Have you ever laughed at yourself? There are plenty of times in my life where I have laughed at the decisions I made or the things I said. It is through those times that lessons can be learned through laughter.
Recently, my wife and I were trying to decide on a movie to watch on a Friday night. Our kids were in bed and watching a movie in our quiet house is a little piece of heaven for us. We searched through several movie titles, but nothing caught our attention until we came across a movie called Believe Me. The synopsis sounded interesting to us and we thought we would give it a try. The basic plot is about a college student about to graduate who recruits his friends to help him pay off some unforeseen debt. The debt would keep him from graduating, delaying his plans to attend law school in the fall. He goes to church because he is invited by someone and hears a girl talk about the church's upcoming mission trip to Hawaii (real tough, I know). Sam, the college student, asks the girl after the service about the trip, specifically how much money they had raised so far. The group had to raise $20,000 and they had already raised $14,000 in a week. And, this is where the light bulb goes off in Sam's head.
The rest of the movie is about Sam and his friends creating a fake charity to raise the money Sam needs to pay off his tuition bill. Along the way, the group learns the ins and outs of Christianity even though they don't believe themselves. What's entertaining about this movie is that it takes an honest look at some of the things we do as Christians and encourages us to laugh at ourselves so that maybe we can learn some lessons along the way. Sam and his group take us on a journey into Christianity through the eyes of the unbeliever and what it does is helps us see the things we do in an honest way, challenging us to rethink some of the things we do.
This movie was an honest Christian movie. The one thing I loved about it was that the Jesus moment (if you've seen a Christian movie, you know what I'm talking about) felt real and not forced. Most Christian movies I have seen have a Gospel presentation that seems out of place and forced. In Believe Me, it was quite the opposite. Sam has a real encounter with Jesus and he was not given a Gospel presentation with an invitation to accept Jesus into his heart. He encountered Jesus in a real way, realizing that paying off his school bill was not the ultimate goal in life. He realized that law school was not what life was all about. He realized that Jesus was life.
People need a real encounter with Jesus and if we, his followers, continue to do things that don't make sense to people, the greater the distance between people and the church will be. We need to laugh at ourselves and admit that maybe some of the things we do are a little silly. Being humble enough to be honest with ourselves is the first step in the right direction. The Church in this country needs a new direction. People today want to change the world and the Church was designed to be an agent of change. We don't need more pastors who ask for a new jet or churches who are exclusive social clubs. We need to stop focusing on our numbers and start focusing on people. We need to laugh at ourselves, learn from our mistakes, and let the Holy Spirit teach us and use us to reach new generations for the kingdom of God.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Larger than Life
If you know anything about comic book people, you know that we don't like change very much. Anytime there are changes to the heroes we love, we freak out. There is an uproar about the new Fantastic Four movie released this summer. Photos are starting to be released of the actors in their superhero suits (you can view the pictures here: http://geektyrant.com/news/four-more-photos-from-fantastic-four-to-fuel-fan-outrage). The problem is that the costumes are not the classic costumes of these heroes. In fact, no one has even seen a 4 anywhere on these costumes. So, as you can imagine, comic fans are not too impressed with these changes. And this is not the only time changes like this have occurred.
Superman has been the hero for me since I was little. But, today, was heartbreaking for me. DC Comics released an image of Superman's new suit and you can see that here:
I understand what they are trying to do: they are trying to make Superman so we can relate to him easier. Putting him jeans and a t-shirt makes him look like an average Joe who happens to have powers. But, I don't want that from my heroes. I want my heroes to be larger than life.
So, this got me thinking today. I got to thinking, "In my walk with Christ, is Jesus larger than life?" Is Jesus larger than life in your walk? Is Jesus larger than life in our churches?
The younger generations are leaving the church or not even thinking about church and one of the reasons is that we have watered down Jesus. Our God is no longer the transcendent God who created the universe nor the one that the Psalms speak of. God is our homeboy and our buddy. God is our sugar daddy that we can ask anything of to satisfy our spoiled cravings and He will give it to us because He wants us to be happy.
We wear the t-shirts that say Jesus is our Superhero then go to church on Sunday, sing funeral dirges, barely keep our eyes open, and anxiously look at our watches to see how much longer the service is. Is it any wonder people don't want to go to church?
I have worn the shirts, barely kept my eyes open, and anxiously wondered when we will sing the last verse of Just As I Am. I still struggle with this attitude at times as well. So, why is God so boring?
I think the reason God appears so boring is because we have portrayed him that way through our actions and attitudes. We dumb down God in order for him to be relevant. We water Him down so that people can relate to him more. But, I don't want to relate to God. I want to be saved by God.
We don't need to dumb down God and people don't want us to either. People want someone that is larger than life. A god who is less than larger than life is incapable of saving us. When we water down God, we make him into our image. And, when we make him into our image, he is powerless to save us because we are more powerful than he is. People are looking for a god who is real and tangible, but at the same time impossible to grasp or fully comprehend. That is kind of God that is mighty to save.
We need to stop putting God in our boxes and surrendering to His majesty. When we surrender to that God, then the thought that He would draw near to us through the person of Jesus Christ becomes almost overwhelming. We can say along with David, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him" (Psalm 8:3-4)?
I don't want my Superman wearing a t-shirt and jeans and I certainly don't want my God to be anything less than the all-powerful, all-knowing, everlasting, gracious and merciful God of the Scriptures; we don't need anything less than that.
Superman has been the hero for me since I was little. But, today, was heartbreaking for me. DC Comics released an image of Superman's new suit and you can see that here: I understand what they are trying to do: they are trying to make Superman so we can relate to him easier. Putting him jeans and a t-shirt makes him look like an average Joe who happens to have powers. But, I don't want that from my heroes. I want my heroes to be larger than life.
