Our Amazing Creator!

As usual, I'm a day late on things. Living in the hometown of Edwin Hubble of Hubble Telescope fame, you'd think I'd pay some attention to things involving the old eye in the sky. Our local TV news did a little story on the latest pics from the telescope, and after following their link to the Hubble website I was overwhelmed by the pictures there. My first thought was "Our God is an Awesome God." So I'd been preparing to write about God's glory in the universe and direct people to the Hubble site. And then, lo and behold, Dr. Al Mohler just did that, and did a much better job than I ever would. So let me just direct you to his blog post HERE, and then encourage you to go the the Hubble site HERE and prepare to be amazed at our Amazing Creator God. He is Awesome in the strictest definition of that term.

Obama Speech Not A Problem for Us

The whole controversy surrounding the President's address to our school children was not an issue for our family. Why? Because our children are not in government schools. Here's a great old video explaining why.

Book Review: Fearless by Max Lucado

I have to admit that it’s been awhile since I read a Max Lucado book. Earlier in my ministry life I read several. And while I enjoyed them, to me they came to represent in part what was wrong with the church in general: namely, an overly simplistic approach to the Gospel; Christianity-lite. I know that sounds arrogant and judgmental. I really don’t want to be. It’s just that these books are in large part written for “the masses,” and let’s face it; like it or not, “the masses” in the church today have been taken in by a shallow Gospel; a “me-centered” religion where Jesus is my BFF, not the Holy Creator and Redeemer of the world.

Anyway, when Thomas Nelson offered to send an advance copy of Lucado’s latest book Fearless to review, two things made me say yes, both related to the topic. As the title suggests, this is a book about living life without fear; overcoming anxiety. And as I’ve confessed on this blog before, this is an issue I struggle with, so that’s one reason. And two, we live in a world of ever growing fear, so this is certainly a timely issue. So here we go.

There is much to like about this book. Like some previous offerings, it still has a tendency to be overly simple in its approach to the gospel. Often more care is given to turning a clever phrase than to adequately present the reality of man’s depravity vs. the holiness of God and the sacrifice in Christ that was necessary to bridge that gap.

However, there are some places where the message is less sugar coated. Speaking of the disciples in the boat with Christ during a storm, Lucado points out that “this story send the not-so-subtle and not-too-popular reminder: getting on board with Christ can mean getting soaked with Christ.” The Christian life is not the pleasure cruise so many want to make it out to be, and that reminder is welcome.

And yet, in the midst of those things, we are reminded that God has commanded us to not fear. Lucado points out that the largest percentage of direct Christ-issued imperatives in the New Testament are of the “Do not be afraid” variety. Have courage. Take heart. Do not fear. It’s a command.

The book then deals with a variety of areas in which we experience fear: fear of insignificance, fear of violence, fear of global crisis, fear of death, fear of the future. In each case, we are given some good Scriptural reminders of how God has made provision for these issues. Ultimately, the reminder is that God has given us Himself: just as Christ was in the boat with his disciples, He has promised to never leave nor forsake us. We know that, but need the reminder often. In enjoyed the repeated focus on prayer and God’s presence, the ultimate fear busters.

I was a bit disappointed in the chapter on the “fear of disappointing God.” He actually suggested that Adam and Eve’s original sin stemmed not from pride, but from fear. He pushes the text a bit to make the point. And the truth is, that in our sin, we do disappoint God. So much so that it required the death of His Son to overcome the breach of relationship. But at the same time, I understand the point that those who are truly saved need to rest in the finished work of Christ, and not constantly live in fear that somehow we will do something to make God take back that salvation.

Likewise, I was a bit uneasy with one of the final chapter’s insistence that God cannot be defined by doctrine. I think I know what he’s saying; the whole “let’s not underestimate or limit God” kind of thing. But in truth, God has given us His Word to give us some “definition” of Himself, and that Word tells us to hold on to sound doctrine, to promote sound teaching, etc. We have to be careful not to open that door to wide so as to make anything and everything that claims to be “godly” acceptable.

Still, overall I enjoyed the reminders given here, and the group discussion guide at the end was certainly helpful. The whole thing could be summed up well by the quote from John Chrysostom shared by Lucado on p. 88: “What can I fear? Will it be death? But you know that Christ is my life, and that I shall gain by death. Will it be exile? But the earth and all its fullness is the Lord’s. Will it be the loss of wealth? But we have brought nothing into the world, and can carry nothing out. Thus all the terrors of the world are contemptible in my eyes; and I smile at all its good things. Poverty I do not fear; riches I do not sigh for. Death I do not shrink from.”

