random meditations & other things

From the Comfort of My Bed (Radical, by David Platt)

2011-01-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Christmas gifts has been the book Radical by David Platt. I've never been one to read in bed, but for some strange reason, I've take up the practice with this book--I'll come back to that. Platt's choice for a subtitle is revealing and maybe even a little offensive to some. The subtitle: "Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream." Do you love the American dream? If you love it more than Jesus (come on, who's going to agree to that :), then you may feel the urge to burn this book. Those of you without the charred remains of an orange paperback in your hands may want to check it out if your looking for a good read.
The main premise of Platt's plea is that many of us, when we read about Jesus' call to radical discipleship in the gospels, simply ignore the implications or rationalize our way to a less demanding version of faith. I'm not going to go on quoting Radical now. I think that would defeat the purpose. Instead, let's turn our attention to Jesus' words as he addressed those who wanted to follow him.

"As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.'
Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.'
He said to another man, 'Follow me.'
But the man replied, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.'
Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.'
Still another said, 'I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.'
Jesus replied, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'--Luke 9:57-62

"Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-- yes, even his own life-- he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." --Luke 14:26-27

"As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"...
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." --Mark 10:17, 21

One of the opening stories from Platt's book keeps popping back into my head as I go about my day, living out the American dream. He recalls a visit to an undisclosed village in Asia where a group of 20 local pastors traveled miles to meet in a dimly lit room for prayer and encouragement. They left their homes at different times of the day to avoid suspicion. They were meeting in secret. If caught they could loose their land, jobs, families, or lives.
As they gathered, one of the men poured out his heart and asked that the others pray for his church. Many of the believers in his congregation were being kidnapped an tortured. Another said that members in her church had been threatened by government officials to stop meeting and studying the Bible or they would loose everything they had. Everyone in the room was moved to tears and began crying out to God, Platt says. They didn't pray with theological eloquence. They simply prayed,

"O God, thank you for loving us."
"O God, we need you."
"Jesus, we give our lives to you and for you."
"Jesus, we trust in you."

They wept before God as each leader prayed. After about an hour of this, they sat in silence; then they rose from the floor and went back to the work of being and making disciples.
Like I said, I've been reading this book while lying in bed. Maybe you need to lie down for this kind of thing. It's not to be taken lightly, for sure. But lying in a warm bed in a comfortable house while my kids sleep peacefully in their rooms is a stark contrast to Jesus' call to radical discipleship and those who are taking up that call around the world. The church leaders in that village in Asia, may have similar thoughts about their own beds; but there's no doubt that they are willing to risk everything to be Jesus' disciple.
When I'm honest with myself, this kind of reminder shakes me to the core. We live in a place where the supreme value is to get what we can for ourselves and our families, to live comfortably, and to allow others the freedom they need to do the same. Our Lord's supreme value is that we give it all up, even our families if necessary, and to subject ourselves to his will. Very often I'm more obsessed with radical comfort than radical devotion to the creator of the universe and savior of my soul. I'm content to have treasure on earth, and forget--because it's not flashing in my eyes daily--the treasure of heaven.
When you lay down tonight, look around your room. Be honest with yourself as you contemplate your view of your possessions. Think about what your living for. Think about what you want for your children. Then, think about Jesus' invitation to give it all up for his sake. Maybe it's time to rise from the comfort of our beds.

-A Disciple of Jesus

Patience is a Virtue

2010-12-16T11:18:00.000-08:00

"Patience is a virtue, my dear."
--The Wisdom of Ross

The origins of this phrase are unclear, but, according to my wife, it used to rank pretty high among the famous, cliched words of wisdom often spoken by my father-in-law (hi, Ross). He has dozens of them; but among his favorites are,

"It hurts to be beautiful" (when his girls needed to have their hair brushed).
"If 'ifs' and 'buts' were candy and nuts, what a wonderful Christmas it'd be" (when someone uses the words "if" or "but").
"If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough" (when he does something dumb).
"Ra, ra, ree, kick 'em in the knee. Ra, ra, rass, kick 'em in the other knee. (when.... Oh, I just got that one.)

As cliched' as these sage words might have been, they all express some pretty deep truths (except maybe the last one). But the virtue of patience, may be the deepest. As the always poignant Henri Nowen explains:

"A waiting person is a patient person. The word “patience” means the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us. Impatient people are always expecting the real thing to happen somewhere else and therefore want to go elsewhere. The moment is empty. But patient people dare to stay where they are. Patient living means to live actively in the present and wait there. Waiting, then, is not passive. It involves nurturing the moment, as a mother nurtures the child that is growing in her womb."
-Henri Nouwen, Eternal Seasons

Here's to the daring virtue of patience and to people, like my father-in-law (hi again, Ross), who have discovered the wisdom of actively waiting.

A Sometimes-Patient Disciple

P.S. Thanks to internetmonk.com for sharing this quote.

P.P.S. My father-in-law (hi, Ross) would love to be your Facebook friend.

P.P.P.S. Ross has some other great sayings. For example, whenever my kids ask where grandma is, he responds, "She broke her leg, and we had to shoot her." The response usually results in dropped jaws; but he still says it..., every time.

Safeharbor Weekly Med 12-8-10

2010-12-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

http://eepurl.com/bSQv9

Reinstating the Draft

2010-11-10T11:57:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, tomorrow is Veterans Day—the day we set aside to honor those men and women who have served and are serving in our armed forces. Not only am I grateful to those who have willingly taken up the responsibility to defend our freedoms and fight for peace, I’m indebted to them. I am moved by the gravity of their sacrifice. They deserve to be honored. So, like so many of you, I will take every opportunity to honor U.S. soldiers tomorrow, and I make it my practice to thank men and women in uniform whenever I see them. They put their lives on the line for my freedom and way of life—it’s the least I can do.

That said, I can’t help it, I often feel the need to clarify my patriotism—I am a Christian first and an American second; I am an American-Christian not a Christian-American (you grammarians out there know that the firs name qualifies the second). My reasons for clarification go beyond my desire to make Jesus the most important person in my life (thought that’s certainly part of it). I qualify my allegiance to America for pragmatic reasons, really. The truth is that God is equally as concerned with Africa as he is with America. He is just as concerned that Jesus would reign in the hearts of the Chinese as he is for Americans. When the trumpet sounds (as in 1 Corinthians 15:52, which we’ll be reading this weekend :0) nationality won’t really matter for us anymore. Jesus is not going to be all that concerned with our patriotism at that point. He will, however, be concerned with our allegiance to him. As I stand in front of the one with flaming eyes and a sharp sword coming from his mouth (as in Revelation 19:12-16), the eternal ruler of the universe, I want to be able to say with all sincerity (not that my sincerity or insincerity will really matter all that much, since he knows the truth) that he was more important to me than a nation that started less than 300 years ago. So, while I want to have integrity and make Jesus my first priority, from a pragmatic stand point, I know that he’s the one out of whose mouth “comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.”

To come back to our veterans, those over the age of 37 remember a time in the U.S. when military service wasn’t voluntary. In years past, when America was at war and our military needed to be strengthened, congress “ramped up” the draft. The rules of the draft changed from time to time, but in its most recent form all males between the ages of 18 and 26 were required to register with the military (today, the Selective Service System requires registration by all males over the age of 18); they were then were selected for military service by lottery. There we’re, of course, exceptions, but, by and large, when someone’s number was up, whether they wanted to or not, their options were to serve or to go to prison. In the Vietnam era, approximately 10,000 men were convicted and imprisoned for “dodging the draft.” Luckily, today, the U.S. has an all-volunteer military. Congress has the power to reinstate the draft, but hasn't seen the need to do so, despite our recent military surge in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Like I said, I want to honor those who have served. I especially want to honor those who serve willingly. But, I’m a Christian first and an American second. So my greater concern is the Kingdom of God, and those who serve in it. Are you willingly serving in the Kingdom of God? I suppose that God could enact the draft—“all eligible males and females over the age of 13 should report for duty.” But, for good reasons, he has left that choice up to us—to reach out to a neighbor in love, to extend Jesus to those at your work place, to minister to those who need encouragement, to join arms with the church, according to the gifts you’ve been given, as we make disciples. Jesus' expectation is that his followers will “take up their cross and follow him.” It’s not a draft, it’s a call to serve wherever you may be, in whatever situation you may find yourself.

So, my fellow disciples, whether you’re in Mozambique, Europe, China, Moscow, Chili, America, Florida, Seminole County...I hope you will respond to the call and, regardless of your reasons, join the good fight (as in 2Timothy 4:6-7).

~A Willing Disciple

How He Loves Us

2010-08-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty excited about a concert coming to Discovery Church in Orlando next Friday (8/27). John Mark McMillan has quickly become one of my favorite singer/songwriters. Now, I get that his style might not be your cup of tea—his has an alternative/progressive country/rock sound to it. I love it, personally. And, I especially love the fact that it's unique. He's not trying to redo the top 40 for a Christian audience.

Most of John Mark's music is not really worship music; at least not music fit for congregational worship. I think he refers to it as "gospel" now-a-days, but most of his songs are more like artistic expressions of the mysteries of God, and the hope he offers. His influences seem to be people like Dylan, Springsteen, and some of the Alt. Country bands of the last two decades, rather than the wave of pop-sounding worship songs that swept the Christian music scene in the new millennium. That said, McMillian is best known for a song that we sing on Sunday mornings at Safeharbor from time to time. When David Crowder covered it in 2009, churches across the world started singing it too. It's a song that either turns you off, or causes your heart to swell in appreciation for the love of God. Here's the story behind that song:

For a while, I was turned off by the reference to a "sloppy wet kiss" in this song. That is, until I heard about the meaning behind it and the emotional birthplace of those lyrics. (There's actually much more to the story behind that song than what is relayed in this video, but I'll save it for another time.) McMillan has said that "gory mess" is probably a more appropriate lyric, "but it didn't have the same ring to it." His point: God loves us despite our failures, despite our awkwardness, despite our ugliness. His reaching down into humanity is beautiful and amazing, even if a little sloppy due to the mess we've made. What I want you to notice in the video, however, is the people singing at the end. John Mark looks like a mess—I think that's intentional; it's how he sees himself and the world—seriously flawed. But check out the young adults in the background. They need to be reminded of God's love. That, despite the mess they've made, God's love can turn their lives into something good.

Yesterday, I talked to someone who needed to hear that message. I need to hear it too. God loves us—even the music geeks and pastors. God loves us—even the imperfect parents. God loves us—even those who have barely survived a wreck of a marriage. God loves us—the tired and poor. God loves us—even the enslaved addict. God loves us—even the self-righteous. God loves us—even the disciple who's grown apathetic. God loves us—even the disciple who is being reinvented. God loves us—even the retired and the tired. God loves us—even the complainers. God loves us—even the confused and disappointed. Yes, you too—as you sit and read cynically, wanting to believe. Yeah, he loves us...all.

So, the song gets a little repetitive at the end. Maybe we need that. Maybe we're hard to convince. "Yeah, he loves us. Oh, how he loves us. Oh, how he loves us. Oh, how he loves us." He loves us. He loves us. He loves us.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. --Romans 5:8

~A Loved Disciple

More John Mark on iTunes

"Good" Stewardship

2010-06-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, we're taking the month of June to focus on the concept of stewardship. Christian stewardship begins with the idea that all things belong to God and that we have a responsibility to be good managers of the the things that he has entrusted to our care. When people talk about stewardship, usually they focus on money. But stewardship is bigger than just money; we ought to be good stewards of our time, our energy, our knowledge, our children, our spiritual gifts, our cars, our homes, our toothbrushes..., our attention--even the message of life in Christ. I don't think we ever stop growing in regard to stewardship. There's always some area of our lives where we could make better use of the things God has entrusted to us. But, I realized something new about stewardship this past week.
I want to take this opportunity to reiterate something that I said this past Sunday, because it has revolutionized my thinking about this issue. Any good discussion about stewardship has to include the parable that Jesus tells in Luke 19:12-27. Go ahead, read it.
... ... ... [you're reading, you're reading] ... ... ...
So did you read it? There are lots of important lessons to draw from this parable, but there's one that's beginning to change the way I think about the things God has entrusted to my care--especially the money and the stuff. What made the "good" servants pleasing to the harsh king was that they used what he had entrusted to them to do something good--they made the king more money. What offended the harsh king about the "wicked" servant was not that he was a poor accountant or that he wasn't thrifty--in fact, I'd be willing to bet that he was quite thrifty. One of the main problems with the "wicked" servant was that he didn't use what was entrusted to his care to do anything good. He didn't use it to do anything at all.
Growing up in the church, I've heard about the importance of financial stewardship from the time I was 8 years old. I specifically remember sitting in "Junior Worship," while the youth minister's wife helped us understand that 10 cents was a tithe of $1. And, I don't know if it was taught intentionally, or if it it's just the way middle-class Americans have been taught to think about money; but, for a very long time, I've held to the notion that Christian stewardship is essentially being a good accountant, being thrifty, and paying your tithes. However, it seems from this parable, and other verses ( 2 Corinthians 9:6, for instance) that God has something more in mind, he desires that we would use what he has given to accomplish something good. In fact, the more we use for good, the more he wants to entrust to our care! To hold on to our money, our time, our children, our gifts, etc. and to use them sparingly, is wicked!
So, I'm going to try to give as much as I can to those who need it--"my" time, "my" energy, "my" knowledge, "my" children, "my" spiritual gifts, "my" car, "my" home, "my" toothbrush..., "my" attention--even the message of life in Christ. And, I hope that I'll continue to grow in my ability to give more. It's all his anyway, and he has more for me to give.

Encouraging and Troubling Stories about Christianity in the Middle East

2010-05-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

I listened to this on the way home from Ironman 2 this evening. Ironman was entertaining--Sam Rockwell and Robert Downey Jr. are fantastic actors--but it didn't do much to strengthen my faith; the following clip, however, did...well, for the most part, anyway. If you have a some time--say you're driving home from a movie--check out this radio program from 2009 about Christian missions in the Middle east.

BBC Player version.
Podcast version.

