain amount of structure and I do well in a circumstance where I know the expectations and can shoot for a level of achievement. Some creatives are *very much* creative. Their whole personality is geared toward experimenting, pushing, exploring, and having a sense of freedom. They can be great people to be around.



The problem can be they put too much on the freedom. They start to clash with standards, guidelines, boundaries. This can become a problem area for Christians. If too much emphasis is put on creativity and the freedom to explore it, they can lose sight of what we are called to in the Bible. They end up worshipping the creative process over the Creator of it all.

I'm not necessarily talking about their art. I can see a musician writing an angry song that doesn't seem to be Biblical, or an author writing a character or story that don't have any apparent redeeming value - as long as what they do isn't directly advocating sin. In a grander scope of their body of work, there may be a point being made by such work that continues to show a Biblical worldview, but it isn't as apparent taken out of context.

I see more of a problem with their lives getting caught in the "creative life", and the artist leaving behind the Kingdom life. Instead of following Christ and doing art in the wide beauty of His creation and Kingdom, they follow "the muse" wherever it takes them.

This may be an idol...

I think an example of this would be Katy Perry. It is well-known that she started in Christian music, but has evolved into a secular artist that likes to sing and dress provocatively. In reading articles about her, I think she also has let ambition and a desire for fame to drive her life as much as her "art", but I'm sure her creative side contributes as well. 

What is an artist to do? As Christians, we need to offer fellowship and prayer for those who explore the creative life. The beauty that can revealed about God through wonderful art is a true gift we all can and should enjoy. The temptation is letting ourselves go into the creative act so much that we lose our moorings. I've had very creative friends that have been misunderstood. Evangelicalism in America especially can have trouble with the questions raised by these type of people. The artist must choose to stay within the boundaries of Kingdom life, but we can do our best to love and encourage them so they can use their curiosity and imagination without losing themselves to the process.

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Christians Are All Hypocrites

As I was riding along with a close friend in a certain Utah metropolitan area, he vented that he didn't like living in the center of Mormondom, because he felt Mormons were all hypocrites.

An epiphany hit me right then: he was right. Mormons are hypocrites.

So was he. So am I.

We are all hypocrites.

I'm writing this today because I see so many people nowadays, ESPECIALLY on the internet, decry Christians as hypocrites. It is getting popular to bash Christianity, not just from the "liberal elite" and "Hollywood elite" but your run-of-the-mill Joe on the street. Just last week, author Anne Rice "quit" Christianity. She says she is still centered on Christ, but she couldn't be associated with such close-minded people anymore. The comments on the articles regarding this had savage disregard for Christians by the majority of the posters.

This is what I wish my Twitter response would have been:

Pot: @Kettle: ur black! LOL!!11!

OK, before this gets too weird, what do I mean with all of this?

Truly, we are all hypocrites. The etymology of the word comes from the Greek, and it meant a stage actor or pretender. It of course stems from the root word hypocrisy, which also talks about playing a part.

This is very apt. We all play games and act the part. None of us are immune from putting on a phony front. None of us are consistent in how we act in comparison to what we believe. We may say cheating is wrong, but we find a way to work around the system into our favor. Sounds like cheating to me. A popular saying is "it was only a little white lie." And once my wife was only a little pregnant.

My friend felt Mormons weren't consistent with their standards of belief. Sure. I know numerous LDS adherents who practice very high benchmarks, but I must confess, none of them are perfect at holding up their standards. Neither am I. Of course it looks worse when religious people don't follow their creeds exactly, because religion is about holding a standard. It especially looks bad when an Evangelical pastor decries homosexuality but ends up with a male escort, or a Christian politician who ran on "family values" is sneaking off for an affair.

For those who blast Christians for hypocrisy, we have no defense. Yes, Christians are hypocrites. I am a horrible hypocrite. The Bible does not give Christians special leniency toward this; Jesus condemned this in the Sermon on the Mount:

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Christians need to keep this in mind, so we walk with the humility needed to realize we are going to screw up. However, the point for us is, we have an avenue for redemption. We have a way to better ourselves. We won't be perfect until we meet Jesus, but we have a hope. We have no excuse when we show hypocrisy. It is a sin, and there are consequences. I know I want to get better. For me it is the process of sanctification - meaning that the Holy Spirit is working in me to slowly change me. I wish it were faster, but the limitation comes from me alone.