As Paul reminds us in Romans 8: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? … Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:31-39)

On Gay and Drunken Preachers

The use of satire and sarcasm in trying to convey spiritual truth has long been debated. Although we see the use of both in Scripture, those who try to use these forms today are often misunderstood and ostracized.

One of my favorite Christian artists has always been Steve Taylor. Known by many for his behind the scenes roll producing and writing songs for the Newsboys, Taylor was a pretty hot commodity himself back in the day. But he caught a lot of flak from the Christian music industry for satirical songs like "I Blew Up The Clinic Real Good." People didn't get it. He was ridiculing the kind of thinking portrayed by the character in that song.

Anyway, I've always been a fan of the satire and sarcasm. I think it often shocks us into seeing the truth of things where we might have overlooked it otherwise. This is why I like the Sacred Sandwich site so much. And I especially like their most recent article responding to the ELCA officially approving of homosexual clergy.

The ridiculous nature of that is brought to light by this sarcastic and satirical article which tells of another "denomination" which has now approved of "drunken clergy." This Sacred Sandwich article really highlights the slide toward total immorality being embraced by the church.

Go HERE to read the article.

Lessons From the Bristol Night Race

Since I was feeling so guilty about skipping out on church to go to Bristol this weekend, (see my last post) I thought I might try to “redeem the time” by drawing out some lessons I learned from the whole experience; some general lessons, most lessons that would be useful for the church to really learn.

Fellowship
Every pastor should spend several days on a road trip with a deacon. Deacon Ron, his wife, son and myself logged over 1600 miles over four days. During that time, we talked, laughed, joked, filled in some “holes” in our respective life stories. We spent time talking about Christ, life, ministry. This is lacking in many churches, the sharing of life and faith at a deeper level as we live together day by day. It’s too often just about the weekly services. We need to spend more time with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Generosity
Originally, these four tickets were to include a fourth family member. But when she couldn’t come, Ron offered to take me; at his expense. Granted the tickets were already bought. But he didn’t offer to sell the ticket to me to get back some of his investment. He wouldn’t even let me pay for part of the gas (though I did manage to sneak in a pay for a couple of smaller things along the way). He knew that I would enjoy this trip and he offered it as a gift, a ministry, to me. How great it would be if we all spent more time thinking of how we might make someone else’s day, how we might serve them, instead of always thinking of ourselves and our own wallets.

Passion and Commitment
Again, we logged over 1600 miles, just to see a race. Others came from even farther. They drove for days, camped out overnight, or parked a mile away and walked in (okay, maybe not a mile, but it seemed like it). Once there, you could see right away where their commitment was. People wearing hats and t-shirts with their favorite driver’s “colors.” They had seat cushions and coolers and radio head sets with that team’s number and paint scheme. No one had to even ask where their loyalty lay.

Where is that kind of passion and loyalty in the church? Why don’t we wear our “colors” for the whole world to see? Why do so many Christians just blend in to the world around them, and you’d never know that our loyalty was to Christ? I’m not saying that wearing a Christian t-shirt is the answer (in fact, too often that’s a result of the easy gospel we’ve come to market in this country, where wearing a t-shirt is about all we do for Christ). I’m talking about how we live, the passion with which we show our commitment to Christ, the things we’re willing to endure, the lengths to which we would go for His service, for His glory. Sadly, that passion just isn’t there too often.

Unity in Diversity
Go back to all those various team loyalties. In a crowd of 120,000 you have a whole hodgepodge of loyalties. You have rabid Jeff Gordon fans sitting in the seat next to an even more rabid Tony Stewart fan. Right below them are Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans. A few rows over is someone passionate about Mark Martin, or Matt Kenseth, or even that (shudder) Kyle Bush guy. And yet as passionate as they are about their driver, there’s no real animosity, no fights breaking out. Because we’re all here for the same reason, to enjoy a great race, one big NASCAR family.

