Prof Sanders

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED!

2008-01-22T23:14:00.000-06:00

Thanks to everyone who has visited this address once or many times over the last couple of years. You may click here to visit my new blog address.

I am switching blog sites for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted to consolidate into one site three different uses for a blog: personal writing, downloads for courses I teach at SLCC, and also resources for worship ministry. Typepad allows me to do that in a simpler fashion than Blogger does. Second, Typepad allows me to upload files and is generally more user-friendly than blogger. For a small monthly fee I have a good deal of server storage space, and a lot more features available.

I think you'll find the new blog site generally more useful. It's the same web address except that it's "typepad" instead of "blogspot". The new site certainly has a lot more features, and will still feature the same witty observations from Prof Sanders! This will be the last post on this site, so direct your browsers to profsanders.typepad.com.

This blogspot site will remain active for a while, so fee free to browse through old posts if you'd like. I encourage you to check out the new site as well.

Yay! Jesus is Alive!

2008-01-21T07:02:00.000-06:00

I think I mentioned in a previous post that we usually read a Bible story to Ben when we put him to bed. We have nearly gone through his Children's Bible, and a few days ago I had read the story about Jesus' death and resurrection. It's really fun to tell the story to a kid and see their reaction for the first time. (It's probably not the first time since the nursery at church does Bible stories and activities every week, but it's the first time I've told him these stories.)

Last night he wanted to hear the story about the "big rock" again, meaning the stone that was rolled away from the tomb. We went through the part about them killing Jesus and Ben had lots of questions about that. Then he gets really excited when we turn to the page with the angel and the big rock in front of the empty tomb. After reading that page, we put our fists in the air and shout, "Yay! Jesus is alive!"

It's a real treat for us to go through these stories with Ben and experience them for the first time through his eyes. It's such a familiar story that it's hard to forget how...well, exciting and life-changing it is.

Over Christmas break I moved my office at home from one room to another. On the wall above my desk I have a large print of my favorite picture: "Welcome Home" by Danny Hahlbohm. The quality of this image of not very good, but you can click on it to see a bigger version:

This image helps me remember that life is short, and one day my earthly life will be over. When I pass on I will wake up in the presence of Jesus. That helps me have perspective about what is important and what is not. It helps me focus my energy. Above all, it means I can have joy in a world that constantly tears us down, tempts us and wants to steal our joy. We have every reason to be joyful.

Yay! Jesus is alive!

Election Reflections

2008-01-08T22:47:00.000-06:00

As of this writing, John McCain and Hillary Clinton have just won the New Hampshire primary. You may not follow politics or be all that interested in the process leading up the general election in November, but I find the process really fascinating. Despite which candidate you prefer, there are a few insights we can gain when we look at the election hooplah. Here are a few random thoughts:

1. The importance of communion skills. In the last two elections it was Bush vs. John Kerry and Bush vs. Gore. Of those three, Gore is probably the best communicator (I hate to admit it). I don't recall much about Kerry, but Bush is NOT a good communicator. I love the fact that he's Christian, he's a good leader, he's a very moral person, etc. but his oral presentation skills are not that great. On the other hand, we've seen in this election two very gifted communicators: Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama. I am simply in awe of Huckabee's gift at communication, and although I disagree with Obama's politics, you can't deny he has a certain charisma about him.

There is a strong connection between the charisma and communication skills of a pastor and the growth of his church, on a strictly human scale. It's not the only important quality, or even the most important, but the bottom line is that if you can't communicate, people won't follow you. The same is true in any kind of job or position.

2. The hunger for change. People are clearly fed up with the mess in Washington and are ready for new leadership and fresh ideas. Obama's surge in the polls and his win last week in the Iowa caucus is a demonstration that the country is ready for something different.

3. The importance of geography. On the other hand, Clinton's win tonight in the NH primary shows us that people have very different views in different parts of the country. NH has different sensibilities than Iowa. We see this in church work sometimes when a staff member comes from a different part of the country and struggles to fit into a new setting where people think differently. The beauty of America is that there are all kinds of different regions, yet we are still "the United States."

4. Upstarts vs. the establishment. This does necessarily boil down to a "young vs. old" thing. For instance, John McCain is in his 70's yet he won the NH primary tonight on the Republican side. I think he's the oldest candidate on either side, yet he's really kind of a rebel and outsider to typical Washington politics. I find it really fascinating that Mike Huckabee won the Iowa primary while Mitt Romney spent about 20 times more money there, yet still lost. He came out of nowhere and rose to the top tier of Republican candidates, not based on money or power, but in spite of it. Americans still love the underdog story, which is why so many people want to see Obama stick it to Clinton, who is definitely "the establishment."

I just started reading a really interesting book that takes on this type of theme in the church world: "Who Stole My Church" by Gordon MacDonald. It just came out.

5. Experience vs. change. The race between Clinton and Obama for the lead among Democrats has been about Clinton's "experience" vs. Obama's perceived ability to bring about real change. One could argue that Clinton's experience is somewhat limited (and it is, since being the First Lady doesn't give you a day's worth of experience actually being the President), but the issue is how Americans have seemingly put a smaller value on experience. In fact, they seem to agree that political experience is actually a detriment, not an asset.

This argument has important ramifications for ministry. When hiring a candidate for a ministry position, do you want someone who has a particular kind of experience, or someone with fresh and exciting, yet untested ideas? It's a good question, and one any search committee should discuss.

6. Negative vs. positive politics. I have been pretty impressed with the way Huckabee and Obama have run what you would call "classy" campaigns, at least by Washington standards. Instead of tearing down the other candidates, they have focused on what they bring to the table, and how they can shape the future. This is a really refreshing turn from all the negativity we see during election time. Even if neither of these two men are your candidate of choice, you have to give them credit for avoiding a lot of the negativity of some of the other candidates.

House Church

2008-01-06T23:16:00.000-06:00

You know how when someone in your family gets sick, everyone gets it? That has been our family this weekend. A few days ago Melanie began to have some aches, pains and a sore throat, and by the next day I had it as well. (Thankfully, Ben hasn't shown any symptoms yet.) The doctor says it's strep throat, but who knows for sure. At any rate, we didn't attend church services this morning because we're still contagious.

So we decided to have our own service. There were still in our jammies around noon, sitting on the couch with Ben. We read a story about the Last Supper out of his Children's Bible, prayed and took communion (with crackers and apple juice). Even though it lasted all of 5 minutes, it was really meaningful because we had the chance to explain to Ben what communion is all about.

I'm sure there are many mistakes we make as parents, but one habit we've established is reading the Bible and praying with Ben every day. Usually, it's right before he goes to bed, but on a day like this we just "had church" at home. And it makes me wonder if there's something more we can do, even at his young age, to help teach him the basics of the Christian faith in a way he can understand. I wonder how we can help him understand the concept of tithing at 3 years old.

I'm really impressed when I look at the Old Testament patriarchs and I see them leading their families in acts of worship such as building altars and giving offerings. I wonder why so many Christian families forsake this concept--what seems so biblically basic--and leave it up to "the ministry professionals" to educate their kids about the faith. Even if a child (or a teenager) is in a Sunday morning service, a Sunday school class, an a mid-week study of some kind, that's only a few hours a week being exposed to Christian teaching. Does anyone really believe that alone is significant?

In a way, I'm thankful that we were forced to stay home this morning because it reminded of the importance of regular family worship. In addition to what we already do, I hope God will help us to practice creative and meaningful worship in our home. Even more so, I hope other Christian parents will do the same. There are so many negative forces working against kids today, and I believe Christian education and training should begin in the home, not just left to church programming.

I should point out that the Children's and Student Ministries at our church are really great, but they can't do it alone. Too many parents do nothing of spiritual value in their homes and place the entire burden of discipleship training on the local church. That is unfair and unbiblical. You wouldn't go to a buffet on Sunday and expect to be nourished for the next seven days. So why do so many parents take the same approach with spiritual training in the home?

Review: No Country for Old Men

2007-12-28T22:51:00.000-06:00

I'm back at the blog after a hiatus of sorts due to a heavy workload the first part of December. Thanks for tuning back in.

One of the things I look forward to the most about Christmas break each year is the opportunity to see a few movies guilt-free. (You know, without feeling like there are a lot of classes to prepare, papers to grade, or what not.) I've seen three in the past week--Charlie Wilson's War, National Treasure 2 and No Country for Old Men. Of those three, the final one is by far the most effecting. The other two were entertaining, but have not stuck around in my head the way this one has.

I've only seen two other movies by the Coen brothers: The Ladykillers (which was definitely a waste of time) an O Brother, Where Are Thou (which was terrific, and features one of the most popular movie soundtracks of all time, and for good reason). Since I don't have much to compare it to in terms of their other directing efforts, I'll judge the movie on its own merits.

The plot is fairly basic: Llewelyn Moss (played by Josh Brolin, in a career-defining role) is a slightly dumber than average West Texan, and while out hunting he stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong, complete with several bodies, a truck full of drugs and a suitcase with $2 million. He takes the money but makes a poor decision in returning to the crime scene later that night. A group of Mexicans find him and try to hunt him down. They also send after him Anton Chigurh (played by Javier Bardem, in another career-defining role), a ruthless killing machine whose weapon of choice is not a pistol or rifle, but a cattle stun gun attached to an air compressor. The rest of the movie involves Llewelyn trying to evade Chigurh, and the cast of characters who become involved, including Llewelyn's wife Carla Jean (Kelly McDonald, who I never would have guessed was Irish based on her excellent fake Texan accent) and Ed Tom Bell, the sheriff (in an amazing performance by Tommy Lee Jones). I realized later that Tommy Lee Jones' character both opens and closes the film, almost like a bookend.

I know the plot sounds a bit strange and violent, but the violence is actually much less than I expected. What makes the movie great is several things. First is the acting and dialogue. The movie is based on the novel by Cormac McCarthly, and although I haven't read it I understand that passages from the movie are taken directly from the novel. I can't recall the last time I experienced character dialogue that was so well-written and delivered, particularly through Tommy Lee Jones' and Javier Bardem's characters. There is a great scene near the middle where Anton (Bardem) goes into a little store in the middle of nowhere and begins the challenge the owner, an older man who doesn't have a clue who he's dealing with. Anton is a man with no virtue--pure evil--but he decides who he kills (some of the time) with the flip of a coin...and asks his victims to call it. If his would-be victims live, it's by pure luck, not by mercy. I absolutely love the dialogue exchange in this scene as the two men get into a word game that really makes no sense, but that's not the point.

Second, and more importantly, is the underlying theme. This is really a nihilistic sort of movie, meaning basically that evil in the world lives on, and there is nothing we can do about it. Of course, I disagree with the theme on a philosophical level because it doesn't square with the Christian faith, but the filmmakers have put on screen a villian completely on par with Hannibal Lecter and Darth Vadar. Actually, I never thought Darth Vadar was that scary because his costume just looks dumb. But Anton Chigurh, that's another story. Here is a portrayal of a man with no conscience, no mercy, no compassion--only the desire to impose his will upon those who get in his way.

I would highly recommend the movie to anyone who likes well-made movies and great acting. It's not an entertaining movie per se, but it's a great film. It does take its time telling the story, and afterwards I realized there is no traditional music score to speak of, but this only adds to the sparseness (much like the Texas landscape that is featured so prominently). All the loose ends are not tied up, and it doesn't dumb down the plot to the lowest common denominator--I'm looking at you, National Treasure 2--but that's a good thing in my book. I predict it will win a trophy or two at the Oscars.

The Making of a Book, Part 2

2007-12-07T05:59:00.000-06:00

Here is a brief update. Several weeks ago a publishing company hosted a luncheon for professors at SLCC. Several of us attended, and the purpose of the lunch was for them to tell us about new books they are doing, as well as solicit any book or writing projects we might have. Turns out it was a great opportunity to meet their executive editor, who I happened to sit next to at lunch. (I'm not sure how acceptable it is in this process to name the publisher or the people involved this early, so I'll leave it out for now. There are only two publishing companies associated with the Christian Church/Churches of Christ, so you have a 50/50 chance.)

I sent an email to the editor a couple of weeks ago about a book idea for a new series they're doing called "Caring for the Flock." The series is centered around issues of pastoral care for the church. They are small books (120 pages, max) and are meant to be very practical and readable for church leaders of all kinds. Editors are very busy people, and I hadn't heard anything back yet, so I gave him a call to follow up. I don't know if I was breaking some kind of subtle protocol by calling directly instead of waiting for an email response, but at least at this point I can claim ignorance.

My book idea is the 2nd one I mentioned in the first post - not the one on worship leaders in the Bible, although I still want to do that one. This project will be tentatively called "Living and Leading Worship," and will look at worship leading from a pastoral care perspective. The thesis of the book at this point is the greatest act of pastoral care is modeling and leading authentic biblical worship. When it comes down to it, the most important thing a minister or other church leader can do (or parent, for that matter) is to be a true worship and inspire others to do the same. Worship is the only thing we will do in eternity.

When I spoke to the editor, he seemed genuinely interested in the idea and said I was the only one who had brought up the idea of doing a book on worship for this series. We agreed I would send an official book proposal around the first of February. This isn't the book I thought I would be working on first, but I am confident that this is God's timing and purpose, so I am really grateful for the possibility. So over the next couple of months I'll be working hard on the proposal and then see what happens!

The Entertainer

2007-12-01T10:38:00.000-06:00

Here is a short video featuring our constant source of entertainment. We like to call him Benjamin.

The Making of a Book, Part 1

2007-11-27T23:16:00.000-06:00

OK, I'm finally committing myself on paper (or computer, as it were) that I'm beginning work on a book tentatively titled The Word on Worship Leaders. The book will be a study of biblical worship leaders, written with church worship teams in mind. I've just decided I need to stop thinking about it and get on with it. Publishing is a tough field to break into, but I sense a very strong calling to pursue this and give it a shot.

I've actually contacted a publisher about a separate project that may fit into an existing series they are doing, but I haven't heard anything back yet. That would be a separate project, but focused on a different aspect of worship leading. If they determine they are not interested perhaps that will be another book. If they are interested I will work on that one first.

I'm mentioning all of this because I thought it would be fun to actually detail the process of how a book is written, edited, published and marketed. I have no idea how any of this will turn out, or even if it will turn out, but this will (hopefully) be an ongoing chronicle of "the making of a book."

To give you a little background on the first book I mentioned, I completed my Master's thesis last year on the topic of "Worship Leadership in the Bible." The book version will be based on the thesis, but obviously will be totally re-written because the only people who actually want to read a Master's thesis is the student and their readers. In my case, this equals a sum total of three people--myself and the two official "readers" who approved the project. My wife didn't even read it. Not that I blame her--it's not exactly a page-turner.

The funny thing is that during my research for the thesis, I never encountered a single book that dealt with biblical worship leaders in any kind of a systematic manner. Not a single book. This really surprised me, especially given all the attention paid to worship leaders in the overall scheme of ministry today. So there is obviously a need for it, and I guess I'm up to the challenge. It's been a dream of mine for a really long time to publish a book, so I'm going to stop wishing and start doing.

The first step is going to be writing the book proposal, which basically consists of a summary of what the book is about, plus 2-3 sample chapters. Once you have the proposal done and polished, half the work is done. (It's like writing a term paper--once you have the outline and know what you want to accomplish, the rest is relatively easy.) My goal is to have the proposal done by the end of January.

After that, I will be submitting the proposal to an organization called The Writer's Edge, where professionals in the publishing industry evaluate your proposal. If it passes their "inspection" (about half of the proposals do), they include a brief listing about your book in a newsletter that goes out monthly to several dozen of the top Christan publishers. It costs nearly $100 for this service, but it seems like a great deal. If any of the publishers are interested, they contact the author directly.

So this is the plan at the moment. I've only had a few small things published up to this point: an article in both The Christian Standard and The Lookout, as well as a couple of book reviews in The Stone-Campbell Journal. That's it. But I can tell you that it is pretty thrilling to see your name and writing officially in print, even if it's something that goes out to a relatively small number of people. (But on the contrary, The Christian Standard goes out to many, many thousands of people each week, so it's no small potatoes, really.)

My hope is that God will take my very meager reflections and writing and somehow use it to encourage, challenge or equip others. In writing about that process here, hopefully that will keep my accountable to a degree as well. May we all get off our collective duffs and do what God is calling us to do!

Deepening Our Worship

2007-11-23T08:54:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure what the picture of the atomic bomb explosion is supposed to mean, but in looking through the "My Pictures" folder I came across that one and thought it was an interesting juxtaposition for a post on worship music. Draw your own conclusions.

In the previous post I fear I may have been a bit negative. After I posted it I considered going back and revising it, but I didn't because it's how I felt at the moment. But there is another side to this thing as well. You need to understand that although I'm an "academic" I am sometimes irritated by academic people. During my seminary years, at times I had to sit in a class taught by a professor whose only vocational experience in the local church was way back in college, when they were a youth minister for a couple of years before becoming what we affectionately called a "seminary rat." Or, it was a teacher who had never actually worked in a church, although they seemed to have all the answers to the problems plaguing the local church. Sometimes I would get lucky and have a professor who simultaneously taught and served part time in a local church. This is a good scenario that helped them to ground their teaching in practical realities, but part-time and full-time ministry are not really the same thing. The simple dynamic of having your entire salary come from one local church (as opposed to only part of it) introduces a complicated set of dynamics that only a full-time minister can appreciate.

I'm partly setting up a straw man, only to knock him down, but anyone who has been to seminary knows what I'm talking about. It's not difficult to find people in Bible colleges and seminaries who teach ministry-related subjects while many times having only limited ministry experience (or experience that happened decades ago). At times their proposed solutions (and rants and raves) concerning the ills of the local church ring hollow because it's easy to criticize something, but much harder to deal with in reality. It's one thing to teach a class or do a seminar, and quite another to deal with the day-to-day rough and tumble of full-time ministry.

Let me pause for a moment and offer a side note. This problem seemed more pronounced in seminary than when I attended Bible college. In fact, I don't recall ever feeling that way as a college student, but I can recall many times from seminary. I loved seminary and wouldn't be in my current position with the training I received there, but truthfully I sometimes felt a disconnect between the theoretical and the pastoral. Perhaps this is a dynamic that is more prevalent in grad school than in college.

I'm saying all this to point out the fact that it's easy for me to offer my observations and opinions of the worship movement as a whole, but at least at this point in my life I don't have to deal with day-to-day realities of paid ministry in a local church. It doesn't mean that I'm wrong or ill-informed, but it does mean that my public opinions don't work themselves out in a local church as they would if I led worship week to week. So in that sense it may appear that I'm an armchair critic.

I'm not anti-seminary or anti-academic. On the contrary, I'm all for education, college, seminary, and another means by which we can more fully develop people's minds and equip them for ministry. But the academic community(at least those that I have been affiliated with) exists to serve the church. Our mission is tied into the mission of the local church. So the bottom line for me is this: How does all of our reflections, critique and ideas about worship actually affect worship leaders in the church? How does a worship leader deal with the realities of a consumer culture where beauty, truth, depth, honesty, an awareness of history and creativity are sometimes lacking in corporate worship, particularly music? I'd like to offer a few humble suggestions of actions steps a worship leader might take to deepen their worship.

Deepen your study. I'd like to suggest first of all that any change a person wants to bring about in a church must begin with themselves. Are you convinced of the importance of worship? Is your relationship with God growing? Are you learning more about worship and its related aspects--history, theology, music, new worship songs, ancient traditions, etc.? The well of worship is so deep no one can ever plumb its depths, but that's no excuse for not trying.

Sometimes the most inspirational and creative ideas don't come from reading "worship material." For instance, lately I've been doing study on astronomy for a class at church I'm teaching. That has helped me see the glory and beauty of God's creation in a new way. A few days I also started reading a phenomenal new book called Getting to Know the Church Fathers by Bryan Litfin. I studied the church fathers in passing in a couple of classes before, but the subject is a lot more exciting now that I'm doing it on my own. Both of these subjects I'm exploring right now have deepened my understanding and sense of worship in ways I didn't expect.

It should go without saying that a worship leader ought to be constantly growing in their study of God's Word. (It should go without saying, but it needs to be said.) The point here is to be a constant learner. If you aren't growing spiritually and intellectually, then any attempts to bring about change or renewal will ring hollow and won't be authentic.

Deepen your planning team. If you don't use a planning team to help put together congregational worship, you ought to consider it. You know how I used to plan worship? I would sit in my office, choose worship songs, special music and other elements, and inform people in the worship ministry of the "plan." Then I finally wised up and began using others in the ministry to help give input, ideas and evaluation.

The reason a planning team is so helpful is because no single person, including a gifted worship leader, can come up with great ideas week after week. You need the creative ideas of other people to bring out the best. But more importantly, congregational worship is a community activity, and I believe worship planning is best done in community. Each person will approach it differently, but the point is to get other people involved in making choices about what's included in the service. In addition, you should be helping these people to deepen their own understanding about worship.

Deepen the congregational participation. One of the casualties of modern evangelical worship is congregational participation. Modern sound amplification, the use of worship bands and a general "spectator" mentality all make it more difficult for group singing to be a really meaningful experience. Sound systems almost always overpower the congregation. The point of congregational worship is not to hear the instruments or the worship team perform; it's to lead the people in singing. And if the people can't hear themselves sing, it's too loud.

Another factor is the music itself. Most worship leaders are tenors, and they naturally put songs in keys that are comfortable for them. But men with lower voices often can't fully participate because the songs are pitched too high. The worship songs you hear on CD's are arranged for the lead singer's voice, not for your congregation. So don't be afraid to lower the key a bit to compensate. In addition to the key of the song, the rhythm sometimes is hard to learn for the average person. The song should not be so hard to learn that the average person can't get the hang of it after a couple of times.

Our worship leader at Harvester does a really nice job with these elements, and is a good example of how to effectively balance all of these concerns. He is top-notch at helping the congregation participate. And our sound guys do an excellent job of providing sound while not overpowering the people. One of the challenges I have at SLCC is helping our students who lead worship move from "standing and singing" to actually leading the people. There is more to worship leading than just performing music.

Deepen your musical content. A related issue is the content of our worship songs. It's important to take the time to think through the lyrics of the hymns and worship songs we use. Yes, I include hymns also because many of the "good old hymns" are just as stupid and trite as some modern worship songs. Don't be fooled into thinking that a hymn is good or even true in its theology just because it's printed on paper and bound into a hymnal.

In looking at the songs used for worship, it's important to ask at least two questions: 1) Is it true? (Does it square with biblical teaching?) 2) Who is the focus? (Do the lyrics point to God and his character, or to me and my feelings? Songs of testimony are OK, but we use too many songs that talk about "me" and too few that talk about God.)

There is encouraging news in the modern worship movement. We have a few prominent songwriters who are providing some really good material--people like Chris Tomlin, Paul Baloche, Matt Redman, Martin Smith (from the group Delirious), among others. But you often have to wade through a bunch of material before finding a gem.

The primary question you have to ask about congregational worship is this: What are you trying to accomplish? What is the purpose? The answer to that question will provide direction for almost every issue I'm raising here. The best resource to help you think through the process for selecting worship songs is the book God Songs: How to Write and Select Songs for Worship by Paul Baloche.

Deepen your love. This really gets to the heart of the matter. I simply ask, Do you love the people you lead? Are you committed to them? It's tempting to say a quick "yes" and move on, but you must search your heart. Pastoral love changes our motive for everything. We will lead, choose songs, make tough choices and do everything else in ministry based on whether we love people and want to serve them.

A couple of years ago I sent our traveling worship team from SLCC to a supporting church where the people raved about their worship leader. My first impression was that the worship leader must be a really good musician. When I heard a recording of the worship team I thought it was well-done, but I wasn't blown away. The worship leader was talented, but the real difference in his relationship with the people was that he loved and cared for them. He was a great pastoral leader. His musical skills were solid, but that didn't form the basis for the people's affection for him.

So worship leaders, take heart--you don't have to be a world-class musician to make a difference. Love really is the most important key to a solid ministry.

These are just a few suggestions on what a worship leader can do to help deepen congregational worship in their church. Something I rarely hear talked about, but is an important concept, is the role of a worship leader as a change agent. Worship is all about change--recognizing who God is, who we are, and the transformation that happens as a result of Christ's saving power. We can't get a glimpse of God and stay the same (Isaiah 6.1-8).

But don't take my word for it. After all, I'm just an academic. :)

Things I'm Not Thankful For

2007-11-22T08:35:00.000-06:00

In the spirit of a little bit of fun, I am bucking the traditional Thanksgiving list. There are many things for which I am truly thankful, but here are a few "Things I'm Not Thankful For."

10. "Dancing with the Stars."

9. That fact that Hollywood writers are on strike and we'll probably in for more reality shows like "Dancing with the Stars."

8. The gastro-intestinal problems that your doctor conveniently forgot to tell you were side effects of the anti-malaria medicine you take before going on a mission trip to Nicaragua.

7. How the leftover gravy from Thanksgiving, when refrigerated, turns into this weird Jello-like substance. Yet I still heat it up and eat it. How weird is that?

6. Any music that requires an accordian.

5. Charter. If you live in St. Louis you will understand.

4. More specifically, how Charter can transfer you to someone in the Philippines to solve your computer problem, but they can't schedule a home service call for months.

3. Ear hair. Need I say more?

2. Door-to-door salespeople. No, I don't want a new vacuum cleaner. Or to become a Jehovah's Witness. Or to buy meat out of the back of your truck. Or an estimate for new siding.

1. Cranberry sauce.

The New is Old, and the Old Will Become New

2007-11-18T07:39:00.000-06:00

A couple of days ago I was getting ready to leave the office and grabbed a few demo CD's that music companies send. Four times a year Lifeway publishing send a whole box of music for choirs, worship teams and other music groups for churches, colleges, etc. There are usually a couple of CD's of new worship songs--songs they are hoping will catch on in local churches.

After sampling songs from the third CD of modern worship songs, I began to get a little irritated. All of the songs began to sound the same--the same kind of lyrics (that don't contain much in the way of originality, poetry or depth), the same recycled 3 or 4 rhythms, and the same sonic wall of drums and electric guitar. This is symbolic of a feeling that has increasingly dominated my attitude and thinking recently. It may come as a surprise, so I'll just lay it out.

I'm getting really bored with worship.

I'm not getting bored with worshiping God. I'm in love with God. I am more committed to God than ever before. My faith is stronger than even before. I'm not tired of the church--I'm more committed than ever to the importance of the local church. (Bill Hybels calls the local church "the hope of the world," and he's right. The church is God's chosen instrument to bring his message to the world.) I'm not bored with the Bible, with my job, or God's plan for my life. I'm more excited about these things than ever before.

But rather, I'm increasingly bored with the American, Western way of "doing worship." There is often little challenge and depth to our worship songs. There is little that is controversial (Jesus was controversial!). There's not much to challenge my thinking. Music and worship styles that were new and interesting 10-15 years ago have become the new tradition. In short, what was new has become old.

This was made even more clear for me last Tuesday when I took my Theology & History of Worship class from SLCC to visit the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in St. Louis. Greek Orthodoxy is the oldest of the three main branches of Christianity (Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant). I wanted the class to see the church for themselves because it's a core part of our overall history as Christians. We were warmly welcomed and led on a tour by one of the church leaders, Father Achilles. As we went on the tour I was overwhelmed by the sense of beauty, history and symbolism all over the church. There is a great appreciation for Christians who have gone on before us and contributed to the Christian faith. There are many things about Orthodox theology I disagree with, but there is also much to appreciate.