The Weight of the Cross

2010-03-31T22:00:00.000-07:00

We have a new cross in our church auditorium. I know; its not a news headline. All churches have crosses in their sanctuary, and it is expected that we’d purchase a new ones from time to time. But hear me out; there’s an interesting detail in regard to how we came to have the cross that we do.
When someone discovered that a large wooden cross, which we usually set up in the sanctuary around this time of year, was rotted out at the bottom, my favorite carpenter, Sal Palmeri, volunteered to build us a new one. Two nights ago, Sal shared with me the story behind the construction of this cross. Originally he planned to make the 10 foot cross out of a solid 6”x6” rough-hewn cypress beam. When the wood arrived, however, he noted the weight of the beam and quickly realized that if he were to make a cross from that beam, no one would be able to lift it (well, except, maybe, Sal, himself :) So, he went back to the drawing board. The cross in our auditorium is now both well constructed and liftable (I’ll let you ask Sal how he was able to solve this problem).
Scholars and archaeologists have given a lot of thought to questions regarding the facts Jesus’ crucifixion. If you’d like to know more about their findings you might find the Wikipedia entry for crucifixion informative—it’s well documented. It’s generally accepted that the cross that would have been used to crucify Jesus probably weighed around 300 lbs. Criminals sentenced to be crucified were often forced to carry the crossbeam (which weighed approximately 100 lbs) of their own cross; and this after being severely whipped or scourged to the point of severe blood loss and possible shock.

The gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are all pretty detailed in their accounts of Jesus crucifixion. In fact, if you have a Facebook account I hope you’re following along on our Safeharbor Fan Page and keeping up with the brief posts that describe the life of Jesus from the time he entered Jerusalem (on Palm Sunday) up through his resurrection (on Easter Sunday). As we near the time of his trial and crucifixion, the posts will become more and more frequent. Roman crucifixion was brutal; and, according to the Gospels, the way in which the Roman executioners crucified Jesus was no different. After they beat him brutally, mocked him (humiliation was part of the intent behind crucifixion, to begin with), and ripped his flesh, as was the custom, they forced him to carry his own cross at least part way, to Golgotha—a.k.a. the Skull (see John 19:17; Luke 23:26). What a weight to bear!
I suppose, though, that, for Jesus, the spiritual, psychological, and emotional weight of the cross well exceeded the weight of any cypress beam. I call your attention, once again (this passage has been on my mind so often lately) to the scene at Gethsemane, on the Mt. of Olives (Luke 22:39-45). As Jesus knelt to pray on the night before he was crucified, he was in such anguish over the reality of taking on the weight of our sin, that “drops of sweat like blood” were falling from his forehead. He desired, if it was at all possible, that God would take this responsibility from his shoulders. And as he hung on the cross, he cried out, while darkness covered the land, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.” What a weight to bear!
The weight of course, was that of our sin. Paul states, in 2Corintians 5:21, that Jesus took on the weight of our sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God. And, as guilty as that may make us feel, the point of it all was that we would stand before God with no guilt—no weight of sin on our shoulders.
So, why do we walk around with a general sense of guilt? Why do we carry ourselves as if there is some great weight hanging around our neck, or chained to our ankles? Jesus bore the weight of our sin; he did it so that we could become the righteousness of God. What an insult it must be for us to hang our heads and mope around, as if we still carry the weight of our own sin. So let’s stand up straight, hold our head high, and live out the righteousness that we have been given, through faith in the one who took our sin upon his shoulders. Let’s walk around free, unburdened, joyful, and grateful, because our guilt was left on the cross.

~An Unburdened Disciple

E.T. Jesus ?

2009-12-09T19:26:00.000-08:00

I heard a fascinating news story last week. Yes, it was on the Colbert Report--that's where I get all my news.

Back in November the Vatican (headquarters of the Catholic Church) sponsored a week-long special meeting where scientists, philosophers, and theologians met to discuss the current research regarding intelligent life on other planets. One conclusion of that meeting was that it is entirely possible that there is intelligent life somewhere else in the universe, and that to insist that God would not have created life elsewhere puts creative limits on God. One scientist said that either scenario (that there is or is not life on other planets) is “staggering.” If the universe is “abundant in life,” he said, then we should not be afraid of that truth. But if space exploration turns up nothing, then we will be reminded that “this planet is rather special.”

One main question that came up in the many discussions at this meeting was whether or not intelligent creatures on another planet would require a separate savior. Would Jesus have to become an Martian to save the Martians? (I’m reminded of C.S. Lewis’ 1938-1945 space trilogy, in which he imagines another planet where temptation was resisted by an Eve-like character.) I don’t expect the Vatican to find an answer to the question of life on other planets, or to resolve their speculation in our lifetime, but their discussion does remind me that the Christmas story features a curious notion about what was required from a savior for those of us who reside on planet Earth.

There are a number of Bible verses that remind us that Jesus became human in order to rescue humanity from the judgment that was required as punishment for our sin (John 1:14; Hebrews 2:17-18; Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:5-8, to name a few). But as powerful as those verses are, none are as meaningful as the fact that Jesus chose to be born in the same way that all humans are. He was conceived in the womb of a woman and entered into this world just as all babies do. He grew physically and mentally, just as all young people do (see Luke 2:52). He was tempted by sin just as we all are (see Hebrews 4:15). In order for God to save us, He became like one of us.

As I picture the scene of Jesus’ birth in my mind (Luke 2:1-19), I see a humble home for animals with rough walls and hay all around. I see two humans tucked in a corner—one the mother of the Son of God, the other his protector. I see them crowded around a small feeding trough, stuffed with hay. And in that feeding trough is a baby, with soft hair, brown eyes, and olive-colored skin, wrapped in thin blankets; he’s rooting around for something to eat and blinking his eyes. This baby knows so much about humanity, but he has yet to experience it firsthand.

The beauty of the Christmas story—the story about God becoming one of us—is that God sought to empathize with his creation. He did not insist, as some religions encourage us to do, that we become gods, like him, in order to overcome our mistakes. No, as the Bible tells it, He became one of us, so that He could overcome our mistakes. That was his plan.

So, I suppose that if there were other intelligent creatures across the universe who needed to be rescued from their own mistakes, God could become like one of them too. But who am I to put limits on God’s creative freedom; he could have chosen a different plan. What I do know is that when God considered his lost sheep, He did not expect us to find Him on our own (Luke 15:3-6). Instead, He went looking for us on planet Earth, and I think that makes us pretty special already.

~25 CSIL Tweets

2009-12-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

For the month of December I'm tweeting daily about Christmas songs I like, in no particular order. I'll keep a running list on this post.

~25CSIL. Ok, "like" may be a strong word, but my Christmas playlist was incomplete 'till I heard this 1 by Ricky Martin http://lala.com/z99Q

~25CSIL. There are better versions of this song, but its pretty cool to hear Weezer sing about Jesus. http://lala.com/zBAV

~25CSIL. Fun album. So, technically, not a Christmas song, but I like Hanukkah Blessings by Barenaked Ladies http://lala.com/zEhq

~25CSIL. If you don't know about the "A Very Special Christmas Series" you're missin' out. Heard this one last year, http://lala.com/zu6V

~CSIL. This one for yesterday. #2 from Niche Christmas Series. James Brown's "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto" http://lala.com/zmVi

~25CSIL (Christmas Songs I Like). Niche Christmas Series: British Class War. The Kinks' Father Christmas (Misfits '78) http://bit.ly/4ybXNZ

~25CSIL--Fav. Christmas album from '08: Sara Groves' O Holy Night. Fav. track: #2, http://lala.com/zG2F. More to say 'bout this album later.

~25CSIL The Killers released their 4th Christmas single today (they do 1 every year). Still my fav (from 2007): http://bit.ly/JPEG3

25 CSIL-Its hard to pick one from Sufjan Steven's 5 disc Christmas project, how about "Once in David's Royal City" http://lala.com/zKfw

25+/- Christmas song's I like, in no particular order.
This one for the kids http://bit.ly/8RgpDZ
Original version: http://bit.ly/4AlqpA
Original Follow-Up: http://bit.ly/6rfKmL
There's a reggae version too: http://bit.ly/8QdUsb

A Christmas Story

2009-11-28T16:59:00.000-08:00

"I had always felt life first as a story: and if there is a story there is a story-teller."
~GK Chesterton, as quoted in The Jesus Storybook Bible.

I’ve met some great story-tellers in my lifetime. I’m reminded of Dorris Smith, an octogenarian from the true South, in the Florida Panhandle. Ms. Smith always had a story to tell; and she told it in such a way that always kept me asking, “and then what?” Storytelling came natural to her.
I am captivated by the engaging tone and rhythm of Garrison Keillor and his ability, when he’s at his best, to subtly pull a thread of truth through an entire story. I have to work to tell a good story. I gather details, I think about plot movement, I pick up on a theme and highlight it, I rehearse the story. Years of practice with our children has made me a decent story reader. But, I am envious of natural story tellers, like Ms. Smith.
Maybe what it means for us to be created in the image of God is that we have the capacity to tell a good story. Think about it; God is an amazing story teller. And the Christmas story is one of his best tales.
There are a number of people who have convinced me of this fact in the past few years. One of these people is Sally Lloyd-Jones, writer of The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name. Now, this is a children’s Bible; but it’s a must read for every adult who loves God and a good story. Every story in this book, beginning “in the beginning,” points to Jesus and God’s plan to rescue the world through Him. When you finally get to the Christmas story—titled “He’s Here”—and see all the threads woven together in a little baby, the power of the story alone is enough to bring tears to your eyes.
You are a part of this story as well. God is weaving a theme and a plot together in your life. Romans 8:28-30 speaks to this truth. According to this verse, God’s amazing storytelling power is displayed in the lives of those who love him. When you were born plot threads were woven together that began at creation.
The Christmas story is part of your story. The Son of God & Son of Man was laying in a feeding trough for you and I. The power of that story, alone, is enough to bring tears to my eyes.

Re: It's Satire, Intentional or Not

2009-11-24T11:22:00.000-08:00

Here's a follow up to the previous post.

It's Satire, Intentional or Not

2009-11-18T14:19:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine shared the following video with me today.

I did a cursory search to find out whether or not this was real, but didn't find anything concrete. Whether or not this video was intended to be satire, it is; and it gave me many good laughs.

"The Dao of St. Paul"

2009-11-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

After the tsunami of fandom that surrounded Third Eye Blind's success with post-grunge, 3-chord, guitar-driven, pop-rock became a slow rolling wave, I allowed myself to explore the some of the deeper tracks on their first self-titled album. I was way wrong about those guys; I've been a fan ever since. Stephan Jenkins is a respectable (ok, maybe not morally respectable, but respectable in the professional sense) lyricist and producer. I love subtle--he does subtle well. When the Blue album came out, I was hooked. I waited 4 years for Out of the Vein and was not disappointed. So I was a little surprised when I missed the release of Ursa Major back in August of this year. We were in the middle of a move, it had been six years since their last release, and the album was released on a smaller label, so it was off my radar screen. I gave it a listen two weeks ago, and was blown away by track 10, "The Dao of St. Paul."

A note for my fellow Christian readers: There is much that you may find offensive in the 3eb set-list. I mean, Jenkins is an honest-to-goodness current-generation San Fransisco hippie. That's why I love the lyrical and artistic quality of 3eb, but its also the reason I choose to skip some tracks.

That said, "The Dao of St. Paul" is a beautiful moral diamond in the rough. I know that some theologians will find much over which to object in the concept of this song. "Dao" (or Tao), is not necessarily consistent with Christian moral teaching (even though C.S. Lewis, in The Abolition of Man, uses the Dao ("Tao" in The Abolition...) as a synonym for the Natural Law, as described by none other than St. Paul in verses like Romans 2:14-15). But, this song picks up on a particularly Taoist thought in the the book of Philippians--rejoicing in suffering. In Taoism, rejoicing in suffering is an echo of the highest morality (we reflect the true nature of things by existing in the tension of good and evil). In Christian thought, however, suffering and evil are things to be conquered in the future by the source of all good--i.e. God (Romans 8:24; Revelation 20:3-5).

The 3eb song picks up on this Taoist theme in the writings of Paul and applies it to a romantic relationship. I think Jenkins misses the point of Paul's rejoicing. Paul rejoices in the fact that there is something beyond his suffering--Complete Joy revealed. The person in this song, seems to rejoice for the sake of getting along in life. All that said, the choral ending of this song is beautiful. It ties all of these themes together--eastern Taoism, failed relationships, Christian virtue, complete joy revealed--and sets them to music. Perhaps that's what Lewis found so promising in the concept of Tao--it draws near to the good, even if the good cannot be explained; it seeks, in this world, that which is beyond this world; it gets close to God, even if it comes up short.

As we live our lives, I hope that you will not stop drawing near when the song resolves. I hope that you will continue to rejoice in hope long after the choral ending. I hope that you will not come up short in seeking, in this life, that which is beyond this life. I hope that you will find the source of Paul's rejoicing--his hope in God's grace through Jesus.

Ladies and Gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, and potential edification, "The Dao of St. Paul."

A Wise Mentor's Advice

2009-10-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

In a recent radio interview Ted Danson said that Kelsey Grammer gave him career-changing advice when they worked together on the set of the long-running TV comedy series, Cheers. Grammer's advice was that "an actor should have a requisite disrespect for the material" (by which he meant, the script), and he should not appear "too eager," or be perceived as "leaning forward." Danson says that, in retrospect, he probably came across as "too eager" and "tilting too far forward," as the series began. However, as he took this wise mentor's advice to heart, Danson was able relax and enjoy the process of creating with his fellow actors; he now had nothing to prove. He also believes that, because of this advice, he was able to give his character, Sam Malone, an air of confidence that seemed to endear the audience too the show. As a result Cheers became one of the longest running TV comedy series of all time.

In the gospels, Jesus seems to have the kind of confidence that Danson describes. (Is it sacrilegious to compare Sam Malone to Jesus? Maybe.) Religious leaders constantly brought accusations against Jesus' authenticity. His answer always seemed confident, not too eager; as if to say, "Here is the truth; take it or leave it." The poor, sick and needy sought Jesus out, hoping to receive what he had to offer. He neither turned them away nor eagerly waited on them hand and foot, but gave what he had and directed them toward the truth. When Jesus encountered those who needed truth, he always shared it; but, he didn't beg them to accept it.

The Apostle John describes Jesus' approach in the opening lines of his gospel:

11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...
--John 1:11-12, NIV

Jesus simply shared the truth of who he was. He was confident in that truth. Those who accepted this truth were accepted. But, he didn't cater to those who rejected the truth. He was cool, collected and confident. He had a "requisite disrespect" for the script that people had written for him.

As disciples of Jesus, we ought to imitate our Mentor's approach. We ought to have a requisite respect for the Word of God, but a requisite disregard (disrespect may be too strong of a word) for the script others have written for us. We ought to be confident in the truth that we have been called children of God on the basis of our belief in the truth of who Jesus is, and eagerly invite others to receive Jesus as well. But, we are not actors. We are not role playing. And, we ought not to convey that this is the case, by "leaning too far forward" as we share the truth. Play it cool. Be authentic. Be confident. Relax and enjoy the process of leading others to Christ.