Why can’t the church come together like that sometimes? I’m not suggesting that we ignore real differences in theology; faithfulness to sound Biblical doctrine is non-negotiable. But why is it that we so often gather in groups “just like us.” It’s like a stadium full of nothing but Jeff Gordon fans (now that would be cool!). We need to see that we may all have different backgrounds, different socio-economic standing, different life experiences, different racial identities; but we are all one in Christ. We are here for one reason: to lift up and glorify the name of Christ and make Him known to the lost world around us. Jesus even prayed for us to be one, so why can’t we put selfish things aside and be one?

Honor and Respect
At the beginning of this race, there was a brief ceremony to honor Mark Martin, who was making his 1000th career start in NASCAR. He’s one of the true “good guys” in this sport. (He proved that at the end of the race by not wrecking the 18 for the win when he could have, and when just about everyone else would have, and when the crowd would have loved it if he had!) We even got to be part of the “card stunt” where our grandstand area spelled out a big message in tribute to Mark (how cool was that?!).

The point is, the crowd went crazy. People wearing the competition’s “colors” were all on their feet yelling, screaming and applauding someone else’s driver. Because we respect him.

Too often in the church, we fail to respect and honor those who have faithfully served the kingdom. Period. We fail to mark those occasions and recognize their service in general. Furthermore, even if they are honored, we don’t join in the celebration if they’re not “one of us.” We need to get over it folks. We’re all on the same team. Faithful saints of God deserve our respect and honor whether they like our songs, read from the same translation, etc. We need to recover a healthy respect for our “elders” in the church.

Patriotism
I know this is getting long, and this really has nothing to do the church per se. I’m not one of those who think Jesus is an American and that God must bless America. But in this day of anti-patriotism, where our military is ridiculed and scorned, where loyalty to your country only goes as far as party lines will allow…it was nice to be in a truly patriotic crowd.

Before the race, there was a tribute to our men and women serving in the military. Every now and then the video would break away from pictures of soldiers over seas, to live video of soldiers there at Bristol. And the crowd went crazy in its applause. Walking around the track, soldiers in uniform were constantly being stopped by other fans. They slapped them on the back, gave them a big handshake and thanked them for their service to our nation. During the national anthem every hat was removed, hands were placed over hearts, and when three fighter jets flew over at the end of the song, it put goose bumps on your arms and tears in your eyes. As Deacon Ron leaned over and said to me “If that don’t bring a tear to your eye, you’re just not a real American.” (Or as the Lt. Governor of Tennessee called us in his pre-race comments: God-fearin’, gun-lovin’, real Americans. To which the crowd said: Yeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

There we actually some other things I thought of, but this is way too long already. I’m not suggesting that the church should be like a bunch of beer drinking race fans. Even though they all shouted “Amen” after the pre-race prayer, I’m sure that more than a few, if not most, don’t truly know Christ. But I would say that there are some lessons about passion, honor, etc. that we could learn here. And really, they are lessons that we should be learning from Scripture, because they’re all right there in the Book.

Now that all that serious stuff is out of the way, let me just say this: The Bristol Night Race Absolutely Rocks!!!!

Purely Pagan Pleasure

Obviously I’ve not posted here in awhile. Life has just gotten pretty hectic in the last week or so. However, I’m looking forward to a little break to indulge in a road trip that is a “dream come true” for me.

One of our deacons ended up with an extra ticket for the Bristol Night Race. If you are not a NASCAR fan you will not understand the import of this; and nothing I can write here will adequately describe it for you. Suffice to say that I have always told my wife that if I could ever attend just one Cup race in my lifetime, it would be the Bristol Night Race. It’s been a few weeks since he offered, and I’m still not sure it’s a reality yet.

Now, I understand that this is pure pagan delight. I will of course miss church this weekend. A preacher skipping church for a stock car race must be the height of idolatry. However, I can’t help myself.

Actually, I’ve been working on my NASCAR habit recently. Having reduced our satellite package to the bare minimum, I haven’t actually even seen a race on TV in a couple months (no Speed Channel, No ESPN, etc.). I haven’t wasted money on racing paraphernalia in almost a year. I’ve been doing quite well. But this is the complete fall off the wagon kind of thing!

Pray for our 12+ hour road trip. Pray it doesn’t rain and postpone the race! And pray that I will be forgiven for this little indulgence into worldly pursuits. Oh, yeah, and…GO JEFF GORDON!!!

Reflections on Vacation Bible School

It seemed somewhat ironic (perhaps Providential) that my brothers of the Tyndale League posted this satirical VBS poster on the Sacred Sandwich site at about the same time we were getting ready to start our own VBS.