Don't misunderstand me--I'm not about to switch faiths or promote that we embrace everything about Orthodoxy. I love the Restoration movement and am firmly committed to its ideals. But there is also something to be said for the great appreciation for beauty, art, history and theology that we find in the Orthodox church. I wonder if there are some lessons we could incorporate into our own understanding and practice of worship.

I love my church, I love our ministers and worship leaders, and I love where God has placed me. I fully support them as a Christian and a volunteer. But there are some trends in the overall Christian evangelical world that disturb me. I have hinted at these above. What we will see in the coming years is a greater interest in the Orthodox church because there is a appreciation for theology, depth, participation, history and beauty as it pertains to worship. These elements have been lacking in evangelical worship lately, but I do see signs of hope. All is not lost (not by any stretch)! But we definitely have some work to do, and people like myself who train worship leaders must take some of the responsibility for bringing about change and renewal. Some of the problems we have in worship today are probably due in part to the fact that people in the academic world such as myself have not done a very thorough job of equipping pastors and worship leaders. We need to own up to our mistakes.

As a sort of counter-balance to all this, let me say one more thing. If you have never been a worship leader or pastor, you don't know how difficult it is. You may think you know, but you really don't. For every musical or stylistic choice that pleases someone, it will make someone else unhappy. It's a difficult thing to be a church leader in today's culture where everyone feels entitled to what they want. So even though you may not like the overall trends you see in worship, and may even disagree with some things (heck, I don't even agree with myself half the time)--that's no reason for not supporting your ministers. I'm sure my wife doesn't like everything that I do, or every habit I have or choice I make. But she still loves and supports me. That's perhaps a good illustration of how we ought to approach worship...love is the overriding principle.

When You Gotta Go...

2007-11-09T23:23:00.000-06:00

I made it back safely from Nicaragua a couple of weeks ago, and thanks to everyone who prayed for the safety and success of our group while on the trip. It was a great week and I hope to spend a little time writing about it in the near future.

Something astounding, earth-shaking and stupendous happened a few days ago. We've been waiting for this moment for at least a year. We had hoped, begged and pleaded for this moment to come. It was a time for celebration, laughter and good times.

Was it an early Christmas? Did we win a dream vacation? What was the occasion?

Ben finally poopied on the potty.

This may seem like no big deal to most people, but you have to understand that Ben is over 3 1/2 years old. For months upon months we have begged, pleaded, cajoled, bribed, lectured and then bribed some more in an effort to get him to start using the potty like a big boy. Now make no mistake, actually for a good number of months he has been able and willing to go #1 in the potty, but it was #2 that was giving him problems. He has always seemed ahead of most kids when it comes to learning his numbers and letters, drawing and basic skills like that. But when it came to going #2 on the potty, he was as stubborn as a mule. He just wouldn't do it, and there was nothing we could do about it until he was ready.

I'm sure the last thing you want to read about is my son's personal bathroom habits, but to a parent of a toddler, it's quite a big deal. And like many things about parenthood, there was a good lesson in this: why are we stubborn sometimes? Why do we wait so long to do things we ought to do? Ben's resistance to potty training was not because he lacked ability or skill--he just didn't want to do it. It was pure stubbornness, and nothing more or less. But the funny thing is that once he started using the potty, he immediately found out how simple and easy it was, and so much better than the old way of using a diaper. We have made quite a big deal over his initiation into officially being a big boy; we even drove all the way across St. Louis to go to a special pizza place where we've been literally promising to take him for months.

I wonder what things you and I are being stubborn about in our own lives. Is there some area where we are being disobedient or lazy? Some task, relationship or character trait that we have put off addressing just because we're. . .well, stubborn? I wonder how much joy, maturity and blessing we're missing just because we won't submit this one thing to the Lord in obedience.

Think on these things.

Our Pride and Joy

2007-10-21T23:51:00.000-05:00

We bought a new digital camera a few days ago and have been snapping pictures and video (it's a Canon Powershot A560 - I'm pretty happy with it). I thought I put up a couple of items featuring Ben.

Here is a short video showing that he clearly did not get his dancing abilities from me.

And here's a picture--one which shows his more reflective side.

Reconsidering "Missions"

2007-10-18T00:10:00.001-05:00

I wonder sometimes if our modern thinking about missions doesn't deserve some reconsideration. For instance, a typical Bible college (such as SLCC) offers a degree in missions or intercultural ministry This degree is for people who want to pursue a vocational career in overseas mission work, typically. But while we support missionary work in the modern church, we sometimes miss the "mission"--without the last "s." The underlying concept of missions is...mission.

What do I mean by this? I mean that the basic thrust of the Christian faith is to be outwardly expanding, always growing and reaching new people. This is much larger than a program of study, a budget item or a vocational option. It is the whole thrust of our faith. In this sense, all Christian work is "mission" work because it is serving the larger purpose of the overall mission of Jesus, as given in the Great Commission.

I would argue the same is true of worship. We offer a program of study in worship and music at SLCC, and although it's a vocational option, the much bigger picture is that all of life and faith is really about worship--a response to what God has initiated and accomplished for us through Jesus Christ. And in fact, worship precedes mission, because mission flows out of our relationship with God and with people. The Great Commandment (loving God) comes before the Great Commission (loving people and bringing them to God). So worship is really what it's all about, and mission flows out of worship.

So really, I love missions--but I don't like our tendency to relegate it to a budget item, a college program or a "missions ministry" in a local church. At the foundation, it's all about mission, and I desperately wish we all understood that. How would it change our relationships, attitude toward our jobs, use of money and everything else if we saw it all in the light of our Christian mission?

I leave on Monday to spend 8 days on a...missions trip... to Nicaragua with a group from our church. We will be doing worship leading, concerts and who knows what else. I'm not certain what God wants me to learn on this trip, but I have no doubt I'll learn a few things. I won't be updating until I return. Would you please pray for safety for our group (about 10 of us) and for God to use us to further his mission?

Christmas in July...Well, Almost

2007-10-13T23:32:00.000-05:00

My wife and I have been talking about how strange it is to see Christmas commercials this early in the year. I mean, it's only the middle of October, for crying out loud...Halloween hasn't even come yet, and retail stores are already pulling down Halloween merchandise to make room for Christmas items.

It seems like when we were kids, the Christmas season officially began the day after Thanksgiving. That's when many people put up trees, went shopping and generally got into the Christmas spirit. Then sometimes in the last 10-15 years--surely instigated by retail--the Christmas season started to ramp up in November. But now it really does begin in October.

I think this can be partially explained by the retail industry, which obviously wants to sell more items, and therefore begins to promote Christmas earlier. But I don't think that's the whole story. Melanie and I agree that ever since Sep. 11, 2001 people have been in a more fearful and worried state of mind, and really welcome the Christmas season beginning even earlier. People today are stressed out, burned out, tired, overworked, in too much debt, and generally want any kind of escape from the pressures of life they can find.

And Christmas is the perfect antidote. I'll admit that I broke out some of my Christmas CD's a few weeks ago and started listening even back in September, when it was still warm. That habit goes back to my days in local church ministry, when I would start thinking about Christmas programming in September. Christmas music always gets me in the spirit.

There are probably a few things we can learn from this to apply in ministry. First, people are longing for an escape from daily pressure to achieve. Unfortunately, when they come to church they are often bombarded with pressure to do this program, sign up for this, attend that. Modern evangelical churches kind of perpetuate the whole culture of achievement right along with the rest of the world. Maybe it's all those church leaders and professors taking their ministry cues from business books.... and I'm guilty as the next guy.

Second, I wonder if we can't engage in some creative counter-programming to the "big Christmas" hubbub we see in secular culture. Melanie and I were talking the other day about how one of our favorite memories from our former church was our Christmas Eve candlelight service. It's funny how the simple things are often the best. I'm not against big productions by any means because they can be very valuable, but there is a longing for simplicity that we don't always find fulfilled in church.

And third, while we lambast the consumer culture around us that is so evident at Christmas, we have to look underneath it all. People spend lots of money during Christmas because it makes them feel good, it reminds them of the simple times of childhood and just because it's tradition. We are drawn to Christmas because it's familiar, it's comforting, it gives us hope. Consumerism is the symptom, but the real cause is a longing for home, community, relationships and meaning. We in Christian leadership can offer all of those in the local church.

Yes, I know the Christmas commercials are all about getting people to buy things, but I don't mind them. I love Christmas and what it means, and it makes me feel good (plus, it means the end of the semester is getting closer!). It's also a signal that our culture is seriously searching and longing for what only we in the church can truly provide.

Sasha Sanders 1996-2007

2007-10-04T22:33:00.000-05:00

"I'm sorry, buddy."

With those words I took one last look at the dog who had been our family companion for the past eleven years and covered him back up with a sheet. Then I stepped out of the room at the vet's office and made my way home.

Sasha passed away last Tuesday, Sep. 25, but I haven't made time to write about it until now. Tonight Ben and I sat on the swing in the yard for a few minutes and I noticed how odd it was not to have Sasha roaming around the yard. I'm only barely getting used to the new ritual of not going out and feeding and watering him before we go to bed.

I haven't been sure how to really process this. I mean, when another person dies, especially one in your family or circle of friends, that's one thing...but how are you supposed to feel about a family pet dying? I know he wasn't a person and doesn't have a soul like we do, but anyone who's had a pet knows that they quickly become part of the family. Melanie and I brought Sasha into our family right after we moved to Streator, IL, only a couple of months after we were married. So he was with us right from the beginning, and had been with us through job changes, a move and the arrival of Benjamin. So it really was like losing an old friend.

It happened like this. This summer he had been getting worse for the wear. In dog years he was in his 70's, and although we took him to the vet once and he was pretty heavily treated, after a couple of months he began to go downhill again. For the last couple of weeks before he died, he wouldn't eat or drink much and had a lot of trouble even walking. I could see in his eyes the time was drawing close when he'd be leaving us.

I had planned on taking him to the vet on Monday night, but I couldn't get an appointment, so I got in for Tuesday night. I was dreading it all day because I knew we would take him and he wouldn't be coming home. I felt like a traitor taking a faithful friend to his death sentence, but it was the only humane thing to do because he was so miserable. The appointment was for 5:15 p.m. Tuesday evening and I came home about 4:50, just enough time to change clothes and load him into the truck. I opened the garage door to the backyard and peeked my head around the corner to check on him--he was laying in the hole he had dug next to the house, the same place he had mostly been for a few days. He looked up at me and I told him I'd be back in a few minutes. I changed clothes and came back downstairs and looked again, and he had died. It was as if he had waited for one of us to come home and see him one last time before he was gone.

After he passed, I wrapped him in a couple of sheets and took him to the vet's to have him cremated. (I'm sure the city officials wouldn't appreciate my burying a large dog in our small back yard.) I was surprised they charge nearly $100! But there wasn't much choice.

In one sense I feel terrible that he died lying in a hole in the backyard--but then again, that seems more humane and comfortable than lying on a cold steel table at the vet clinic getting injected with a deadly drug. Who knows for sure? At any rate, he's gone and it takes some getting used to.

Pets & Death

2007-09-23T22:23:00.000-05:00

First of all, thanks to everyone who faithfully checks my blog, and I apologize for not updating very regularly lately. Since the beginning of the fall semester I haven't put very much time into this. I have a great many things to say, but I'm trying (with limited success) to re-arrange very old habits of staying up late at night, and instead getting up early to do work. I'm a night owl--always have been--and change isn't coming very quickly. I usually do my blog entries at night, so that hasn't been happening much lately. However, I have every intention of keeping this going, so thanks for taking the time to stop by.

By the way, the fall semester has been going well at the college. We have a really solid group of freshmen, and my role has changed a little, and I'm thankful for it. In addition to several adjunct faculty who have been teaching in the music/worship dept. for a while, we have a new one who is 3/4 time, and she is doing a great job. She has taken over the traveling worship team I directed for the past 3 years, and is also starting our choir program back up again. This lightens my load a little, and I'm probably having the most enjoyable semester I've had in a while.

Now for some news on the sad side--our dog Sasha is not doing well. For the past few months he's been steadily going downhill. I won't give a litany of his various health problems, but we took him to the vet in the summer, and that was a temporary solution, but over the last couple of months he has declined pretty fast. Melanie and I adopted Sasha as a puppy in 1996, so he's been a part of our family for 11 years. When you've had a pet that long they're really like a family member in many respects, and it's hard to see them decline. 11 years old is pretty old for a dog, I know, but that doesn't lessen the sadness.

Tonight Ben and I were out in the yard, and he knows Sasha is pretty sick, so I thought maybe I should explain that Sasha probably won't make it very much longer, to kind of prepare him. Here's a condensed version of the conversation:

DAD: You know how Sasha is very sick? He's probably going to pass away [choosing my words carefully].

BEN: What does THAT mean?

DAD: [figuring out how to explain it, and going for the direct approach] It means he's probably going to die.

BEN: He's going to die? What does THAT mean?

DAD: It means he won't be alive anymore. He's going to see Jesus. [Never mind my poor theology.]

BEN: He's going to die? How?

DAD: [I didn't know I'd have to give a medical lesson on the mechanics of death. Let's see...] Well, I think he'll close his eyes and go to sleep, and won't wake up.

[The conversation goes on a bit further. Thinking I have touched my son's heart and helped him feel compassion for the sick dog, Ben gets off the swing and stands in front of the dog and addresses him.]

BEN: Sasha, you're going to die!

So much for compassion.

Well, that is part of my attempt to help our 3-year-old understand a little bit about death without scaring him. The funny thing is that as we get older, I don't think our anxieties and questions about death go away--we just don't talk about them as openly. I'm trying to figure out how I feel myself about Sasha. I mean, we've had the dog for 11 years and he's part of our family. A part of me feels a great deal of compassion and love for the sick animal. I hate seeing anyone or any animal suffer. Another part of me thinks the most humane thing is to have him put to sleep. I may take him to the vet tomorrow to see what he says. Another part of me looks at our finances and is very reluctant to spend any more money on an animal that is pretty old anyway; any medicine will just be a temporary fix. That's the more heartless part, but a voice of reason nonetheless.

When we moved back here to St. Louis we had two cats that came with us. When Ben was born they were around for almost a year, but they of course shed, needed a litterbox and also were not friendly with a new baby. So I had all I could take, when we took them to the local animal control center. I like to believe the nice people there found a home for two older cats, but in all reality they were probably put to sleep. I don't like to think about it because they were part of our lives for a few years also. But at some point you have to look at the practical reality of animals, including the cost to feed and take care of them, their impact on the family, and other factors.

We have thought about getting a small indoor dog. I have always liked dogs, but indoor dogs are pretty high maintenance. We have been down the cat road before, and the cat hair is just beyond what I can take (not to mention the allergies that come along with cats).

We do have one fish named Nemo that we got Ben for his birthday in April. He is pretty low-maintenance, I have to say. Then again, you can't hug a fish. (Well, you can...it's just that the cold, slimy feeling doesn't really convey a sense of love and warmth...)

Should We Pray for Suffering?

2007-08-31T22:45:00.000-05:00

I love reading God's Word for many reasons. One of them is that I sometimes come across surprising things that I either don't remember reading, or somehow previously missed.

There is sickness and suffering all around us. This week one of our college profs had major surgery (she is doing well). A friend of mine who works at another college had serious surgery a couple of weeks ago (and is on the road to recovery). Just today, Melanie told me about an extended family member who will soon pass away because of an extended illness. If anything, all of these situations call for prayer: for healing, peace and health.

But then I read something like Psalm 79, which includes a prayer about Israel's enemies: Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes!. . . Return sevenfold into the lap of our neightbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord! (vs. 10, 12). Then a few psalms later, a similar prayer is offered: O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind. As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, so may you pursue them with you tempest and terrify them with you hurricane (Ps. 83.13-15).

But here is the kicker, in vs. 17-18: Fill their faces with shame, that they make seek your name, O Lord. Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth. (The bold type is my own highlighting, not the text's.)

Asaph, the psalmist, is praying that God would send suffering upon Israel's enemies not just for their destruction, but that their suffering would result in them seeking the Lord. That is a fundamental difference from a prayer asking for the outright destruction of enemies because of vengeance or anger.

This brings to mind a couple of thoughts:

First is the question of how we should approach any kind of conflict. If we take Matthew 18 into consideration, it seems the purpose of any conflict should be the ultimate restoration of people into right relationships--with each other and to the Lord. For instance, Matthew 18 tells us that if you're trying to resolve a conflict with someone, and they won't listen, there are greater levels of discipline: first settle the matter between the two of you, then involve a couple of other people, then take it before the church, etc. But the purpose is not to hurt or cause pain to the individual, but rather to put them in a place socially and spiritually where they desire repentance and restoration. The same principle seems to apply here: Asaph is praying for God to bring suffering on Israel's enemies so they would turn to him.

How would this apply to, say, the war in Iraq? Or the conflict between the Western world and Islam, for example? Or the Crusades?

Second, I'm curious how this principle might mesh with many instances in the Old Testament when Israel just slaughters people wholesale--for instance, when God drives out the people who in the land Israel is to inherit. There didn't seem to be much concern for the souls of those people...they are pretty much just in the way of what God wants to do.

Third, and more personal: Should we ever pray that God would bring suffering upon people, even if the purpose is to bring them to repentance and restoration? For instance, what if you have a family member or friend who is so far from God that the only way they would pay attention to him would be to experience suffering? If we truly love them, why wouldn't we pray for their suffering if that's the only thing that would get their attention?

Fourth: Is it possible that any of the suffering we experience is the result of others' prayers for our own souls? What about the national disasters we have seen the last decade: 9/11, hurricane Katrina, the recent bridge collapse? Could there be a spiritual purpose to these?

In these psalms, there may be some context I'm missing, and I don't want to jump to conclusions without further study. But for the moment, these are some puzzling questions I have about these verses.

Keeping a Proper Perspective

2007-08-27T22:17:00.000-05:00

At this moment it's 10:25 p.m. It has been a long couple of weeks getting ready for the semester at SLCC, getting my syllabi ready for courses (along with preparing a new class), and generally doing all the things that need to be done before you get ready to teach. Today has been a long day already, but I'll still be up another 3 hours at least getting my material ready for class tomorrow. We have a 3-year old who has a personality that demands your attention every moment. I really need a full night's rest. I am feeling moderately cranky.

But I have a sneaking suspicion that my "burdens" are pretty light in the larger view of things. Here is suburbia, in middle class America, it's easy to look at life and how it's not perfect (like you perceive you neighbor's is), look at your to-do list and all that hasn't gotten done, and generally get discouraged because life doesn't turn out like we think it should in our consumer-driven culture. However, there is a much larger story at work than my own life, and it helps if I see what is happening elsewhere in the world with other Christians.

In our Convocation service at SLCC last week, Doyle Roth (from my home church, Harvester Christian) preached a great message about a number of Christians around the world who are suffering for their faith, even to the point of being killed. It was a great message not only because it was delivered with conviction and sincerity, but because it contained the truth. I don't know what suffering is. I have it easy. There are people who are suffering immeasurable more pain and anguish than I have or will ever likely know. Yet here I sit, surrounded by books, a computer, a house, electric lights, modern plumbing, a comfortable chair--all conveniences still not know to a good number of people in the world--and have the audacity to feel a little tired and cranky.

About 18 inches in front of me, on the wall, are a number of pictures. Two immediately stand out. The first is a picture of a young girl from Sri Lanka named Damayanthi. We have been supporting her through World Vision for about 3 years. She is wearing sandals, a white skirt, and strangely enough, a shirt with stars and stripes made presumably to resemble an American flag. It is probably the nicest outfit she owns. She is standing in the woods in front of a tree, probably where all the children in her village supported by World Vision get their picture taken. I don't really miss the 30 bucks a month that I send every month, but to her and her family it means a great deal. I have so much; they have so little.

The second picture is more recent and shows Melanie and Ben standing by Clifford the Big Red Dog. It was taken at Barnes & Noble a couple of weeks ago when Melanie took Ben to Barnes & Noble to see Clifford. Melanie is crouching down beside Ben, who is wearing his Lightning McQueen shoes, red shorts and a Spider-Man t-shirt. They are the two most important people in my life. (Clifford doesn't even rank a close third.)

As I think about these things, it occurs to me that I take too much for granted. I have been blessed, born in a time and place where there is plenty. I have everything I need, and then some. God has been gracious to me, for no other reason than that is his nature. My heart goes up in praise to God for all that he has given me.

I am thankful for a beautiful, caring wife and a healthy son.
I am thankful for my parents and the love and opportunities they have given me.
I am thankful for my brother, without whom my life would have turned out quite differently.
I am thankful for my church and the many good people there.
I am thankful for SLCC and what it has meant in my life, and how God has blessed it so much the past couple of years.
Most of all, I am thankful for the chance to know, love and be saved by Christ--without whom there would be no reason to be thankful.

Now, back to working on that lecture....

My Apologies

2007-08-22T00:12:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone - I know there are a number of you that faithfully check out my blog on a regular basis. I apologize for not updating the past couple of weeks--it's been a mad rush to get ready for the fall semester at St. Louis Christian College. I plan to update with some new thoughts and content over the weekend.

I am really excited about this fall's semester at SLCC and the very good group of students we have. We had a great Convocation service tonight and the school year is off to a great start. I'm teaching a new class on Theology and History of Worship and am looking forward to it.

Thanks for checking out the blog, and I look forward to "seeing" you this weekend. I have a goodly number of posts I'm looking forward to putting up.

"Goodly?"

Movie Review: The Bourne Ultimatum

2007-08-07T22:33:00.001-05:00

Have you been to the theater all summer and been somewhat disappointed with all of the sequels? Look no further because this end to the "Bourne" series is the best sequel of the year so far. Yes, you heard it from me, a self-proclaimed Spider-Man nut: this sequel is better than Spider-Man 3. (Not that it would take much, but I digress...)

I saw the first two Bourne movies in the theater, and although I didn't watch them again in preparation for this one, I remembered a few key facts: 1) the hero, Jason Bourne, used to work for the government as a spy; 2) he has amnesia so he doesn't remember very much about his past, or how he got involved with the government; and 3) the government wants to catch him, so he's on the run. That's about all I remembered, but that's all I needed to know to be up to speed for this film.

I won't bore you with a lot of plot details, since you can read those on other websites. But in a nutshell, Jason Bourne (not even his real name) is working his way back to the US in the final leg of his journey to learn all about his past and who he really is. Along the way he constantly outsmarts the government. But he doesn't work alone; he is assisted by a women working within the CIA, and another agent closer to his age who is also on the run.

This is probably the best movie I've seen all summer. There are several reasons: 1) There is not a single minute of filler in the movie. It's very "lean" and there is no fluff. You certainly can't say that about Spider-Man 3 or Pirates 3. 2) The chase scenes--which make up almost all of the movie--are very exciting and do not rely on computer-generated effects. There are a couple of car crashes where Bourne survives that are a little far-fetched, but on the whole it reminds me of the 70's movies like "The Conversation" where it's all about characterization and not the spectacle of big effects. 3) The acting is really good--Matt Damon is excellent in this role. 4) There was not sexuality, nudity and only 1 or 2 instances of bad language that I can recall. It is solely the action and violence that give it a PG-13 rating. 5) It is redemptive in the sense that Jason Bourne actually has a conscience. Although he does cause a lot of property damage along the way, he does have a sense of morality and ethics.

I should also mention that the music is really good. I hardly ever buy full albums--especially not of movie scores--but I bought the whole album from iTunes. Several tracks are part of my "running music" (although I think the final song by Moby is somewhat cheesy.)

This is a great capper to the summer--certainly the best sequel of the summer, and hands down the most exciting movie of the year. I really liked Spider-Man 3, but it was very bloated and somewhat disappointing. Transformers was great, but at the same time pretty juvenile. The Bourne Ultimatum takes the cake as the best summer movie.

Rating: 4/4

Redeeming the Time

2007-08-07T21:54:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed that we all say we are too busy, but everyone seems to waste a good deal of time? I read somewhere recently that the average American watches something like 4 hours of television a day. That just amazes me. I have nothing against television per se, but how can the average person say they are too busy, yet spend all this time in front of the TV?

Television is not really the culprit. Even if you don't watch much TV, there are other ways we all choose to waste time. I define "wasted time" as time that isn't used for any particular purpose, but is frittered away. For those of us with tight schedules, I think we tend to waste little chunks here and there. I wanted to share with you something I've learned that might help you to "redeem the time."

It's so simple you'll slap your forehead. Wanna know what it is? I take a book wherever I go.

For instance, this afternoon I went to the doctor's office. (No big deal, just a minor thing.) I spent 5 minutes in the waiting room. (I know, I couldn't believe it either.) Then I waited 5 minutes in the examining room. (Apparently they were having a fast day.) After the doctor went back out, I waited a few minutes until a nurse came back in. Then I had to go to another medical office nearby. Here I waited for about 40 minutes. In total, I spent nearly an hour of my day just...waiting. During all of these potentially wasted minutes, I sat and read a book.

What really surprised me in the waiting rooms is that no one has a plan for how they will spend their time waiting. They just sit there until their name is called. Most of the guys just sit and stare into space. Most of the women seem to pick up a magazine. I saw one guy taking a nap.

It's amazing how many little segments of time you have during the day, just waiting to be redeemed. Many times when I'm filling up my gas tank, I'll read a page or two. Traveling is a good time to read, unless you get car sick. Reading in the bathroom is always popular.

So if you feel you don't have enough time to read, you might consider taking a book with you. Don't misunderstand me--I'm not against video games, TV, napping or whatever else. (Heck, I'm 33 and still read comic books once in a while.) Everyone has their own ways to use leisure time, and we all recharge our batteries and "zone out" in different ways. But there are little chunks of time during the day that could be useful if we will just be intentional about it. And it can be as simple as taking a book wherever you go.

Call me a dweeb, a dork, a bookworm, whatever...but today I got in an hour's reading that I wouldn't have otherwise.

Basic Tools for Bible Study

2007-08-01T00:03:00.000-05:00

Note: I shared these thoughts in the final teaching time with the adult Sunday School class in my interim ministry. I wanted it to be an encouragement to them to keep on studying God’s Word. Perhaps it will spur you on as well, or at least be a reminder that meaningful Bible study is something everyone can do.

Last summer when Melanie and Ben were away for the weekend I decided to build Ben a sandbox. As I began the project I bought the lumber and gathered all the tools I would need: tape measure, sawhorse, hammer, nails, screws. But imagine how difficult the project would have been had I forgotten the most important tool: my 14.4 volt DeWalt cordless drill. It’s not only my most useful and versatile tool—it’s also the most powerful.

Just as you need the right tools for a construction project, you need the right tools for Bible study. The Psalmist declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119.105). But if we want to get the most out of the Bible, we need to use the proper study tools. Here are several basic tools that I find most helpful.

1. A good translation of the Bible.

The NIV (New International Version) is a good place to start. It’s very readable but also gives an accurate translation of the original languages (most of the time). However, if you want to move beyond mere reading to a deeper study, you need at least one or two other translations. It’s best to use translations that are somewhat different in their approach.

Translations fall into three basic categories: literal, “dynamic equivalence,” and paraphrases. Literal translations attempt as much as possible to translate the Greek and Hebrew word-for-word into English. Good examples would include the ESV (English Standard Version) and NASB (New American Standard Bible). “Dynamic equivalence” translations try to give a thought-for-thought translation. The NIV and NLT (New Living Translation) are good example. The approach here involves a little more interpretation on the translator’s part. The third kind, the paraphrase, is not really a translation but an attempt to put the Bible into very everyday speech. Obviously this is the most interpretive.