A wise mentor gave his disciples some career-changing advice one day. Jesus' advice was that his disciples ought to wipe the dust off of their feet when they left a town that did not listen to the truth of who Jesus was (Matthew 10:14). In other words, they ought to be confident, sharing the truth with those who will listen, and not catering to those who won't. As a result, Christianity has thrived for over 2,000 years.

At Safeharbor last Sunday, we were encouraged to share the "good news" about Jesus with those who might not know it, or to invite a coworker to a Safeharbor Connection Group. Perhaps you are intimidated by such a task. Learn from your mentor, Jesus. Play it cool, stop acting and just be who you are—a child of God.

Jesus' Complete Guide for the Christian Life (7)

2009-09-16T14:04:00.001-07:00

This is the final message from the Sermon on the Mt. Series. If you've been listening, I expect that you were as challenged by Jesus' words as much as I was. However, Jesus' final point from this passage seems to be that it matters not if we are simply challenged by these words. No, the wise person will hear these words and and put them into practice (Matthew 7:24-27).
Jesus' words stretch us. We may be daunted by this high calling. But, such is the nature of all revolutions. Join us in this revolutionary kingdom of heaven, as we strive to live out Jesus' words.

A Decided Disciple,
dan

The Essence of Discipleship

2009-09-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

This meditation is less devotional; more direct. I'm asking you to meditate on a question.

A few days ago I posted a status update on my Facebook & Twitter pages in which I stated that I was pondering the "essence of Christian discipleship." I also invited people's thoughts on the issue. The results were not surprising. Turns out, most of us have our own particular version of what discipleship means. It's a curious word; and, its use in the context of the Christian faith has certainly been wide and varied. Yet, Matthew 28:19 makes it clear that the #1 priority of the apostles, which was, in turn, to be handed off to the church, is to "make disciples of all nations." And, most churches cite this verse in their mission statements (you weren't a successful church/business in the 90's or at the turn of the millennium if you didn't have one of those, you know). So if making disciples is the church's responsibility, if discipleship is our mission, shouldn't we have some inkling of what discipleship is on the most basic level? Shouldn't we be able to readily identify the essence of Christian discipleship?

I want to invite you to ponder the "essence of discipleship" with me. Share your thoughts with me on facebook , twitter. or right here. In your mind, what is the essence of Christian discipleship?

A Curious Disciple,

dan white

Jesus' Complete Guide to the Christian Life (6)

2009-09-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

Here's the audio version of Sunday's (9/6) message, A Community of Grace. This is message 6 of 7 in the Sermon on the Mt. Series. Comments/questions/thoughts welcome.

2009-09-03T20:32:00.000-07:00

This is an article I wrote for a Safeharbor meditation/commentary series on Matthew 5:21-48.

38 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Batman is the quintessential antihero—the protagonist of the story who exacts justice, but displays major character flaws and a dark side. There is a struggle within Bruce Wayne, the bat-man. He desires to bring criminals to justice; but, in so doing, he takes out his own pain on those who we deem deserving of it. Batman sometimes goes beyond justice.

In the Old Testament, there was a principal, referred to by today's legal experts as lex talonis, which serves to ensure that the retribution apportioned on behalf of an offended party does not exceed the nature of the crime. The phrase that captures the essence of that principal comes from Exodus 21:24—"Eye for eye, tooth for tooth...." This concept is often misunderstood. It would seem, when taken out of context, that this principal would have us do to others what they have done to us. In actuality, this principal is not a personal ethic; it was a national standard of justice, to be applied in the Hebrew legal system.

In the above passage, Jesus does not reject the idea of justice, on which legal systems are based. Rather, he rejects the use of "eye-for-eye" retaliation as a personal ethic, and replaces that notion with the idea of self sacrifice. Again he uses the formula, "You have heard that it was said,...But I say to you...." The problem is not with the idea of lex talonis. The problem is with the improper application of it.

To illustrate what he's getting at Jesus uses 3 examples from Jewish daily life:
1) Suppose someone slaps you on the cheek. In Jesus' day a slap on the cheek was a common insult, which would normally be returned. This retaliation could easily escalate to a knock-down-drag-out brawl.
2) Suppose someone sues your for your tunic. The tunic was a simple garment worn under an outer cloak. The cloak was often required as collateral in legal cases.
3) Suppose someone forces you to go a mile with them. The Persian government began the practice of forcing commoners to help couriers, on official government business, along their way. The Roman's borrowed this practice. In Jesus' day, Roman soldiers had the power to conscript common citizens to help carry their military supplies.[1]

In each of these cases, Jesus says that his disciples should not only resist the temptation to retaliate, but that they let go of pride and humbly extend grace—turn the extra cheek, give the shirt off your back, go the extra mile.

We live in a culture that celebrates justice. And, with good reason; justice is a godly virtue. But we have sometimes perverted justice. We celebrate over the gruesome beating of the bad guy. The antihero lacks grace and mercy; and we put him on kids' lunchboxes. For Jesus, however, the hero, the strong person, the one who triumphs, the true disciple is the one who is able to stop the cycle of retaliation and begin a cycle of grace. Jesus celebrates when grace is served. How has grace been served in your life?

------

[1] Mark Moore. The Chronological Life of Christ, volume 1. College Press, 1996, pg. 197.

Faithful Hearts

2009-08-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

This is an article I wrote for a Safeharbor meditation/commentary series on Matthew 5:21-48.

27 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' {27 Exodus 20:14} 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

31 "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' {31 Deut. 24:1} 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

Recent Hardee's (Carl's Jr., for you West Coasters) commercials have illustrated just how sinful we have become as a culture. We know sex sells. But, hamburgers...? Sex sells hamburgers? In 2005 Carl's Jr. insisted that they were not sorry for the "Spicy Burger" commercial, featuring a scantily clad Paris Hilton. To prove the point they've made more commercials, featuring lesser known, but equally clothed females.

Apparently, in Jesus' day, a lift of the veil was all it took to drive men to unfaithful acts. Public displays like those of the infamous Carl's Jr. adds, were less common (though not unheard of). And yet, unfaithfulness was still a problem. A quick read of the Old Testament will prove that point.
However, according to Jewish tradition, the term adultery was restricted only to sexual intercourse with the wife or the betrothed of a fellow Jew. In contrast, Jesus' words must have seemed austere. To look at a woman lustfully; that's adultery?[1] Not only so, but the indication of vs. 30 is that such sin, if left unchecked, can lead one to eternal condemnation in hell.

Part of us wants to take vs. 29-30 literally. We want to be faithful to Jesus. We don't want to be lost in hell. We want to please God to the deepest degree possible at the deepest level possible. If my eyes cause me to sin, take them away God! But when we pick up the gouging tool of choice, it becomes obvious that Jesus words are hyperbolic (in the literary sense). And even if I did gouge out my right eye, I still have another to sin with. What we ought to do, then, is remove temptation. Turn the channel, turn your head, don't stare—easy solutions. But what we need are not strategies; we need a heart devoted to God.

The discussion of divorce (21-32) naturally flows from that of adultery (27-30). Jesus makes more extensive comments on this topic in Matthew 19:1-12. That passage is helpful for understanding God's attitude towards divorce (as if Malachi 2:16 wasn't clear enough). For our purposes here, it should suffice to know that, according to Deuteronomy 24:1-4, a man could divorce his wife for something "improper."[2] The rabbis debated the nature of that improper thing many times over. According to some teachers, something as "improper" as burnt food was acceptable grounds for divorce. In such a situation, a certificate of divorce was necessary, if the woman was to be married again.

However, in Jesus' teaching from Matthew 19, it's clear that a piece of paper does not make one divorced. No, the bond of marriage is an everlasting bond, and the terms of the marriage covenant are sexual faithfulness.[3] In a society where women had difficulty finding means to provide for themselves, remarriage was nearly a necessity for a divorced woman. After divorce, the children became property of the father, and he retained all possessions; she never got the house. Because a piece of paper does not make one divorced in the eyes of God, the woman who finds herself faced with the decision to remarry or starve, is forced to commit adultery.

In view of such a strict standard. I'm thankful for God's grace. The divorce rate in the U.S. is currently around 50%; and the rate of divorce among Christians is comparable. It is God's mercy that allowed the Hebrews of the Old Testament to issue a certificate of divorce. It is God's grace that allows those of us who find ourselves on the other side of divorce, to renew our commitment of faithfulness to the spouses we currently have.

Whether we have been unfaithful with our eyes or we have forced our spouses into adultery, by leaving them alone, true repentance, marked by a commitment to faithfulness in the relationships in which we find ourselves, is what pleases our gracious God. A faithful heart is what he desires.

[1] In Jesus' day, men were responsible for the sin of adultery, not women. Women were viewed as property. When another man violated his brother's property, he was sinning, not only against himself, his own wife, and God, but his brother as well. If caught, adultery was punishable by death.

[2] In Jesus' day, men could divorce their wives, but wives could not divorce their husbands.

[3] The prominent feature of the ancient Hebrew wedding ceremony was the consummation of the marriage in sexual intercourse.

Jesus' Complete Guide to the Christian Life (3)

2009-08-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here's an audio link to Sunday's message, Surpassing Righteousness: A Matter of the Heart, my third message from the Sermon on the Mt. Series, A Complete Guide for the Christian Life. This focus of this message is Matthew 5:17-20, which is key to understanding everything else Jesus says in this sermon.

Some scripture notes:
Matthew 5:17-12; Matthew 23; Matthew 5:21-48; Luke 24:44; Hebrews 7:18ff; Romans 7:1-8:39; Galatians 3:10ff; Matthew 22:34-40; Romans 6:1-4; Matthew 11:28-30
Per the request of those of you who are involved in covert religious operations in undisclosed locations of the FL panhandle, and other fellow preachers, I'm glad to share my manuscript. Just email me, and I'll send you my very rough draft.

Jesus' Complete Guide to the Christian Life (2)

2009-08-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to my message from the second message in this series, entitled Salty, Brilliant Disciples

Matthew 5:13-16; Ephesians 5:1-8; John 17:14-18; Matthew 9:10-12

Continue the discussion or leave comments below.

Words of Life

2009-08-07T07:57:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, I began a new series of messages based on Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount," found in Matthew 5-7. ¹ As someone who's grown up in the church, served as a church secretary, youth & children's minister, preacher/pastor, led worship, led bible studies, written devotions, sermons, meditations, and term papers about biblical issues, personally encouraged people to align themselves with God's word, and regularly studies the Bible, you might think that I rarely encounter passages that cause me to rethink my lifestyle at this point. Let me state emphatically, clearly, and unambiguously, for those of you who might make such an assumption, that nothing could be further from the truth. The more I encounter God's word, the more I discover things about my life that need to change. I've talked to aged saints who would say the same. And, I believe that Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount" is one of the most universally challenging passages in the Bible.

In this passage, as Jesus teaches his new followers, he raises the standard of righteousness from the keeping of a list of contingent rules to an attitude of full devotion to God at the level of the heart, mind, soul, and body. And, as he applies that attitude to various situations in which we might find ourselves, it becomes quite clear, that we all have a long way to go. If you think you've arrived in regard to righteousness, you probably haven't.

I was told by a listener, that they were distracted on Sunday, when I asked the audience to read Jesus' words from a Bible, rather than simply listen to me as I read it. They were distracted from my words, because they enjoyed reading the words on the page of the Bible. My response was, "Good. I've accomplished my goal." My desire, as a "preacher" is to help people hear what God has communicated in his Word, because His words are what really matters.

In John 6:66 we read that many of Jesus followers began to desert him, because his teaching was esoteric. Indeed, Jesus words in this passage must have been a little disconcerting to the original listeners. So, Jesus, speaking to this situation, poses the following question to his close followers--the twelve--, "Do you want to leave me too?" Peter's response is something that resonates in my heart. I desire that all of us, as Jesus' followers, would get the point where we too can say, in response to Jesus' words, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

So this Sunday, as I preach, if I find my Safeharbor friends with their heads down, and their Bibles open, please know that I have accomplished my goal. For they are encountering Jesus' words--challenging words, inspiring words, words of hope, words of LIFE.

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1. Jesus preaches this message from the side of a mountain (or hill). The traditional site is thought to be near the town of Capernaum, by the Sea of Gallilee.

Jesus' Complete Guide for the Christian Life (1)

2009-08-02T09:10:00.001-07:00

I began a new sermon series on 8/2/09.
Here's a link to the first message, entitled Jesus' Revolutionary Kingdom

The following passages might add to the discussion:
Matthew 11:4-5; Isaiah 61:1-2

Are You Chicken?

2009-07-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with Chicken? There are two games from my childhood that went by this name. One game involves a minimum of 4 people. Here are the directions: 1) Form teams of two. 2) Stack one person on top of another. 3) Use whatever means necessary to knock your opponent from their teammate's shoulders. 4) The last team standing is the winner.

But, the game I have in mind for this post involves two people who wait to see which person will hold out the longest and not give in to the boldness of the other. The literal version of this game often involves speeding cars or bicycles. The person who refuses to back down is declared the winner.
There's also a figurative version of this game. I like to call it relational chicken. Have you played it? Relational chicken involves two parties. These parties decide their respective standard, and wait to see who will cave to the demands of the other. The standard may be communicated clearly, subtly, or not at all. From all initial appearances, the party that refuses to back down is declared the winner.

Relational chicken is a frequent pastime in many marriages. Tammy and I have played it several times. On those occasions, we forget the higher standard and better model given in scripture. Consider the advice of Ephesians 5:21: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." The author then goes on to describe a few relationships in which this principle applies—husband-wife, parent-child, and slave-master (boss-employee is a good modern parallel to this relationship).

In the marriage relationship, wives are to submit to their husbands by respecting his leadership in the home. Husbands are to submit to their wives—now, get this fellas—by loving their wives, and giving themselves up for her, as Christ gave himself up for the Church; which basically means that until I've died for my wife, I have some work to do.

I think it's fairly easy to see that if one partner is willing to heed this advice, it becomes a little easier for the other partner to follow suit. It's easier for a wife to submit to her husband's leadership, when he resists the urge to be selfish, overbearing, or inconsiderate, and, instead, gives up anything and everything for her benefit. And, it's easier for the husband to do that for his wife, when she resists the urge to be nagging, pushy, or demanding, and, instead, respects and admires her husband for the man that he is.