For the last several years we’ve made the conscious effort to move away from the theme/entertainment oriented VBS material to something that is more Biblically centered. We’ve been using material from John Piper’s Desiring God Ministries, and have liked the content very much.

However, because we don’t have all the flashy theme decorations, games, snacks, etc. it seems that interest has waned. Not only among potential students, but even among some of our workers.

This year the downward trend has been especially glaring since we had the misfortune of having our VBS the same week as at least three other churches, including two of the largest in town. Of course, they have all the fun and games, and we just have some Bible teaching (there are still crafts, music, recreation time, etc. Just much more low key, with the emphasis on the Bible teaching).

Here’s my problem. I’m still convinced that we are doing the right thing. I’m still sold on the idea of placing the “Bible” part of Bible School above the entertainment. But what good is it if no one comes?

My brother-in-law recently pointed out some good articles from Focus on the Family about how entertainment has shaped our culture, including our church culture. (click here and here to read some of those) We’ve known for years that today’s culture is more media/entertainment oriented than ever before. And yet, our response so often has been to give in and try and compete on the world’s level. People are fixated on entertainment, then let’s make church entertaining. In the end, we have done nothing but “dumb down” the church, the gospel message, etc.

Yet, the people say, look at the crowds we draw. Show movie clips on Sunday morning and folks love it. Do rated R movie nights and they come by the droves. Hey, let’s even do Bible Study down at the local pub, folks will love that. Where does it end?

Maybe this is just one guy whining because we have smaller crowds, smaller VBS than the “other guys.” I don’t know. I don’t think so. I think I’m just thinking along the lines of C H Spurgeon when he addressed the First Conference of the Pastor’s College Evangelical Association in April of 1888. (Yes, the problem is that old). He said this:

Within suitable bounds, recreation is necessary and profitable; but it never was the business of the Christian church to supply the world with amusements. Did Christ found his church that it might offer to the public tableaux vivants, and living wax-works? … There is a bill extant which states that next week there is to be a “Punch and Judy” show in the same place of worship (so-called)! This is to go on side by side with the preaching of thy bleeding sacrifice, O Christ of God! No, brethren, let me correct myself: the preaching of Christ usually ceases when these frivolities come in. These things are so opposed in spirit, that one or the other will have to be dropped; and we know which it will be. What is to be next done in our chapels? To what length of tomfoolery will ministers of the gospel yet go? … Brethren, we are not here to play away our time, but to win souls for Jesus and eternal bliss. By the solemnities of death, and judgment, and eternity, I beseech you, keep yourselves clear of the follies, the inanities of the day.

I pray we would listen to that Prince of Preachers word of warning, whether we’re talking about VBS, worship services, or whatever. There is a time and place for fun. I would even suggest we can have some fun in church (shock of shocks). But our primary focus should always be on Christ and Him crucified and on the proclamation of His Word for His Glory in all things.

Re-inventing the Wheel

I’ve been reading a couple of books lately about the church, what it should be, etc. (one will be here as a review shortly). I was getting a bit frustrated by this penchant we have to make everything new and “relevant”, when our greatest need is simply to be faithful to the testimony of Scripture. To be a biblical church is more important, and I think more useful, than to be the new, hip, hap’nin place the world loves to come to.

Just as I was trying to put some of these thoughts down, I happened to read the “weekly dose of Spurgeon” over at Pyromaniacs. Lo and behold, the Prince of Preachers already said some things about this very subject.

Kind of ironic. Here I was thinking about the fact that the church shouldn’t need to “re-invent the wheel”, and now I find myself thinking the same thing about this post. Why offer my own thoughts, when they’ve already been said better. So here are Pastor Spurgeon’s words. (you can read the Pyro post and its comments here)

In these days we are rather overdone with "great thinkers." Wherever you go you hear of "advanced thinking," "modern thought," and so forth. It is true that ten bushels of the stuff are not worth half a farthing in the estimate of those who hunger for spiritual food; but chaff takes up much room, and as the wind blows it about it excites great attention.

A fourth part of a cab of doves' dung, worth nothing in ordinary times, fetched a long price during the famine in Samaria; and to-day, when there is a famine of true theological learning, a great fuss is made concerning the crude speculations of vainglorious "thinkers."