Each of these kinds have their place, and I use all three. Ideally, you probably want to use one from each category. I use the ESV as my main reading Bible, but also consult the NIV and The Message. The point of using more than one translation is to help you see the nuances of the text and give you some options as to what a text means. If you want to go deeper in your Bible study, you must consult more than one translation.

I know many people disagree with me, but I increasingly dislike the NIV. I used it as my main translation for a very long time, but I finally became so frustrated with it that I switched to the ESV a few years ago. I still consult and sometimes preach from the NIV because that’s what most people use, but in the classroom I almost always use the ESV because it’s simply more accurate.

In studying the Bible, you of course want to take into account what scholars, translators and other learned people have to say, but you want to make your own decisions about things. You don’t need to know Hebrew and Greek to be well-grounded in God’s Word—but just by looking at 2-3 translations when reading or studying a verse or passage can help you see the nuances in the text and get a better feel for the meaning.

Case in point: Earlier this summer a former SLCC student contacted me with an interesting request—she really liked the phrase “shine like stars” from Philippians 2.15, and wanted to see what the Greek text looked like. The phrase is from the NIV translation, and the sentence says, “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…” In looking at some other translations, I was surprised to find the NIV translating it this way. Both the ESV and the nearly 400-year old KJV (King James Version) say, “shine as lights in the world.” The Message says, “Carry the light-giving message into the night.” The NASB says, “appear as lights in the world.” Even the NLT (New Living Translation), which usually takes more liberties with the text, says, “shine brightly before them.”

What is my point here? The NIV is the only one of these translations that says anything about “stars” or the “universe.” “Shine like stars in the universe” is a nice poetic phrase, but it does a poor job of conveying the real meaning behind the text—shining the light of God in a dark world. Stars do not really give off much light—they are just tiny pinpoints of light in the night sky. So in this case, the NIV goes beyond the meaning. It’s especially evident when you consider that the other translations I mentioned all say something similar.

I don’t know if the former student went ahead with the tattoo, but I thought I would warn that it’s not a very good translation before she got it permanently inked on her body…

Imagine this same scenario happening over and over with the NIV and you can understand why I switched to using the ESV for my main Bible. I’ve belabored this point quite enough, so I’ll be shorter with the remaining points…

2. A good study Bible.

A study Bible is sort of a one-stop shop for Bible study. There are many different kinds—many of which are published for little niche markets…a sign of true commercialism in the Christian subculture—but I’ll mention two that I’ve used: The NIV Study Bible and the Quest Study Bible. Both of these use the NIV translation, and even though I don’t have a lot of love for the NIV, both of these are really excellent resources. Even though I've been in church all my life and now teach at a Christian college, I still almost always get valuable information and insights from either one of these when I study a passage.

A study Bible is helpful because it provides several good things: introductory information on each book of the Bible, study notes throughout the text, and other items like a Bible dictionary, maps, concordance, etc. These are basic tools in themselves.

What the difference between the two study Bibles I’ve mentioned? The main difference is that the Quest Study Bible contains notes and articles in response to actual questions people have raised, instead of just including information some scholars have deemed important. In other words, it actually answers questions in the notes that real people have asked. I think that’s a pretty neat idea, and at this point I would probably recommend it over the NIV Study Bible. Plus, one of my professors in seminary, Bob Lowery, wrote the study notes for Revelation. (Check out his excellent website.)

3. A pen.

This is the cheapest, yet most vital, tool you can have aside from your Bible. I always study my Bible (or read a book for that matter) with a pen in hand. I know some people prefer to use highlighters, but you can’t really write with a highlighter, and I prefer to make notes in my Bible.

Some people grew up with the notion that you shouldn’t write in your Bible because it somehow defaces God’s holy Word. I understand the intent of this line of thinking, but even in ancient times scribes and teachers would make notes besides the text. So it’s really an ancient practice. Don’t be afraid to write in your Bible.

What do I do with my pen? I underline words, phrases or sentences that strike me for one reason or another. I put question marks beside things I don’t understand. I often write notes, observations or questions, or insights I want to remember later. Bob Lowery says it’s important to look at the things you didn’t underline, for they often indicate something significant we missed.

4. A journal.

For many years I used a physical journal. I started keeping a journal in college years ago and have kept at it. There is copy paper box filled with old journals in my office closet at home. But for a number of years I have kept a journal on computer. This is partly based on the fact that I can type a lot faster than I can write—but also because my handwriting is nearly unreadable!

In my journal, I record thoughts, prayers, reflections, ideas for further study—whatever I want to include. There are no rules, and I don’t feel guilty when I don’t do it. Guilt is a terrible motivator. But when I want to remember something, I put it in my journal.

I remember back in my college days, before I started dating Melanie, when I wrote out my prayers for my future wife. At that point I didn’t know it would be her, but now I can look back and read those prayers, thanking God that he brought me into her life. I wouldn’t be able to do that if I hadn’t taken the time to journal my thoughts, prayers and reflections.

5. A system or plan.

There are many different Bible study methods and systems. I have tried various systems and ways or organizing my Bible study over the years. One of the keys to success in personal Bible study is keeping it simple.

A few months ago in our college chapel, a local minister named Steve Wingfield (from First Christian Church in Florissant, MO) shared a simple Bible study method that I’ve been trying and really like: SOAP. It stands for: Scripture (choose a verse from your reading), Observation (what is it saying?), Application (putting it into practice), Prayer. Maybe it’s something you would like to try.

A common question people struggle with is how much Bible to read at a time. I think it depends on your needs at the time. Currently, I read 2-3 chapters at a time because I’m going through the Bible doing a study of worship. So I’m not speeding through it. I don’t have a goal of getting through books by certain times because I always fail when I set goals like that. Again, if your motive for Bible study is guilt, you will fail. You must do it because you want to. But having some structure or a plan of what you want to do will help a great deal.

I think it’s also important to consider why you’re reading whatever you’re reading in the Bible. Is it driven by a special need? What are you looking for? We study God’s Word because it’s his communication to us, but it’s also helpful to perhaps think through specific reasons for reading a certain book or section of the Bible. Are you doing a study of Jesus’ life? Looking for certain themes? Just trying to get a sense of a Bible book when reading it for the first time? All of those are good reasons.

I hope this is encouraging, rather than discouraging. If you’re just getting into Bible study, please don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Sometimes those of us who preach and teach end up confusing and frustrating people when we’re just trying to help. If you’re beginning your journey with the Bible, it would be good to start with Mark or John and read about the life of Jesus.

Above all, we need to remember that Bible study is not just an academic pursuit. The end goal is not just knowledge, but a changed life. As we work with these tools that help us study the Word, we must let the Word work its way through us.

Sermon: Four Things Your New Minister Wants to Say, But Probably Won't

2007-07-31T23:16:00.000-05:00

Note: On Sunday I concluded my interim ministry with Pleasant Hill Christian Church in Potosi, MO. It is my home church, so it was an especially meaningful day as we brought this short chapter to a close. I'll post some reflections on the interim ministry later, but for now here is the message from Sunday. Thanks to my brother Don for a little help with the message.

Today will be my final Sunday with you. Next Sunday the new minister will begin preaching and you’ll officially begin your new relationship with him as your minister. But today in my final message I want to share a few things that are on my heart, and spend the bulk of the time with a message called “Four Things Your New Minister Wants to Say But Probably Won’t.”

First of all, I want you to know that I’ve really appreciated the chance to come and be your interim minister over the past 9 months. Today, July 29, marks exactly 9 months since I officially started this (on Oct. 29, 2006). On that first Sunday here, I asked a representative from each family to come forward and sign a rock that says, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” I also asked you to do four things in this interim period: serve, give, attend and pray. You have done those things, and now it’s time to make a transition into a new time in the history of PHCC.

Things have come “full term” for our time together. During a human pregnancy, there is growth, nourishment, development. My job as an interim minister has been to help you grow in those areas. I have approached my role as that of an usher—to help lead you to the place you need to go, and prepare for the new full-time minister. But now it’s time for me to make my exit and move on to some other things God has in store for me.

I feel a bit like Paul when he wrote in Phil. 1.3-6, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

I really do thank God for the chance to spend time with you over the last few months. And I supremely confident that he has not only begun a good work here, but he will carry it forth to completion with a partnership between you and Michael Wands and his family

I don’t want to spend much time talking about myself, but rather I want to help set your sights on the future of the church. We usually think of the minister in terms of what he can do for us. We think about the sermons he preaches, the classes he teaches, the visiting he does, the ministry he performs, etc. It’s all about what he does for us. But if a ministry is to be meaningful and long-term, it has to be both ways. It’s not just about how he and his family serve you, it’s also about you serving him and his family—and more important, how you all serve God together.

I want to take this opportunity to sort of speak on his behalf. Even though I’ve never met him, I’m pretty confident that he would stand in agreement with what I’m going to share, which is “Four Things Your New Minister Wants to Say But Probably Won’t.” He may never come out and say these things directly, so I’m going to say them for him.

1. Don’t compare me to your last minister.

In almost every position in life, you follow someone. This has happened all throughout my life. In my full-time ministry in Streator, IL I was the first worship minister the church had, but the youth minister had been leading worship for a long time. When I came I was basically stepping into his shoes and expanding the ministry. He was very well-liked at the church, and people were used to his style of leading. It wasn’t a rough transition, but it wasn’t easy for me, for the church or the people in my ministry.

I’m glad you’ve taken almost a year to find a new minister. It’s been good to have a transition time. Although the last minister had a wonderful ministry here for 14 years, and there are many good memories, the fact is that life does go on. You can appreciate the past but you have to look to the future. Many of you were very loyal to him, and you might feel like being loyal and loving the next minister makes you disloyal to him. That’s not the case. The two things are not opposed. You can respect and appreciate the past but still be loyal and supportive to the new minister.

What will be different about the new minister? Several things: His preaching style. His leadership style. His relational style. His family. His schedule. But you know what WON’T be different? His commitment to the ministry here at PHCC, and to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Everyone approaches ministry differently. So don’t compare him to the last minister, to me or to anyone else.

2. I need your encouragement.

Did you know that a person’s greatest emotional need is to be loved and encouraged? Think about it. What makes you feel better than anything else? It’s a word of comfort, love or encouragement when you need it most. We usually think of encouragement as a one-way street, where the minister is the one who lifts us up, encourages us and meets out needs.

But here’s something that might surprise you: most ministers feel more discouraged than they let on. They want to make a difference, and they are committed to God and their churches, but the constant flow of criticism and the exhaustion of trying to meet people’s needs leave them really drained. And more than anything else, they need some encouragement from you.

What does this mean in practice? It means more than just saying “good sermon” on the way out the door on Sunday morning. It means being intentional about finding ways to show appreciation that are meaningful to him. Ask him what he likes and appreciates. Make an effort to show encouragement.

When I was in my ministry in Streator, IL, the church did a wonderful thing that really encouraged me: they paid for my seminary education. They wanted to give me the opportunity to go back to school and grow deeper in my learning the development. I was curious as to how much they spent, and I figure it was easily upwards of $20,000 over seven years. This is not something every church can do, but it definitely increased my loyalty to the church and was a great encouragement to me. I had no doubt that they took my personal and ministry development seriously. I know they really cared.

Prov. 3.27 says, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.” Church leaders, you have the power to act, so make sure you take care of your minister and set the example for encouraging him and his family…especially during the Christmas season when they need it most.

3. My family needs your love and affection.

A minister gets into church work because he cares about people and he wants to serve Christ. But sometimes the needs are very overwhelming, even in a church this size. People are calling, people are sick, there are sermons and lessons to write, visits to make, and endless other things to do. Sometimes there is a tug of war between the minister’s family and church family. It’s easy for his wife and kids to feel neglected and become jealous of his time.

The quickest way for you to gain your new minister’s loyalty is for you to love the people he loves—his family. Treat his family as you would your own family. This means giving special little gifts, taking them out to dinner, being respectful of their time, and doing whatever it takes to show you love them. One of the best things you can do is give them “date nights” where someone watches their children, and they have the chance to spend time together. The best gift your minister can give you is a healthy self that’s fully surrendered to Christ—and anything you can do to help strengthen his marriage will be great.

You have to remember something: most of you have family in this area. You are familiar with the area and have probably grown up here. But usually a minister has to move somewhere that is far away from their families. This means it’s easier to be lonely. His wife will be leaving friends behind, and will need to build some new friendships. So do what you can to make them feel welcome, loved and appreciated. In John 13.34-35 Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Love is the defining characteristic of Christians. Make sure you are showing love and concern for Michael’s wife and kids, especially as they make this transition.

4. My family needs privacy.

This is going to sound like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth, but there is a balance here. They need your love and support, but they also need time alone as a family. Your new minister and his family will live in the church parsonage. If you don’t know what this means, let me spell it out for you.

How would you like to live next door to your work? What would this be like? It means people would always know whether you’re home or not. It means they would feel free to come on over and visit, to ask for a church key, or ask about a hundred other things. It means you would probably share a phone number with your work, which would be intrusive in its own way.

These are the kinds of issues a minister deals with if he lives in a parsonage. It’s really a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because the church provides a house, but it’s a curse because you don’t have much privacy.

I have lived in two parsonages. The first time was only for a couple of months in my first ministry in Walshville, IL. The second was for 7.5 years in Streator, IL. I loved having a parsonage in Streator—it was a big house, and the church took care of us well. We also didn’t have any kids at that point. It was nice to live next door to the church. We also didn’t have a house payment.

For us, living in a church parsonage was largely a good experience, but that’s not always the case. It can really be a mixed bag. For one thing, you can’t build up any equity by owning a home. But more than that, you don’t have much privacy. I remember what it was like growing up, always going over to the minister’s house here to ask for a church key, or some other need. They never seemed to have any privacy. I don’t know it was like for the minister who just left, but I’m just saying this based on what I remember about them. I’ve had good experiences living in a parsonage, but for most people it’s really a blessing and a curse. Please make it as much of a blessing as possible.

PHCC has been really fortunate over the years. I turned 33 a few days ago, and in that span of time you’ve had only three full-time ministers, now going on your fourth. I hope you realize how unusual that is in a time when it’s common for ministers, especially of small churches, to move every few years.

I believe part of that success is due to how you’ve treated your ministers—with love, respect and appreciation. I know you will continue to do this as you build a great future for Jesus Christ together in this community.

This morning I’m asking you to embrace the new. Don’t be afraid of change. You are at a time now when you can choose the future. Be optimistic about what God has in store. There is both a corporate elements to this, and a personal element. The corporate element involves the whole church and what you can do together. The personal element involves your individual commitment to Christ. How will you respond to this new beginning? Will you embrace or reject Christ? Will you be open to his leading, both as an individual and a church?

Movie Review: The Simpsons Movie

2007-07-31T22:17:00.000-05:00

Is The Simpsons Movie harmless fun or funless harm? A little of both, I guess, depending on your perspective. I have never been a die-hard Simpsons fan, but I have always enjoyed its sense of humor. It's irreverent without being totally offensive (kind of like the Wittenberg Door magazine--relatively few people have even heard of that), and a little obnoxious without going over the edge too much. I remember a Christian family I knew who would never watch The Simpsons on TV because it was too offensive. That's nothing compared to most of what's on TV these days.

The film version of the TV show uses the same characters and sense of humor, but the animation is better and the storyline(s) are enough to fill a nearly 1.5 hour movie. I won't give away the plot, which is really beside the point anyway. The appeal of the Simpsons has always been about its humor and subtle (and often outright) ridicule of pretty much everything under the sun. It's subversive and a little edgy while still having a heart.

While I think adults can enjoy the movie, I'm not so sure about kids. It does contain some humor that isn't appropriate for younger kids, has one curse word that I remember, and generally contains the obnoxious humor we all know from the TV show. But I would say it's ramped up just a little bit for the movie.

Maybe this says more about me than about the movie, but I found it pretty funny most of the way through. There are lots of sight gags (which I love), pop culture references ("Spider-pig, spider-pig, does whatever a spider-pig does...") and other things that appeal to my dry sense of humor. The writers did a great job of constructing the story and adding elements that really do make it genuinely laugh-out-loud funny most of the time.

The one element I found very surprising is a storyline revolving around Ned Flanders, the "Christian" on the TV show, and Bart Simpson. Flanders gets his share of ridicule on the show, but in the movie he is a semi-major character, and he is portrayed as man of faith who really cares for his kids, and others. I was quite surprised they wrote him as a genuine Christian character. It's odd that an animated movie (and TV show) features a character in a positive light who is a genuine Christian.

I don't know that it's worth a full-price movie ticket, but if you like the TV show, you'll love the movie. The only warning might be a few mildly offensive parts (and one sequence that was a little shocking for a cartoon). But would you expect anything else from The Simpsons Movie?

Rating: 3/4 stars

The Devil and Mr. Roboto

2007-07-24T23:15:00.000-05:00

A couple of days ago I was jogging, and as usual, was listening to my iPod. Like everyone else who uses an iPod or other mp3 player, I put songs on a playlist that I listen to when I exercise. This particular playlist has quite an eclectic collection. There is secular and sacred; country, rock, gospel and pop; new and old music. The only thing all the tunes have in common is that they are upbeat. At one point I laughed to myself because in the same job I listened to The Devil Went Down to Georgia by Charlie Daniels and the 80's classic Mr. Roboto by Styx. (Both of the songs are kind of silly, but hey, they keep me running.)

I'm not alone in tastes that span a wide variety of styles and artists. I recall my brother and I talking a while back about a radio station that was playing a broad range of styles because that's what people are getting used to. Usually stations play a certain genre of music--country, 80's, lite rock, etc. People have made "mix tapes" for a long time, but now that it's very easy to make your own playlists and carry them with you via an iPod or similar device, I think we're seeing a new trend of "eclecticism" emerge.

"Eclectic" simply means something that draws from a broad range of styles. For instance, if I go to the food court at the mall and have a burrito from Taco Bell, a burger from Mickey D's and General Tso's chicken from China Wok, I've had an eclectic meal. People are quickly becoming used to music that reflects the same wild diversity in styles.

So my question is: Why is contemporary worship so far behind in this trend? For the past generation or so, "traditional" worship (with hymns, piano and organ) has been squeezed out of most churches by those who prefer drums, guitars, faster music and an obsession with technology. While I do prefer the latter myself, I wonder if "contemporary" hasn't become the new "traditional."

Let me illustrate. Go to any church that identifies itself as using contemporary worship. These churches will probably have the following items: a few vocalists, a worship leader who probably leads with an instrument (keyboard or guitar), electric and/or acoustic guitars, bass, drums, and maybe piano, percussion and a sax or two. There will almost certainly be an overhead projector and the songs will be primarily upbeat, mostly focused on "my" relationship to God, and may include a couple of hymns re-worked for a contemporary audience.

In most churches that use this style there isn't much variety. It's generally the same style week after week, with little variation in the order of service, instruments used and the technology supporting everything. If you were to try and remove any of these familiar elements, many people in the church would quickly become upset. They would find it hard to worship without instruments, an order of service and a style that is unfamiliar. What would happen if you try and sing a few hymns with just a piano and organ? The people in the worship band would probably be upset. In other words, contemporary is the new traditional.

I'm not knocking worship bands, technology and all of that: I'm just pointing out the incredible irony that the criticisms leveled at "traditional" worship for so long apply in the very same way to much "contemporary" worship. It's repetitive. It's predictable. It doesn't have much variety. People have made those criticisms of worship characterized by the organ and hymnal, but they are also often true of worship accompanied by guitars, drums and video projectors.

The point is this: whether your style is traditional, contemporary (however you define those) or somewhere in between, the tendency is to get stuck in a rut and do the same kinds of things week after week in worship. For some reason we think people can't handle a variety of styles, and they won't appreciate worship that draws from a range of music and sources. But whenever people watch television they are used to skipping back and forth between different shows. When they listen to music they take in a number of different styles. So why do we feel that worship music has to be the same week after week?

As much as anything, I'm asking the question of myself. As the chapel service coordinator of SLCC, I'm responsible for organizing worship leaders and making sure we have quality worship experiences in these services. But even with a variety of students on campus, and with greater freedom to experiment than most churches enjoy, it's still easy to get stuck in a rut. My encouragement to any of us who help plan corporate worship is to consider some ways that we might draw from different sources than usual. Both the contemporary and traditional wells seem dry sometimes--isn't there something more than these two styles?

For my own part, I'm trying to draw some inspiration from the early church and their worship practices. The first few hundred years of the church's existence are a really rich storehouse of learning if we are willing to dig. I don't know about you, but I'm very tired of the obsession with the new in our culture--there is a lot to learn from history, particularly from church history. Maybe we can draw from the past in a way that engages people in the present and sets a course for the future. Robert Webber called this "ancient-future worship." I like that idea a lot.

Elvis and Peanut Butter

2007-07-18T12:23:00.000-05:00

Today I went into Walgreens, and at the checkout I saw a small display of a new kind of Reese's cup: Peanut Butter and Banana Creme. It has an inspiring picture of Elvis on the front (as you can see)...because, you know, it's a well-known fact that Elvis loved Peanut Butter and Banana Creme Reese's cups. :)

Actually, it IS a well-known fact that Elvis loved fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, hence the connection here. I thought it was kind of funny to have Elvis on the candy wrapper, so I made some kind of comment to the cashier, who was an older lady. We actually had a nice little conversation; we were trying to remember what the exact combination of peanut butter and banana was that Elvis liked, and she mentioned that a childhood friend of hers loved peanut butter and banana sandwiches, with the added bonus of sugar on top. (That sounds like a diabetic's nightmare meal.)

We only talked for a total of probably 3 minutes, but as the next customer came up and I walked away, it occurred to me that this is how I approach evangelism. Earlier this year I spent several months preaching about evangelism in my interim ministry (which will be over in a few weeks since they have called a new minister--more reflections on that later). There are many approaches to sharing the gospel, and it shouldn't be any other way. I takes a variety of methods to win a variety of people to Jesus. But as I've thought about my own approach, there are two main characteristics:

1. Relationship. Over the years, God has helped to develop within me a heart for people. Back when I was younger, I wasn't a people person. But the experience of going to college and being in traveling groups, and especially going on a summer mission trip really helped to enlarge my heart for people. Being in vocational ministry helped me even further. I'm a melancholy, analytical person by nature, so I definitely need my time alone. However, God has helped me to balance this over the years with a deep love and compassion for people.

When it's possible, I try to make conversation with people when I'm out and about--at a restaurant, shopping at a store, or wherever. I really do want to relate to them. Even though they are there to perform a service, they are people, too. It's funny how often people seem surprised that someone would actually make conversation with them that isn't related to the business at hand. I guess in the retail or restaurant business most people just want to "take care of business" and not be bothered with relating to employees as fellow people, not just a servant of some kind.

I'm not saying this happens every time--far from it. But these days I am trying to make more of an effort at talking with people wherever I'm at, if the opportunity presents itself. Then it may lead to a conversation of more substance, given the right circumstances. When I was a kid I always knew that when I went somewhere with my Dad, he would inevitably strike up a conversation with someone. He seemed to know everyone in our small town. Now I am the one who does the exact same thing, and I'm thankful he passed on this trait to me.

2. Sincerity. You can also call this authenticity, or being real and genuine. Any way you phrase it, it's all about a sincere desire for people to be in a right relationship with God. It's not something you can fake. One of the pitfalls against programmatic evangelism is that you can teach people Scriptures, formats, outlines and whatever else, but you can't fake sincerity. If you're trying to win people to Christ, you must sincerely want this to happen. I don't know how to teach sincerity and authenticity--rather, it must be modeled by teachers, leaders and pastors. I think there is value to "programmed" evangelistic efforts, for sure, and when you combine this with a real desire to reach people with the Gospel, it can be a winning combination.

For my own part, I have pretty much given up hope that I will ever be a "soul-winning evangelist" type of person. It's not my personality to go door-knocking, hand out tracts and all of that. That's not my style. Rather, I hope that by real, sincere conversations with people, and by genuinely caring about them, God will use me as he sees fit to provoke conversations and discussion about church, Jesus, religion or other topics that might lead somewhere.

For instance, every couple of months I get my hair cut at the local Custom Cuts. I never know who is going to cut my hair, but I know one thing: I will have their attention for at least 10 minutes. (The length of time it takes to cut my hair is shrinking as the years go by...) I always take my Bible or a Christian book with me. When I get in the chair I set the book on their counter, in hopes they will ask me what I'm reading. That will give me a chance to say something related to the college, church, God, or something of a spiritual nature. Many times they don't ask what I'm reading. In those cases I engage in small talk about how long they've been working here, etc. In return, they almost always ask what I do, and that gives me a chance to talk about what I teach at St. Louis Christian College.

Many times things will stop after that, but other times I'm surprised at the direction the conversation goes. Sometimes I'll find out they're a Christian; sometimes not. All I'm saying is that I try to make an intention effort at steering the conversation--as the Spirit leads--toward something spiritual. But I never force it.

One of the best evangelists I have known is Tim Hughes, who I worked with for a number of years at Central Church of Christ in Streator, IL. He was the senior minister while I was the worship leader. Tim is not a "fire and brimstone" kind of guy, and his style of sharing the gospel is very relational. He taught Evangelism Explosion courses at the church, and of course made a lot of calls to different people. He had such a winsome way of sharing the Gospel and helping people to see their need for Christ. He is probably the best "pastor" I have ever known. Even though he made use of a "program" through EE, he was a fine model of what I'm talking about--relationship and sincerity.

God can use anyone as an evangelist. That has been the thrust of what I've tried to share with the people in my interim ministry. You don't have to be a good public speaker, have tons of charisma or know every Scripture. But you do need to have a heart for people, and the sincerity that will communicate you really do care about them. Then, if the Spirit leads, you may have the chance to help someone think about spiritual matters, just by being aware and perceptive. God can use anyone and anything for his purposes...even Elvis and peanut butter.

The Sacred Book

2007-07-17T23:56:00.000-05:00

Have you heard all the commotion about the final Harry Potter book being released this weekend? There's no way to miss it. My wife Melanie works at the Barnes & Noble here in St. Peters, and she tells me this will certainly be the big event of the year. A couple of days ago I saw a news video online featuring an amazon.com storehouse (in a secret location, of course) with endless boxes of the books ready to be shipped out. The publishers are very nervous about the ending of the book being revealed ahead of time. I can't believe all the security measures they are taking...for a fiction book.

But you can understand things from their point of view. Harry Potter is, after all, the biggest-selling series of books in history. The publishers have quite a bit at stake here. There is a huge amount of mystery and secrecy surrounding the book. It will be quite an event at many bookstores come midnight this Friday. People are going to great lengths to get their hands on a physical copy of the book.

I'm really amazed at the awe and reverence people show for these books, especially this final one. It brings to mind how sometimes we treat the Bible with a lot of irreverence. I don't mean God's Word itself--I mean our literal copies of the Bible. I am really surprised sometimes at how casually I see people treating their Bibles. We throw them around, leave them on the floor of our house or car, forget them at church...if we actually bring them in the first place. I see a real lack of respect for our printed copies of God's Holy Word. I couldn't tell you how many Bibles get left in the chapel and classrooms at SLCC, where I teach. Ever seen a "lost and found" spot at a church? It's filled with unclaimed Bibles. Do people use them so infrequently that they don't even know they're missing?