So, here's the big question: Who's going to give in first? It might seem that we will get what we want if we hold out the longest. But Godly wisdom often runs contrary to human wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:19). I have heard a number of individuals say that they never really got what the wanted out of their relationship until they decided to make the first move. This has been my experience in marriage, but it also holds true for other relationships--its the Ephesians 5:21 principle.

Think about it, when one party unwillingly caves in this game of relational chicken, the result is resentment and tension. The "winner" may get what they want, but they'll pay the price; and the "loser" will reinvent the game on their own terms. No, the only way to "win" at relational chicken is for one party to willingly choose humble themselves for the sake of the other. The genuine grace and humility required to make such a choice is only possible for those with the strength and courage to make it. Fear prevents us from making the first move. Are you chicken? I hope not.

P.S. There's much more to say about this topic. I await your comments.

FIJI Revival

2009-07-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

My good friend Eric Lamoray introduced me to the amazing story of revival that has taken place in the Fijian Islands. He was on the ground floor of this revival, and, in many, ways was the one through whom God worked to begin this amazing transformation.
Here's a simple version of the story. The video below is a trailer for the 2004 documentary, Let the Sea Resound.

Nehemiah 3

2009-07-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

My message from 7/12 was about Standing Firm in the face of opposition.
Here's the intro from the bulletin:

Are you one of those people who jumps into a project headfirst and lets the details sort themselves out? Or, do you stress yourself out, thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong before you take action. The latter extreme may keep you from ever making a move, while the former may leave you exposed to problems you never saw coming.
No matter what your approach may be, there are some threats to your plans that can't be stopped. And, when faced with those threats, the choice is always the same, "Do I give up on this endeavor, or do I stand firm." Ultimately, our choice in this dilemma is based on our assessment of whether the endeavor is worth the struggle.
As we continue to consider the book of Nehemiah, we will note a third building block for a successful new beginning—"Standing Firm in the Face of Opposition." In our New Beginning together, I hope that you will stand firm with me, as we carry out this ancient task and, what should be, our singular focus as a church—making disciples of Jesus Christ. There will be opposition as we undertake this mission, but our commitment to it will always be worth the struggle.

Audio messages from our SCC's Sunday Morning Worship Service will be available soon.

Nehemiah Video

2009-07-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

In searching out resources for our Building Blocks for a New Beginning series at Safeharbor Christian Church, I found this video. It didn't really fit with any of the Sunday morning messages, but it's a good summary of the the first half of the book of Nehemiah, and deserving of a good chuckle.

If you have comments about Sunday's message (7/5), I'd love to hear 'em--use the comment tab below.

Fortress of Solitude

2009-07-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

My mother still lives in the modest, yellow cinderblock home on Forest Drive. The bedroom where I used to sleep is now filled with office furniture, a filing cabinet, some boxes, and other miscellaneous items that have no place of their own. It looks very different than it did when I resided in that cozy 10ft. by 10 ft. space. That room was, for me, a fortress of solitude--a place for me to escape the brutality of pre-teen life and the drama of a broken home. There, in that space, I could tune it all out, listen to the radio (a lost art on Generation Y), play with G.I. Joe™ action figures who drove around in "civilian" Fieros™ and Fire Engines, and create a world of my own.

It was during that time however, that my interests began to change. In a changing world that was falling apart, I found that the one person who remained strong, firm, true, and faithful was this God I had heard about from as early as I could remember. At some point during my pre-teens, my faith had become my own. I still played with G.I. Joes and listened to the radio, but that room had also became the place where I would connect to my Heavenly Father, in prayer, in his word, and in reflection on what he was doing in my life. It was a quiet place, a peaceful place, a place where I gained strength and became convinced of my identity in Christ.

This place was, for me, not unlike Superman's Fortress of Solitude, which is featured in all the major Superman movies (with the exception of Superman III). In this crystal cave outside of Metropolis, Superman would escape the chaos and confusion of big-city life and the pressure of being a superhero, to find peace, gain strength, and remind himself of his true identity. Those who follow the Superman myth know that this fortress contains numerous "memory crystals" that can be used to access Superman's alien father's artificial intelligence and holographic image. (I'm sure some of you comic nerds out there may take issue with this statement, but I don't claim to be a Superman expert.)

The discipline of solitude used to seem like a natural thing to me; I didn't feel the need to be disciplined in this discipline. I was kind of a quiet kid with no real responsibilities, so reflection just kind of happened. When my faith became my own, reflection in the presence of God, prayer, and absorbing His word became a regular occurrence.

Now, however, as a husband to 1, father of 4, and pastor of a healthy church in central Florida, pet owner, etc., solitude is hard to find. The discipline of solitude takes discipline. So, I often withdraw to my office, before the day begins, to reflect, absorb God's word, and pray.

When I think of my need for quiet time with God, I often reflect on Jesus' habitual practice of solitary prayer. In Luke 5:16, the author tells us that "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." See Mark 1:35; Mark 6:46; Luke 4:42; Luke 6:12; John 6:15 for more illustrations of Jesus' habit. In those solitary places, Jesus would escape the crowds begging to be healed, the Disciples who couldn't seem to grasp what he was saying, and the religious leaders who wanted him dead. In that solitary place, I imagine he found peace in the presence of his Father, strength for his mission, and became convinced of his identity as "Son of God," "Son of Man," and savior of the world.

If he who was one with the Father found it important to withdraw to a fortress of solitude and converse with his Heavenly father, how much more important is it for us to do so?

So, I encourage you to find your own solitary place, and often withdraw there to converse with your Heavenly Father.

4 Elements of Nehemiah's Prayer.

2009-06-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

Hello SCC family. If you'd like to continue the discussion from Sunday's (6/28) message feel free to leave a comment or ask a question by clicking the "comments" link under this post.

During part of my message this morning, I outlined four elements of Nehemiah's prayer from Nehemiah 1:4-11, but did not go into much detail. Here's a few more thoughts on these elements from Nehemiah's prayer

* Nehemiah's prayer seems to have evolved a period of four months. When he first heard the devastating news about his homeland, we read that his response was that of mourning, fasting, and praying. Surely, you've felt the sense of despair that seems to hover over Nehemiah after recieving this news. And, in those moments, our response may be something like, "Why God?" or "Look at me, God. Take notice of my situation." We mourn, in the presence of God. But as you finish that prayer or those prayers, our concerns change; and, so, our prayers change as well.
Over a period of 4 months our prayers may change from, "Hear my cry, God." to "Give me direction, God," and finally, "Grand me success as I cary out this plan." Our prayers change, because we sense an answer from God. We may receive guidance from Scripture that seems to speak to our situation, or receive council from an unsolicited Godly source, or notice His hand at work in the circumstances of our lives. It's important that we seek God's answer to our prayers and not deceive ourselves by declaring that our own agenda is an answer from God. But, he does answer. And, in this way, prayer really can be an evolving conversation.
(On a side note, We're not sure of the nature of Nehemiah's fast. There are many types of fasts mentioned in scripture. Basically, Nehemiah deprived himself of something--likely food--as a way to express his mourning and as an means to help him focus his prayers.)

At some point during those four months, Nehemiah offers up this prayer:

1. Worship [vs. 5]
"Then I said: 'O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands,..."
Nehemiah beings his prayer with a worshipful attitude toward God. In these four months of prayer and fasting, he never forgot that the one to whom he was praying was the awesome God over heaven and earth, the faithful YHWH of Israel, who keeps his promises.
As we pray, we must not forget that the God we encounter is a holy God; the mighty creator of things seen and unseen, who gave his only Son as a ransom for our lives.

2. Confession [vs. 6-7]
"6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses...."
Before Nehemiah makes his request, he confesses his sin and the sin of his brothers and sisters before God. Confession is an important part of our prayer lives. Many of us think to ourselves, "God already knows our sins, why do I need to confess them to Him?" But confession is more for our benefit than it is God's. It is important to recognize who we are before this holy, awesome, powerful, loving, just, perfect savior of our souls. How can we align ourselves with the will of God, if we do not recognize who we are in His presence.
Consider the words of David, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened..." (Psalm 66:18). Perhaps God is more concerned with whether or not we have aligned ourselves with His will and purified ourselves for His use, than he is with fulfilling our wishes. When we begin our prayers by desiring for ourselves what He desires for us, the requests that follow are likely to be more sensitive to his will. (See John 5:14-15).

3. Declaration of God's Promises [vs. 8-10]
"Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.' 10 "They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand...."
How do we know that we're praying according to the will of God? We can always be sure that our desires are in line with God's when our prayers are based in the truth of His Word. I imagine that during those 4 months verses like Deuteronomy 30:1-5 came to mind. Perhaps Nehemiah learned verses like these from his parents. Maybe, he was searching the Scriptures for some kind of guidance during those 4 months. Maybe the synagogues that were instituted during Nehemiah's day recited this verse on a regular basis. But, somehow, Nehemiah, knew this verse; it was in his heart. And as he prayed, he reminded himself of the promise that God had made. He reminded God of this promise. He knew that this request was something God desired to answer in His strength and in His timing.
God has given us many promises in the Bible (2 Peter 1:3-4). Do you know them, are they in your heart? Do you remind yourself of these promises in the presence of God? Here are a few of the promises that I often include in my prayers: 2 Peter 1:3 (He's given me what I need to be who I should be); 1 Cor. 10:13 (I can handle this temptation, with His help); Romans 8:28 (He can take our lives and make them into something beautiful); Matthew 16:16-18 (the church will endure whatever obstacles come her way).

4. The Request [11]
"O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.'"
Finally, the request. Now that he has reminded himself of who God is, of who he is in the presence of God, and the will of God for his situation, Nehemiah makes his request. It is a request born out of a sensitivity to what God desires to do and not not a selfish agenda; Nehemiah's honesty in these previous elements has ensured that this is the case.

The answer to this prayer is amazing. Not only does the King allow Nehemiah take a leave of absence to return to his hometown and rebuild its walls, he guarantees his personal safety, provides the timber that will be required to build the walls, sends an army and cavalry with him for the journey, and appoints Nehemiah as governor of the province of Jerusalem. Within 52 days, the wall was built despite insurmountable odds, external threats, and internal strife.
(If you haven't done so already, read the story of Nehemiah in your Bible.)

How often to do you include these elements in your prayers? Which of these elements do you sometimes forget when conversing with God? Why do you think prayer was so important to Nehemiah that he would commit himself to it for 4 months prior to making a move?

All We Can Do

2009-05-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

The following post was published in the June Edition of the Safeharbor Christian Church Newsletter, where I will sere as Sr. Pastor, as of June 22nd.

When I was asked to write my very first article for the SCC newsletter, I originally thought, "Ok. No big deal. I write stuff all the time; it's what I do." But as I began to think of an angle for this article, I realized, "people may have expectations," which kind of made me rethink how I approached this task.

Surely you have expectations. Maybe you want to get to know me, and expect me to share some biographical information or my favorite scripture verse. Maybe you want me to demonstrate that I know how to interpret the Bible or exegete a passage, and your expectations are that I'll write a half-page commentary on a difficult text. Or, maybe your expectations are that I'll issue a call to action and pave a way for the future of SCC. Maybe you were hoping I'd include a good joke for you to share at work tomorrow. You may not even be aware of your expectations. But, if you were waiting on this article, you surely had them.

Good grades didn't come naturally to me as a young man, but something changed by the time I graduated high school. And by the time I moved on from my undergraduate studies, I had the system figured out. Now, I'm told it wasn't always like this, but, in the college classroom now-a-days, there's an easy formula for good grades: 1) know the professor's expectations, 2) meet those expectations, and 3) wait for a good grade. Some professors despise grade inflation and classroom evaluations, but they can't fight it; they have to cater to the system that pays them. Other professors just go with the flow; it's all about imparting knowledge for them anyway, so grades are kind of superfluous. But the expectation of most students is that if they meet the professor's expectations, they're going to get a good grade; and that's pretty much how the academic world works in the 21st century. It's not about doing your best; it's about meeting expectations and doing what it takes to get an "A." That was the game I was conditioned to play.

When I finally "entered the real world" and began serving in a church as an associate pastor, I still viewed my responsibilities much in the same way I viewed them in undergraduate and graduate school—if you want to be successful, figure out people's expectations and meet them. It didn't take long to realize that this approach to life and ministry is maddening. Everyone had their own opinions about success. Everyone had a unique view about the best way to approach a task. Everyone had different expectations. I needed a new approach.

Here's what I came up with: "Do your very best for God; that's all you can do." This is the approach that brought peace. This is the approach that balanced humility with poise. This is the approach that satisfied my soul and honored God.

Before his book title was borrowed for a song, a singing group, a movie, numerous blog titles, and various parachurch ministries, Mike Pilavachi expressed this thought eloquently when wrote For The Audience of One: Worshiping the One and Only in Everything You Do. The title says it all. Live for God and worship him in everything you do. Yes, he has expectations, but they're the only ones you have to worry about.

If I had only taken Jesus' ancient advice to heart, I could have avoided a lot of stress. In Matthew 6:1-18, he reminds us that God is pleased when we live for Him alone, and even takes notice of things that other's can't see—look it up.

So, SCC, I'm looking forward to the future. I have expectations about the way things should go. I know that you do too. But, I want to challenge us to consider the expectations of the only one who really matters, and vow to give Him our very best. It's all we can do.

“ ...in view of God's mercy,... offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.”
- Romans 12:1

You Never Know

2009-04-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

I value Jesus' disciples and potential disciples of all ages. From the very young, who, as potential disciples, need to see the love and acceptance of Christ as shown through the Church, to pre-teens who have made or may make a commitment to follow Christ, no matter what they may face in the future, to young men and women who have fought the good fight and lost a few battles, but still love Jesus with a passion, to people in mid-life crisis who are trying to figure out whether they really value Jesus and his Kingdom more than anything in this world, to the elderly who are trying to figure out how to serve Jesus in new ways, and every one in between.

A while back I had the privilege of worshiping with some of our teens from BCC in the passionate and energetic way that just seems to come natural to some of them (In all honesty, I'm just as passionate and energetic, when it comes to worship). This was fueled, of course, by the passionate and energetic worship that just seems to come natural to Steve Fee --worship leader at North Point Community Church in Atlanta, GA. Fee, as the band is known, is pretty hot in the Christian worship world right now, and is one of the latest contributors to the consortium of Christian worship hit-makers, known as the 268 Generation or Passion Worship Band. And, perhaps, more importantly, my kids love to rock out to his music in worship.