I do not believe the apostle ever tried to think upon religious matters otherwise than as the Spirit of God taught him. He was content to abide within the circle of inspiration. I pray that we may never travel beyond our orbit, and quit the divine circuit of revelation. I find enough in my Bible to think about without going beyond that sphere.

If we should ever exhaust Holy Scripture, we might then try to think something "as of ourselves"; but as we shall never do that, we may be satisfied to tarry in revelation as in a land which floweth with milk and honey.

Let us not aim at being original thinkers, but at being witnesses and heralds of what God says to men. Our Lord Jesus strove not to be an original thinker, for he said, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me."

The Holy Ghost does not speak as an original thinker; for the Lord Jesus said, "He shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."

As we have reminded you before, the original thinker of the Bible is one of whom it is said, "When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own." We are not wishful to emulate him in such originality. We are not sufficient to think anything as from ourselves!

Just a Prayer

Since tomorrow marks the 500th birthday of the great Reformer John Calvin, I thought I would simply share a prayer from that devoted servant of God. I think it's in a man's prayers that we see his true heart, and this is certainly true of Calvin. He was a man with a passion for the glory of God in all things, completely overwhelmed by God's grace. To this prayer I simply say: AMEN.

Grant, Almighty God, that, since to a perverse, and in every way a rebellious people, thou didst formerly show so much grace, as to exhort them continually to repentance, and to stretch forth thy hand to them by thy Prophets, — O grant, that the same word may sound in our ears; and when we do not immediately profit by thy teaching, O cast us not away, but, by thy Spirit, so subdue all our thoughts and affections, that we, being humbled, may give glory to thy majesty, such as is due to thee, and that, being allured by thy paternal favor, we may submit ourselves to thee, and, at the same time, embrace that mercy which thou offerest and presentest to us in Christ, that we may not doubt but thou wilt be a Father to us, until we shall at length enjoy that eternal inheritance, which has been obtained for us by the, blood of thine only-begotten Son. Amen.

Going Forward By Looking Back

I've shared on this blog before about the value in looking back (read here and here). Recently, I've been reminded again of the value of that occasional backward glance.

My last post, obviously, was about our 20th Wedding Anniversary. Certainly, we've enjoyed looking back at the last 20 years, reminding ourselves of the glorious grace of God we've seen over and over.

Then, last week my folks came and spent a few days with the kids so Cheryl and I could go spend some time together. We had a wonderful time just being with each other, visiting a couple places we did on our honeymoon, reflecting on how things had changed, etc. One of the things we did while on that trip was have one of those “old fashioned” pictures taken. Aside from just being fun, the whole thing reminded me again of the value of looking back. In a day when everyone seems to be looking for the next “new” thing, trying to be contemporary and “relevant”, we occasionally need to be reminded that looking back may be more “relevant” to our walk of faith.

Trying to reach a wayward people, God says through Jeremiah: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls’” (Jer. 6:16, ESV). There is rest in the ancient paths; that is the ways of God and His Word.

John Gill writes of that text: “Now, in religious things, the Scriptures are the way mark to direct us which way we should take: if the inquiry is about the way of salvation, look up to these, which are able to make a man wise unto salvation; these show unto men that the way of salvation is not works of righteousness done by them, but Christ only: if the question is about any doctrine whatever, search the Scriptures, examine them, they are profitable for doctrine; they tell us what is truth, and what is error: if the doubt is about the matter or form of worship, and the ordinances of it, look into the Scriptures, they are the best directory to us what we should observe and do.”

Again, as I’ve said in those previous posts, I like some “new” stuff. I like Newsboys and Flame as well as John Newton and Fanny Crosby. I like John’s MacArthur and Piper as well as John’s Calvin and Edwards. I’m not saying that God has only worked in the past.

But when we want to check our progress and advancement in the things of God, it’s often beneficial to look back, to see where we’ve been, to see if we are in line with the ancient paths. To quote one of the “new” guys: "It’s time/ press stop and rewind/ go back roll back right now/ with creeds and church history/ lets stop and see if we missed a beat." (from Flame-Rewind)

Cheryl and I enjoyed looking back over the last 20 years, rejoicing in God’s blessings, re-examining various struggles, etc. In all, we re-affirmed that we are on the “right course” in our family. The church family needs to make the same evaluations from time to time. Let’s compare ourselves to those “old fashioned” pictures and be sure that we are remaining true to the faith, and that our forward movement is faithful to the ancient paths God has called us to walk in.