I wonder what would happen if we approached the Bible with the same sense of excitement, mystery and anticipation that so many of us have reserved for the latest Harry Potter book.

Kid Logic

2007-07-17T23:42:00.000-05:00

This afternoon Ben (my 3-year old) and I were driving home from the babysitter's. I noticed he was licking the wheels of his Buzz Lightyear car. I thought this was a bit strange, so I asked, "Why are you licking your Buzz Lightyear car?"

With perfect seriousness he said, "Because it's dirty."

It was also rush hour, and I decided to take a different way home to try and beat the traffic. Ben is very familiar with the route we usually take to and from the babysitter's, so he was curious about why we were going a different way. The conversation went something like this:

Ben: Why you going this way?

Dad: [Trying to think of a simple explanation] See those cars over there on the main road? That's called traffic. We're going to try and get home faster by going a different way.

Ben: Why?

Dad: Well...because there's a lot of cars on the highway and we're taking this way home. See this road? There's not very many cars here.

Ben: Why you going this way?

Dad: [With a tinge of impatience] You want to go home and see Mommy, don't you? This way we can get home faster. There's not as many cars on this road. Do you understand?

Ben: Why?

Dad: Never mind.

A Prayer

2007-07-13T00:02:00.001-05:00

Gracious Father,

It's after midnight and I should be in bed. I'm tired from teaching tonight. I wonder if I got through to the students. I wonder how effective I am as a teacher. Even though I've been doing this for a few years, I still feel like a beginner in so many ways. I hope they can see that I care about them, and I care about my subject. Help me to know how to be a better teacher.

Sometimes I wonder why you put me in this position, Lord. I don't know if I'm always a good steward of this position of influence and teaching you have given me. I love what I'm doing, and I wouldn't choose to do anything else (well, except maybe be an ice cream tester...), at least on the good days. But most of the time I don't know if I'm being effective, or if anyone's life is impacted by what I'm doing. My gut feeling tells me that I probably am influencing some people, just maybe not in the ways I think. Maybe it's not the up-front things that count for the most, but the little things outside the classroom, pulpit and stage that make more of a lasting impact.

God, there is one thing that really scares me right now. I feel as if you are giving me more influence. Just within the past year--even in the past few weeks, and even a few hours ago--you are revealing opportunities, and people have given me responsibilities that seem odd to me, as if they are beyond my years of wisdom and experience. I guess it shows that people above me have some trust in my abilities and leadership. I do have confidence in myself, but when it comes down to it I feel like you're testing me, giving me these different kinds of assignments for a reason. Do you have something big in mind? If so, I guess these are small tests along the way. Or maybe I'm reading way too much into these things. But God, even though I'm not one to always attribute everything to "God's working in the situation," the cumulative picture over the past few months really does seem to indicate that you are giving me more leadership resonsibility in different arenas.

I guess this is my plea for help. I don't want to mess up. I'm not saying I don't want to make mistakes, because I will, I have, and I am. But I don't want to mess up royally. What I mean is--God, please let me fulfill these responsibilities in a way that honors you and those who I am serving. Not to gain anything for myself, but to honor you and those I am serving.

Why now? Why at this time? What are you trying to teach me? What should I be learning? I want to please you, God. I have never in my life felt like I was going through a period where so much is at stake. I don't mean that I feel under a great amount of pressure from anyone, or that my plate is too full. It just seems that from last year to this year, I seem to have leapfrogged into another level of responsibility...and opportunity. Even though I'm at the same place, and hope to be for a long time, the dynamics are changing and I have been entrusted with more things. All I'm saying is, I want to serve with integrity and honor.

I am asking you for a great amount of wisdom to know my priorities, to know what is most important. More than that, I am asking you to help me to value knowing and loving you more than working for you. I have made that mistake before. I know you want my heart more than my hands. Please help me to trust you...completely.

Even though I'm a professor with a title on my door, a wall filled with books and a few degrees to prove that I'm smart, I feel like a little kid learning to hold Daddy's hand. I have trusted you as my Savior for a long time. But I have never felt such a great need for wisdom and discernment.

God, the thing that touches my heart more than anything is my wife and son. Besides my relationship with you, they are the most important thing in my life. All the dreams I have, the books I want to write, the success I want to have--that is really pretty unimportant compared to my family. They go with me the whole journey, not just part of it, like most everyone else. Right now everything I'm doing seems so important, but in 50 years most everything I have done will be forgotten, but my family will live on. I want so much to be a good, solid Dad for Ben. Thank you for helping me so far do the best I can. Please help me to live out a good Christian life for him and help him to love you. He is such a good kid.

Lord, you know my heart--I want my life to matter for you. All I want is for you to use me, no matter what form that might take. I want to come to a place where I can unconditionally say that I have surrendered my whole life to you--not just for salvation, but for Lordship. I am learning to trust with baby steps. I should be much further along in my journey by now. I pray with Thomas, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief."

Thanks for being a patient God. Why you have chosen me for these particular things, I don't know, but I am thankful that you and others have enough trust in me thus far. Thanks for your continued strength. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Only Thing You Can Change

2007-07-10T08:28:00.000-05:00

For those in the know, the picture to the left is Alfred E. Neuman, the long-time face of MAD magazine. (Yes, I used to read it as a kid. At least is wasn't as bad as Dungeons & Dragons.) Alfred's slogan was always, "What, me worry?" I have no idea what it meant, except that maybe he was going through life in a kind of dazed stupor, unaware of the stupidity unfolding around him. Which kind of describes MAD magazine.

I don't know about you, but I find myself worrying a lot, most of the time about things I cannot change. Take yesterday, for instance. I spent most of the day going through the motions of getting my truck license renewed. In Missouri, it's quite an elaborate process. (I miss Illinois, where they pretty OK anything as long as it runs.) And in St. Louis, it's even more of a pain because you have to get not only a safety inspection, but an emissions inspection as well. There is not one single person in all of St. Louis who believes the whole "Gateway Clean Air" program is anything but a hoax and a scam. The system is very faulty, and everyone hates it. So I went to the nearest scamming...er, testing facility to get my truck tested. When I pulled up, there was a line of cars all the way to the road. Apparently Monday during lunch is a popular time to go.

The longer I waited, the more irritated I became. Not to mention that they only had two of the three lanes open. By the time it was my turn, I was just in a bad mood. (And I hadn't even made it to the drivers' license facility, which is always a test of patience.) Then it occurred to me--I can't change the circumstance, so why get upset about it? Just go along with it and don't let it bother you.

It was kind of a moment of revelation for me. So many times I find myself--and maybe you do, too--getting upset about things we can't change. I can't change the laws. I can't change what other people do. I can't change someone's bad habits. I can't change what my co-workers or supervisors do. I can't change what students do. I can't change what my wife or son do. I can't change my age, my background, my family, my neighbors, the government, or the really annoying barking dogs on not one, but both sides of my house.

There is, however, one thing I CAN change--my attitude and disposition toward everyone else. I can go through my day either aggravated and upset about things I don't like, or I can accept them as a fact and choose a good attitude. No one makes me upset--I CHOOSE to be upset. No one chooses my attitude for me--that's something I do all on my own. It's a process of growth, of maturity. I wish I always lived there.

I heard someone make a very good observation once: If it's something you can't change, it's not a problem--it's a fact. There are a lot of problems we deal with in life, but if we can't change it, it's not really a problem--since a problem by definition is something that we can fix--but rather, it's a fact. So I should worry about the things I can change--most of all, my own attitude--and learn to deal with the things I can't change.

I have a lot of friends in church ministry, and many times they are frustrated. And for good reason: ministry can be very frustrating. Here you are trying to accomplish God's purposes for a congregation, and some people are uncooperative, critical and occasionally downright mean. You can pray, preach, teach, counsel, lead and mentor, but you can't force people to do anything. It's their decision. We often feel responsible for the "success" of our churches (whatever that means, exactly). Plus, we ought to remember that it's God's job to grow the church, not ours. The only thing we really can control is our choice to be a leader who is faithfully growing and serving.

Two more things: First, I'm not saying we should be passive and allow anything to happen. We should try to affect change in the areas where we do have influence and control. But ultimately, we can only influence--we can never truly control what other people do. We should hold others accountable for their actions, but we can't control those actions. For instance, it always bothers me when a student fails a class, for a variety of reasons. But I never give or decide on a grade--I only assign a grade based on the choices a student makes. The student gives themselves a grade, and I am simply acknowledging the choices they have made. I can teach, influence and lead, but the choice is up to the student (or whomever I try to influence.)

Second, things are not bad in my life. I don't mean to give that impression. I love my job, my co-workers, friends, church, students, family, etc., but we all have frustrations in life. That's a daily reality. So maybe we should worry less about trying to change other people, and love them instead (wouldn't all marriages be better if we really lived that out?). And maybe we should worry more about our own attitude toward others--the only thing we really CAN change.

The Word on Worship: Exodus 1-20

2007-07-05T09:35:00.000-05:00

This is the next set of notes from my study of worship in the Bible. I am breaking Exodus up into two parts because there is a lot of material. These are only initial thoughts and reflections, and are not based on any detailed study at this point. Maybe you will find some interesting tidbits here and there.

2.24 – God heard the groaning of the Israelites and remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Not sure what application this has for worship, other than worship is involved in a covenant.

3.2 – There is the image of fire in the burning bush. Cf. Isaiah 6 (burning coal), also the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites. Investigate more the image of fire in the Bible and what that means.

3.5, etc. – Moses stood before God on holy ground. Why was it holy ground? Because of God’s presence. Anywhere God is, that’s holy ground. 3.6 – Moses hid his face from God. Why was he afraid to look at God? Should we fear the holy presence of God?

3.12 – Moses says to God, “Who am I…?” God says, “I will be with you.” He assured Moses of his presence in his ministry.

4.10-13 – Moses gives many excuses to God for not obeying him, in chapters 3-4. He ends with “O Lord, please send someone else” (4.13). Contrast this with Isaiah’s response to God’s request (Is. 6.8) – Isaiah gladly responded (even though in 6.9ff God hold him he would not be successful).

4.24 – The Lord almost put Moses to death because of his previous disobedience in not having his sons circumcised. Not sure what this has to do with worship, but it’s an interesting commentary on obedience. See Bible Knowledge Commentary on this passage.

4.31 – Moses and Aaron appeared before the Israelites and performed signs. Their response in knowing that the Lord had seen their affliction was to worship. (What’s the Hebrew word for worship here?)

5.1-3 – Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh and tell him that God wants the Israelites to go into the desert to hold a feast and to sacrifice to him. Those are acts of worship.

5.22 – Moses questions why the Lord ever sent him in the first place.

6.5 – The Lord tells Moses and Aaron he has remembered his covenant with his people.

7.16 – The Lord tells Moses to say to Pharoah: “…Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness.” The word serve is used several times in the following chapters in the same context (8.1, 20; 9.1, 13; 10.7, 11, 26). What is the Hebrew for serve here, and is it related to worship?

8.25-26 – Pharoah asks Moses for the Israelites to sacrifice to God in the land, but Moses says they have to travel away. “We must go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he tells us.” How much concern do we have for doing the things God tells us, in the way he tells us?

9.16 – God tells Moses, “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” (See Ex. 15.6 in the Song of Moses.) They worship a God of power and might. God wants to show Moses his power, with the result that people would worship him.

9.20 – Interesting mention about the servants of Pharoah who feared the word of the Lord. I wonder what would cause some of them to fear, and some not to fear, especially since they all served in the same court.

Ch. 12 - Details the Passover. The whole event is a foreshadowing of the death and sacrifice of Christ.

12.5 – Each family was to take a Lamb to sacrifice during the Passover, but how is it that it could be either a goat or a sheep? I thought a lamb by definition was a baby sheep.

12.6, 16 – Refers to Israel as a congregation or holy congregation.

12.7 – The “lintel” is the section of the door frame running across.

12.13 – Key verse: “The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.”

12.17 – Called the “Feast of Unleavened Bread.” It commemorates the fact that they left Egypt in such a hurry. It’s connected to Passover because that is the night they Egypt.

12.26 – They were to pass the tradition of the Feast of Unleavened Bread to their children… the value of family worship.

12.27-28 – In preparation for the Passover, Moses called the elders of Israel together and gave them instructions. When he has finished, the people “bowed their heads and worshiped.” But they didn’t stop with worship – they “went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.” There is great obedience connected to (as a result of?) their worship. (Cf. 12.50.)

12.42 – In summarizing the Passover the description is given: “It was a night of watching by the Lord…” and “…a night of watching kept to the Lord.” Does it mean the Lord was watching them in a special way?

12.49-49 – God makes it possible for non-Jews to receive provision.. “There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.” There seems to be a hint of God’s ever-expanding mission and compassion for outsiders…kind of like Acts 1.8 – Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth.

13.5,10 – Twice in chapter 13 God commands the Feast of Unleavened Bread to be kept. It wasn’t a suggestion, but a direct command. The feast was to last for seven days, following Passover. The fathers were to tell their sons the meaning of the Feast—because of what the Lord did for them (13.8). There is some interesting symbolism—the feast should be “as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth” (13.9). Three times in this chapter it mentions that the Lord brought them out of Egypt with a “strong hand” (13.9, 14, 16). This reminds me of Ps. 24.8: “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty; the Lord mighty in battle.” The word for “Lord” in both Ex. 13 and Ps. 24 is YHWH (small caps in our English Bible).

13.7 – Here is an interesting note I must have skipped over before: God led the Israelites into the wilderness toward the Red Sea, and away from the Philistines, because he was afraid they would encounter battle and want to turn back. Then why does 13.8 tell us they left Egypt equipped for battle?

13.21 – Not sure what to make of the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day. Obviously this is how God was guiding them. What is the application for us today? Anything? Perhaps this was a “pre-Holy Spirit” manifestation of God’s presence, similar to how we have the indwelling Holy Spirit today.

14.13-14 – Moses inspires the people when they are afraid of the Egyptians, who have pursued them. “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Good words. 13.15 strikes me as funny—here is Moses trying to inspire the people, giving a great speech, and God says, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.” It’s as if God says, “Stop talking and start doing.” We are guilty of that in the Christian community—talking too much and doing too little.

14.31 – The account of the Red Sea concludes with, “Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.” What a neat summary. I don’t think our worship reflects nearly the “fear” or reverence for the Lord as it should. Of course, God’s people had just seen a pretty awesome sight—but haven’t we witnessed God’s power as well? We have seen the Lord work in various ways just as the Israelites have.

15.1ff – Moses and the people sing a song to the Lord as a result of their deliverance out of Egypt. This is the first recorded congregational song in the Bible. The son emphasizes God’s power in overthrowing Pharoah. Then in 15.20-21 Miriam, Moses’ sister, and all the women join in with tambourines. It’s interesting to note that Miriam was a prophetess.

15.25bff – But their worship doesn’t result in the freedom to do as they please—rather, it should result in obedience to the Lord. After God gave them water to drink at Marah, he gives them four statues: listen to his voice, do what is right in his eyes, give ear to his commandments and keep his statues. As a result, God would be their “healer” and would not put the diseases on them that he did on the Israelites.

Chapter 16 – This chapter presents the Israelites in a negative sense. They grumbled against Moses (16.2-3), did not listen to him (16.20), and some didn’t believe him (16.27). They had witnessed God’s awesome power and still lowered themselves to the level of pettiness. Why couldn’t they full trust God after he had just rescued them?

17.2, 7 – When the people grumbled against Moses for taking them to a place where there was not water, he said, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” I’m not sure I see the connect between grumbling against the leader and testing the Lord. Maybe it’s this: testing the Lord reveals that you don’t have full faith in him—it’s a test to see if you trust him, instead of showing that you trust him. Your faith is conditional. And when you doubt and get frustrated, you take it out on the leaders who represent God.

17.15 – Moses built an altar to the Lord after the Israelites defeated the Amalekites. As long as Aaron and Hur held up his arms, the Israelites won. Moses called the altar “The Lord is my banner.”

17.19, 20; Chap. 18 – Here we have Moses filling a priestly function. He represents God to the people, and the people to God—not only in the case of deciding disputes, but also with giving the Lord’s instructions to them at Sinai.

18.12 – Moses’ father Jethro brings a burnt offering and sacrifices to God when he meets with Moses. (Side note: Jethro brought along Moses’ wife and two sons—why had they left? Had Moses sent them away?)

19.3-6 – There is covenant language here as the Lord reminds Israel what he did for them (“…what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself”). He sets forth the stipulations of their relationship—beginning with the word if. If they will be faithful to him, he will make them his treasured people. They are to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The people enthusiastically respond with, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do” (19.8).

19.10ff – The holiness that God mentioned earlier should manifest itself through the people consecrating themselves and washing their garments. I’m not sure what else is involved in consecrating themselves other than washing their garments. This seems to be a visible outward sign of an inner reality—being set apart to the Lord. See 19.10, 14 for the people, 19.22 for the priests. Even the mountain was to be consecrated (19.23), and the people were not to go up on it or touch it.

19.16-20 – Here is an awesome description of how God showed his “awe-ful” presence to Moses and Israel on Mt. Sinai. There was fire and smoke, a loud trumpet; the mountain shook and God answered Moses in thunder. God warned the people (19.21ff) not to come up because they would perish.

19.22ff – To my knowledge this is the first appearance of an official group recognized as priests in Israel. It doesn’t say how they were chosen or who they specifically were. (Perhaps there is a connection between Ch. 18’s designation of men to rule over tens, fifties, hundreds, thousands, etc. and Ch. 19’s priests.) Aaron gets to go up on the mountain with Moses. He is the first high priest, as will be recognized later.

Chap. 20 – In 20.3-17 we have the Ten Commandments given. More than just a list of do’s and don’ts, it shows what God values. As Jesus summed it up in the gospels, everything is boiled down to loving God and loving other people. We see that in the commandments—the first four deal with God, and the other six deal with people. Love is the motivation for everything—loving God and loving others. It would be interesting to take the list and see how each one of these were played out in the life of Israel—it’s as if God knew the things that would test and tempt them, and he was “cutting them off at the pass.”

20.2 – God begins the list be reminding them who he is and what he has done: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” He established his identity and authority.

20.3 – Worship is the utmost priority. They are to worship no one except God himself.

20.4-6 – In case they didn’t understand, God tells them what constitutes a visible God. Here is an interesting point: when God lists the punishment for bowing down and serving another God, his wrath extends only to the third and fourth generations; but his steadfast love extends to thousands of generations (see ESV footnote on “thousands”). God’s love is much greater than his wrath (?).

20.7 – Our words really do have power…taking God’s name in vain. I wonder what this would have specifically constituted in the Hebrew language.

20.8 – What is behind the command to keep the Sabbath? We have the example of God resting on the seventh day of creation. Perhaps it is because when we work all the time, never stopping, that’s not showing trust in God’s activity. There really is kind of an arrogance in being a workaholic because it means we believe we’re indispensable, that the world can’t function without us and our labor. The Sabbath not only provides rest of various kinds, but it’s a visible sign that we really do believe the world can go on without us. It’s a trust in God’s care-taking of the world. Plus, it’s a holy day that is set aside.

20.12-17 – We are not to take away things from other people. We shouldn’t take away our parents’ honor, people’s lives, their husband or wife, their possessions, their reputation (false witness) (?), etc. How does this apply to the last command—coveting things our neighbor has? What are we taking away from them by just wanting what they have? We’re taking it away in our hearts. Maybe this is a hint of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus said the intention of our hearts is as bad as the actual act. Therefore God despises wanting others’ possessions just as much as actually taking them.

20.20 – This verse doesn’t seem to make sense on the surface: “Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.’” Are they to fear or not to fear? Moses said this in response to the people being far off and wanting Moses to speak to them on God’s behalf, instead of God speaking to them directly. They were afraid they would die if God made direct contact with them (20.19). There was lightning, thunder, smoke, the trumpet, etc. so the people were afraid. (Note: the ESV translates “afraid” in 20.18. This is in line with other non-Hebrew translations. The Masoretic text has “the people saw.” It makes sense to say “afraid” in the context of what Moses says, but I don’t know that it makes any difference. The other translations may have been changed from the original Hebrew.) Although “fear” is used twice in the verse, it doesn’t mean the same thing both times (or does it?) – Moses seems to be saying, “Don’t be afraid of God, but he’s testing you so that you’ll have a healthy awe and respect for him, so that you might not sin.”

20.22ff – God gives instructions on building altars; these instructions seem strange to us. Why would God want a plain altar instead of an elaborate one? I have a note in my Bible I previously wrote down—“The plain altar was in contrast to the altars of the deities in pagan nations. God was more concerned with the heart than the spectacle of worship.” They were to sacrifice on plain altars instead of ones with gold and silver, etc. They also were not to go up to the altar using steps because it would be immodest.

Review: The Case for a Creator DVD

2007-06-30T18:14:00.001-05:00

You may have heard of Lee Strobel. He is a former teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church, and moved to Saddleback Church a few years ago. He has written a series of popular The Case for... books, including The Case for Christ, The Case for Faith, The Case for a Creator, and a couple of smaller booklets on Christmas and Easter. You can see a theme here--his approach is that of a journalist seeking evidence to support his faith. He was the legal editor of the Chicago Tribune back in the 1970's, and he had a dramatic conversion after his wife became a Christian.

I really like his books because he approaches them as a journalist, not as a dry academic. He presents evidence in the context of a story. His approach in his three most recent books is to interview experts in various fields related to the book's topic. For instance, in his 2005 book The Case for a Creator, he interviews several scientists in the fields of physics, biology, astronomy, etc. The chapters are written in a very compelling way, and although his goal is to see whether the evidence points to a Creator, he presents the evidence in very readable way. This is important because for average people like me who have studied science extensively, we can easily get lost in the details.

Here I'm highlighting this recent resource put out by the folks at Illustra Media. It's an hour-long DVD based on Strobel's book The Case for a Creator. The program centers around Strobel's search for scientific evidence pointing to God. It's a kind of summary and visual presentation of several chapters of the book, mixing interviews with scientists and really good graphics. The program does a great job of making the scientific issues understandable to the average person like myself. Strobel touches on aspects of astronomy, biochemistry, evolution, cosmology and physics in he searches for evidence that points to an intelligent designer.

The DVD is only an hour long, and would make a great resource for small group discussion (or perhaps a series of discussions). Youth groups might benefit from it as well. I enjoyed it immensely simply because I'm interested in these kinds of subjects.

The one complaint I have--and it's not really a complaint, just an observation--is that I'm not sure how effective the "evidential apologetics" approach to people who think in postmodern terms. A generation ago, Josh McDowell's Evidence that Demands a Verdict was an effective way to "argue" for the faith by presenting evidence. Lee Strobel is taking much the same approach, although his material is a lot more readable. But I have a gut feeling that many people are turned off from Christianity not because of lack of proof that it's true--but because they don't see Christians as authentic people who genuinely live out the love of Jesus. A life that is truly transformed by Jesus is a much more effective "apologetic" in our culture than an evidential approach to the faith.

Be that as it may, I am still a modernist at heart and Strobel's approach does resonate with me personally. I won't say that it strengthened my faith--but I will say that it helps confirm scientifically what I already believe in my heart. And to me, that is worth something.

At any rate, I commend the folks behind the DVD for doing a great job on this resource. We have way too many low-quality products made by Christians, and this shows that you can be faith-based and still set the bar high for excellence. I am guessing the program is available in Christian bookstores. I rented my copy through Netflix. You can order it from the Illustra Media website as well.

Rating: 4/4

Sermon: You Asked for It Series--Salvation

2007-06-30T18:01:00.000-05:00

This is the second sermon in the “You Asked for It” series. Last week we looked at several issues relating to the Bible and doctrine: where dinosaurs fit into the Bible, where Cain got his wife, whether the devil was kicked out of heaven, and whether Jesus and God are the same person. This week we’ll continue with questions relating to doctrine—specifically, questions about salvation. This may be the most important set of questions of the whole series. The questions we’re answering in this series are not all of the same importance. For instance, the questions about dinosaurs and Cain’s wife are not “A” level questions. But I think most of the ones this week are very important, so I hope you’ll engage with your mind and heart.

Before I get started, though – let me correct the website I gave you last week: it’s profsanders.blogspot.com. Please visit the site, make comments and interact.

Q1: Do you have to be baptized to get to heaven?

First of all, although the intention behind the questions is sincere, it’s a misguided question. It’s not a dumb question, but it IS misguided. I say that because it’s really asking, “What do I have to do to get in the door of heaven?” Nowhere in the Bible is the emphasis on “getting to heaven.” If we’re right with God, of course we’ll be with him in heaven, but that’s not the whole goal. The goal is to be made right with God and be part of his mission to help other people be right with him also. Getting heaven is the final result, but not the goal. I hope that makes sense.

So a much better question is, “What does God ask me to do in order to be right with him?” Or to put it like the people who heard Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost, “What shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” All throughout the book of Acts, time after time, when people want to follow Jesus they are baptized by immersion. It’s obviously part of the conversion process. (Immersion means to dunk in water, as opposed to sprinkling or pouring.) But it’s not the only part—there is also repentance (changing our minds) and placing our faith totally in Jesus.

You might wonder about people in situations where they want to become a Christian but can’t be baptized. This might include someone on their deathbed, or a person who is very sick and can’t be immersed. In those situations I will assume that God will be loving and just, and I’ll leave that up to him.

But what about the other 99% of people in the world who CAN be baptized, but choose not to be obedient to what the Bible says? 1 Jn. 5.3 tells us that loving Jesus equals obeying his commands. If a person loves Jesus and wants to follow his example and obey his commands, why would they not want to be baptized?

As for whether a person can be right with God without being baptized, that’s a question I can’t answer. I can’t answer for God, and neither can you. However, what we CAN do is follow the obvious pattern of the first Christians in the book of Acts. The examples of conversation include baptism by immersion, for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2.38). God can save whomever he pleases, but it’s not our responsibility to make that judgment. However, it IS our responsibility to follow the pattern of conversation laid out in the New Testament.

Q2: Are we “once saved, always saved” even if we sin after we become a Christian? Can we fall from grace?

This question points to something perhaps we have all wondered about: can I have assurance of salvation? Is there anything I can do to fall away from God’s grace? How can I know that I am truly saved? I want to answer this by point to two extreme views, then pointing to a view that is more biblical. Here I am relying quite a bit on material from Jack Cottrell.

The first extreme position is “once saved, always saved.” This viewpoint says that after you become a Christian or receive Christ, there is nothing you can do to lose your salvation. This grew out of Augustine’s theology in the 4^th-5^th centuries (he was an influential church father). He emphasized man’s total depravity, which in turn means that we have no free will. John Calvin taught this doctrine also, and it has become one of the core doctrines of Calvinism, which teaches that God only saves those who are predestined to be elected to salvation. In other words, God chooses who will be saved and who will be condemned, and there is nothing you can do about it. This theology would say that if a person was a Christian and then “backslid,” they were never really a Christian in the first place.

There are a multitude of Scriptures that show a person CAN fall away from grace. (These include John 15.1-6; Rom. 11.17-22; 1 Cor. 9.24-27, 15.1-2; Col. 1.22-23—see Cottrell pg. 377ff.) For instance, in Sunday School last week we looked at Gal. 5.4, which tells us that the Judaizers (those who had received Christ but who had renounced their faith in him to return to the law) had fallen from grace. Probably the strongest of these is Heb. 6.4-6, written to believers to encourage and exhort them: “For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they then fall away, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” In other words, it IS possible for a Christian to lose their salvation, based on this and other Scriptures.