At one of the more solemn moments of the service that night, Steve talked about his experiences with the church as a young boy. I was surprised to find out that he grew up in Lakeland, FL (a few minutes from my home town of Lake Wales), and was raised in "the faith" at a small church where 20-30 worshipers gathered to sing the "old standards" each Sunday morning. I don't think he said anything about the make up of the congregation, but if it was anything like my experience growing up in a small church in central FL, I'm guessing that the majority of those worshipers were near retirement age. This was an awesome reminder that God uses little churches all across the globe to raise up servants who can minister to the world in the name of Christ. There was probably no more perfect congregation for Steve to grow up in--a place that God used to developed the faith, the undying loyalty to Christ, the sense of holiness in worship, the desire to challenge and encourage Jesus' followers, the humility, the sense that this God who we worship is worth everything we could give, not to mention the ability to sing praise to God in a way that's pleasing to the ear, that exuded from Steve that night.

I was also raised in "the faith" at a small (not 20-30 small, but small) church in central Florida, where white haired ladies nodded vigorously in agreement with the preacher and bald headed men led us in prayer with reverent, yet familiar tones. I love those men and women, who trained me to be a thoughtful, faithful, humble, joyful, mission-minded, servant-hearted, disciple of Jesus. There was probably no more perfect congregation for me to grow up in. Or, at least, that's how it seems.

I have many memories from that church that have impacted me in positive ways. But, lately, the most prevalent has been Mrs. Stanley and her flavored caramel rolls. I feel kind of bad about the fact that my brother, Drew, and I used to refer to her as the candy lady, but she never seemed to mind. Every Sunday after the service, as the saints hung around to extend hand shakes and make lunch plans, we would ask our mom for permission to go see the candy lady. We would make our way to Mrs. Stanley, give her a hug, oblige her with small talk, and hold out our hands, into which she would deposit one, sometimes two, Brach's Creme Filled Royals--raspberry and orange were my favorite, by far. Sometimes I believe that Mrs. Stanley's kindness may have done more to influence me to devote my life to Christ than all the Christian teen conferences, Christian youth events, and Christian summer camps combined. I am probably in ministry today because of people like her and my grandma Tompkins, and Mrs. Green, and Mr. & Mrs. Whitaker, and Mrs. Akers, and Olan Furnish, and Sadie Davis, and so many other people who's names are escaping me, but who's smiles and kindness I remember clearly. I probably became a minister/preacher/pastor because, secretly, I was hoping that the old ladies of the churches where I've served would have purses filled with Brach's Creme Filled Royals--if they do, they've hidden them well. Despite the fact that they've kept the candy to themselves, I can forgive them. I can forgive them when, out of the corner of my eye, I see them hugging my children, making small talk with them, handing them their take home papers, squatting down and inviting them to take hold of the prize in their hand.

So here's to the the small churches across the world, trying to figure out their place in the kingdom. These faithful followers of Jesus who meet regularly to study the Word of God, to extend smiles, handshakes, and hugs, to worship their God and savior, to make lunch plans, to collect funds in support of others who carry the Gospel across the world and in their own back yard, to encourage one another to view life with an eternal perspective, to remind one another that Jesus died to take away our sins, and to make announcements about the annual church picnic at the park; all the while, unwittingly, training up young men and women who will impact the world for Christ in ways that they could have never imagined. Those young men and women will use methods that would surely shock and worry their predecessors; they will violate some treasured traditions. But we are indebted to those faithful, loving saints who nurtured us in "the faith" in ways that we may never even know.

If you take anything away from this random meditation, I hope that it is the following advice: bring candy to church. Hand out that candy to Jesus' disciples and potential disciples of all ages. Do so with a smile, small talk, and a hug. You may never know what kind of impact you have on their lives. They may never know it either. Whether you attend a church 0f 20-30 or 17,000-17,010, God can use you to shape the character of his leaders for the next generation. You may be giving a Brach's Creme Filled Royal to the next Steve Fee; you never know!

Craddock's Invaluable Advice for Preachers

2009-04-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about preaching lately. What is the purpose of it? What makes a good sermon? Which style is most effective? What do I want to change about the way I preach, and what do I want to retain that is unique to who I am as a servant of God's word?

While we were on vacation two weeks ago, my Family and I had the privilege of attending Cherry Log Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), in Cherry Log, GA, where Fred Craddock holds the position of Pastor Emeritus. Craddock, if you aren't aware, is considered one of the premier preachers of our time and serves as Bandy Distinguished Professor of Preaching and New Testament, Emeritus, in the Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (click here for more info).

The following advice was invaluable for me. One of these videos nearly brought tears to my eyes; I just needed to hear this today. But I didn't cry, because I'm kind of reserved, which, according to Fred, is ok. I have to be myself.

All Together Separate

2009-04-08T09:10:00.000-07:00

I wish I would have taken a picture for you, but I'll just try to describe it.

I parked my van on the northbound side of Hwy 65 in Telogia, Fl, the epitome of rural life in the Florida panhandle. Walking around the brick "Telogia Assembly of God" sign near the road, I made my way through a small field of cars parked on the church lawn to the old white church building. I waved to my brothers and sisters in Christ--some who I knew, some that I didn't, but they all greeted me with a smile. A set of plain white double doors under a small portico marked the entrance to the simple sanctuary. As I opened the right hand side of the double doors, I entered what seemed to be about a 5x7ft. foyer packed with men who smelled like aftershave; men with firm handshakes; men with warm smiles. I greeted the hosting pastor, Thomas Adams; he was delighted to have me. Noticing brother Victor Walsh, pastor of First Baptist Church of Bristol, I grabbed his hand, shook it, and gave him a brotherly hug. Nobody, makes you feel appreciated like brother Coy Collins of Pentecostal Holiness Church of Bristol, so I made my way over to him--a stout man with a clean shaven head. He extended his hand, hugged me, and said, in the way only a down-to-earth pentecostal preacher from Bristol, FL could, "Good to see you, brother; how was your trip." (My family and I had just returned from vacation.)

The sanctuary was a room about 20x20ft, plus a stage up front. There was quite a bit of wood trim, and "wood" paneling spanned the walls. Wood pews, with red cushions. The ceiling was low. The room was packed. One of those old hymn/attendance/offering boards that all churches must have had in the 50s & 60s informed that last week's attendance was 15 and this week's was 16. It looked to me like all 15 people--not including the keyboard player--were siting behind the pulpit, in the choir section. Brother Adams must have been ecstatic to have a full house that Monday night. He took the microphone--it was just about 7:00 p.m.--and commenced with the encouraging, confident, passionate speech that often characterized these old community revivals in rural towns across America not all that long ago. Well, I should say, they were common sometime before I was born, but not so long ago that people in Liberty Co. didn't know what was about to happen.

I'm a proud member of the Liberty Co. Ministerial Association. I'm mostly proud, not because of what we accomplish as an association--though we do accomplish some good things,--but mostly because of the sense of camaraderie that exists between myself and my United Methodist, Southern Baptist, Pentecostal Holiness, Church of God (Cleveland), and Assembly of God brothers. Oh, and one Sister from the Church of God of Prophecy--an African-American congregation. We didn't always have this sense of cooperation and concern for one another in the association, but eventually love and a desire to honor Jesus above ourselves won the day.

The idea for the Holy Week revival came out of one of those monthly meetings at Appalachee Restaurant in Bristol. It was decided that a different congregation would host the revival each night of the Holy week, and that one of the preachers from another church would stand in the pulpit to deliver the message that God laid on his heart to speak. Naturally there was some apprehension at first, but, now in its 3rd year, this revival has done more to bring unity among the churches of Liberty Co. than any other event or service project we've undertaken so far. Somehow, in part because of these revival services, churches have set aside a sense of competition for the souls of Liberty Co. and replaced it with a sense of mutual respect--even if its mainly among the pastors of those churches--and common concern for those who do not know Jesus Christ. When I had the privilege of speaking on Tuesday night last year, I felt the need to make the following comment, "Lets not pretend that there aren't major theological differences among us in this room tonight. The names on our signs in front of our church buildings mean something. I'm not naive enough to ignore that fact. But we can all agree tonight, that there is one Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the one name under heaven, given to humanity by which we must be saved." Obviously there were no Unitarians in the room that night :)

So, in that spirit Brother Adams, began to lead us in a few simple choruses, which we all knew. I love to sing with my friends at the Telogia Assembly of God; they know how to get down. There was a lot of hand clappin', and we stood far longer than anyone in our church would have allowed for, and certainly longer than the Baptist lady standing next to me was comfortable with. There were no words on a screen. We didn't even use hymnals, at first. We just sang choruses that we grew up singing; songs of praise to our God and Savior. Then we broke out the hymnals and sang all the verses, all the parts (harmonies). After some heartfelt prayer, Jeff Gardner of Lake Mystic Baptist Church got behind the pulpit and delivered a convicting message about repentance, holiness, and revival. I'd heard this essential message before; most of who were at that service us had, but I was challenged and inspired as I heard it again Monday night. Jeff's words were uplifting and convicting at the same time. Then we sang some more. It sounded like something you'd hear on an old recording of church gatherings from ages past. For younger readers, it was something like the bluegrass track, "I Saw the Light" on David Crowder's Collide album, but with a keyboard as the only accompanying instrument.

There obviously weren't a lot of "unchurched" people there that night. I don't know if there were ever really "unchurched" people at revivals in the past, even if there were a lot of people who wanted to be "saved" or people who hadn't been to church in a while. But, as I understand it, there wasn't really any competition for people's attention back then either (not as much on T.V., no internet, a less demanding evening schedule). Church was where stuff happened, and revivals were, sometimes, the only game in town. This past Monday night there were baseball games going on, board and business meetings, babies were crying, dinner was being made, people were working, but in this little corner of the world in Telogia, FL, the saints of Liberty Co. gathered in this simple sanctuary in the woods, and participated in something all together separate.

I can see why people used to sing songs like "Give Me That Old Time Religion." I used to think that was the most ridiculous song in the anthology of Christian Hymns. I thought "Come to the Church in the Wildwood" was cute and kind of fun, but the message struck me as self-centered, closed minded, fearful, etc. But in those old timey revivals and in those old songs there is a sense that what one is doing, as they worship, is truly "not of the world." The songs that were sung were at one time very much like the songs the world sang--many of our most loved hymns are set to secular melodies; some of which, I understand, were old bar songs. But, back in the day, when revivals were a more common occurrence, these old hymns and choruses gave a sense that the disciples of Jesus were being called out of the routine, called away from the contemporary, called out of meaninglessness, and partaking in something ancient and structured, something with roots, something out-of-the-ordinary, something bigger than the life they lived from day to day. And as they gathered in this spirit, in tiny corners of the world, having ripped themselves from the familiar, they were forced to focus on what is holy, what is eternal, the truth that gave their lives meaning and structure, something all together separate. They were joyful, they were reverent, they were inspired, they were connected. I think something like this was the purpose of the strange rituals of the Old Testament Law.

I don't think I will ever encourage the worship team where I serve to sing "Give Me That Old Time Religion," or insist that they take their cues from the revival meetings of the 50s & 60s. We can accomplish similar ends in a way that is more relevant to the culture in which we live. But I came away from that revival meeting focused, reverent, joyful, encouraged, inspired, challenged, longing to hold on to the eternal and the true, strengthened to go against the flow. Shouldn't this be the aim whenever the saints gather, no matter what tiny corner of the world they find themselves in?

If you know of one taking place near by, I encourage you to attend one of these old timey revivals. I know of one that takes place the week before Easter in Liberty Co., FL. Go with an open mind. Appreciate it for what it is. Expect to encounter something old and out-of the-ordinary, yet strangely familiar. Expect to be ripped from your normal day-to-day experiences. If you do, you will experience the blessing of something all together separate, something holy.

"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord."
-2 Corinthians 6:17 -

Review: Under the Banner of Heaven

2009-04-07T11:27:00.001-07:00

I'll try to limit myself in reviewing the 26 books I plan to read in 2009 by participating in Abraham Piper's project, 22 Words: Experiments in Getting to the Point.

John Krakauer, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith (New York: Doubleday 2003).

22 Words
"Krakauer relays a compelling, page-turning account of the fundamentalist strains of the LDS church, and encourages the reader to appreciate uncertainty in faith."
OR
"The wake that followed the Second Great Awakening was a peculiar American phenomenon, in which modern-day Fundamentalist Mormans would have fit perfectly."

A note of interest: This book was sent to me by a good friend. I initially resisted reading it, because 1) I have so many good books to get to already, and--perhaps more importantly--2) I have good Morman friends who I knew would insist that most of what Krakauer has to say does not pertain to them. Indeed, Under the Banner of Heaven is primarily a description of the fanatical outer edges of the LDS community throughout history, and not the current mainstreem LDS church. It would be uncharritable at best and dishonest at worst to view my Morman friends in a way that they, themselves, would reject. However, I do think that some of the issues Krakauer raises (though he's certainly not the first to do so) do pertain to my Morman friends, and I would love to hear their feedback about this book. You can be honest with me; I strive to be an honest, charritable critic. Of course, Krakauer would probably say the same thing.

Another note of interest: I plan to pick up the 2004 paperback edition, which, apparently, includes some introductory criticisms raised by LDS historian, Richard E. Tulley, and answers to those criticisms (even a concession or two) by Krakauer himself.

You've Earned a Smiley Face!

2009-03-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, Tammy and I were forced to institute a behavior chart for our two boys (see Tammy's blog for more info. on our family). It was a simple chart--four behaviors that we expected from our boys, with 7 empty blocks for each behavior (one per day) to be filled with a potential happy or sad face. 21 happy faces at the end of the week earns them a dip in the prize basket. Every couple of weeks, we come up with new behaviors that we want them to focus on and replace the ones that we feel like they've mastered. Elias suggested that we add "I need to always tell the truth" to the list, after an incident involving lying a few weeks ago. How awesome is it that we now have our children identifying behaviors that they think they need to work on! ...only by the grace of God.

Our kids thrive with this kind of structure. We skipped the behavior chart for a week or two, because things were so hectic, and they began to slip into old habits. But when we reintroduced the behavior chart, they seemed to be happier in general and have been eager to please. The kids are earning smiley faces for their charts. But more importantly, we all get smiles on our faces, as they do.

One of the first behaviors we identified as something our kids needed to work on right away was "I need to be happy with what I have, and not complain." I don't know if all children fall in to the habit of complaining if unchecked, or if our parenting style elicits it from them, or if they've learned it by imitating us, or if it's a part of their DNA (maybe Tammy or I come from a long line of complainers), but it needed to change.