For those who want to keep accusing Christians of hypocrisy - ya got us. But note the words from the apostle Matthew above - "for in the same way YOU JUDGE OTHERS, you will be judged." You've been warned. If you accuse people of hypocrisy, you might want to look in the mirror first. We're not alone.
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Beauty and the Church

No, I'm not quite dead yet.

(May have felt close recently, but that's nothing y'all want to hear about...)

Between being busy, having *ahem* issues, and having the first two items here sap my inspiration, I haven't had the chance to post. Don't give up on me though. There's still some new stuff rattling around my cranium.

For instance, in reading Christianity Today from May 2010, I cam across a little segment they have at the end of the magazine entitled "Who's Next: People You Should Know." This month talked about W. David O. Taylor, an arts pastor in Austin, Texas, who has his first book entitled For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts just released.

Now, I've talked a lot about creativity and the Christian artist, and the importance of encouraging this as a form of worship and expression that the church needs. I've also promoted letting a Christian artist have freedom to produce what they have in mind without expectations. (Here's a selection of posts of mine on the topic). I've usually gone to Francis Schaeffer as an authority on this, and how his book Art and the Bible shows that there is beauty created in the Bible for beauty's sake, not for an evangelistic purpose.

In reading the short interview with David Taylor, I realized a bit of corrective needed to be applied to my argument. He makes this profound statement:

We shouldn't stop with classical ideas about beauty; we also need to think about beauty Christologically. The moment we sever beauty from the death and resurrection of Christ, we risk sliding toward idealism or petty-ism.

I thought that was very important, and a point I have not made well enough in the past. Now, I still believe that art can be made for art's sake, for beauty's sake. But for the Christian artist, if we are truly walking in a redeemed mindset and a new life, then Christ needs to inform our work. The work of the cross affects what we do. I still don't believe it has to be blantantly Christian, but a Christian is not free to do "whatever." Not if we're true to the One who gave us our gift and redeems it.

So add Mr. Taylor's great statement to my previous positions about Christianity and the arts.
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My Favorite Book from 2008

I posted last week about my favorite books from 2008, but I must confess that it was a list of my favorite fiction from '08. The book I read that meant the most to me was The Culturally Savvy Christian: A Manifesto for Deepening Faith and Enriching Popular Culture in an Age of Christianity-Lite by Dick Staub. It is a mouthful of a title, but it was a powerful book that encouraged and challenged me deeply. I blogged about it before I finished it, and it held true through the end of the book.

I'm very interested in discussing the intersection of faith and culture, as the dearly departed site Infuze Magazine used to put it. I've always tried to be serious about Jesus and His Kingdom, concerned not just about the "sweet by-and-by", but also the "nasty here and now." I learned about understanding life through a Biblical worldview at a fairly early age, so I've tried to view the culture I partake in through that lens. As I've delved into writing as a hobby and hopefully part of my vocation, I've become more focused in this area.

The Culturally Savvy Christian is a book that fully reaches the sweet spot of faith and culture, yet it is very worth reading for its insightful analysis of our current faith circumstances in the West as well as popular culture.

My original post for this started to break the book down, but I realized quickly that the book was too deep to properly address in one post. Check back over the next week or so as I attempt to break down the book a little bit, and hopefully we'll be able to discuss our own opinions on faith and culture.

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The Short and Long of It

I have a friend who is going through a crisis right now with her baby. My heart breaks for her as she asks for prayer and shares her family's struggle in keeping strong. She has great faith and has been an admirable testimony through it all, and I know that all the prayers people are offering for her, and especially her own cries to the Lord, are offering a deep source of strength for her that she can't fully realize at this time.

It got me thinking about our response to crisis times, and the long term effects of such times. I've had two events in the last 5 years that have been major upheavals in my life. Four years ago my mother succumbed to COPD (basically emphysema). Then two years ago I was laid off from a job when my contract wasn't renewed, under some interesting circumstances (you can read all about it on this blog even...whee).

I know I relied heavily on the Lord for strength during those times. In one sense my mom's death was easier, because she had taught us that death was a natural part of life and she didn't fear it. We knew she didn't want to suffer anymore, and in that way it was a blessing. Still, my father died when I was 5, so she was essentially both parents to me through my life, and it was still hard. God brought a lot of peace into the situation.