But how does one fall away from grace? Look at the central doctrine of salvation: we are justified by faith apart from works of the law (Rom. 3.28). You can lose your salvation if you walk away from that salvation. God doesn’t move—you do. How do you walk away? It must be a conscious decision—it’s an intentional renouncing of God’s work in your life, a refusal to acknowledge that your are justified by the blood of Jesus. Maybe it happens over time, or it’s a deliberate decision. Maybe sin strangles the life out of you over time. Either way, it’s a conscious decision to give up your faith in the saving work of Jesus.

So what do we make of Heb. 4.6, which seems to indicate that once you fall away, you can’t be restored? A better translation is actually “as long as” rather than since. As long as you continue to deny Jesus you can’t be restored by—not because God is unwilling but because YOU are unwilling. A person who falls away from their faith can be restored if they have the desire—God always welcomes us back (i.e. the prodigal son).

So the first extreme position is “once saved, always saved.” But I’ve shown that you CAN fall away, but you can also be restored into God’s grace. (By the way, if you’re worried that you’ve fallen away, you shouldn’t—if you’re sitting here in church, you have obviously not renounced the work of Christ in your life.) The second extreme is “always trying, never sure.” This describes a person who has no joy in their salvation. They are always trying to please God and make him happy. If they died today they aren’t sure if they would be forgiven and welcomed by God into heaven. This is just as unbiblical as the first position.

People who feel this way do not understand the basis of our assurance of salvation. We are not saved based on OUR works, but on the work of CHRIST. God forgives us based on our faith in the work of Christ, not by being a perfect person. We still struggle with sin, but we are forgiven for sin.

Here is a more biblical position. We can call it “simply trusting, fully forgiven.” Let’s quickly look at Rom. 5.6-11 (READ). Here is our struggle: we easily believe God takes us from wrath to grace. We are quick to trust him to save us from sin. But we struggle with trusting him to take us from grace to glory. This passage tells us that if God can save us from sin, how much easier is it for him to take us to glory in heaven? Going from wrath to grace is the hard part—grace to glory is the easy part. We get those turned around. Based on God’s incredible work through Jesus, it is “no sweat” for God to take us through the next phase.

So the bottom line is that you can fall away from God’s grace, but it involves an intentional effort where you deliberately turn away from saving faith in Jesus. But the Bible tells us we can be restored to faith if we have fallen away. Jack Cottrell puts it well in helping us to understand how we can have assurance of salvation: “knowing that we are justified by faith is the real key to assurance… The question is not, ‘How good am I?’ but ‘How forgiven am I?’” (pgs. 386-87). If you understand that you are saved purely by the word of Christ, and not your own, you can put away all the guilt about not being perfect.

For further study: Jack Cottrell, The Faith Once for All, chs. 9, 10, 21.

Authenticity

2007-06-27T07:52:00.000-05:00

There is an ongoing concern in the church world about how ministers and leaders should present themselves. Conventional wisdom says we shouldn't let our guard down, and always present an image of--well, maybe not perfection, but come as close as possible. My good friend Darin Hansen (check out his blog via the link to the right) got me thinking recently about authenticity. Ever since he put up a couple of posts about it, it's really bugged me.

Why? I'm not sure. I guess because the whole concept of honesty and authenticity goes against my personality. It's not that I would want to be dishonest, but I have always been worried about what people think of me. My image is very important, whatever that image might be. I'm not even sure what image I'd like people to have of me. Nice? Congenial? Encouraging? Loyal? Devoted? Talented? I don't even know what I attempt to portray. All I know is that I want it to be good, and I don't like to make mistakes.

When I stop and really think about it, what's behind my concern for my image? It's fear. That's what it boils down to. I'm afraid that someone will dislike me, disregard me, or find out I'm not as smart, together or mature as I want them to think. And then I won't have what I cherish: their acceptance. Then maybe I won't be effective in my ministry, or in teaching. Maybe people won't invite me to their churches. Maybe people will know what I'm really like.

I've been thinking about why I have tried to present a perfect image my whole life. I guess I've always been an overachiever. Maybe other people wrestle with this; I don't know. I pretty much accept people for what I see, but maybe all of us would cringe if people knew "our junk." I think what happens is that we see everyone else trying to put on a perfect exterior, and we compare it to the "real" us we know on the inside. And that makes us feel guilty and very bad about ourselves. So we vow to try even harder to make sure we protect that image. Meanwhile, we only let a few people know the real "us," and in a sense we subtly deceive people because we present an image that isn't really true.

I am increasingly less certain about the proper line between being authentic, and telling too much about your personal life. I don't think I should make it my life's goal to let everyone know all my sins and struggles. But what is the proper line? What is appropriate?

Even in my marriage, I have always struggled with this. It's hard for me to apologize because it means admitting I've done something wrong. A couple of days ago I came home and Melanie and I had an argument. Well, it wasn't so much as an argument--what really happened is that I was in a bad mood when I came home and I made a stupid and hurtful comment. I just made an "observation" about something. I stated a fact. Although it was true, I said it in a mean way. Then Melanie got upset and said something hurtful back, and for nearly an hour we retreated to our separate parts of the house, mad at each other.

We sat down to supper, still tension in the air, and I gave the prayer. (Ironic, huh?) Then I decided to actually be mature about it, and sincerely tried to make amends. She sensed the change in my tone, and in the course of talking it out I apologized for what I said. She did also. And we both meant it. Her version of the story might be a little different, but that point is that we both admitted our mistakes and said we were sorry.

It's a funny thing--we probably fight more now than we did the first few years of marriage. But now we know how to fight and argue, and we both apologize more quickly. I wish I had learned that many years ago. Or rather, just put into practice what I already know. There is a lot of wisdom in the Bible's command, "don't let the sun go down on your anger."

So I'm learning and trying. But it's hard to admit that I've screwed up, even to my own wife. (If anyone knows what an insensitive idiot I can be, she does.) I hope that God will help me better understand how to be more authentic and real--to my wife, family, students, church and the rest of the world. Even to my dog.

Join the Conversation!

2007-06-23T09:41:00.000-05:00

I want to invite you to "join the conversation" on the sermon series "You Asked For It." (Of course, I always want you to respond and interact, but especially on these.) The sermons are topical and based on questions the congregation has submitted. There are some really good questions, and are causing me to think about some things I have never really researched. I appreciate that.

Beyond that, though, I'd love for you to post a reply, opinion or idea about the questions they're asking. Tell me if you think I'm wrong. Answer a question more fully. Add you two cents. I'm going to ask the people at my church to check out the blog and join in also.

The first sermon is below.

Sermon: You Asked For It Series--God & Creation

2007-06-23T09:17:00.000-05:00

This is the first in a series of sermons called "You Asked For It." The first few will be centered around Bible or doctrine questions. Please join the conversation to interact, ask questions, answer question or say anything you'd like.

There’s an old saying that goes, “Be careful what you wish for—you might just get it.” I think that applies to this new sermon series, called “You Asked for It.” A couple of weeks ago I asked you to submit questions about the Bible or anything else you’d like, and I’d do my best to address them. You’ve literally asked for it—you have determined the topics we’re going to be looking at for a few weeks.

Here’s how the series is laid out. I have divided the questions into 4 categories:

Bible / Doctrine – 3-4 sermons
Christian Living – 3 sermons
End Times / Prophecy – 2 sermons
The Supernatural / Afterlife – 1 sermon

Today we’ll look at the first of 3-4 sets of questions dealing with Bible and doctrine. “Doctrine” simply means teaching, so we’re dealing with the Bible and its teachings.

Q1: Are God and Jesus the same person?

A good beginning to this answer is found in Col. 1.15, 19: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation…For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell…” While Jesus is the Son of God, and God is his heavenly Father, Jesus is also the image of God to us. The “fullness of God” dwelled him.

Listen to John 1.1-3, 14: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and he Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” What does this tell us? That Jesus was with God at the creation (this is an intentional echo of Gen. 1). Jesus and God are equal, although our human minds can’t comprehend it. It’s supposed to remain a mystery.

Throughout the Gospels we also see several things: Jesus receives worship, he equates himself with the Father, he does miracles, he is raised from the dead—all pointing to his deity. In addition, we have the evidence of the changed lives in the early church. If Jesus wasn’t really God, they would not have been motivated to go to great lengths to spread the Gospel.

For Further Study:

More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

Q2: If Adam and Eve were the first people on Earth, then how did their son go to the land of Nod and find a wife? How did the wife get on Earth? Where did she come from?

This is referring to Gen. 4.16-17, after he killed his brother Abel: “Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch.” Gen. 5.4 tells us that Adam had other sons and daughters, so the only explanation is that Abel’s wife was also his sister.

The prospect of marrying your brother or sister, or even a close relative, is not appealing to modern people. In addition to the “gross” factor, there is a genetic factor. My understanding is that birth defects are a concern when family members marry and have kids. But really it is a social issue more than anything. But obviously the circumstances with Adam and Eve warranted it.

Q3: Was the devil kicked out of heaven?

There are several passages that help us understand the origin of Satan. READ Is. 14.12-15. The KJV translates “Day Star” as “Lucifer,” which is Latin. This passage is talking about the King of Babylon, but it has a deeper meaning, referring to Satan’s downfall. Why? Because of pride. Notice that Jesus is called the “bright morning star” in Rev. 22.16.

Ez. 28.11-19 is a prophecy against the King of Tyre, but could also be a recount of Satan’s fall. Many of the elements he mentions in this passage could not apply to a man (being in the Garden of Eden, being a guardian cherub, etc.). Like Is. 14, it mentions pride as the deciding factor of his downfall.

In Luke 10.17-18 Jesus speaks to the 72 after they had been on a short mission: “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ And he said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’” I don’t think Jesus meant Satan was being cast down at that moment, but he was referring to Satan’s defeat and how he is submitted to the authority of Jesus.

Rev. 12.7-13 speaks of the “great dragon,” and “ancient serpent” and his angels being cast down from heaven. Because it’s prophecy it’s hard to tell the chronology of it. That’s not even the point—the point is Satan’s defeat. Rev. 20.10 tells us Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and defeated forever.

So yes, Satan was kicked out of heaven because of pride. Many times in the Bible God warns against a prideful spirit.

Q4: How do dinosaurs fit into the story of the Bible?

First, let’s deal with the assumptions in this question. It is assuming that there is a contradiction between what we believe about the age of dinosaurs (and the earth), and what we believe about the timeline of the Bible (and whether we interpret Genesis literally). I also want to clarify: “dinosaurs” is a word that was invented in 1841 by Sir Richard Owen. It means “terrible lizard” and refers to a wide variety of animals. You won’t find the word in any Bible. With that in mind, let me make some observations, although I’m certainly no expert.

Here are some things I’m NOT certain about:

The age of the earth. The Hebrew word for “day” (yom) in Genesis 1 can mean a literal solar (24-hr) day, or an indefinite period of time. An example would be “in the day of Abraham Lincoln” or “back in the day.” How you view the days of creation largely determines how you interpret the creation account. Some hold to a very young earth, i.e. only a few thousand years old based on a literal reading of Genesis genealogies. Other say that each “day” could mean a very long period of time. This would fall more in line with popular ideas about science. I am honestly not certain where I fall. I’m not all that certain it matters.

There are many Christians who fee certain that the dinosaurs were created on the 6^th day. They take a literal reading of Genesis ch. 1. They would also hold that the dinosaurs were destroyed in the flood about 4,500 years ago, and this would account for the fossil records. Tas Walker in Creation magazine says, “So when we clear away the evolutionary story telling, we can see that a different story fits the evidence better. The evidence is consistent with biblical history, the different kinds of animals were created suddenly at the beginning during Creation Week, and that they reproduced after their kind. The fossil deposits are best explained by the global Flood of Noah—the catastrophe that devastated the land, the sea and the atmosphere about 4,500 years ago.”[1]

The age of dinosaurs. Conventional wisdom says that dinosaurs existed millions of years ago, and they became extinct about 65 million years ago. But how do you know they are that old? That’s conventional wisdom talking – and what we have been told. You’re just going on what someone else has told you, and it’s very likely they are coming from an evolutionary perspective that would say dinosaurs were extinct long before man evolved into our present form.

Here is what I AM certain about:

The Bible is the Word of God. It is trustworthy in all that is says. However, you can accept the Bible as God’s Word and have different interpretations.

The scientific studies of creation, science, astronomy and other related fields are always changing.

Sometimes the scientists are wrong. Let me give you an example. The fish type known as coelacanth (“see-la-kenth”) was thought to be 400 million years old, and thought to have gone extinct about 65 million years ago, along with the dinosaurs. But one was discovered in 1938! It’s still a living species.

Evolutionary theory is often short on hard, observable facts and long on assumptions and hypotheses. The tendency is to fit the evidence into your pre-conceived system. So if you assume that evolutionary theory is true, you’ll see the evidence the way you want to see it. Tas Walker in Creation magazine says, “It’s obvious that when paleontologists dig up dinosaur bones, they do not find a label attached with the age written on it. The dates are interpretations based on conjectures designed to give results consistent with evolutionary beliefs.”[2]

Likewise, there is sometimes evidence that contradicts evolutionary theory. Take, for instance, this account from Ken Ham’s book The Great Dinosaur Mystery Solved! (pgs. 18-19). He details an account of a T-Rex bone that contains red blood cells.

There is a movement in science away from atheism and toward belief in intelligent design. That’s not necessarily the same as believing in the God of the Bible, or the Christian God. But when you look at the world, the universe and all of the factors that make life on earth possible, it takes more faith to be an atheist than it does a Christian. It’s obvious that someone or some force is behind the design of the universe.

While the Bible is true and accurate, it is not written as a scientific textbook. Therefore it doesn’t give us all the details of science we would like to know. The Bible is the story of God working among his people. It gives us what we NEED to know about God, but it doesn’t tell us everything we’d LIKE to know about other subjects.

The Bible does make mention of animals that some have interpreted as dinosaurs. “Leviathan” in Is. 27.1, Job 41 and other places means “twisted or coiled” and refers to some kind of serpent. The term “jackal” or “dragon” is used in other places also (Mal. 1.3) and it’s not always clear what it means. Job 40 talks about the “behemoth” and it’s not clear what it means. Some scholars think it’s a hippopotamus or another large beast.

So the answer to the question is that the Bible doesn’t mention much about dinosaurs because the word was not invented yet. It does mention other large creatures, but it’s not always obvious what it means. Whether it’s really dinosaurs is anyone’s guess. You really need to read on your own and do some study because I can’t give you a simple answer.

People smarter than myself have disagreed on this issue. They have studied the facts. I think you can come to different conclusions and still be faithful to the Bible. It is not a test of fellowship or a matter of salvation.

For Further Study:

- www.answersingenesis.org

- www.icr.org (Institute for Creation Research)

- Creation magazine

- Ken Ham, The Great Dinosaur Mystery Solved!

[1] Tas Walker, Creation 27, pg. 12.

[2] Ibid., pg. 11.

Sermon: Our Perfect Father

2007-06-19T23:49:00.000-05:00

Since last October I have been doing an interim ministry at my home church, Pleasant Hill Christian Church (Potosi, MO). It's a small country church that runs 60-70 on Sunday mornings. But you would be surprised at how much ministry gets done and how many lives have been impacted by the people of PHCC. It has been my honor not only to grow up in the church, but to return their as an interim minister.

It is now common place for churches to record sermons and post them online or distribute them by podcast. We don't record my sermons, but I thought it would be fun to put them up here. I write my sermons out manuscript, but I don't stick to my notes slavishly. However, having a manuscript comes in handy when you want to post your sermons online! You won't be impressed by these sermons, but I hope you will be encouraged, learn something or be challenged. If you're a preacher, maybe you'll get an idea or two you can use. Or, you may think, "This guy doesn't have a clue," in which case your own confidence will be boosted. Either way, it's a win.

This next Sunday I will be heading into a new series called "You Asked For It." A couple of weeks ago I asked the people to submit questions they would like to see answered. Boy, did they respond! Over the next few weeks I'll be grouping their answers into several categories and addressing them on Sunday morning, then posting the messages here.

This past Sunday I was very pleased to have my Dad, Don Sanders, preach part of the sermon. He has been a Christian for only a few years, but God has worked in his life in incredible ways. It was a great experience. Here I want to include my part of the message.

Text: Various
Big Idea: God is the image of a perfect father.
Items needed: None

As a kid you always ask the question “why,” and I guess I never grew out of that. Today I ask the question, “Why do we celebrate Father’s Day?” Here is some information I have adapted from the History Channel’s website:

The first known celebration of Father's Day was on July 5, 1908 in Fairmont, West Virginia, where it was commemorated at what is now known as Central United Methodist Church. Grace Golden Clayton is believed to have suggested it to her pastor after a deadly explosion in a nearby town killed 361 men a few months earlier.

It was also during a sermon in 1909 that Sonora Smart Dodd became inspired by Mother's Day. After the death of her mother, Sonora and her siblings were raised by their father William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran. Sonora wanted to show how thankful she was to her father and, because William was born in June, she worked to have the first Father's Day celebrated on June 19, 1910.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended that Father's Day become a national holiday. President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday of June to be Father's Day in 1966. It was not until 1972 that President Nixon instituted Father's Day as a national observance.

FATHERS IN THE BIBLE

In ancient times there was no Father’s day or special occasions to recognize dads. However, the Bible does talk a lot about fathers, and the picture is pretty surprising

The OT pictures fathers as the head of the family, the teacher, the spiritual leader. When Moses tells the people to remember what God had done for them, he says, “Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask you father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you” (Deut. 32.7). The Father is the one who leads the way in relating to God in the right way. In the times of the Patriarchs in Genesis, the fathers would build altars and lead their families in worship.

There is also a kind of dignity attached to the role of the father. Ps. 128.3-4 says, “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.” The image suggests growth and fruitfulness, and the father leads the way in being devoted to God.

That’s a nice ideal, and one we should live up to, but it’s far from the everyday realities we see in the Bible. There is a strange separation between the ideal of fatherhood and what see lived out in people’s lives. Let me give you some examples:

David didn’t protect his daughter Tamar, did not discipline his son Amnon or make complete reconciliation with his son Absolom.

The priest Eli loved his sons more than he loved God, and allowed them to scandalize Israel because of their sin.

The Patriarchs showed a lot of favoritism in their families. Abraham favored Isaac over Ishmael. Isaac favored Esau over Jacob. And Jacob favored Joseph over his other sons.

In Joshua 7, Achan’s whole family dies because of his theft.

In Gen. 19, Lot’s daughters get him drunk so they can continue their family line through him.

The list goes on and on. All these examples point to one thing: in all of Scripture there is only one perfect father: God himself. He is our Daddy, our Abba.

GOD, OUR PERFECT FATHER

How does God “father” us? He is the model for how to care for our children; he is everything that sometimes we are not. Ps. 101.13 says, “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” In the same way, Jesus says in Mt 7.11, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Although Jesus was God incarnate, he also approached God as his own heavenly Father. In the model pray he teaches us to say, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name” (Mt. 7.9). In the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, Jesus shows us that God our Father welcomes us back home even when we abandon him. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus submitted to the ultimate will of his Father, not because of it was easy, but because he could be trusted.

Some of you didn’t grow up in a home where your father cared for you the way he should have. Maybe your earthly father didn’t show compassion—but your Heavenly father does. Perhaps your earthly father didn’t provide what you need—but your Heavenly father lavishes goodness upon you. Your earthly father may not have disciplined you—but God disciples those he loves (Prov. 3.12).

Although today we honor our human fathers, we must point to God as our most important father. The love we have for our children is only a dim reflection for the love God has for us. As John tells us, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God…” (1 Jn. 3.1).

A Batman Geekfest

2007-06-19T23:36:00.000-05:00

I have loved the Batman character since I was kid. Superman is cool and all, Spidey is a very close second, but my all-time favorite superhero is Batman. How can you get any cooler than all of those gadgets?

I loved the first Batman movie that came out in 1989. I turned 15 that year, and over the next few years I nearly wore out my VHS copy I watched is so many times. It's fairly dated now, and has a definite 80's feel, but I still like it. The films that followed got progressively worse. Need to mention the atrocious Batman and Robin of the late 90's? Batman had become a parody of himself.

Then in 2005 along came Batman Begins, totally reinventing the franchise. I loved almost every aspect of the movie. The acting, music, plot, cool Batman gadgets--all great stuff. I'm really looking forward to next year's The Dark Knight, which is the sequel to Batman Begins. The studio just released a fantastic image of Batman's new suit. Is this a guy you would want to run into in a dark alley?

They have also released some images of one of his cool new gadgets, the "Batpod," a sort of motorcycle. All the bike lovers will be interested in this:

You can click on any of these pics to see a hi-resolution version. If you don't understand why this is cool...there's no use explaining it.

The Word on Worship: Bible Study Tools

2007-06-17T22:19:00.000-05:00

I want to take a few moments and return to the "Word on Worship" series and reflect on a few tools that I'm using to help with my study. I may have mentioned that I'm just reading the Scripture at face value in this "first pass," without a lot of deep reflection. The purpose is to get a "big picture" overview of worship in the Bible. The project will take long enough as it is without stopping to study every detail.

However, there are a few books that I'm using as needed to help in my study. These are books that anyone can use. You don't need a Bible college education to benefit from them. In fact, they are all (with one possible exception) written with the average Christian in mind, not just the pastor or professor. The reason I'm using these tools is to remind me of the basic, big picture of the Bible, and especially of each book as I begin to read through it and look for images, occurrences and information about worship. Let me highlight the translation I'm using, then I'll highlight four books.

I currently use the ESV (English Standard Version) as my main translation. I used to use the NIV, but I became so frustrated with it that I had to switch. The NIV is very interpretive--meaning that the scholars who translated it have made decisions about how to interpret words, phrases and ideas. Every translation is interpretive on some level, but I think the ESV is more reliable because it is more literal than the NIV. As much as possible, I want to know what the original languages say, not what someone else thinks it means.

I know that most people these days use the NIV. It has become the King James Translation for modern Christians. The NIV certainly has merit, and as a basic translation it has value. But if you decide to use the NIV as your main translation, you should also refer to something more "literal" such as the ESV or NASB (New American Standard Bible). It's always good to compare a couple of translations to see how they are similar and different. You can find out much more information about the ESV translation by going to the ESV website.

Now, on to four books that I find very helpful:

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart.

Outside of a good study Bible (see discussion below), this is probably the one book you should buy first if you want to understand the Bible better. Some people think, "I read the Bible. Isn't that enough?" Well, yes and no. The Bible is certainly God's inspired Word, and it's the only absolutely authoritative source for our faith. However, we also must realize that the Bible is literature. There are certain rules and guidelines for reading different kinds of writing. It is tempting to turn to a part of the Bible--any given part--and read it as we would read the mail, a book report or a newspaper. But since the Bible consists of many different types of literature, we need to know the "rules" for understanding each of them. Gordon and Fee do an excellent job of helping the reader to understand the kinds of writing the Bible contains, and how we can better understand it. They also discuss the differences between various Bible translations, which is very helpful. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

How to Read the Bible Book by Book by Fee & Stuart.

The same authors have offered a different kind of Bible study help. This is a "guided tour" through each book of the Bible, as the title indicates. This is very helpful because if you are studying a certain book, say, Matthew, you want to have some basic information to help you understand it better. Who wrote it? When was it written? Who was it written for? What was the historical situation? How is the book organized? These are the kinds of questions we should ask about the parts of the Bible we study. The Bible is a supernaturally inspired book, but each of its books was also written in a certain historical and cultural setting. The authors go through each book and give us this information in a condensed form, and go through each book section by section. It's simple to understand, yet very helpful. I use this book frequently, and highly recommend it.

Understanding the Bible by John Stott.

If the previous book acts as a sort of magnifying glass by looking at each Bible book in some details, this book does the opposite. Stott's goal here is to give a very broad overview of the themes of the Bible. Sometimes in our study it's easy to get lost in the details, and it's helpful to step back and look at the overall "big picture" of the Bible's message. John Stott is one of the most gifted scholars in recent times, but he is also a clear, solid writer (not always an easy combination to find!). This is a small paperback, divided into several chapters that deal with various aspects of the Bible: it's purpose, authority, message; the land of the Bible, and an overview of the Old and New Testaments. This is a very solid, small reference-type of book and a good tool to have handy for quick reference.

A Complete Literary Guide to the Bible edited by Leland Ryken and Tremper Longman III.

I'm a little more hesitant to recommend this one because it's a little more academic, and it probably out of the interest range of the average. But I'm going to include it anyway because it's very helpful. If you want to get a little more serious about Bible study (or if you're a Bible teacher of some kind) you should take a look at this.

Leland Ryken is one of my favorite authors when it comes to Bible study. He has done all of us a favor by helping Bible students and scholars understand the Bible as literature, not just as "Scripture." We need to understand the truth God's Word contains, but in order to fully appreciate that truth we should look at the form in which is comes to us. There are many forms of literature in the Bible: history, poetry, biography, wisdom writing, prophecy, letter, etc. Each of these forms has certain distinctions we should understand. For instance, when David writes, "The Lord is my shepherd," or when Jesus says, "I am the bread of life," does it literally mean that we are sheep, and that Jesus is a loaf of bread? No, because we understand they are speaking metaphorically. The image of a shepherd helps us understand how the Lord cares for us, and the image of bread indicates how Jesus meets our deepest need. The Bible is full of various kinds of writing, and it's very helpful to know what we're dealing with to help us understand it better.

This is a very helpful reference book to have around. It's over 500 pages, but it's broken up into a large number of chapters, each giving a good deal of helpful information about all the various genres of literature in the Bible. I definitely recommend it for anyone wanting to take the next step in their Bible study.

A few closing comments:

First, I should point out that I don't use all of these books all the time. I'm getting ready to read Leviticus, so I'll quickly scan through the sections of at least a couple of these books just as a refresher on the book. It doesn't take that long. Some of the books are more relevant than others, depending on what I'm working on. But it's good to have a variety of sources.

Second, and more important, this is just my system. I'm not giving you this information so you'll go out, buy these books and do exactly what I'm doing. But I hope that what I've given you will spark your interest enough to consider purchasing one or two of them for your own study. There are many good Bible study tools on the market, but I'm especially fond of these few. If I were going to only buy two of them, I would buy the two by Fee & Stuart.

Third, and just as important, one of the best investments you can make is a good study Bible. Over the years I have used two very good ones: the NIV Study Bible and the Quest Study Bible. Both of them are very good, and honestly, if you get How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth in addition to a good study Bible, you're well on your way to having a much better understanding of God's Word.

Finally, some people are concerned about spending money on books such as these. Are they really worth it? They are if you think it's important to understand the Bible. You can get most of these used for a few dollars through Amazon (links are provided for each book so you can see used prices).

I hope this is helpful on some level, and more than anything I hope it encourages you to get into the Bible and continue reading it for yourself!

11 Years and Counting

2007-06-15T23:11:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, June 15th, was our 11th wedding anniversary. I can tell we are getting older because our idea of an exciting evening is going to Cracker Barrell. Actually, Ben (our 3-year old) was with us and that's never a dull time.

At one point when we were eating, I looked around at the other couples in our section. There was one young couple near us with a baby no older than a few months (who barely made a peep). They were smiling and laughing through their meal, clearly enjoying themselves. Then I looked around at several other couples around us. Most of them appeared to be married anywhere from 20 to 40 years. None of them appeared to be engaged in conversation...they just sat there looking at their menus or eating their meals. The next time you're in a restaurant just take a minute to observe the couples. You can learn a lot about a couple from how they interact with each other in a restaurant.