About 1-1/2 years ago our entire family memorized Philippians 2:14-15. "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." This was an attempt to bring the authority of God to bear on the issue.

All that to say, our kids tend to complain, and we don't like it!

Tammy and I try not to parent out of convenience, and we don't want to make a rule or chastise our kids just because we're annoyed by their behavior. If we can't explain to them why a behavior is wrong or undesirable, then we probably shouldn't make a big deal out of it, or else clarify the reasoning in our own minds first (a concept echoed in this great parenting book--now a classic at 14 years old). When it comes to complaining, we can specify our reasoning behind the rules we lay down. But whether we could or not, its just so annoying! I hate to hear my kids complain.

Sometimes, when people have hang ups about venting to God, I like to refer them to passages like Psalm 143. David often let God know that he was unhappy with his current situation, and that he wanted something different. I'm glad to be able to lead people to places of honesty before their maker. God can handle your anger, he can handle your griping, he can handle your complaining. You're not going to offend him by letting him know how you honestly feel. David did it, and the classical understanding is that he was inspired by the Holy Spirit as he did. God will hear you when you "cry out" (a concept mentioned no less than 40 times in the book of Psalms).

On the other hand, as a dad, its extremely frustrating when my kids act as if they have nothing to be happy about, when they act as if I'm ignorant of their needs, when they convey a lack of trust in my provision. "Haven't we provided for your needs? Aren't you happy with what we provide? Don't you trust that we're going to take care of you? If you need something just ask--don't whine about what you don't have."

According to 1 Corinthians 10:10, complaining/grumbling brought "the destroyer" on the Israelites, while they wondered in the desert. In other words, to put it mildly, God didn't seem to like the fact that they were skeptical of His provision. Their grumbling had reached a point that seemed to annoy Him, and he was going to do something about it (See Numbers 16-17).

As I reflect on my kids' behavior, I recognize that, as a child of God, I sometimes communicate that I don't trust in His provision, or that I think he's ignorant of my needs. I complain about what I don't have. I complain about the situations I find myself in. I whine to God, I grumble to my wife, I pity myself. That must sound a little annoying to my Father in Heaven; it may even be a little hurtful. He must say (anthropomorphically speaking), "Haven't I provided for your needs? Aren't you happy with what I provide? Don't you trust that I'm going to take care of you? If you need something just ask--don't whine about what you don't have."

I'm reminded, Soprano fans, of an old Ojibwa saying, "Sometimes I go about in pity for myself and all the while a great wind carries me across the sky."

Maybe its time to grow up, use our words, stop our whining, and simply ask God for what we need, balancing the request with contentment over his provision. Hasn't he carried us this far?
Maybe we'll earn a smiley face as a result!

"But godliness with contentment is great gain."
--1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)

Review: The Year of Living Biblically

2009-03-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'll try to limit myself in reviewing the 26 books I plan to read in 2009 by participating in Abraham Piper's project, 22 Words: Experiments in Getting to the Point.

A.J. Jacobs, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. (A.J. Jacobs 2007).

22 Words
"Despite his best efforts at humor, this reverent agnostic challenged me to find meaning in mundane ritual and holiness in unexpected places.

Those Guys are Christians!

2009-01-29T08:22:00.000-08:00

The debut album from Fiction Family, a collaboration between Jon Foreman, of Switchfoot fame, and Sean Watkins, of Nickel Creek, was reviewed on Fresh Air, Monday, Jan. 26, 2008. Click here to hear the 7 minute review.

I sometimes fear that my excitement over Christian personalities is perceived in the same light as Adam Sandler's "The Hanukkah Song," which seems to be a satire about the "Jewish ghetto," and how, for any notable Jewish person in history, all good members of the Jewish community are sure to point out that, "he's jewish" or "Did you know? She's a good Jew."

Christians, from the "Christain gettho" do the same thing, and I'm kind of embarrassed when I here myself say, "Did you know? He's a Christian (New York Jewish mother accent, and stress on the words "know" and "He's"). It seems to be happening more and more. People who happen to be Christians, are popping up all over the entertainment world. (Someone told me that her Mormon friend does the same thing all the time. I know about Katherine Heigl, but are there other notable Mormons out there? No need to comment.)

I want people to know that my faith is about more than a popularity contest, that I search for comfort in truth, not necessarily in numbers (not to say that I want to be isolationist or esoteric either). So I try to guard my excitement around some people who might read that enthusiasm as a testament to their perception that Christianity is paper thin and and something believed by the easily-swayed masses. I play it cool; of course I'm a Christian, all cool people are. I flick my cigarette and run my fingers through my thinning hair.

I think that's why Jon Foreman and Sean Watkins are kind of "hush, hush" about their faith. They want to be perceived as quality musicians--cool by definition--who happen to believe that Christianity is true. They hope that maybe people will see that their faith in Christ and love of God is authentic and marked by an honest search for truth. And maybe, just maybe, they can be ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:18-21), by doing what they do well, and letting Christ shine in their conduct, their words, and their honesty, even if they don't express that faith explicitly.

Hear's what the members of Nickle Creek said about their faith in a CMT interview:
"18. There is an undeniable spiritual quality to your music and lyrics. Would you comment about your faith and how it influences your musical expression?
Chris: We're all Christians, although we're not a Christian band, per se. The most important thing to us is that we feel that we've been given a gift from God of being able to perform and to record for people. We basically just want to use that gift as we feel God would have us use it.
Sean: Also, bands like Rage Against the Machine, they write about what they're passionate about, social issues or whatever. This is just one thing that we happen to be passionate about. It just kinda comes out naturally, I think.
Chris: Even if a song isn't blatantly Christian or isn't a hymn, it doesn't mean it doesn't have that feeling in it. Some people pick up on that. The people that want to, hopefully, do. The people that don't, maybe they'll get something from it anyway." source.

My faith is deep and strengthened by an honest search for the good, the eternal, the beautiful, and the true, and I hope people can see that. Still, Ken Tucker, pop music critic, and Editor-at- Large for Entertainment Weekly reviewed the debut album from Fiction Family on Monday, and I just have to say...,"those guys are Christians!"

Review: Atheism Remix

2009-01-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

I'll try to limit myself in reviewing the 26 books I plan to read in 2009 by participating in Abraham Piper's project, 22 Words: Experiments in Getting to the Point.

Albert Mohler, Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books 2008).

22 Words
"Mohler is no Plantinga or McGrath. However, Atheism Remix is a good review of their latest responses to a more vehement Atheism."

I Will Blog Again! Mark My Words!

2009-01-11T20:24:00.000-08:00

I've had so much to write about, but its been tough to find the time. I'm looking forward to writing/typing again, but I think I'm gonna have to adjust my schedule. On the upside, I've been extremely productive in other areas of life.

Jeans, Bibles, & Postmodernism

2009-01-05T19:00:00.000-08:00

In 2002 my wife and I were doing some Christmas shopping at Old Navy when I saw a brand new pair of jeans that looked like they belonged at a thrift store; they had curiously placed holes in them and were faded to just the right color. In fact, they looked exactly like a pair of my own jeans that I accidentally sprinkled with battery acid almost 6 months before this. I loved my “distressed” pair of jeans—I thought they were cool. Apparently, some secret agent in the design department of Old Navy who went around small towns in central Illinois looking for the latest fashion trends thought they were cool too. There were now whole racks of these “distressed” jeans in Old Navy stores across the country. I was glad to be in style. I felt validated. I now had some ammunition to use against my wife who often told me that I had no fashion sense. But I also felt somewhat cheated. I had to work kind of hard to get my jeans to look like they did. Now any teenager with $34.99 could walk into a clothing store and purchase jeans that looked just like mine.

In 2009 I'm pretty hard pressed to find your run-of-the-mill, respectable, "undistressed" pair of jeans. I remember back in the 80s that holey jeans were in, but as a kid growing up in an uncultured town in central FL, known mainly for its orange groves, one couldn't really walk into K-Mart or even drive to the Winter Haven Mall and just buy holey jeans off the shelf. And even if one could, my parents would never waste good money on jeans with holes in them. No, holey jeans had to be earned; you had to come by them honestly. Not so today.

There are endless analytical assessments that we could make about postmodernism, pop art, discoveries in quantum physics, and deconstructionist theories of language which have made their way in to the popular culture of generation Y, and created the opportunities for the celebration of style over substance. And, as someone who was a teenager in the mid 90s and a card carrying member of generation x, the celebration rubs me the wrong way. But, I have to admit, generation y--or whatever you're called now,--you're jeans and vintage tees look pretty cool. Also, you're bound to be more successful than your predecessors, because you're not wasting your time spilling battery acid on your jeans in "random" places; you can buy your distressed jeans and get on with life. Also (and I know I'm rambling), I dig some of you guys; you're my friends--people I care about--so I'm willing to overlook what your style says about you and get to know the substance that is underneath.

Doesn't it seem like there would be something inherently wrong with going to the local book store to pick up a "distressed" bible. I'm sure you wouldn't have to look to hard to find one. I had a friend in Bible College who carried around a bible covered in duct tape. I think the duct tape was a necessity at first, located in random places, but he just kept on covering it till the whole thing was a silvery gray. Years ago, I took my favorite bible with me on a camping trip; it got a little wet and soon began to fall apart, but some hot glue and duct tape made it good as used.

I think that a genuinely distressed bible says something about a persons substance--that they love the word of God enough to take it into dirty places with them, that they use it often, that they are so attached to it that they keep it on their person regularly, even if it means that it's going to get a little distressed in the process. If an authentically distressed bible is indicative of a person's love of it--like an old ,well-loved teddy bear,--then a a distressed bible is something to celebrate.

About a year ago we started a project at Bristol Christian Church called the Well-Worn Bible Project. This was simply a website devoted to the depiction of well-worn bibles belonging to the people of our congregation. The site has been neglected for a while, but I'd love to add to it. If you have pics. of your well-worn bible email them to me; I'd love to add them to our site. And if there's anyone out there who has a knack for developing interactive web pages, I'd love to see this site made into something to which people could instantly upload pics of their bible and a brief description.

My hope for you, readers from all generations, is that you celebrate substance over style, that your bibles are well loved as the word of God, no matter what its general physical condition may be, that you allow the word of God to penetrate your heart and make it new from the inside out, that you are substantively transformed by the sanctifying word of truth (John 17:17). A picture of a well-worn bible to add to my collection is icing on the cake.

Music that Stirs the Soul

2008-12-16T09:15:00.000-08:00

Tammy and I joined her sisters and their husbands (my friends) last weekend to view Andrew' Peterson's Christmas Musical, Behold the Lamb of God: The True Tall Tale of the Coming Christ (BTLOG). This is not the kind of musical that has costumes, obnoxiously boisterous singing, and a little overacting. This is a lyrical retelling of the Christmas Story that begins in the book of Genesis, makes its way quickly through the Old Testament theme of the coming Messiah, retells the events of our Savior's birth, and concludes with a beautiful overture in which all those themes are wrapped up in the worship of this Christ, who was God in the form of a baby, lying in a feeding trough.
This "musical" is performed every year at the Ryman Auditorium (former home to the Grand Ol' Opry) in Nashville, TN and features some poignant and talented christian artists. So many artists have been associated with this project over the past 9 years that there truly are to many to list, and I'd hate to leave out some of the lesser known names, because they are just as talented--perhaps more so--than the one's you'd recognize.
I love the music in this production just as much as I love to hear the artful retelling of the story of the coming Christ. So when those two beautiful elements combine, the message is moving, to say the least. I don't know if Andrew has the roadies (I'm pretty sure the artists and the roadies are one and the same) pump estrogen into the air conditioning ducts of the venues in which they play, but the combination of music that causes the heart to swell in emotion and the timeless beauty of the true tall tale of God taking on human form in the most unlikely of ways causes me to have to choke back the tears and lumps in my throat nearly every time I hear it; even more so when it's performed before my eyes by artists who feel the truth of the music they play and lyrics they sing. My soul was stirred to marvel at the wonder of this true tall tale.
Here's some compelling comments on the production from www.rabbitroom.com.
If you haven't heard this production, you can check it out on iTunes or buy any number of related products at the rabbit room store. Click on the "Behold the Lamb of God" tab. You might also want to browse around there; you'll find some music from some great story tellers there.
Also check out these links
click here.
click here.

P.S. The last track ("The Good Confession (I Believe)") on Andrew's latest album--which he performed last weekend prior to BTLOG--brings up the same lumps and tears. And I know there's no conspiracy involving air conditioning ducts, because the same thing happens when I'm riding down the road with my wife next to me and our kids in the back of the van. Anyone who has walked down the isle of a church to repeat this Good Confession, probably has a similar experience.

Make Hay...

2008-12-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

A mentor of mine used to say to me, "you've got to make hay...." I seemed to know what he meant, but I never really thought about the fact that he never finished the quote. The rest of the saying, I've since come to realize, is, "...while the sun is still shines.'" Well, I've not made hay of the following blog ideas and the moment is now passed. Below is a list (or random notes) of the things I intended to blog about in the past month or two.

John Milton's Birthday - 12/9

Christmas Cantata for Sunday Morning—singing is so much more immediate form of worship; it's a whole body response

Sermon Titles—I'm willing to share manuscript, outlines, etc.

Sermon Series on Deconstructing Christmas

Christmas Trees--Tammy and I have always had real ones. History of the Christmas tree is fascinating and poorly documented

A Colbert Christmas--he makes me want to smile all day

Thanksgiving at Grandma's house--good memories; my favorite holiday.

Thanksgiving is quite a deal—how awesome that we gorge ourselves as a way to express our gratitude.

Dear Alice, my good friend, if you're reading this, I'd like to apologize that I don’t remember the advice or encouragement that I shared with you about your grandson...but o so glad you benefited. We may never know, or even think our actions significant enough...

Nancy Cohick--a joyful woman struggling with cancer

Busy/hospitals—my food is to do the work of him who sent me.

New Swing set--being a kid again

Dead Squirrel Smellin' up the church

Does anyone not cry when they hear The Good Confession song on A.P.'s latest album. Its so fraught with meaning for those of us who have been raised in the tradition he speaks of. And the choir at the end is amazing.

Kierkegaard and the wisdom of my father, the mechanic.

Soccer team hitting their stride—working together, playing like they are able, reaching potential...exciting for coach...does God get excited when people do what they are capable of, hit stride?