When I lost my job, that was a little incredible because there wasn't a really good reason for it. There were lots of circumstances in the background that made it a difficult road, and I didn't get a job right away. It took four months to start my current job from when I finished at the old clinic, and I spent three months at the job I was losing the way my contract was written (90 days notice). It was a real battle to go to work each day to a place I knew didn't want me, but again, God moved in my life during that time, and He proved Himself extremely faithful.

So where is this babbling going?

In the short term, I really turned to Jesus and received strength, grace, whatever you want to call it. I spent time with Him, and I felt like the tree in Psalm 1, with roots planted by streams of water. Especially in the job situation, where I had reason to be very bitter and angry, I can say I had a supernatural enabling to walk in pretty good attitudes (hey - I wasn't perfect).

Today as I was thinking about my friend's trial, I thought about the long-term position I was in regarding my big crises. I was dealing with anger at my mom that she missed out on our new little girl, because she chose to smoke. I still deal with anger and bitterness over my former employers. A couple of people were gossiping about one of the doctors, and part of me didn't want to hear at all, but part of me delighted in hearing about his problems since I left.

What happened to the good responses?

I can testify that it wasn't God's fault how my spirit, my response has darkened. It was fully my lack of endurance in seeking His will in all of these areas. As time passed and the busyness of life took over, I no longer spent time with Jesus regarding these events and attitudes. I focused on what was immediately in front of me, without fully submitting all of my life-past, present, and future-to Him.

I think my point in all this is that the Christian walk is a long-term marathon. I thought that the problems were over just because things had moved on. I stopped actively asking for His Word and light to help in those areas. Therefore a root of bitterness, starting small, was able to take hold. These events are affecting me years down the road. Now, the death of a parent is supposed to do that. The loss of a job is also one of the major life stressors someone can endure. Yet, with the grace that was given me during those times, it seems out of line that I reacted this way.

I don't want to take God's grace for granted anymore. I don't want to let things from my past rule my present. I feel like I enjoyed His grace for a season and left it behind when things turned and started going "my way" again. How terrible to disregard such a gift.

Ugh. I didn't mean to get so maudlin. But it is an important point I want to make: we keep going to the well of the Lord, whether good times or bad. We don't stop when times get good. We turn to Him in the short term and when things go well, we leave Him in the long term.

Thankfully these are heart attitudes that aren't huge. I haven't lost my faith or anything near it. But He deserves better from me, and I'm not happy with where my heart is in these areas.

Here's to the short and the long of it.

A Must Read

I haven't had much to say recently, but I am reading a book that is so impressive I have to give it a shout out right now. I've mentioned Dick Staub and his book The Culturally Savvy Christian before. I didn't report the subtitle: "A Manifesto for Deepening Faith and Enriching Popular Culture in an Age of Christianity-Lite." So far it truly is a manifesto, and I am highly impressed with it.

I heartily encourage anyone interested in the Christian walk to get it. It is a book about modern culture as well, but Staub is doing a great job in sharing what is needed - transformation from God individually, so we can go positively affect culture. Put it on your Christmas list, go to Amazon, or call your library, it is worth it.

I hope to discuss it more when I am finished.

Christian Pop Culture

I came across an article on Slate entitled "Pop Goes Christianity" discussing a book from Daniel Radosh entitled Rapture Ready! : Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture. It is an interesting indictment on the subject of the sub-culture created by American Evangelicals. I think it raises some interesting issues on one hand, and dismisses or misunderstands other ideas mentioned.

How about an inflammatory quote taken out of context?

For faith, the results can be dangerous. A young Christian can get the idea that her religion is a tinny, desperate thing that can't compete with the secular culture. A Christian friend who'd grown up totally sheltered once wrote to me that the first time he heard a Top 40 station he was horrified, and not because of the racy lyrics: "Suddenly, my lifelong suspicions became crystal clear," he wrote. "Christian subculture was nothing but a commercialized rip-off of the mainstream, done with wretched quality and an apocryphal insistence on the sanitization of reality."

I think this article touches on things that this blog and many other of my friends have addressed. There is a problem in how Christian culture is promoting itself, and if we look like a "parallel universe," it is not to our credit. However, the article doesn't understand some of the topics it is talking about either.

Read the article, and I'll talk about it more this weekend.