Those are just a couple of random thoughts. What I really want to do it have a little fun with the idea of marriage. So in honor of our 11 years of marriage, here are "11 Things I Have Learned About Marriage" -- in no particular order. This is the voice of experience speaking here, so listen up, younger gentlemen.

1. If you and your wife agree, "Let's not get each other anything for our anniversary, let's just get one nice gift for ourselves," don't believe it. She will still get you a little something, and you will look like a loser if you follow the pre-established rules.

2. Never, under any circumstances, comment on your wife's cooking by saying, "This isn't how my Mom used to make it."

3. If she comments that she has put on a few extra pounds, she hasn't. SHE HASN'T.

4. A word on fashion: The new dress shirt from J. C. Penney is cool. The threadbare college t-shirt from 1995 is not.

5. For those who are dating: Remember to take you wallet so she doesn't have to pay for dinner on her birthday.

6. And don't break up with her later that same evening.

7. For preachers: If she doesn't comment on your sermon after church, don't ask.

8. While she may be acting just like her mother, now is not a good time to bring it to her attention.

9. And yes, you probably ARE acting like your father.

10. No, she is not interested in reading your Master's thesis. Stop asking.

11. And finally: Your wife may or may not comment directly about the latest iteration of your facial hair. She may, however, say, "1989 called, and it wants your mustache back."

I'm just having a little fun here. However, when we were on a mission trip to Ukraine a long time ago we had a friend there who once said, "In every joke there is a little bit of seriousness." And I guess he's right. (It's more effective if you say it with a thick Russian accent.) There is grain of truth in all of this. But mainly I wanted to laugh at myself and all the silly things we do in marriage.

Suffice it to say, I love Melanie dearly. She means the world to me. She is the kind of woman Proverbs 31 is talking about. She's a great mom, and has been a support to me even when I've been an idiot (which is more frequent that I want to admit, and certainly more often than I realize). She is beautiful on the inside and the outside. I am a lucky man, and here's to many more years together.

The Word on Worship: Genesis

2007-06-13T09:07:00.000-05:00

Each of us has our own Bible study methods. Some people read straight through books of the Bible taking in big chunks at a time. Other prefer to look at smaller sections, focusing on a few verses. Many people use a journal to help reflect on what they are learning. My own process seems to change with some frequency, and I think that's OK. I have different needs at different times in my life, and you probably do as well. There are all kinds of good resources designed to help with personal Bible study. But the most important thing is that you are reading the Bible with consistency--not only for sermon or lesson preparation, but for personal growth and connection with God. The Bible is our most important reading!

A short while back it occurred to me that I have never gone through the Bible to do a systematic study of worship. I have lots of books on worship, teach courses on worship, worked as a worship leader for a long time...but shame on me, I had never taken the time to read the whole Bible through the lens of worship. So I have decided to correct that.

My strategy is very simple: read through the Bible and try to identify the places where worship of some kind happens. There are no other books or resources that figure into this process--just me, God's Word and my pen. (Bic medium-point with black ink, thank you very much. They are really cheap and I lose about one a day, but they write really well.) Every time I come across something I need to note, I circle it, underline it or make a note in the margin. I'm not afraid to write in my Bible. In fact, I encourage it! If I come across an act of worship that is explicit or implied, I write a small "w" and circle it (it's my own personal shorthand).

Why would I go to the trouble of doing this study? Aren't there a lot of resources that would give me the same information? Yes, there are, but there is no substitute for doing your own study. This is why it's unethical for a preacher to download sermons from the internet and preach them as his own--it bypasses the whole learning and growth process which is so important for ministry. (Not to mention the whole integrity thing...)

After I finish with a book, I quickly read through the book again and write my notes. It's only a "rough draft" and the purpose is to summarize what I have learned. While the notes are in rough form, they are the seedbed that will produce fruit in later study. I have included my notes below so you can see how simple this process is. At this point the notes are strictly observation, without any further study or much reflection. It's just a starting point. There may even be observations that aren't correct or that I would need to revise later.

My real purpose here is to help you see that Bible study is a very enjoyable thing, and it doesn't need to be complex. Many people stop and start in their Bible study because they feel they need to do it "right" or perfectly. But there is great value in just reading the Bible and making some observations. Even just a chapter a day is time well-spent with our Creator, Father and Lord. You might want to check out Bob Lowery's blog. He is the Dean and Prof. of New Testament at Lincoln Christian Seminary. Go about halfway down the page and check out his thoughts on Bible Study--they are very helpful. (I've had him for several classes and he is a top-notch scholar with an incredible heart for the local church.)

One more thing: this is just one way among many to study God's Word. At this point in my own journey, this is what I need to do. It will be different for you. But I really want to encourage you, if you don't already, to dive into God's Word and take part in the wonderful things you will find there.

(Here are my notes, for anyone who's interested. I recently completed Genesis, and am just about finished with Exodus.)
______________
NOTES FROM GENESIS

Chapter 1 – God is a creative God! It reveals God’s character; we worship Him for who he is.

3.1ff - False worship? The serpent gets Adam and Eve to lie. The first lie. False worship to the devil? No, they are not worshipping the devil outright; rather, they are worshipping their own selfish desires. False worship is anything that diverts the proper focus off God.

4.3ff – The first obvious instance of worship in the Bible. Cain brings an unacceptable offering; Abel brings the firstfruit of his flock and portions. It does not tell us why Cain’s offering was rejected by the Lord.

4.21 – The first mention of a musician in the Bible. Jubal, the brother of Jabal, is the father of those who play the harp and lyre (the first guitarist!).

8.20ff – Noah built and altar to the Lord. He takes some of every clean bird and animal and offers it. The Lord responds by promising never again to flood the earth. How does God respond to our worship? He DOES respond.

11.4ff – At the tower of Babel, false worship occurs because the people want to exalt themselves instead of God. “Let us make a name for ourselves.” How do we assert ourselves these days? Even in ministry for the name of Christ we assert our reputation, our name, ourselves.

12.7ff – After hearing God’s call and obeying Him, Abram built an altar at Schechem. The Lord appeared to him there. He also built an altar between Bethel and Ai, and called upon the name of the Lord.

13.5 – Abram return to the place between Bethel and Ai, where he had made an altar near the beginning of his journey. Here he called upon the name of the Lord.

13.18 – Abram built an altar to the Lord at Hebron. This is after he and Lot separated.

14.17ff – Melchizedek brings out bread and wine and pronounces a blessing on Abram. Abram gives him a tenth of everything.

15.17ff – God makes a covenant with Abram. A smoking fire pot passes between the pieces of animals. God makes a covenant that day with Abram that he would give the land to his offspring.

17.1ff – God makes a covenant with Abraham through circumcision. Vs. 3 Abram falls on his face in response to God’s invitation to make a covenant. In 17.1-14 the word “covenant” is used 10x; many times referred to as “my covenant.”

17.17 – Abraham fell on his face when God told him he would give him and Sarah a son at her old age. I don’t know if he fell on his face in worship or if he was doubled over in laughter.

18.2 – Abraham bowed himself to the earth, to the Lord.

19.1 – Lot bowed himself to the angels in Sodom.

19.26 – Lot’s wife looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah and was turned into a pillar of salt. The text doesn’t give s specific reason why she shouldn’t have done this, other than they were told not to stop or look back. Perhaps it’s because the fury/glory of the Lord is too great for us to bear. Or perhaps because “looking back” implies a desire to return there. Other examples of not being able to look at the Lord’s glory: Ex. 33 (no one can see the Lord and live) and 34, and 2 Cor. 3 (Moses and the veil).

21.33 – Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called on the name of the Lord.

22.1ff – Abraham offers Isaac. Vs. 5 “I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” Vs. 12, “…for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your song, your only son, from me.” Worship involves great sacrifice. Vs. 14, Abraham called the place “The Lord will provide.” Jehovah-Jireh? Vs. 18, “because you have OBEYED my voice.”

24.26 – The servant sent by Abraham to find a wife for Isaac bows his head and worships the Lord in front of Rebekah.

26.25 – Isaac built an altar to the Lord and called upon his name, at Beersheba.

28.18ff – After Jacob’s dream of a ladder with angels ascending and descending, he takes the stone that had been his pillow and sets it up as a pillar and pours oil on it. This was to be God’s house. Then he promises to give God a tenth of all that God gives him.

32.30 – Jacob wrestles with God and names the place Peniel (or Penuel) because he saw God face to face. This is in contrast to Moses, who could only see the backside of God (Exodus?). Perhaps we need more people who will walk with a “limp” – those who will wrestle with God (I’m not sure what “wrestling with God” means as it applies to modern Christians).

33.20 – After encountering Esau, Jacob builds an altar at Schechem and called it “El-Elohe-Israel.” This means “God, the God of Israel,” I suppose recognizing again his commitment to God, who had been faithful to him.

35.1-7 – God instructs Jacob to make an altar at Bethel. Jacob takes the foreign gods from his household and hides them under a tree. He builds an altar at Bethel and calls it “El-Bethel” (God of Bethel).

35.14 – Jacob sets up a pillar of stone at Bethel, and pours a drink offering and oil on the pillar. It is here that God changes Jacob’s name to Israel.

46.1 – At Beersheba, Israel (Jacob) offers sacrifices to God. Here God speaks to him (addressing him by the name “Jacob”) and tells him not to fear going to Egypt, for He is with him.

SUMMARY

Genesis, of course, is filled with a series of firsts. The very first “first” is our first glimpse of God. Gen. 1.1 shows us the character of God: He is creative and awesome. His creation should evoke a response of worship from us. Who else can do these things? In later chapters He is revealed to be a God who interacts with His people; He wants to have a relationship with the ones He has created.

There are a number of important worship “firsts” in Genesis:

1. First instances of true and false worship. In Genesis we see a theme of true and false worship contrasted. The first false worship in the garden (3.1ff). They are not worshipping the devil, but rather their own selfish desires. False worship elevates our desires as the most important, whereas true worship exalts God. False worship is also demonstrated as Cain brings an unacceptable offering of worship (4.3ff), and at the tower of Babel when the people exalt themselves instead of God (11.4ff). Jacob chooses true worship at Bethel when he hakes foreign gods from his household (35.1-7).

2. The first “calling on the name of the Lord.” Abram does this repeatedly (12.7, 13.5), and Isaac does it in 26.25.

3. The first sacrifices in worship. Worship involves sacrifice (giving up something precious), as we see through Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek in 14.17ff, and his willingness to sacrifice Isaac in 22.1ff. (here there is also the element of “fearing the Lord”). In addition to the first tithe in 14.17ff, Jacob promises to give God a tenth of all he has in 28.18ff.

4. The first covenant. In 15.17ff God makes a covenant with Abram through circumcision. In chapter 17 “covenant” is very heavily used.

BIG IDEA of worship in Genesis: Worship flows from a relationship, not duty. God’s character forms the basis of our worship of Him. We praise Him both for who He is (creator, ch. 1) and for what He has done (ch. 22). Because of this, we worship and relate to God not out of duty (such as Cain did), but out of love. God wants to relate to His people (he wrestled with Jacob), and he does respond to our worship (as he did with Cain and Abel). The covenant forms the basis for the relationship.

An Invitation to (Speed) Reading

2007-06-11T09:08:00.000-05:00

I hear it all the time when people come into my office at the college: "You have a lot of books!" And I do. Even after giving away a table filled with books this spring, I still had to put an extra shelf up to make room for the books I brought from home. Some guys are into boats, some into sports, others into cars or golf. Me, I'm into books.

The problem is, I've only read a relatively small percentage of the large number of books I own. This isn't because I don't have the desire, or even because I'm so busy I don't have the time. I'm no busier than anyone else. The problem is that I'm a slow reader. I always have been. It takes me a couple of weeks to get through a single book, even if I read for 30 min. a day.

So this summer I've decided to kick-start my reading and take a speed-reading course. Based on the reviews on amazon.com, Power Reading by Rick Ostrov seems to be high on many people's list. (Never mind the very cheesy "As seen on TV" label on the front. That usually makes me stay away from something.) It's a 4-week course, and by the end most people say they can read at least twice as fast, with better comprehension. You can check out the book on amazon.com at this link.

Why speed reading? Because there is a lot of material out there. It's been said before, but leaders are readers. You have keep current with the times and take in a lot of material. At the same time, I think you have to be selective about your reading. Not every book is valuable. (In fact, there is a really interesting chapter in Steven Sample's The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership that ditches conventional wisdom and says magazines and newer books are not as valuable as the "old books," those that have passed the test of time and proven their valuable. I am much more drawn to what is fresh and current, but the "old stuff" is what we really should be reading. Nevertheless, I will feel much more effective in my reading habits when I can get through more material quickly, and comprehend it better.

While we're on the subject, you might want to check out a recent episode of Rick Warren's Ministry Podcast where he talks to James Emery White about keeping mentally fresh in ministry. They discuss some very helpful ideas about reading, and some good books to check out. You can access the audio program at this link through Serious Times, or you can download the episode through iTunes. James Emery White has a good little book called A Mind for God that explains the value of reading and lists a good number of books we ought to read at some point. (He of course includes one of his own books!) Rick Warren mentioned an interesting tidbit during the interview with White--when he was writing The Purpose Driven Life he didn't use a single contemporary book. Instead, he went back and re-read all the desert fathers (early Christian monks) and other classic sources.

If you are a slow reader or would like to increase your reading speed, I invite you to check out Power Reading. At the very least, I hope you're able to dive into some great books this summer. I have a few reviews coming soon for books I've read recently.

Planet Search

2007-06-09T00:11:00.001-05:00

All this week as I've looked at the stars I've wondered what that really bright star is in the southeast. Turns out, it's Jupiter! It's the brightest object in the sky. I am a total amateur and don't even own a telescope, but I was really excited to be able to locate another planet in the sky. Just to its lower right is the bright red star Antares, which is in the middle of the Scorpius constellation. I could kick myself because I missed something really spectacular on Memorial Day weekend: a rare opportunity to see 5 planets in the sky (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn).

If you're interested in star gazing, a fantastic help is the program "Star Gazer" hosted by Jack Horkheimer. It's a little 5-minute weekly program airing each week on PBS stations. I watched it all the time as a kid and was surprised a few years ago to find the programs online. You can watch each week's programs at this link (scroll down about 2/3 of the way for "Click Here for List"). You can also watch a 1-minute version (how can you beat that?). Don't let the low-budget graphics fool you--it's a great program that makes astronomy exciting and understandable for the everyday person (like me!). Don't you wish all your teachers treated their subjects that way? :)

Star Search

2007-06-07T22:53:00.000-05:00

I just came inside from a trip through the solar system--all from my front yard, of course. It was such a nice night outside I had to go out and look at the stars. I've always been interested in astronomy, and a few weeks ago Melanie bought me a nice book set with a "planisphere," which is a neat device you can can use to find constellations. I started with the Big Dipper (aka Ursa Major) and then located several other major stars.

Unfortunately, I live in the city, so even thought it's a clear night you can only see a small number of really bright stars. There is also a really bright street light in our yard. I'm hoping to take a little night drive soon so I can get a clearer look at the stars. That's one of the things I miss about living in a smaller town.

For a few weeks now we've also had a very clear view of Venus. This summer you can also see Mars and Saturn in thy sky. (At least that's what my star handbook tells me--so far I have only been able to find Venus, which is hard to miss.)

It boggles my mind to think about how far away these stars and planets are. There is really no adequate way we can wrap our minds around the immensity of the solar system, much less the universe. When I start to think about these things it reminds me how small I am and how big God is. It also reminds me that my life on earth is very, very short compared to the existence of the universe. So let's make the most of our time!

Book Review: Down-to-Earth Spirituality: Encountering God in the Ordinary, Boring Stuff of Life

2007-06-06T22:24:00.000-05:00

(This is another review for the Stone-Campbell Journal that I sent in last year. It hasn't appeared in print yet, so I wanted to post it here for anyone who hasn't heard of it. I had never heard of it either until they sent it to me to review. I was surprised at how much I like it. You can check out the book further by following this link on amazon.com, and you can find out more about the author at this link.

Where are we most likely to encounter God? In the study, with books and commentaries? In the sanctuary, in the midst of an exciting worship service? On the mission field, translating God’s Word? R. Paul Stevens asserts that while God is certainly part of these activities, he is also encountered in the “ordinary, boring stuff of life,” as the title suggests. Stevens uses the story of Jacob to demonstrate how God is active not only in the “holy work” of ministry, but in the everyday ebb and flow of life. In reflecting upon Jacob’s life, he remarks, “I have discovered a down-to-earth faith wrung from an Old Testament character that helps me live in the center of everyday things, rather than at the circumference in retreats and religious activities” (p. 12). In the story of Jacob, God has given us “a spirituality for the road rather than the sanctuary” (p. 13).

Stevens fleshes out his thesis with fourteen chapters that examine how God was at work in the “ordinariness” of the lives of Jacob, his family and associates. Each chapter includes a theological commentary of sorts on an aspect of Jacob’s life—topics include birth, family, work, marriage, calling, sex, home, and death, among others—and application for us today. However, Stevens does not divide each chapter into a simple commentary/application dichotomy. Instead, he successfully blends biblical narrative, contemporary application and theological reflection into a unique meditation on how God is at work in our lives, even in the seemingly mundane and trivial. Stevens communicates with a clarity and grace that is not always found in theological writing.

The book has a number of strengths, and ministers, professors, missionaries and others involved in vocational ministry would benefit from reading it. We often speak of teaching, preaching and other ministerial work as being placed at the top of some kind of spiritual hierarchy, as if vocational ministry work is somehow superior to the “workaday” world of the average person. Stevens’ work is a great reminder that every moment of our lives—our sleeping, eating, driving, raising children, cleaning—are lived as an act of service and worship to God.

On a more intimate level, the book also reminds us that our value is not based on what we accomplish for the Lord, but rather, who we are in Christ. For many of us, our identity and value are so closely tied with our accomplishments in ministry that we associate our self-worth with the outward trappings of success. I found Stevens’ book to be a helpful antidote to this problem which plagues many Christian professionals. He reminds us that we are called to be, not simply to do.

Vocation is much more than simply working. It is the summons of God to belong to him, to live God’s way and to do God’s work in the world. I have been a pastor, a student worker, a carpenter, a businessperson and a professor. But that is only part of my calling. I am also called to be a husband and father, a son and a grandfather, a friend, a citizen. I express calling by living my whole life to God’s glory (p. 141).

Two other specific highlights deserve mention. First, I appreciated his thoughts on vocation and the Christian life. In the life of Jacob we see a man who is not a “minister” by trade, yet through his life—both in the sacred and secular—God accomplished his purposes. This view is a true return to the concept of the “priesthood of all believers” and “every-member ministry”—two values which resonate strongly in the Restoration movement. Second, Stevens sprinkles wonderful insights about family relationships throughout the book. Jacob’s story is of course intimately tied to those of his family members, so this comes as no surprise. However, I was at times struck by the keen insight on family relationships Stevens gleans from familiar biblical stories.

The book is not without its weak points, and three deserve particular mention. First, the author achieves a good balance between the theological and the practical (although the two can never be truly separated), but this blessing is also its bane. Because the book does not fall neatly into one category such as “commentary” or “Christian living,” some readers will automatically be disappointed. Although I feel Stevens achieves a good balance between content vs. application, some readers will perhaps be frustrated. It is helpful to understand this up front, especially if the book is used for a small group, Sunday School or college class.

Second, I was at times disappointed with what seemed like an intentional “de-emphasis” on pastoral ministry and leadership. We must maintain a careful balance here. The Bible seems clear in its emphasis that every Christian is in “full-time ministry.” However, the New Testament also clearly indicates the importance of spiritual leaders who are called and equipped for service. Bill Hybels has often remarked that “the local church is the hope of the world.” If this is true, we must place a high importance on leadership in the local church. We are called to be salt and light to a dark world, and Christians must be present in every sphere of society if we are to fulfill the Great Commission. However, local church leadership is truly a “first among equals” in terms of its importance to God’s mission on earth. I certainly agree with Stevens’ thesis that God is at work in every sphere of our lives, and that God calls people to all kinds of vocations. But the Christian leader, although not “better” or “more important” to God, fulfills a special calling that is directly tied to the success of God’s mission as it is fulfilled in the local church.

This is related to my third criticism of the book, which deals with the direct application of Old Testament narrative to contemporary Christians. This is really an issue of hermeneutics which is too broad to be dealt with here. If the book is used in a setting where people do not have a moderately strong background in Bible or theology, the leader will need to deal with the question of how the Old Testament applies to Christians today—especially in regards to narrative, where the application is not always obvious.

These criticisms aside, the book is a worthwhile addition to the library of anyone interested in the story of Jacob and the related issues of how God works in one’s life. Ministers will find it helpful for their own personal reflection, and perhaps will recommend it to study groups or classes. Teachers and professors may want to use it for a course related to Christian growth and spiritual development, or even in an Old Testament course that seeks to make the lessons of Jacob applicable to us today. Other Christian leaders and interested persons will benefit from Stevens’ meditations on how God is at work in their everyday lives. I applaud Stevens’ efforts in making the story of a familiar Old Testament figure come alive to contemporary readers.

A passage near the end of the book helps us get at the heart of Stevens’ message in Down-to-Earth Spirituality:

Tragically, people think that ministry is what “ministers” do—delivering the Word of God and the sacraments, edifying the saints and leading worship services. All of these, of course, are good things to do. But the story of Jacob shows us that ministry takes place in the thickness of time and in ordinary places. It is an every-person ministry in the whole of life for all of one’s life—touching God on behalf of people and places, and touching people and places on behalf of God. Some people, not aware of the potential of ministering to God and from God in the whole of life, decide that they want to go into “full-time” ministry. But there is no part-time option available—not, at least, since Christ has come and inaugurated the universal priesthood of all believers (p. 183).

This book is a helpful addition to the contemporary literature on discipleship and spirituality. Although it is not for everyone, many will be greatly blessed through Stevens’ unique blend of narrative, theology and application.

Rating: 3/4

Senior Citizens in Society

2007-05-31T23:15:00.001-05:00

This afternoon Melanie and I took Ben to McDonald's. There is of course a nice big play area where Ben can run around in between bites of Chicken McNuggets, and where we can sit and chat. While I was filling our drinks at the soda machine I noticed an older man who was cleaning. He must have been in his 70's, and he moved slowly as he pushed his cart around.

For some reason, this really bothered me. It brought back the same feelings I had when I went to Steak-n-Shake a few months ago late at night, and the drive-thru attendant was a woman at least in her 60's. My initial reaction is, "Why are these older people working at fast-food places? Shouldn't they be enjoying retirement?" I see more and more people retirement age (and beyond) who are working various jobs in society. Melanie recently told me about a woman in this age group who just started working at Barnes & Noble (where she works). Maybe it has always been common for senior citizens to work in jobs such as these, and I haven't noticed. But I do know about the reality of the "graying of America," and probably more senior citizens are spending their golden years returning to work.

There are a variety of reasons someone in this age group might continue to work. Maybe they just love to work. Maybe they are bored in retirement. Maybe they need the income or the benefits. Whatever the case, it seems like there are a lot of senior citizens in the workforce. More to the point, it seems like a good number of them who are doing jobs that don't seem to match the wisdom and experience of their years.

I guess there is something that bothers me about older people working in jobs that are designed as entry-level positions. We live in a culture and worships youth. How many people go to great lengths to try and appear young? Those who are getting "up in years" try to hide their sagging bodies, get the gray out of their hair and do whatever it takes to look younger. Women are obviously more concerned about this than men, but it affects both sexes. There is nothing wrong with being concerned about appearance, but the flip-side of a culture that worships youth is that it generally despises old age (and the wisdom and experience that come with it).

Take corporate worship, for example. We are obsessed with whatever is new and fresh, and quickly grow bored with what is familiar. Contemporary worship music favors the new over the old . . . and favors the preferences of the young over the preferences of the old.

This is why it seems out of place to see a senior citizen working at McDonald's. There is nothing wrong with that kind of job, and obviously they have made to choice to work there. But to me, this is a symptom of a much broader issue in society: as a whole, we do not lift up seniors as valued members of our culture who possess wisdom and experience that is of great value. Rather, many times they are relegated to the fringes of society, or even worse, given a special place to live where they can't interfere with the rest of us. Out of sight, out of mind.

Certainly there are exceptions. At SLCC I work with several professors who are in their 70's, and they are excellent. They have great wisdom and are a very valuable part of the faculty. The senior minister at my church passed retirement age long ago, but he is a ministry giant because of his influence and leadership over several decades. This morning I listened to an interview with Bill Bright (the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ), who has impacted more lives for Jesus than probably anyone in the past century besides Billy Graham. He is respected and revered in the church world. These kind of people deserve honor because of what they have accomplished, but also because of the wisdom of their years.

I wish all people of retirement age were given the kind of honor they deserve, both in and out of the church. When I was growing up, my parents showed a lot of love and respect for their parents, and therefore I learned to respect my elders. I also wish we lived in a society where the social, family and financial dynamics didn't force seniors to work at McDonald's. Maybe they enjoy the productivity and the opportunity to work; maybe they have had a productive career elsewhere, and this is just for kicks. But on the surface there is something that doesn't feel quite right about it.

How Long is Too Long?

2007-05-29T23:10:00.001-05:00

This past Sunday was a tough one for preaching. It was Memorial Day weekend so I knew attendance would be down. My home church (where I'm doing a weekly interim preaching ministry) runs about 75 in worship attendance on a normal weekend, and we were down a little bit. However, the people were just not into the message for some reason. I mean, no one ever jumps up and down or rolls down the aisles or anything--but the "zoned out" factor seemed a little higher than normal.

For all the preachers--do you ever preach and just get blank stares in return? What do you do about it? Do you cut your sermon down, or just keep on trucking? How can you tell when you've gone too long and the people are done listening? Do you ever change the message on the fly based on the people's response?

For everyone else--how long is too long for a sermon? I average probably around 30 mins. I would rather stick around the 25 min. mark, but most of the time I feel I'm leaving something important out.

I'm not saying anything bad about my church--every church is like this. Even in teaching, there are days when students are really responsive and days when everyone is mentally somewhere else. (Heck, there are days when I'm mentally somewhere else--and I'm the teacher!)

I'm really interested in the dynamics of teaching and preaching--how people's moods and attention span is affected by the weather, the holidays (like this past weekend when they probably would have appreciated getting out a little early), the people around them, etc.

One thing is for sure: when we preach and don't always get an awesome response it reminds us that it's not our awesome abilities that changes lives--it's the power of God's Word! It keeps us humble, and that's a good thing.

Book Review: Worship Seeking Understanding

2007-05-29T22:52:00.000-05:00

(I thought I would post a couple of book reviews I did for the Stone-Campbell Journal, for anyone who's interested. This is the first. If you've never heard of SCJ, check it out. It's a well-done journal from Restoration Movement folks.)

This collection of essays by John Witvliet (Director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship) attempts to fill a much-needed void in recent worship literature by addressing concerns that are simultaneously theological, historical and practical. The problem with most contemporary books on worship is that they are either too academic and therefore inaccessible to those who plan worship in the local church, or they attempt to be so practical that they lack theological depth. Witvliet’s book is a welcome resource for those whose interests bridge both the academic and pastoral realms.