Atheist Ads in London

I think the most thoughtful insight that I've had about this subject [demonology] came as I read the Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, where he stated that Milton was right chapter 9. But what exactly was Milton right about?

At bed time:
Elias—we can pray that song--sing that song--for our prayer. He makes all things new.
Jonah—we should pray for Miss Lynn

Secrets of the Dead—Battle for the Bible, PBS--Wed 10/22 8:00-9:00 Fri 7; Mon 5

EXPELLED – by Ben Stine; released 10/21. Fabulous, the first popular presentation about ID that didn't make me want to pull my hair out.

The Saturday Night Live bit, deep thoughts with Jack Handy, are perfect examples of random meditations

Treasure is heart will be also, not where your heart is treasure will be.

Depaak Chopra on Jesus
PC Commercial, Not A human thinking, Not a human doing, A human being, genius...maybe his best quotable saying ever.
Listen to http://www.commonwealthclub.org/archive/06/06-11chopra-audio.html

New Christmas Music

Sound and Spirit – Yom Kippur/Jonah....

Paramore on Music Awards

Heavy Load

Angle and the Ants--great little devo. by Peter Kreeft

Older Books on Shelf

The Philosophers

We're all socialists now, comrades – all bad? British news paper headline
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/10/09/do0901.xml

multitasking muddling the brain
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95524385

Fella won lottery twice as the Dow fell.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95545770

--War ship made from World Trade Center Steel

- these little details, shape character, they influence behavior, inform worldview...

--Children shouting hosanna to Jesus in temple area; from the mouth of babes...what a pic. I love working with kids.

--Withering of the Fig tree. You can do this too. OK. If true for disciples, is it true for us in some sense? Most of my prayers answered lately. And I continue to just ask like its no big deal--like a child.

--Many other thoughts not written down and lost...

I may have actually blogged about some of those ideas, and you might see some of them materialize in the future--the moment has not passed for all of them. This is just one big reminder to myself (and a warning to some of you) that we've no time to rest on our laurels--no matter how fine those laurels may be. There is business that can wait but shouldn't, talks that are more effective when they are timely, and opportunities that present themselves once, maybe twice, before they dissipate. There is hay to be made. I mean, we could have had a delightful hay ride by now, and there's no telling how much livestock I could have fed with those ideas (Is this a mixed metaphor or just an overextended one?). The point, my enterprising friends, is that we need to make hay... you know the rest.

A Feast for the Soul

2008-12-09T17:33:00.001-08:00

The last few weeks have been very busy. On one of my longer days in November I found myself driving to Panama City at about dawn to pray with one of our church members who was going under the knife that morning. I did some some sermon preparation for a while as I sat in the waiting room. Then I spent some time visiting with said patient's sister--it was a delightful visit. After a while, I was on the road back to Bristol (an hour's drive), after which I rested for about 15 minutes (I was actually wrestling with my kids on the floor), before heading to Tallahassee (another hour's drive) to visit another church member whose husband had just undergone major emergency surgery. On the way home I grabbed a bite to eat with my family. I got in around 10:30 p.m. This was one of three days on which I was still doing "church work" after 10:00 p.m. that week. On Tuesday and Friday night I took my family with me and they waited in the car while I made some rounds in the hospital. Afterward which we headed to Chic-Fil-A, whose soundproofed indoor playground with full length windows is a sanity saver.

Over these past few weeks I've often reminded myself of Jesus' words to his disciples in John 4, "'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.'" I know that there is a sense in which the verse applies to Jesus alone; He alone finished God's redeeming work. There is also an extended sense in which we finish that work as we continue to redeem the world through the work we undertake in the name of Christ. But mostly I focused on the first part. Jesus isn't saying that he doesn't need to eat (evidenced by Matthew 4:11)--lucky for us gastronomes. He's telling his disciples that it is doing the will of our Heavenly Father that satisfies Him.

I can't really say that I was worn out that week, because I felt just fine; I probably got more sleep than I normally do. I felt bad that I didn't spend more time at home, or that our kids were sleeping in our minivan when they had to be up for school in the morning. But, quite honestly, I was satisfied, and I know that I would have been dissatisfied if I ignored the opportunity to serve others in the name of Christ.

If it weren't for my strong desire to pour my heart and soul into loving my wife and shaping the heart of our children, I could easily become a workaholic. Like most people, deep down, I have this need to be proud of what I do. When I fail to meet this need there is a nagging, gnawing feeling in the pit of my soul; its not a feeling of guilt, its more like the spiritual equivalent of hunger. Our animal cravings are real and obvious, it takes a little more sensitivity to notice a spiritual hunger. But when we dine on doing the will of our Maker--doing it and not just talking about it--we experience a filling as we pour ourselves out. These past few weeks have been a feast.

My Vote Counted!

2008-11-04T07:09:00.000-08:00

For those of you who aren't aware, you don't have to vote for every item on your ballot. Tammy and I weren't sure about this, so I asked a pollworker this morning. I was told that I could vote on one item and leave the rest blank, or vote on everything but one item; but, if I did, the machine would probably beep at me relentlessly to confirm that I intended to leave an item blank and were not just an idiot who couldn't correctly fill in a bubble with a ball point pen.

I didn't hear any beeping today! Therefore, I have concluded that either (1) most people are much more politically aware than myself, or (2) that most people vote for judges (there were 8 of them on my ballot today) totally unaware of those judges' record, moral character, or education, or (3) the pollworker misinformed me about the beeping. I'm blindly trusting that the first proposition (1) is true, in hopes that our society is much more educated than I'd assumed; but I'm skeptical. And if you voted where I did today, you'd know why!

My machine didn't beep--call it peer pressure! But my vote counted! I don't know whether to be excited that we live in a country where people can vote regardless of their level of education, ownership of property, amount of income, etc., or to be disappointed that we (myself included) take that right for granted by voting ignorantly--if at all.

I always qualify my patriotism with the following caveat: I'm a Christian first, and an American second; a citizen of the Kingdom of Christ/Heaven/God first, and a citizen of America second. I'm committed to the American project and to the ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice, but if my allegiance to one conflicts with the other, the one with eternal implications and foundational motivations always wins out (or it should). Not to mention (although, I'll mention it), that Jesus is way cooler and more respectable than any of our founding fathers. How sad it would be if we approached our heavenly citizenship like we do our American citizenship--with an aimless, uninformed, and thoughtless facade of responsibility and contribution; and that only every four years or so. Then again, for others, considering how passionate some people are about politics, how great would that be (to approach their faith like their politics)?

Fortunately, as Christians, we're not asked to vote on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and a member of his kingdom. We're not asked to elect a representative who stands in for us, deciding how the kingdom should be run, or an executive who vetos those decisions or carries out their directives, or judges who interpret them. We're only asked to pick up our cross daily and, come what may, follow the prophet, priest, and king (judge, representative, and executive), who has been appointed for life and leads by example--Jesus. I know such a statement sounds like blind allegiance, but it has more to do with pragmatism--we'd mess the whole thing up pretty quickly. Christian discipleship from a human (religious) perspective is pretty messy as it is. There are almost as many ideas in print about what it means to be a "true" disciple of Jesus as there are Christians who think they have something original to say about it--and there are a lot of us. The truth is, we might have our own ideas about what it means to pick up our cross and follow Jesus, but there's only one Jesus, and we don't get to vote on who he is.

So, I guess, as an American, my vote counted today; whether it should have or not is another question. But, as a Christian, my vote is irrelevant. What matters, as far as my Christian allegiance is concerned, is my willingness--or lack there of--to freely choose whether I will be a part of Christ's kingdom. It's not a vote, it's a choice--made, not on a first Tuesday in November, but, daily!

A Choice! Do you, my dear listener, know how to express, in a single word anything more magnificent?
--Soren Kierkegaard, Upbuilding Discourse

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Matthew 16:24, NIV

Playing to Our Potential

2008-10-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

You may have seen the pics. to the left on my wife's blog, whitefamilyof6. blogspot.com. Yes, those are my sexy legs in the knee-high, maroon soccer socks, which are not quite knee-high, because I don't wear size 10-11 youth socks; its all in good fun. And, yes, that's my soccer team, The Black Racers. The origin of our team's name is not important, but I'm proud of it, because its our name.
Last year, as coach of Big Bend Bass, I found myself downing a handfull of Motrin and a Diet Coke chaser after every practice. I was proud of last years team; the Big Bend Bass always got their worm--we were undefeated in the regular season! But, coaching a group of 4-6 year olds took its toll on my patience. If you have no idea where I'm coming from, pay a visit to your local pre-k or kindegarten class and imagine trying to get those little angles to stand in a straight line while there's three soccer balls not two feet away from them, begging to be kicked, and orange cones, which clearly look like objects that you should pick up and throw, all around them. They all know that they're out there to play soccer; so, "Why," they must have thought, "are we standing in a line waiting for instructions." While it was been best to let them get out on the field and learn by experience, the imaginary soccer field (no lines and only one goal) didn't help.
This year the soccer league was sponsored by our county recreation department (you've done a great job, Joe), who changed the lowest age bracket from 4-6 year olds to 4-8 year olds. Its been so much less stressful to have a few older kids who can follow instructions and set the tone for our practices and games--they're great leaders (way to go Regan, Carlyn, and Lindsay). We also have a legitimate soccer field to practice on now, complete with lines and two goals.
Now, I'm confident that I've picked out some of the best players in our league. Jacob is bound to be an athletic super-star when he grows up; no one in the league can match his speed. The three ladies mentioned above will take on any three boys from another team and outscore them; any time, any place. Cole is small but tenacious. Heleman and Elias are turning out to be great goalies. And, Caeli and Jonah are getting started while their pretty young, so they're going to have quite an advantage in the next few years. I believe we have the best team in our division. So, why did we loose every game from the beginning of the season for three straight weeks! I know, its all in good fun, and the scores don't really matter at this point (the ranking is determined by the final tournament). But why couldn't we win a game? The kids were happy just to get out there and play. They had great attitudes (which I encouraged above all), but I could tell that they were slightly disappointed by the outcome. And, to be honest, as fun as it all was, so was I.
It's hard to put my finger on why my team kept on loosing, but what I can say for sure is that they didn't do what they were capable of doing. That is..., until last week. Last Friday we shut out our opponents 2-0. The ball stayed on the opponent's side of the field for the majority of the game, and we had about 10 shots on the goal. Then, on this past Tuesday, we won again--3-1. Regan scored two goals and Jacob scored the other; the game looked pretty much like the previous one, except that one of the players from the other team took an unstoppable shot at my son, Elias, who gave a valiant effort as the starting goalie. The Black Racers, my team, is finally playing to their potential.
Its hard to be truly disappointed when these 4-8 year olds display such excitement, good sportsmanship, great attitudes, and self-sacrifice (when they willingly sat out for a substitution, for instance). Win or loose, they are always smiling after the game. They run hard, they have fun, and they're learning important lessons. I often tell them, even after a loss, that they should be proud of the way they played; and, with a few exceptions, I mean that whole-heartedly. My kids are great.
But, there's nothing like the feeling that we all get--myself and the players--when they play well and win. The parents are cheering, the kids are beaming with pride, and my heart swells with delight. I guess I'm so excited, because I know that they've played like they're capable of playing.
I wonder if Christ feels the same way about His church. When we act like my 4-8 year olds, with all the excitement, good attitudes, good sportsmanship, self-sacrifice, growth, and smiles, does He take the same kind of delight in our service--whether we're "successful" in ministry or not? Sure, we didn't do what we were capable of doing--for any number of reasons--but we did our best to follow his example of humility (Philippians 2:4). Does he still take delight in that? I wonder if he's equally frustrated by a church who has trouble following directions, has bad attitudes, fails to grow, and draws in the sand during the middle of the game (figuratively, of course :).
But how excited He must be to celebrate with His church when she plays to her potential and follows His example along the way. What rejoicing must take place at the right hand of God! How the heavens must shake with the roar of the crowd!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3; NIV

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 1:20-21; NIV

Resurrection Letters Volume II

2008-10-22T13:59:00.000-07:00

Most of the people reading this blog are probably aware of this fact already, but for those of you aren't, Andrew Peterson's latest album was released yesterday. Andrew graduated from my alma mater, Florida Christian College--a fact that I'm extremely proud of on days like today. On a more personal note, he is also my wife's former youth minister. She has many fond memories of listening to him tickle the yellowed ivorys on the old upright grand piano in her parent's family room. She tells me that he seemed able to bring that unsightly, slightly-out-of-tune antique to life, but that she didn't like his voice all that much :) She likes it now!

The new album is titled Resurrection Letters, Vol. II. If you're fairly familiar with Andrew's previous albums and you're wondering, "Did I miss the release of Vol. I?" Don't worry, the following links will explain the idea behind the title.
Here's the hilarious version:
click here
Here's the straightforward version:
click here

This whole album is an artful meditation, so I wont complicate/ruin the experience for you by commenting on his profound lyrics. I'll let the following critics do it; check out their reviews at the Rabbit Room (a project of Andrew's--a blog for Christian artists an their sympathizers) if your interested:
click here

Download the album from iTunes, purchase it at your local Christian bookstore, or get your copy directly from the artist himself (click here). Give it a listen. You're bound to find some not-so-random meditations & other things; not to mention that the quality of the music is superb!

P.S.
A note to my fellow alumni: I'm proud to be associated with so many of you as well. You are out in the world impacting it for Christ as you "press on to God and glory...[telling] the old, old story." I think Andrew Peterson wrote a song about that--"Let There Be Light".

Christian Hug a Tree Week

2008-10-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

Never in the history of Christianity has it been so chic as it is today for Christians to leave the pews and join a cause; check out http://www.one.org/,click on the partners tab, and take note of how many Christian organizations have partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others to fight social injustices. Our Generation is perhaps rivaled only by the Social Gospel movement of the late 19th and early 20th century. But there is a stark difference between the movements of this generation and that one: (1) today, the call to social action is mostly preached and propagated by evangelicals, not liberal theologians, and (2) that call has seeped into the consciousness of the elite intellectual as well as the average guy in the pew. Whether it be AIDS, world hunger, poverty, genocide in Darfur, teen depression, child advocacy, or the environment, Christians are engaging society and striving to transform it in the name of Christ by forming their own agencies or joining secular ones. I see all this as a good thing. But sometimes I worry that, as was the case for the Social Gospel movement, we may let the cause overshadow the reason we joined the cause in the first place--to show and share Christ.