The book borrows its title from a phrase attributed to the medieval scholar Anselm: fides quaerens intellectum (“faith seeking understanding”). The author’s intention is to build bridges between theory and practice in various disciplines related to worship. In the Introduction he states, “My goal is not to explain away the experience of worship or dissect and kill it by esoteric scholarly analysis but rather to honor and cherish it by asking the questions worship itself prompts” (14). Each of the essays was originally written for specific audiences and situations with an eye toward the academic community but with a deep pastoral heart.

The book is divided into five sections, each containing two or more chapters related to disciplines in the overall scheme of worship. Part 1 (Biblical Studies) contains chapters on the former prophets, and praise/lament in the Psalms and liturgical prayer. Part 2 (Theological Studies) includes chapters on covenant theology and the Lord’s Supper, and the relationship between liturgy and culture. Part 3 (Historical Studies) offers four chapters, two of which deal with John Calvin and his theology of liturgy and baptism. A third chapter is entitled “The Americanization of Reformed Worship,” and a fourth will be of special interest to SCJ readers: “Theological Issues in the Frontier Worship Tradition in Nineteenth-Century America.” Part 4 (Musical Studies) offers three essays, the first two dealing with the psalter in Calvin’s Geneva, and “food/feeding” as a metaphor for corporate worship. The third is an insightful essay entitled “The Blessing and Bane of the North American Evangelical Megachurch,” and offers an intriguing critique of the musical practices of megachurches. Finally, Part 5 (Pastoral Studies) contains essays on dealing with liturgical change, planning and leading worship, Easter worship, and understanding how worship prepares us for death.

Throughout the book it is clear that Witvliet is a first-rate scholar and has done his research. He is also an engaging writer who communicates clearly and thoroughly. Additionally, I was greatly encouraged by his love and concern for the church. After all, academic studies are not worth very much if they do not somehow enrich and enhance the local Christian community. As a former worship minister, and currently as a professor, I appreciated the variety of topics that spoke to those involved in worship at different levels. Four chapters were especially helpful. Chapter 8 (“Frontier Worship”) provides an excellent summary of the religious context which gave birth to our movement. Chapter 11 (“American Megachurch”) gave voice to valid concerns about the state of corporate worship in megachurches, and is must-reading for anyone connected with worship in a large church. Chapter 13 (“Planning and Leading Worship”) provides valuable insight into the characteristics needed in a worship leader, and will be very helpful for the search committees of the many churches wanting to hire a worship leader. Chapter 15 (“Encounter with Death”) is the most profound essay in the book, and literally brought tears to my eyes as I considered how worship in the Christian community prepares us for our final moments on earth.

A few cautionary comments are in order. Readers should note that the author writes from a Reformed perspective. I found this perspective to enrich my own understanding of the Reformed tradition, but if used in an undergraduate classroom or in a local church some explanation may be required. Many of the chapters will only be of interest to those who are interested in the theological and historical sides of worship. Additionally, I think more material dealing with the practical or pastoral side of worship would have been helpful. If the chapter lengths are any indication, Witvliet’s expertise lies more in the academic realm than the weekly ebb and flow of a local church ministry.

Those comments aside, Worship Seeking Understanding has something for everyone interested in worship. Nearly every page contains food for thought, questions to consider and footnotes to guide the reader to further resources. I found myself underlining and writing comments on nearly every page. Professors and others interested in the more historical and theological aspects of worship will find plenty of helpful material. Although Witvliet seems to write more for the academic community, ministers and worship leaders will also find a resource that challenges them to ask deeper questions about the nature and practice of worship.

Rating: 3.5/4

Remembering Johnny Carson

2007-05-24T00:17:00.000-05:00

There are certain moments from our younger days that we never forget. It might be our first kiss, the time we hit a home run at a baseball game, the last time we saw a good friend, or a special family gathering. A couple of iconic moments from my childhood centered around the "final episodes" of TV shows. One was the last episode of M*A*S*H in 1983. The other happened on May 22, 1992--Johnny Carson's last appearance on The Tonight Show. Fifteen years ago this month Mr. Carson retired and left one of the greatest legacies in television history.

I have always been a huge fan of Johnny Carson. Although I didn't watch his show every night because it didn't come on until 10:30 (after the news), during my Jr. and Sr. high years I would often stay up and at least watch the monologue. Despite the generational differences between my parents and me, we shared the common bond of laughing at Johnny when he told a great joke. It was even funnier when he bombed.

What was it about Carson that made him so popular with a broad audience? Why was he able to host a television show for a record 30 years? In a time when shows are lucky to make it past their first season (a prime example being the very good yet underrated Studio 60 on NBC, which has been axed after its first season), Johnny was an absolute legend with a longevity that will probably never be matched.

A part of his charm was his ability to disarm a guest with his sincerity. This was especially evident when Carson had children as guests. He was kind, decent and genuinely interested in what they had to say. Even when he had guests who were absolute morons or country bumpkins, he gave each guest the same dignity and respect. Carson asked interesting questions, let the guests talk and gave them the spotlight. And he rarely interrupted them. By contrast, the guests on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno can barely get a word in before he interrupts them. He doesn't realize the point of having a guest is to actually feature the guest.

Johnny didn't take himself too seriously. He knew at the end of the day, he was just a guy on a television show. He wasn't afraid to poke fun at himself or make a joke at his own expense. This is what made his monologues so funny--when a joke would bomb he would look off into space, make an off-the-cuff comment and send the audience into hysterics.

Johnny Carson wasn't perfect by any means. He was married and divorced several times, and had his share of critics over the years. Wayne Newton tells the story of a time when he was the the subject of repeated jokes in Johnny's monologue. When he made a trip to the Burbank studio to personally confront Carson, he apologized and never again made a joke at Newton's expense.

Carson was also an intensely private man. After his retirement in 1992 he was rarely seen in public and almost never gave interviews. A rare exception was Bill Zehme's 2002 interview with Carson.

Despite his imperfections, Johnny was loved and respected by millions of people who invited him into their homes each night. Maybe part of his appeal to me is that he reminds me of my grandfather, who I loved dearly. They were both born in 1925 and shared the same sense of Midwestern decency that is so obviously eroding in our culture today. (Carson grew up in Nebraska.) Grandpa died in 1991, the year before Carson retired.

We think of Johnny Carson as a comedian and entertainer, but we often forget that he was a master communicator. The art of stand-up comedy is all about timing, creating a connection with people and knowing how to read an audience. He also knew how to make people laugh without resorting to gutter humor (as so many comedians do). These are skills that any teacher or preacher should work at cultivating. (A few months ago I purchased an album through iTunes called "Johnny Carson on Comedy," an 1960's-era interview with Carson where he discusses some of these techniques. I found quite a few points of application for communicating in ministry settings.)

The final two episodes of The Tonight Show reminded us that Johnny was a class act. The second-to-last show featured two of his favorite guests, Robin Williams and Bette Midler. Bette concluded the show with a tribute to Johnny, the note-perfect "One for My Baby"--one of my very favorite musical performances. The final show consisted of clips from the program through the years. Johnny concluded his 30-year career as host of The Tonight Show with these words:

And so it has come to this: I, uh... am one of the lucky people in the world; I found something I always wanted to do, and I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I want to thank the gentlemen who've shared this stage with me for thirty years, Mr. Ed McMahon... Mr. Doc Severinsen... and... you people watching, I can only tell you that it has been an honor and a privilege to come into your homes all these years and entertain you—and I hope when I find something that I want to do, and I think you would like, and come back, that you'll be as gracious in inviting me into your home as you have been. I bid you a very heartfelt good night.

Johnny Carson was rarely seen after that. His last television appearance was a walk-on at David Letterman's The Late Show in 1994. The clip is below.

It was widely known that Carson favored Letterman over Jay Leno, who took over hosting duties on The Tonight Show when Carson retired. After his death it was revealed that Carson occasionally sent Letterman jokes for his monologue until shortly before his death.

Carson passed away in 2005 at the age of 79. Although he hadn't been in the public eye since his retirement his death revealed his influence on a whole generation of comedians and entertainers. If you were an aspiring comedian in the 70's and 80's your whole career could hang on a successful appearance on The Tonight Show. He really was that important, having earned the nickname "The King of Late Night" for good reason. Upon his death many people offered heartfelt tributes, including this one by Steve Martin, and another by Jay Leno.

Since his retirement (and death in 2005), television hasn't seen the likes of Johnny Carson. His wit, humor and basic sense of decency and respect earned him a place in the hearts of more than one generation. We've missed him for the last 15 years.

Book Review: The Big Idea

2007-05-08T00:21:00.000-05:00

One of the unique traits of the American evangelical church is its constant hunger for the "new thing." Let's take the last few years, for example. Just since 2004 we have had several "can't miss events" that were cross-promoted to churches. This would include the ubiquitous Purpose Driven Life and its accompanying programs 40 Days of Purpose and 40 Days of Community. It includes film tie-ins such as The Passion of the Christ, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Da Vinci Code and The Nativity Story. We are constantly on the lookout for the newest and greatest programs to breathe fresh life into our churches. Some of these, like The Purpose Driven Life and it's tie-ins, are actually quite good if done well. (My church did all of these and I would argue they were well-done and very helpful.) The movie tie-ins tend to bring short-term excitement but can also be helpful. But the point is, we are always looking for new and creative ideas to use in ministry.

That helps set the context for the new book by Dave Ferguson (along with his brother Jon Ferguson and Eric Bramlett). Dave is the founding pastor of Community Christian Church in Naperville, IL, along with the co-authors. The book is appropriately titled The Big Idea and in short, is one of the best ministry books I have read in a while. The "Big Idea" refers to the process they have followed at CCC for some time now--strategically centering everything about the Sunday church experience around one central theme or "big idea." This goes beyond thematic worship planning; it's a whole different level of focused planning for the purpose of making a greater impact.

One of themes running through the book involves focus and strategy when communicating our message. They give a very good example of all the "little ideas" we communicate on a typical Sunday morning. This had never occurred to me before, but consider how many "little ideas" people encounter on a typical Sunday morning:

- The clever message on the church sign
- The announcements in the bulletin
- The welcome by the worship leader
- The opening prayer
- Each worship song
- Scripture reading
- Special music
- Several points from the sermon
- Communion meditation / prayer
- Offering prayer
- Several points from Sunday school

These are only a few of the "messages" we get in only one Sunday at church. How do we expect people to remember and act upon all of these thoughts and ideas? The answer is, we can't. No one can. What the authors propose is that we streamline the entire worship and learning experience to emphasize one "big idea" that will pull everything together and help people to put it into action. They make a good point when they say, "We have bombarded our people will too many competing little ideas, and the result is a church with more information and less clarity than perhaps ever before" (pg. 19).

The book begins by laying the philosophical foundation for organizing a church around the "Big Idea." From there they describe in detail how they go about organizing various aspects of the church's ministry around the concept. This includes small groups, children's and youth ministries, and all elements in the service including music, art, media and of course the sermon. They describe how they use a planning group to decide on themes far in advance, and how the sermon group crafts messages together.

If all of this sounds very out of the box for a typical church, it's because. . .well, it is pretty far out of the box. Dave Ferguson and the co-authors are laying out a plan that is far removed from how a typical church staff functions, where very little strategic planning is done and everyone operates in their own world. Worship, children's and youth ministries, discipleship, evangelism, small groups are not coordinated together for strategic impact.

The chapters that interested me most dealt with preaching and creative arts. Oddly enough, at the moment I have my hand in both of those cookie jars. (That metaphor doesn't really fit but it sounded good at the moment.) I am preaching every week in my interim ministry, and I oversee chapel planning at SLCC. It was very refreshing to read about a church who takes seriously the art of collaboration, even in sermon writing. One of the best aspects of approaching planning this way is that services and sermons are planned and ready much farther in advance than in a typical church--thereby creating a greater opportunity for excellence and impact.

Let me offer a couple of words of caution to those who would read The Big Idea and try to implement the ideas in some way. First, this is not a heavy theological book. It assumes that those who are planning worship and preparing message already have good theology under their belts. So don't be irritated that they don't use a lot of Scripture in the book, or use a lot of typical Christian jargon. It's a simple book to understand, and that is one of its strengths.

Second, and the authors are clear about this, don't rush out and immediately put everything in the book into practice. The process by which they write sermons and develop programming at all levels is very collaborative and will be a very different way of doing things in most places. There has to be a lot of trust and openness among everyone involved in the process in order for it to be successful.

Third, the principles in The Big Idea will only work in a creative environment. If your church is very rigid and not open to new ideas, you will not get very far. Those who find these ideas most readily acceptabe will probably be church planters or others in a more collaborative culture.

There really are some very, very good ideas here and I would strongly encourage you to check it out. In fact, based on the ideas in the book I am changing the way I approach chapel planning at SLCC this fall. I am going to more heavily involve students in the process, and attempt to do a better job at coordinating the worship elements with the sermon themes/topics. We'll see how it goes, but it sure beats doing it alone.

The ideas presented in the book are pretty radical for most churches, but everyone can find something of value here. There are far too many churches doing too many ministries that are not part of an overall strategy. The book makes a good case for bringing some "alignment" to this process and increasing our impact--and that's a very good thing.

Rating: 4/4

How to Use Podcasts for Personal Enjoyment and Growth

2007-05-06T23:51:00.000-05:00

One of the best technologies available today is the podcast. A couple of years ago my friend Charlie McGee told me about this new thing called "podcasting" where you could download audio programs over the internet. Although I can navigate a computer fairly well, this was news to me. I would soon find out, however, that podcasts have many benefits. In this post I want to walk you through the basics of podcasting if you're not familiar with this powerful tool. Specifically, I want to explain how I use them in my everyday life, and I'll do this by asking answering three basic questions:

1. What is a podcast?

Contrary to what it sounds like, a podcast is not taking a pod of peas and casting it. (I know, I should stick to my strengths. Comedy is not one of them.) Rather, a podcast is an audio (and sometimes video) program available for free over the internet. They vary in length and format, but much of the time they take the form of a radio show or some kind of lecture/presentation. The word "podcast" refers to the ubiquitous iPod, the digital audio player most commonly used to listen to music and podcasts.

To access podcasts, you will need a computer with a high-speed internet connection and speakers, and iTunes software (a free download is available at the Apple website).

2. Why should I used podcasts?

There are several reasons, among many:

1) For fun and entertainment--hobbies, interests, sports, culture, etc. There is a podcast available for just about any topic imaginable.

2) For personal growth--to access lectures, sermons, conference talks and other material. It's a great way to have a "continuing education" without leaving your home or office. For instance, today I spent nearly 4 hours in my truck going to my weekend ministry. I spent a good chunk of that time listening to an episode of the Watching the Directors podcast and listening to a personal growth lecture by John Maxwell.

3) To keep up with a variety of current topics in an easy, convenient way. Did I mention that podcasts are free, just like iTunes software?

3. How do I access and use podcasts?

Follow these steps to download iTunes and begin listening to podcasts:

1) Download and install the iTunes software if you do not already have it (follow the link above). If you own a Mac you already use iTunes. If you own a PC and use Windows Media Player, you should switch to iTunes. For a long time I hesitated about switching my media library to iTunes, but once I did I wondered why I waited so long. iTunes is a superior piece of software.

2) Once iTunes is installed, open the software. (You will need to register as a user before you can download podcasts.)

3) Click on "iTunes Store" on the left, then "Power Search" on the right.

4) In the "Power Search" window, click "PODCASTS" on the right, enter your search term in the "Title" box, then click "Search." The results will be displayed. Click "See All" to view all results. Click the icon to see all episodes and see a show description.

5) Once you get to the homepage for the podcast you want, you can either download individual episodes or subscribe to the entire archive (where you get all episodes).

6) Once you have subscribed to a podcast, the files are stored in the "Podcasts" folder on the left. The individual episodes are listed and you can download them as you wish. You can listen to them on your computer, burn them to a CD using iTunes software and listen to them in your car, or transfer them to your iPod or mp3 player.

There are several ways to search:

* By topic (i.e. history, worship, baseball, business, shopping, education).

* By University (Yale, Princeton and many other universities now offer podcasts of a variety of their courses, all for free).

* By personality, if you like to listen to sermons (i.e. Charles Swindoll, Ravi Zacharias, Andy Stanley, etc.). There is no need to listen to these programs on regular broadcast radio when you can listen to a podcast anytime. (On the other hand, most radio programs make their programs available on their respective websites, but subscribing to a podcast through iTunes makes more sense than listening directly from a website.)

* By browsing (go to the iTunes Store, click on "podcasts" on the left, then "Top Podcasts" on the right to see the most popular programs).

* By ministry, church or conference (i.e. Willow Creek, Catalyst Conference, Mars Hill Church).

How I personally use podcasts:

* I subscribe to about 40 regular podcasts. Many of these have numerous episodes. I don't listen to all of them, but am very selective. I delete many of them, and keep the ones that are interesting or helpful.

* My podcast subscriptions span my interests: history, music, worship, comedy (just for fun), popular preachers, education, ministry, astronomy, film, pop culture, etc. It helps broaden my horizons and learn new material. It also helps me "cross-pollinate" my learning by being exposed to other disciplines. For instance, I can learn some insights about ministry or worship by learning something about astronomy. I am almost finished with a semester's worth of lectures from Ohio State University, and it has been helpful for giving me illustrations for preaching and teaching.

* When do I find time to listen to these programs? I spend almost an hour communing to and from work each day, and most of the time I'm listening to a podcast. I have nothing against listening to music in the car--and I often do that myself--but must of the time I try to "redeem" that hour by making it useful. If you're going to spend an hour in the car, why not take advantage of it and do some learning and growing?

* A few months ago I stole my brother's idea and bought a new car stereo that directly connects to my iPod, where all of my podcasts are stored. This is much more convenient than burning podcasts to CD's. I also listen to my iPod when exercising, and take it with me when travelling, so it's always convenient to listen to something if there is spare time.

If you have never checked out a podcast or considered its benefits, I hope you will take a look at the iTunes software and the podcasts that are available. It's a great resource for enjoyment and personal growth, and best of all they are free!

Worship at its Worst

2007-04-27T00:59:00.000-05:00

One of the internet sites I visit regularly is the Internet Monk. The "Internet Monk" is actually Michael Spencer, a gentleman who teaches at a mission school in Kentucky, and who more often than not has scathingly intelligent articles relating to the church, ministry, theology and everything in between. Here is a link to a great interview he did with a worship leader regarding worship and music. Check it out.

I found myself agreeing a good deal with the points Steve Sensenig was making. But in a sense, the interview focuses mainly on the negative. This is not necessarily bad, but it needs to be balanced with some reflection on what is "right" with worship these days. With that said, let me share a few observations the interview brought to mind. These are some of the shortcomings and failings of the contemporary worship movement. I will balance these out with a more positive slant next time, but for now, here are some observations:

1. Worship is equated with music. In fact, you could say that in contemporary evangelical churches, we worship music. There is a whole industry that caters to the unquenchable thirst for new worship music.

2. Worship caters to the tastes of the young. I'm not saying we shouldn't be cutting-edge. At times a church may be intentional about reaching a particular group and will target their music in that direction. But let me ask a question--by splitting the family up and giving teens and kids their own services, haven't we essentially guaranteed that they will expect the church to always cater to their preferences? We shouldn't be surprised that young adults cannot tolerate music that is not targeted to them--they have grown up in a church culture that has targeted their tastes and interests, and has seldom asked them to give up their preferences for other groups in the church. Youth ministers don't like to hear this, but it's true.

3. Worship is celebrity-driven. The stage. The lights. The sound system that amplifies the musicians. Try as we might to say otherwise, all of these elements of modern evangelical worship serve to put the focus on the musicians, and make it harder to place it on God. This is a broader trend in Christian music, especially in the last 10-15 years when worship music became a lucrative genre. I am still confused by the term "worship artist," just as I am confused by all the Christian artists who jumped on the "worship record" bandwagon. Do we really need yet another album that covers tired worship tunes? Is this creative is any way?

4. Worship is about perfecting the sound of the worship team, not about helping the congregation to participate in singing. A vast amount of energy and resources goes into the production side of worship. But what really bothers me is that most efforts at contemporary worship miss the point entirely--which is leading the congregation in singing. If the worship team sings and the congregation doesn't follow (or can't follow because the songs are too hard to learn, are pitched too high for the average person to sing, or change to often people can't learn them), it's not corporate worship--it's a performance.

5. Worship is just not very theological. I do see some improvement in this arena. I have been really encouraged by the overtones in the worship movement that we need to be more theological. But by and large, many worship songs just don't say much. I'm a guitar player by trade, and love worship choruses and a lot of newer worship material because of the music. But the contemporary worship movement has not usually been characterized by deep thinking and an awareness of the greater biblical story. Then again, there are an awful lot of hymns that are pretty shallow, too... This calls for discernment, wisdom and a worship leader who knows his or her Bible!

6. And finally, worship arrogantly dispenses with the past and idolizes whatever is new. This is really a symptom of an overall cultural preference for the young over the old, and the new over the familiar. I oversee the chapel services at our school, and I get introduced to new worship music pretty quickly. Students keep me posted on what is "hot" and popular. But I'm amazed at how quickly new songs come into fervent use, then drop out of use a year or two later. There is so much in pages of church history--and the history of worship--that is valuable, good and worth keeping. I have to be fair and say this is starting to change. There is a new awareness of the ancient songs of faith and the practices of our forerunners. This is a very good thing. But by and large there is still a trend to discard the old and idolize the new.

This is a bit of a rehash of some thoughts from the interview I mentioned above, but only because I agree with him so strongly. Worship is in a confused state right now, and in desperate need of a tune-up. Specifically, it needs to be more theological and communal, and less celebrity-driven and music-oriented.

For many people, including myself, this is a lover's quarrel. I love the church and have joyfully dedicated my life to serving it in a vocational capacity. Moreover, I believe worship is a key component not only of our relationship with God, but of our corporate gatherings. Yet there are some serious problems.

As a former worship minister and now as a teacher of ministry, worship and music, I am not without my own guilt! Have I participated in some of the things I've criticized? Yes. Have I even encouraged them in my past and current ministries? Yes. Do I have all the answers and solutions? No. But I do see some major issues with modern worship and the way it is handled in the church, and I am very thankful that God has entrusted me with a position of influence at a Christian college so that I may help my students establish a healthier view of worship and how it is practiced and led. I hope I will continue to steward it well.

Everybody has an opinion on this issue. Comments?

How to Have a Business Conversation

2007-04-17T23:12:00.000-05:00

Remember the boring teacher from Ferris Bueller's Day Off who, near the beginning of the movie, lectured on "voodoo economics" and delivered the classic line "Bueller...Bueller...Bueller"? The character was played by Ben Stein, who has not only been an actor, but a well-known expert on business and finance. He writes regularly for Yahoo! and I came across this article entirely by accident. It's called "How to Have a Business Conversation." It's geared toward people in business but it has great application for anyone in ministry, or who works with people in any capacity.

There are many people in ministry who don't have good people skills. They resemble the title character of the TV show House, M.D., who is a brilliant doctor but has poor bedside manners. You can be a great student of the Bible or have vast amounts of knowledge, but that is not very valuable if you are unpleasant, negative and can't relate to others on a basic level.

Check out the article. For those of us who work with people for a living, it's a great reminder of basic conversation skills. You can also check out Ben Stein's website and his archive of articles on Yahoo! for some good pieces on finance and other interesting topics.

Dealing with Distractions in Preaching

2007-04-15T23:26:00.000-05:00

The picture to the left is "white noise." Remember the old TV sets that required you to change the channel manually? When I grew up we had only a few channels--2, 4, 5, 9, 11 and 24. All the rest were filled with white noise--the absence of a signal.

That's what I'm afraid happens in my mind when trying to deal with distractions when preaching. It's also what happens to the congregation when they are distracted. I have been an interim preaching ministry for a few months now, and each week I have a greater appreciation for those who have done it week in and week out for many years. The question that's been on mind lately is: How do you successfully deal with distractions?

For some reason the last few weeks have been especially challenging. Here are some highlights:

1. An older gentleman's hearing aid kept going off. At first I thought it was the sound system, and possibly feedback from my wireless lapel mic. It was very high-pitched. But then it became clear that it was his hearing aid, and after several minutes the noise went away...then came back.

2. Crying and fussy babies. This is the classic one. Just this morning, a young couple sat just a couple of rows front the front, and their young baby was making quite a racket. Some people were smiling and laughing, but everyone was waiting to see how I would deal with it. I just kept on going, and eventually the mother took the baby out. They later came in and it was a little better. We do have childcare during services, but if a family is a visiting or has a really small baby they generally want to keep him/her with them.

3. A little while back an elderly woman starting throwing up in the service. One of the guys got her a trash can, and they cleaned up the mess as I was preaching. I probably should have stopped in the middle because everyone's attention was diverted anyway.

4. People talking loudly as you're trying to preach. Many times these are folks who have hearing problems and don't realize they are being loud.

5. Others who fall asleep and snore throughout the sermon. This actually happened a couple of months ago. Right there on the front row. Was he trying to give me a hint?

6. Then there is the age-old problem of females who dress distractingly--too tight, too low-cut, not enough covering, etc. This is mainly a distraction to the preacher, not always to everyone else. You could say, "It's your problem for noticing," but it's hard not to notice when it's right there in front of you.

I don't mean any ill will toward these good people. These are common issues. The question is not how to eliminate distractions because that's not possible. Rather, the question is how to deal with them when you're trying concentrate, deliver a message and keep the people's attention. Should you stop and acknowledge the problem, or just go on and hope it gets better? Our auditorium usually has 60-70 people, so it's a small space where every distraction is a big deal.

Anyone care to share some funny stories, or tips on how to deal with these kinds of situations?

Dog Food Kisses

2007-04-14T18:06:00.000-05:00

(Note: I came across this in a notebook from a couple of years ago.)

My son has a habit of eating dog food. I'm not a bad parent. Really. Benjamin is 16 months old and is prone to put anything in his mouth that will fit, whether or not it's intended for human (or canine) consumption.

Recently we were relaxing in the back yard. We had not take any food outside, so I was surprised to look up and see him chewing on something. Not really wanting to know the answer to the question, I asked the age-old question, "What have you got in your mouth?" Since Ben can't talk yet, we were left to draw our own conclusion. This was not difficult since he was standing next to the overturned dog food bowl, with brown saliva on his chin. My son was eating dog food.

Although the dog did not seem to mind the sudden raid his rations, I concluded this was not a good thing. When I informed Melanie that he was eating dog food, she matter-of-factly replied, "Oh, he does that sometimes. It doesn't hurt him." This was news to me.

Later that evening Ben and I were performing our nightly ritual of wrestling on our sectional sofa. In a burst of affection I took him in my arms and said, "Can you give Daddy a kiss?" He leaned in and gave me a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss and my heart warmed at the love my little boy was showing me. And then I realized he had been eating dog food. I was, in effect, kissing the dog. (I could suddenly relate to Lucy in "A Charlie Brown Christmas" who gets licked by Snoopy and says, "I've been kissed by a dog! I've been kissed by a dog!")

I overcame my momentary disgust and decided I wasn't going to die after all. (I also decided I didn't want to imagine all the things the dog's mouth had recently touched.) A few little germs weren't going to keep me from showing my son that I loved him. So I pulled close again and asked, "Can have another kiss?" He was happy to oblige.

The word "worship," from the Greek proskuneo, literally means "to kiss toward." It's a vivid, intimate expression of the love and adoration we offer our Creator in worship. Although there are many expressions of worship found in Scripture, it's the primary picture of worship given in the New Testament.

"To kiss toward." It implies affection, intimacy, longing. It implies that God wants us to come before him with our expressions of worship. We don't have to ask God's permission to come before him. He longs for us to draw near. There is no need for us to prove ourselves or try to bargain our way into God's throne. We don't need to be perfect because we are made perfection in Christ. Because of Jesus' death and resurrection we can stand before God accepted, blameless--and loved.

God must often be amused at our efforts to earn his acceptance. We put on our Sunday best, plan flawless worship services and reach for perfection. But by the grace of God we can never earn our way into his acceptance--rather, it's ours for the taking by grace through faith in the work of Christ.

When we enter into worship may remember that God looks upon us with love and compassion. We delight in his presence, and he delights in ours. He asks us to draw near and, with the simple affection of a child, to "kiss toward him" in worship. Even when we have dog food on our breath.

Bwabeedoo

2007-03-26T23:06:00.000-05:00

Now the real truth can be told.

For over 40 years we have known Spider-Man as the alter ego of a young photographer named Peter Parker. But now the world is ready to discover Spider-Man's real identity: Ben Sanders. He's blond. He has an attitude. He's 3 feet tall, and he's swinging into action to save the world.

But only after he has some chocolate milk and a nap.

(Note: "Bwabeedoo" is the 2-year-old version of "Spider-Man.")

Book Review: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

2007-03-18T22:58:00.000-05:00

By Brian Selznick
Scholastic Press
544 pgs.
List: $22.99

Since my wife works at Barnes & Noble she often brings home books that are bestsellers or have been recommended to her. Sometimes I take interest in them; sometimes not. (We have very different tastes in books.) On this occasion, though, she came home with a thick book she had purchased for her nephew, and it looked quite interesting. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is marketed as a children's book, but like the best "children's books," this one is not only for children.

The story is set in 1930's Paris, and concerns an orphan named Hugo Cabret. His father was a clockmaker, but after his passing Hugo went to live with his uncle, who set the clocks for a large train station. After his uncle's disappearance Hugo survives by secretly taking over his responsibilities. The plot centers around a 19th-century automaton that contains a secret message. Hugo's quest to discover this message sends him on a grand adventure that will change his destiny and the lives of those around him.

The story itself is well-told, but what truly sets the book apart is that way the author tells the story through text and pictures. It's a very unique a fresh combination of words and images. At times the story is told through text, only to be interrupted by several pages of drawings (all done in a very effective pencil-style). The drawings do not serve the usual purpose of accompanying the text, but play a stronger role of advancing the storyline. This is reminiscent of many of the shorts produced by Pixar Studios, which are effectively silent movies since they don't rely on dialogue. The story itself centers around the beginnings of the film industry and combines history and fiction in an elegant and creative manner.

This is a rare book that actually breaks the boundaries of storytelling and presents its story in a fresh way. The story itself is very good, but the way it is told with its unique combination of text and image put it into a class all its own. This would be a great gift for ages 10 and up, or for anyone who appreciates good storytelling, visual art or film. There is no need to be intimidated by the page numbers. About half of the pages are pictures, and I read it in about 2.5 hours.

Rating: 3.5/4

Movie Review: 300

2007-03-14T22:41:00.000-05:00

"300" is based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller (Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns), and tells a super-stylized version of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, in which 300 Spartan warriors held off the vast Persian army for some time. The Spartans are led by the brave King Leonidas who, along with the rest of his men, are overwhelmed by the Persians in the end. But their deaths unite the Greek city-states who later do battle with the enemy.

The story of this ancient battle is enthralling--a small group of warriors stand in the face of death against impossible odds for the greater good of their country. The acting is very good, and there is plenty of dialogue about high ideals, freedom, bravery, etc. But the real star of the show is the way the movie is presented visually. This is a movie unlike any you have ever seen. Each frame looks like a masterpiece of color, lighting and composition. The look of the film is not based in reality, but is meant to convey the story in a very stylized sort of way. The filmmakers took great care to translate the visuals of the original graphic novel to the screen. These are some of the best special effects I have seen.

There is also plenty of violence in the movie. It is, after all, a movie about a brutal war that ends in the death of the heroes. (I'm not spoiling the ending since that's pretty common knowledge.) The violence serves the same purpose as the bloodshed in other war films such as Braveheart, Saving Private Ryan or Gladiator--to tell the story of the horrors and reality of war. At times the violence was a little over-the-top but it was appropriate to the story for the most part. (For a very good exploration of violence in the movies--and an exceptional book on viewing movies from a Christian viewpoint--see Brian Godawa's book Hollywood Worldviews.)

Overall the movie was very well-done and explores the themes of loyalty, bravery, sacrifice and love. (I was particularly moved by the loyalty of King Leonidas to his wife, and she to him. You don't see the virtue of marriage extolled much onscreen these days.) I recommend the film for its great visuals and positive themes, but I also issue a very strong warning because of the violence, and also because a bit of sexual content.

Rating: 3/4

(Note: For those not in the know, a graphic novel is essentially an extended comic book. Graphic novels come in all shapes and sizes, but they are generally taken more seriously as literature than traditional comic books. If you are tempted to think of comics and graphic novels as the stuff of junior high boys, you would be wrong. The writing and artistry of many graphic novels and contemporary comics is actually very good, and in fact the proliferation of superhero movies of the last 20 years can be traced in great part back to the afore-mentioned works by Frank Miller, as well as The Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. The latter was the only graphic novel to be included in Time magazine's list of 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present. See this link for the story.)

Book Review: QBQ: The Question Behind the Question

2007-03-14T00:57:00.000-05:00

The subtitle of this short book is a good summary of its contents: "What to Really Ask Yourself to Eliminate Blame, Complaining, and Procrastination." The author sees the lack of personal accountability in life and work as a significant problem in the world today, and his answer is for people to ask the QBQ: the Question Behind the Question.

We play the "blame game" in life by asking questions that begin with Who, When and Why: "Who dropped the ball?" "When are my leaders going to give me what I need?" "Why doesn't anyone around here do their job correctly?" I have asked these kinds of questions many times in frustration because my circumstances were less-than-perfect (as will be everyone's circumstances). But Miller says these are "IQ's" (incorrect questions), and we should in fact be asking the questions that lie behind these surface questions. QBQ's have three characteristics: they begin with What or How, are action-oriented and include an "I." For instance, "What can I do to improve the situation right now?" "How can I help?" "What can I do that is above and beyond my responsibilities?"

If you have read the classic "The One-Minute Manager" you know what to expect: very short chapters (1-2 pages) in big type and a writing style that is to-the-point. Miller is not a great writer by any means, but that's not the point. Rather, his objective is to help the reader begin to take personal responsibility for their actions (and reactions) at work, home and life in general. Do you know why the book is successful? Because I just distilled the entire message of the book in a few sentences after having read it several days ago (and not looking inside to refresh myself). That is a sign of a helpful book. At just over 100 pages, you can read it in an hour.

The concept of personal accountability and responsibility is certainly applicable in a Christian setting, where we expect ourselves to do our best to honor God and serve others. The book is well worth the investment of an hour's time. One of the most powerful truths he identifies in the book: modeling is the most powerful of all teachers. Good stuff for teachers, leaders and ministers. The author has a website where you can find more helpful info and downloads. (Note: I received the book from my brother, who had several leftover copies from church. Sometimes the best books are the ones we come across by accident.)

Rating: 3.5/4

Movie Review: An Inconvenient Truth

2007-03-14T00:06:00.000-05:00

"An Inconvenient Truth" is somewhat of a controversial film for a couple of reasons: 1) It features Al Gore, who many Christians (among others) view as a liberal. The fact that it recently won an Academy Award will further cement its reputation as liberal propaganda in some people's minds. 2) The whole issue global warming is being disputed, even among some scientists. It is a hot topic of discussion and debate. Just check out The Drudge Report any day of the week to see a story related to the issue.

The movie is essentially a filmed lecture by Al Gore before a live audience. Pieces of interview and other footage are interspersed throughout to break up the material. I'm going to come right out and say it: I really enjoyed this film and think everyone should give it a chance. I'm not what you'd call a political liberal, nor do I endorse everything about Al Gore. There are a lot of things I don't know. But I do know this: this film is a very compelling presentation of some extremely disturbing facts. If Gore is even half right, it means humanity has made a mess of the planet and our not-to-distant offspring will pay a dear price.

I can't speak from a scientific point of view on the accuracy of the information presented, but to my knowledge his facts are accurate. So let me judge it on different merits: I don't know what has changed in Al Gore, but he is certainly not the boring drone was all perceived him to be in the 2000 election. He is a compelling communicator, and the visuals used are very, very good. The backdrop of the stage is a gigantic screen used for visuals. If you want to learn from an excellent communicator, you need to watch this DVD if only to learn something about using visuals and holding an audience's attention. Gore is passionate about his topic and it makes a huge difference. It doesn't matter if you agree with him politically: the fact is that he's a good communicator and I learned some things by watching him.

(A little caveat: if Gore had shown this kind of passion, humanity and communication skills in his run for President the election may have turned out differently. He was perceived as cold and distant but here he is warm and engaging.)

The only negative thing I have to say about the film is a kind of flip-side to Gore's passion and command of an audience. At times he seems to talk down to the audience, as if he is struggling to communicate difficult concepts to us "regular people." He can be slightly condescending at times, and I think this is a reflection that many (including himself) view him as a kind of Messiah who is going to save the planet by making humanity aware of its impending doom. Of course, the same can be said of Bono, but no one seems to mind.

Here's a question: Why are some Christians so vehemently opposed to Gore's message? Environmental issues such as global warming have usually been the concern of Democrats and "liberals," but guess what, folks? Facts are facts. If global warming is real, and Gore is right, who cares where the message comes from? Even Gore himself adamantly dismisses the notion that global warming is a Democratic issue--it's an issue that affects everyone. And if it's real, shouldn't we be concerned about it? I don't think we'll be crying "it's a liberal issue" when our grandchildren are choking to death on their own smog.

So check it out for yourself. Don't take someone else's word for it--look at the facts and make an intelligent decision about where you stand on this issue that will increasingly take center stage in public and private life.

Rating: 3.5/4

Going with the Flow

2007-03-12T13:18:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I experienced something that has never happened to me before. I have been preaching on the weekends at my home church in Potosi, MO for a few months now. They are searching for a full-time minister and I'm just serving as an interim. I usually think about my sermon during the week, then write it sometime between Thursday and Saturday nights. This week was no exception. I worked on my message for a couple of hours Friday night, then several hours Saturday morning. I was pleased when my message was done early Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday night I went to church to play at the evening service. On the way home I felt a very distinct impression from God, and the conversation went something like this

"Kent, I don't want you to preach that sermon tomorrow."

"Excuse me?" I asked.

God repeated, "I don't want you to preach that sermon."

"OK... then what do you want me to do?"

God said, "I just want you to go and encourage the people."

I was a little bewildered. "But what about filling my time?"

"You just do what I ask, and I'll worry about the time," God said.

In the next few minutes I had a plan: we would have a concert of prayer. So I went home, tossed out my sermon for the next day and wrote down several areas we would be praying about, along with corresponding Scriptures. We would get in small groups during the sermon time and pray about these items. Here is what we used:

For those i need of guidance and wisdom: Proverbs 3.5-6; James 1.5-6
For those feeling abandoned: Psalm 23
For those worried and anxious: Matthew 6.25-27, 33-34; Philippians 4.4-7
For those tired and weary: Isaiah 40.28-31
For those in need of confession: Psalm 32.1-2, 5; Psalm 51.10, 16-17; 1 John 1.9 (have silent prayer)
For those in conflict with someone: Psalm 133.1; Matthew 5.21-24
For those sick and suffering: James 5.13-16; Psalm 30.1-5, 11-12
For those who are hopeless: Rev. 21.1-5

All in all, it was a good Sunday. Several people commented that they really needed the time of prayer. I didn't audibly hear the voice of God on Saturday night, but I did feel a distinct impression that he wanted me to change my plans for Sunday. This kind of thing doesn't happen to me often, and when it does it's a little disconcerting. I think God works in advance, and he works in the planning and writing process. That's why he's given us the ability to study and use our minds. But I also think sometimes he wants us to change our plans--perhaps for no other reason than to test our obedience. Whenever we feel God prompting us to do something, we need to examine it and test it--against Scripture, with other wise Christians and with our own motives and conscience. If we then feel God wants us to proceed, we should do so with boldness and assurance that it's his leading.

Movie Review: Zodiac

2007-03-12T12:45:00.000-05:00

"Zodiac" deals with a series of murders in the San Fransisco Bay area in the late 1960's and early 70's. The film stars Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards as cops who are investigating the murders. It also features Robert Downey, Jr. as a reporter tracking the case, and Jake Gyllenhaal as a cartoonist who becomes obsessed with cracking the case. The plot centers around a killer who names himself the "Zodiac" who sends codes to his identity to area newspapers. The movie shows the process by which the reporters and the police try to unravel these clues, and it's a fascinating process. However, the real concern of the movie is to show how the case begins the consume several people intimately connected with it, most notably the cartoonist (played by Jake G.). The film is based on real events and, just as in real life, does not neatly conclude. However, the "conclusion" of the story is not really the point.

I really enjoyed the "vibe" of the film, which is very similar in tone to a couple of movies from the 70's, "All the President's Men" (with Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman) and "The Conversation" (with Gene Hackman). Like both of these classic movies, "Zodiac" is focused on clues, mysteries and secrets--and those who try to solve them. If you like to follow clues and enjoy a film with twists and turns you'll like this film. There is also a good amount of suspence, and several times I found myself on the edge of my seat. (In one scene in particular, Jake G's character comes face-to-face with a man who he thinks is the Zodiac. Although the scene lasts only about 5 minutes and involves no language or violence, it was truly creepy.) The film is about 2 1/2 hours longs it goes by very quickly. The acting, writing and story are all top-notch. My only reservation is that it's rated R for a few scenes of violence and a fair amount of language.

Rating: 3/4

I Wouldn't Have Guessed

2007-01-23T00:04:00.000-06:00

Melanie and Ben were gone for most of this past weekend to visit her family. Since I had the place to myself, I decided to tackle the long-overdue project: sorting and filing two big boxes of receipts, papers and other items. When you go through those kinds of boxes, you always come across some interesting things--forgotten photos, bank statements, check stubs, brochures. But one of the most interesting items I found was the program book from my 10-year high school reunion (which was 5 years ago) and a group picture of everyone who attended. The booklet listed everyone's address, what happened to them after high school and what they were doing now. In addition to a major sense of nostalgia when I look at things like that from my past, I was struck by the unexpected paths some of my classmates had taken. Although some of us have stuck pretty much with our stated career goals--teaching, ministry, business, etc.--others were more surprising. Some of the "popular" kids never did make their mark. In fact, I am surprised by how many of them went to college to change the world and would up back in Potosi, or just never left home at all. (There's nothing wrong with that; it's just surprising since everyone wants to get away from their hometown after high school.) Others who flew under the radar have gone on to successful careers in various fields. A handful of people have faded into obscurity, and no one knows where to find them. Perhaps they don't want to be found.

Things don't always turn out like you'd expect.

I think back to some of my close friends in high school. There was a group of six or seven of us who were inseparable. We were very active at church and at school, and it was very hard when we graduated and went our separate ways to college. I've only kept in regular contact with a couple of them. I hear from the rest of them once in a great while, or never. Like everything else, relationships change over time, but it's still no less surprising considering we were so close back then.

I think of my friends from college and how many of them have turned out differently than everyone expected. One friend in particular was incredibly talented, a real creative genius. I just knew that he would be a national figure in ministry someday. Unfortunately, he made some key mistakes and bombed out. Others were set to be rising stars in the ministry world (a paradox if there ever was one) but faded away for one reason or another. Some, on the other hand, kept a lower profile in college yet have served with great significance in ministries of various kinds. Again, unexpected.

When I moved from college into local church ministry I learned that it's very easy to make assumptions about people's potential and how they will respond to the challenges of ministry. Unfortunately, my assumptions were often wrong. I think of the youth intern who served with us for a couple of years. He was one of the greatest "people magnets" I have every seen--everyone loved him. To top it off, he was the only African-American person in a church of several hundred white people. But like so many others, he made some critical mistakes later on that cost him dearly. Similar stories were repeated with volunteers in my own ministry--people who at one time were poised to use their great potential for service in the local church, but who had affairs and forfeited their influence and leadership.

Then there were others in our church who were solid individuals, but I never would have guessed they would step up to the leadership plate. I think of a musician in that church who came to Christ as an adult and was a little raw, but now leads worship regularly. I think of a couple of elders from the church who are completing a degree at Lincoln Christian College and will possibly pursue ministry as a career option in the future. I wouldn't have imagined these guys taking on these kinds of challenges.

Now I teach in a Christian college where we train leaders for ministry. Much of the academic experience is built around grading, evaluating and categorizing people. In this fast-paced setting it is easy to quickly judge the potential of a student and view them accordingly. For instance, last year I worked closely with a couple of students I felt very strongly would be great worship leaders. These guys had raw talent and a natural magnetism with people. Both have left school--one to attend a community college and another to pursue a different kind of path. In my own mind I saw them following a certain path, and now they seem to want to avoid the rigors and challenge of ministry preparation.

This is repeated in various ways each year as students come who have what it takes to succeed in ministry: a heart for God, a desire to serve, a hunger for learning, a good personality. And it is always disappointing when some of them walk away for one reason or another. But what is equally surprising are the students who come in quietly, fly under the radar for a while, and maintain consistency and character that allows them to finish the course. More dramatically, I could point to students who are about as far away from ministry leadership as possible--yet through persistent effort and a willingness to apply themselves, they develop into great servants and leaders in God's kingdom.

In every arena of life we have the tendency to pigeonhole people. Whether it's our friends, family members, co-workers, students or church members, we gauge a person's potential based on their talent, family background, looks, charisma, intelligence and a host of other factors--none of which ultimately define a person. Sometimes we sell them short and don't give them a chance. Other times we see a measure of talent and create unrealistic expectations they can never meet. When it plays out over the long haul, our predictions about people--both good and bad--are usually not what we expect.

We should never close the books on anybody. Some people get off to a late start in life and have yet to rise to their potential. My Dad didn't become a Christian until a few years ago, and he has done more ministry in that time than many people do their whole lives. I'm glad we never stopped praying for him. Maybe there's someone in your life whom you've written off for one reason or another. You shouldn't give up on them. I'm glad God didn't operate that way with you and me.

On the opposite end, we should be careful about setting up false expectations for people. In the ministry world it can be rare to find someone who is talented, dedicated and ready to jump in--so it's easy to pounce on them and pin all our hopes on them. But we see what we want to see in people, and we can overlook some negative things in our rush to make them the next "star" of our ministry. The same is true in the academic world. There are many conversations and predications about who will go far and who will not. None of us really knows. One thing's for sure--we will be surprised at how things turn out.

Our tendency to pigeonhole people extends to ourselves. "I'll never get the weight off." "I'm destined to fail." "I'll never get past this problem or struggle." It's true that some people are arrogant, but I think arrogance is a way to cover up insecurity. All of us are insecure and full of self-doubt at times. As a result, we assume we'll always be the way we are, and that we can never change. But the good news is that with God's help, and the help of others, we CAN change. We are not destined to be a certain way. The jury is still out. All the talk about New Year's resolutions is over, but every day is a chance for a new start. We should certainly not think more highly of ourselves than is necessary, but there is no reason to beat ourselves up every day. We are never so good that we don't need God's help, and never so bad that we are out of the reach of God's grace.

Life is full of constant change, and we can't predict the future. But one thing is for certain: the future--and the people who occupy it--will be different than what we expect. And that's what makes every day an adventure.

Review: Night at the Museum

2007-01-03T21:10:00.000-06:00

Summary: One of the funniest, cleanest, family-friendly movies I've seen in a while.

I didn't necessarily want to see this one. But Melanie and I were going to a movie together (sans the 2-year-old) and we always have to compromise because we don't usually like the same movies. I wanted to see Rocky Balboa, but I knew that wasn't happening, so I would up with Ben Stiller instead. It was a pleasant surprise, though.

Ben Stiller plays a divorced dad who winds up as a security guard in the Museum of Natural History. The museum is downsizing and he is taking the place of three older guards. Before his first night, they give him the keys and a set of instructions. They fail to mention, however, that all the displays in the museum come to life at night.

This could have easily been a very clumsy movie that could be told in a Twilight Zone episode. (Come to think of it, it does sound like a TZ episode, doesn't it?) It could be approached in a very sappy way, or done with a fair bit of cynicism. However, the movie does have a big heart and approaches the story with sincerity.

Ben Stiller does his usual schtick, as does Owen Wilson (who plays the cowboy Jed). They essentially play the same character in every movie they do, but it works to their advantage this time around. Robin Williams plays Teddy Roosevelt and shows a surprising amount of restraint. The security guards are played by Mickey Rooney, Dick Van Dyke and another gentleman whom I didn't recognize. They absolutely steal every scene they're in. Van Dyke is a legend, of course, but I was laughing out loud every time Rooney had a line. The film does have a lot of genuinely funny parts...many of which involve Ben Stiller and a small monkey.

One thing I really appreciated is that it lifts up the value of history. History buffs will laugh at the many in-jokes that kids won't catch. But it does have a serious message: history matters. This is true in the broad sense of knowing history, but Christians have a special interest in the value of history because our faith is rooted in historical fact. I can't think of many recent movies that appealed to kids and made a serious attempt to make history interesting.

Night at the Museum is rated PG, and is very clean except for a small amount of mild language and a couple of brief crude parts. Otherwise, I highly recommend it for families, couples and anyone who likes a good laugh.

Rating: ***1/2 (out of 4)

Review: Little Miss Sunshine

2007-01-03T20:31:00.000-06:00

Summary: An intriguing commentary on the "losers" of society, with a fair amount of both humor and language.

From time to time I post reviews of books, movies and other items. There is not really any rhyme or reason to this; anytime I read a book or see a movie that is interesting I try to make note of it here.

The other night Melanie and I sat down to watch Little Miss Sunshine. This was a major event in itself because I couldn't tell you the last time just the two of us watched an entire movie together at home. (We did go see Night at the Museum a few days ago in the theatre; more on that in another review.) So I was hoping it was a good movie.

Little Miss Sunshine centers around a highly dysfunctional family featuring a dad who is a motivational speaker (but has yet to get his big break, played by Greg Kinnear), a teenage son who reads Nietzche and has taken a vow of silence, an older father-in-law who has no social skills (Alan Arkin), and homosexual uncle who has just attempted suicide (Steve Carrell, in a performance very different from his normal work). This may or may not have been intentional, but the two more normal characters were the mother who holds it all together (Toni Collette), and a pre-teen daughter who is very average yet has her hopes on winning a beauty pageant.

The plot of the movie centers around a family trip to the "Little Miss Sunshine" beauty pageant in California. Along the way the family gets into various kinds of trouble and has several funny encounters. It's kind of a quirky film and definitely not your straight-ahead comedy. It you read between the lines it's intended as a very dark satire on the "American dream" of perfection and beauty. The family is very dysfunctional, and by all intents a bunch of "losers." The little girl is slightly overweight and has no talent, the mother is an emotional wreck, the uncle was thrown out of a nursing home, the son is a social outcast, and the father has ironically found no success in his positive-thinking program. But in the end, they discover that being together as a family and accepting one another is more important than success or acceptance in a world that promotes superficiality and outward trappings of success. (The beauty pageant is a metaphor for all of this.)

I liked the movie for a couple of reasons. First, the acting is very, very good. Second, it's not a mindless comedy that appeals to the lowest common IQ. I mean, I like Dumb and Dumber as much as the next guy, but I appreciate a movie that is subtle in its approach and has the intelligence to make a statement about society without being totally obvious. And third, the movie is thought-provoking because it presents a contrast between the "winners" and "losers" of society. This sparked my thinking about Jesus' interest in the downcast, the poor, the socially unacceptable--the losers--seems to stand in contrast to the way much of the American church is infatuated with Christian celebrities, success, numbers and perfection. Sometimes ministry feels like a big beauty pageant, and the pastor with the most "nickels and noses" in their church wins.

Be warned, though: Little Miss Sunshine is rated R and does contain a fair amount of language. Otherwise, it's a solid movie with some subtle social commentary.

Rating: *** (out of 4)

Reflect the Light

2006-12-24T01:40:00.000-06:00

One of the fun things I’m doing this year is watching all the old Christmas TV shows with Ben. He’s watching them for the first time. The other day we watched “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The best part is when Charlie Brown gets frustrated at the commercialism of Christmas and says, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” Linus comes forward and quotes a passage from Luke 2. It’s a great reminder that Christmas is all about Jesus.

During the holiday season it’s easy to get mixed up about the meaning of Christmas. We give and receive gifts that cost a lot of money. We’ll spend time preparing meals and eating. We have a lot of things to do. It's good to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas to help us keep a proper perspective. I believe it can be summed up in one word: LIGHT. Christmas is all about God breaking into the darkness with his LIGHT.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day” (Gen. 1.1-5).

The very first thing that ever happened was God breaking into the darkness with his light. The first thing he created was light. One of the ways that God made his presence known to his people was through light. When the Israelites escaped from slavery in Egypt, that’s how he guided them. “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people” (Ex. 13.21-22).

God’s people throughout history knew that without God on their side, there would be no light to find their way. That’s why David wrote in Ps. 27.1, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?.” And again the psalmist writes in Ps. 119.105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path.”

Even in the dark times of the Old Testament prophets God’s light never grew dim. Isaiah prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined” (Is. 9.2). Later he says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (Is. 60.1-3).

This light came into its fullness with the birth of Jesus Christ. John writes in the beginning of his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world” (Jn 1.1-5, 9). Jesus bore witness to this himself when he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn. 8.12).

Jesus entrusted this light to his followers. Paul was struck by the blinding light of Jesus on the road to Damascus and was entrusted with spreading the Gospel message (Acts 9.3). But the light of the Gospel was not just for the Jews; it was for everyone. Paul and Barnabas quoted a passage from Isaiah when they said, “For the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth’” (Acts 13.47).

The church was to bring the light of Jesus to the world and be an example of that light. Paul told the Ephesians to “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5.8). He told the Philippians that they shine as “lights in the world” in the middle of a “crooked and twisted generation” (Phil. 2.15). So down through history God’s people have been entrusted with sharing this precious light with the rest of the world.

The story ends just like it begins—with the Light. What will Heaven be like? Listen to what John writes in Revelation about the New Jerusalem: “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there” (Rev. 21.22-25).

So the real meaning of Christmas is really a story about the light coming into the world. God breaks into the darkness of human history in the form of a helpless, fragile newborn baby. But it’s more than just a story. That same baby Jesus grew up and said something life-changing: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt. 5.14-16).

By this Jesus didn’t mean we are the source of light—He is the real source of light, and we just reflect his light. He broke into the world’s darkness once, and he continues to light the darkness through us. You can reflect the light of Jesus even today—through the way you share a word about Jesus to lost friends and family members, through the way you express thanks for gifts, through the way you treat others, through the way you let Jesus live through you.

You can have a real impact on people. We are like the moon—it shines no light of its own because it reflects the sun’s light. When we look at the moon we are really seeing the effect of the sun’s light. Let’s reflect the light of Jesus in our lives this Christmas.