In keeping up with these trends, HarperOne publishing released its latest spiritual blockbuster this week, The Green Bible (TGB). TGB is simply the New Revised Standard Version, bound in a linen cover and printed on 10% recycled paper. Those passages that relate to an environmental consciousness have been highlighted in a soy-based green ink. TGB has been well publicized and cleverly marketed. I don't think it does any good to question motivations when they pruport to be honorable on the surface, but I can't help but think that a good deal of money stands to be made with the publishing of TGB. There are many issues that regarding the publishing of this Bible that I would like to comment on, but an able-minded seminary president has already made most of them. Check out Albert Mohler's discussion of TGB from his daily radio program by clicking the following link: Albert Mohler on the Green Bible
Feel free to skip the first 11 minutes and 30 seconds, and please keep in mind that The commentator is solely responsible for the content in his program. Access to this link on www.randomedeitation.blogspot.com is not an indication of
my endorsement of the statemets made, either expressed or implied, and does not imply culpability on the part of the author of ww.randomeditations.blogspot.com. Further.... Ah, forget it... : )

In my view, unless you want TGB for a collectors item and you already own a bible, save yourself 30 bucks by picking up a concordance and consulting the entries for "earth," "land," "creation," "cedars," "sheep," etc. Then, grab a nature themed devotional and a trail guide and you're on your way. The great thing will be that Georgia Pacific saved another tree, because you decided not to buy TGB--made of %90 new paper. Although, HarperOne, if you're reading and you're thinking about the publication of a yellow letter bible that promotes the awareness of any number of social ills, I'd like to get in on the action.

All sarcasm aside, it was about 10 years ago at Florida Christian College, as I sat in an applied ethics class, taught by Dr. Michael Chambers, when I heard the following statement (or something like it) for the first time: "As Christians, we ought to be environmentalists." Obviously, Dr. Chambers was not suggesting that we join Greenpeace or even start our own radical environmental activist group. He was simply reminding us that concern, care, and appreciation for the earth--and everything in it--is a God-given responsibility (Gen 1:28; Ps 24:1-2). Having grown up in the church, the fact that I was 20 years old (20+10= sigh) before I ever heard such a statement is a testament to the fact that TGB meets a need in our congregations. I'm not saying that you need to purchase TGB, but I am saying that we need to change people's perception that all Christians drive SUVs and want to build strip malls on open spaces. The world should see that Christians are responsible stewards of God's creation.

So, if you haven't done so already, go hug a tree before you do your devotions tonight :)

God is in the Details (act 2)

2008-10-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

When we last left Sampson he was jerry-rigging (it's in the dictionary) some foxes with torches in a scheme to get even with those Philistines, after being informed that his Philistine wife had been given away to his good Philistine friend. So here are some details from the rest of Samson's story:
- The people of Judah handed him over to the Philistines, who planned to get back at him.
- The Spirit of the Lord came on him at the showdown and he slew 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey.
- The place where the slaughter took place was later referred to as Jawbone Hill (or something like that).
- After his feat of strength (whippin' the 1,000 Philistines), God renewed his strength by opening up a spring for Samson to drink from. The spring was referred to as, "the spring of him who called" (or something like that).
- He slept with a prostitute from Gaza (I had to edit that detail when while reading to Elias & Jonah).
- The Philistines tried to trap him in the city by locking the city gates while he was sleeping in Gaza.
- In the middle of the night he ripped the gates, the gateposts, and the metal bar from the wall and carried them home on his shoulders (that's quite a souvenir). We're not told whether or not the Spirit of the Lord was upon him for this adventure.
- He fell in love with a woman named Delilah from the Valley of Sorek.
- The Philistine leaders promised Delilah 28 lbs. of silver if she was able to discover the secret of his strength.
- 4 times Delilah asked him to tell her the secret. 3 times he tricked her. He told her that if
(1st trick) he was tied up with 7 leather straps, not completely dry,
(2nd trick) he was tied tightly with new ropes,
(3rd trick) his hair was woven into the cloth of a loom and pined to it,
he would be powerless. Each time he broke free.
- Finally, he told her that if his hair were cut, his strength would leave him.
-When he fell asleep in Delilah's lap she had one of the Philistine rulers come in and cut off Samson's 7 braids of hair.
- After his hair was cut the LORD left him--he was weak and easily overpowered
- The Philistines gouged his eyes out, took him down to Gaza, put bronze chains around his neck, made him grind grain, and shaved his head.
- The Philistines forgot to keep his hair cut.
- While the Philistines were having a party and making sacrifices to Dagon, their god, they got wasted and said, "Bring out Samson and let him put on a show for us."
- When the Philistine servant brought him out he asked the servant to lead him to the large pillars that held up the temple, so that he could lean on them.
- All of the Philistine rulers were at this party and there were about 3,000 people on the roof of the temple.
- He prayed to God for strength one last time so that he could get back at the Philistines for what they did to his eyes. He asked that it could be done in one blow.
- He put his right hand on one pillar and his left on the other and pushed.
- EVERYONE died.
- Samson's bothers brought his body home and buried him in his father's tomb.
- Samson led Israel for 20 years.

The End.

That was much more detailed than what I originally intended it to be. It's was difficult to decide which of the particulars to leave out and which ones to include. Each little detail makes the story that much more rich, vivid, memorable, and fascinating.
My boy's love the little details; if they knew that I sometimes skipped or reworded things that might not be age appropriate (I try to do this as little as possible), they would want to know what they were missing out on. Each night before we read the latest installment in the Biblical saga, we review some of the details from the night before; some things they remember and some they don't. I'm always eager to hear which of the finer points they picked up on. And this is the reason: those little details build and shape character!
These facts about the history of God's people are recorded with a purpose; they inform our worldview, they challenge us to consider whether our lives align with God's desire for us as His people, they inspire us to heroic and righteous deeds, they warn us against cowardice, irreverence, and apathy, they remind us of God's mercy, judgment, and providence, they remind us of our own humanity and beg us to transcend it, and they make it clear that God is involved in the lives of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). In these stories God has revealed Himself and His desire for us. And so, these little details, imbedded in our hearts and minds, help make us into the men and women God has in mind for us to become.
If you take time to notice, you will see God's involvement in the details above. My prayer for Elias, Jonah, Anna, and Elizabeth is that He will be evident in the details of their lives as well, and that each decision they make, each action they take, each consequence they reap, every dream of their hearts will be viewed in the light of these details that they learned in their youth.
May God be evident in the details of your story too.

God is In the Details (act 1)

2008-10-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

Our bedtime routine in the White house can be quite involved; it takes about an hour on a good night. If you haven't read my wife's (Tammy) blog, which is listed on the right of this page, you may not know that we have four kids (and, yes, we know what causes that). So, our typical bed time routine goes something like this: bathtime, reflect-on-the-day-time, Biblestorytime, prayer, glass-of-water-time, lights out, get-out-of-bed-and-use-the-bathroom-time, and dont-get-up-again-time; that's just the boys. Anna's routine is pretty similar. Elizabeth's is much easier, though she does like to be fed before we throw her in the crib :) All this is followed by mom-and-dad-are-goanna-veg-time.
Tammy and I try to never take our beautiful kids for granted, but sometimes we just have to say, "No, we will not get you another glass of water." or "It's late. No bath tonight. Get right into your bed. No Bible story. We love you." or "Anna, if you're going to tackle your sister, do it gently, like a lady. It's almost bedtime." While we sometimes skip it on a rare occasion, Biblestorytime is a big deal in our house. We want our kids to love the Word of God, to hide it in their hearts, and think about life with God's will in mind.
The boys and I have worn out two Beginner's Bibles (published by Zonderkidz; a great bible for toddlers and preschool age kids). We read those Bibles cover to cover, over and over again. We read them almost every night for five years (I started when Elias was 18 months old). We now need to buy a new Beginner's Bible so we can retire the one I'm currently reading with Anna. Elias and Jonah have now graduated to the NIrV (published by Zonderkidz), and they love it; the stories are longer, there's more stories to choose from, and they feel like big kids. I think what they like best, though,--and I probably encourage this--are the little details. About a month ago we wrapped up 1st and 2nd Samuel (I think I'll blog about some of the amazing things in that book later). Then we skipped around for a while before backing up a bit and reading through the book of Judges (I'll blog about this when we wrap it up). For the last three nights we've been reading about Sampson, and--this doesn't happen to me very often--we read over some details that I don't remember having read before. See which one's you remember:
- His father's name was Manoah
- His mother's name is unmentioned
- Sampson was to take the Nazirite Vow: No cutting his hair, ever! Also, no wine or "unclean" food, because he was to be set apart to God.
- Before he was even born, his mother was told that he would save the Israelite from the Philistines.
- The Angel of the LORD (yhwh--God's personal name) appeared to his mother first, and later to his father, after he prayed that he could see the angel too.
- The Angel of the LORD told Manoah that he wouldn't be able to understand the angel's name even if He told him.
- This is another one of those instances when the Angel of the LORD is referred to as, simply, "the LORD" (yhwh).
- Manoah and his wife realized that they had been visited by the Angel of the LORD and not any ol' angel. So, Manoah, like Gideon, thought they were going to die, but his wife reasoned that they'd live.
- Not only was Sampson to take the Nazirite vow all his life, but his mother also had to abstain from wine (and grapes) and was not to eat any "unclean" food.
- Sampson's first (and only) wife is not mentioned by name, she was a Philistine from Timnah.
- It was God's plan to have Sampson take a Philistine wife, according to the author of Judges.
- Sampson's strength seems to come when the Spirit of the Lord was on him.
- He tore a young lion apart with his bear hands.
- When he was on his way to Timnah another time, he stopped off to see that same dead lion, and bees had made a hive in its body. He sampled some of it. (Uh Oh, that's got to be some unclean honey!) He later gave some to his parents, but didn't tell them where he got it.
- He shared a riddle with his wedding party. Ready? Here it comes: "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." What is it? (poetic in Hebrew, but it's more about repetition of sounds and parallels than rhyming).
- He made a wager: if the guests guessed the riddle in 3 days, he'd buy them each a set of clothes (30 sets); if they didn't guess it they'd buy him 30 sets.
- His wife got him to share the answer on the last day (sound familiar).
- The party guests threatened to burn her and her family to death if she didn't get the answer.
- He knew about the plot, so, with the Spirit of the Lord on him, he went and smote those 30 men and took their personal effects--including their clothes!
- His wife was given to a friend of his after he returned home angry.
- When he went back to get his wife and heard that she had been given away, he rounded up 300 foxes tied their tails together in pairs, tied a torch to each of the pairs, lit the torches, and sent them foxes scurrying off to the fields of the Philistines.
- His wife and her father were burned to death after the fox incident.

...end scene

Bet you can't wait for more details!

His Jesus Year

2008-10-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

If you've been raised in a traditional church setting what I'm about to say might upset & shock you, bring your blood pressure to an unhealthy 140/90, and cause you to stop reading my blog before it ever gets started (please note the sarcasm). I listen to National Public Radio (NPR) from time to time; and I have a favorite program in the NPR line-up--Talk of the Nation (TOTN) (you can find the corresponding blog for this show on the right—in the directional sense of the word, not the political one). You might be thinking (sarcasm alert...), "how can you listen to that liberal nonsense; Jesus died for you! And if Dr. James Dobson is good enough for Peter, he's good enough for me." (If you were totally lost in that last sentence, consider yourself blessed.)
The truth is that I find NPR, in general, to be much more balanced than what some of our conservative Christian predecessors tried to scare us into believing about them. Maybe there was something to be leery of in the past; but, in an ironic twist, NPR has come under fire for leaning too heavily to the right (in the political sense this time) in recent years. What I appreciate most, though, is the lack of shouting and, in most cases, the sense of mutual respect extended to both sides of the story.
If you're a Christian, whatever your feelings toward NPR might be, I think you'll find the following TOTN interview from Monday (10/6) quite interesting. The last 10 minutes of the interview might be the most insightful.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95431617

http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=95431617&m=95437273

OK, if you have an aversion to NPR and "the liberal media," that might not have been the best introduction, and I apologize if you now need to visit your cardiologist after listening, but I hope you were able to sift through the story for nuggets of truth and inspiration.
I wish Benyamin would have investigated just a little deeper and got beneath the surface of Christianity to witness the heart of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Perhaps we should take from this story the lesson that while the trappings of Christianity might seem appropriate, meaningful, and even attractive to us and others, they sometimes obscure the essence of our faith. Maybe Benyamin couldn't see that because he went in with the intention of not being converted; or maybe Christians, in an effort to show him the wonders of the Church, made it difficult. God only knows.

Random Meditations & Other Things

2008-10-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

My name is Dan White. I'm a Christian Minister in a rural town of North Florida. Here you will find some of my reflections on life and some other things that I find interesting as I make my way toward my maker.

Today I offer up this prayer:
Thank you God, for this robust life that you allow us to enjoy. There is no shortage of creativity to be explored--in fact it seems to be a nearly infinite quality that we possess. There are nooks and crannies (not to mention crooks and nannies) of life that we take notice of and are allowed--even invited--to investigate as deeply as we desire. Nothing is off limits. Then, there are obvious occurrences and experiences, things unhidden and laid bare that mystify us and deserve deeper reflection than we first thought. Nothing is truly as mundane as it seems.

Thank you Father for this rich existence;

ups and downs,

joys and sorrows,

the seemingly boring and the infinitely fascinating,

people who annoy and those who bring joy,

people who distress and those who bring peace,

the same people who sometimes turn around and do the opposite,

sun and rain,

fall and spring,

the intricate and the simple,

the elegant and the clumsy,

things we create,

things we participate in,

things we observe...

And still there are things unexplored

things we fail to take notice of.

And here's the crazy thing to me, God. You allowed us the ability to perceive all this data, reflect on this stuff, process these things, talk about them, blog about them, read other blogs about them, reflect on them again, talk about them again.... We know of no other animal capable of this (Only Dawkins' typing monkey comes close; and even then its apparently pretty unlikely—like, one in 19,928,148,895,209,409,152,340,197,376 for him to type out the first 20 letters of Hamlet, to be exact—and random). David said, "What is man that you are mindful of him?" I say, "What is man that we are mindful of what we are mindful?" And even more, "What is man that we are mindful of you?"

You made [us] a little lower than the heavenly beings

and crowned [us] with glory and honor.

You made [us] ruler over the works of your hands;

you put everything under [our] feet...

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Wow! If we perceive all this, what do those angels, made a little higher, perceive? But we don’t have time for that. You've already given us so much on which to meditate & other things!

Thank You God, Creator, Father. How majestic are you!