So, this got me thinking today. I got to thinking, "In my walk with Christ, is Jesus larger than life?" Is Jesus larger than life in your walk? Is Jesus larger than life in our churches?
The younger generations are leaving the church or not even thinking about church and one of the reasons is that we have watered down Jesus. Our God is no longer the transcendent God who created the universe nor the one that the Psalms speak of. God is our homeboy and our buddy. God is our sugar daddy that we can ask anything of to satisfy our spoiled cravings and He will give it to us because He wants us to be happy.
We wear the t-shirts that say Jesus is our Superhero then go to church on Sunday, sing funeral dirges, barely keep our eyes open, and anxiously look at our watches to see how much longer the service is. Is it any wonder people don't want to go to church?
I have worn the shirts, barely kept my eyes open, and anxiously wondered when we will sing the last verse of Just As I Am. I still struggle with this attitude at times as well. So, why is God so boring?
I think the reason God appears so boring is because we have portrayed him that way through our actions and attitudes. We dumb down God in order for him to be relevant. We water Him down so that people can relate to him more. But, I don't want to relate to God. I want to be saved by God.
We don't need to dumb down God and people don't want us to either. People want someone that is larger than life. A god who is less than larger than life is incapable of saving us. When we water down God, we make him into our image. And, when we make him into our image, he is powerless to save us because we are more powerful than he is. People are looking for a god who is real and tangible, but at the same time impossible to grasp or fully comprehend. That is kind of God that is mighty to save.
We need to stop putting God in our boxes and surrendering to His majesty. When we surrender to that God, then the thought that He would draw near to us through the person of Jesus Christ becomes almost overwhelming. We can say along with David, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him" (Psalm 8:3-4)?
I don't want my Superman wearing a t-shirt and jeans and I certainly don't want my God to be anything less than the all-powerful, all-knowing, everlasting, gracious and merciful God of the Scriptures; we don't need anything less than that.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Blurred Vision: A Book Review
Recently I had the pleasure of meeting a new friend, Aaron "Woogy" Wolgamott. He is a youth pastor in the area and has such a great heart for leading youth to Christ. We became instant friends when we met and I am looking forward to collaborating with him in the near future.
I volunteered to read his book Blurred Vision for review purposes. I thought I owed him that since he read a pre-release copy of mine. So, this blog post is a review of Blurred Vision.
The concept of Blurred Vision is to ask Christians if they are seeing things clearly when it comes to their relationship with Christ. In a world full distractions and different philosophies, it can be hard for Christians to see Jesus clearly. It is easy for Christians to veer off the straight and narrow. If you are a Christian that is dealing with these issues, then Blurred Vision is the book for you.
Pastor Woogy takes the reader on a journey through the basic tenets of the Christian faith, but looking at them through fresh eyes. He begins the book by challenging Christians' perspective on things. He asks whether followers of Christ are really seeing Christ for who he is and are their lives reflective of that. In order for Christ and following him to make sense, Christians' vision must be clear on who he is and what the faith is all about.
Pastor Woogy's take on Christianity is fresh and exciting. It is a take that needs to be heard across America in big churches and small churches. The Church in America tends to be all about our religion, but according to Pastor Woogy, Jesus did not die to start another religion. Woogy writes, "We talk a good game, know the right things to say, can pray nice-sounding prayers, and even quote scripture. Yet all too often we stop at only words" (Blurred Vision, p. 10). Pastor Woogy establishes early in his book that Christianity is not another religion; rather, it is a relationship with Christ that should not be defined by what we say, but also by what we do. And, this idea sets the stage for the rest of the book.
Throughout the rest of the book, Pastor Woogy takes a look at worship, treasures, faith, spiritual warfare, prayer, forgiveness, relationships, and truth. He explains each topic in light of not just talking the talk, but also walking the walk. He effectively argues that each tenet of the faith should go beyond what Christians do on Sunday mornings. Christianity is a tangible relationship with Christ and the reason being is so that others will be introduced to Jesus because of our clear vision of Jesus.
Without being too preachy or getting bogged down in deep theology, Pastor Woogy does a great job of explaining what follow Jesus is all about and challenges Christians' perspective on church and the faith. This book is a must read for a new believer or a seasoned believer. It is even a great read for one who might be exploring faith and even Christianity. It can be read by anyone without being confusing and this is a compliment to Pastor Woogy's writing style and clarity on some tough topics.
If you would like to purchase this book, go here: http://pastorwoogy.com/blurred-vision/
I volunteered to read his book Blurred Vision for review purposes. I thought I owed him that since he read a pre-release copy of mine. So, this blog post is a review of Blurred Vision.
The concept of Blurred Vision is to ask Christians if they are seeing things clearly when it comes to their relationship with Christ. In a world full distractions and different philosophies, it can be hard for Christians to see Jesus clearly. It is easy for Christians to veer off the straight and narrow. If you are a Christian that is dealing with these issues, then Blurred Vision is the book for you.
Pastor Woogy takes the reader on a journey through the basic tenets of the Christian faith, but looking at them through fresh eyes. He begins the book by challenging Christians' perspective on things. He asks whether followers of Christ are really seeing Christ for who he is and are their lives reflective of that. In order for Christ and following him to make sense, Christians' vision must be clear on who he is and what the faith is all about.
Pastor Woogy's take on Christianity is fresh and exciting. It is a take that needs to be heard across America in big churches and small churches. The Church in America tends to be all about our religion, but according to Pastor Woogy, Jesus did not die to start another religion. Woogy writes, "We talk a good game, know the right things to say, can pray nice-sounding prayers, and even quote scripture. Yet all too often we stop at only words" (Blurred Vision, p. 10). Pastor Woogy establishes early in his book that Christianity is not another religion; rather, it is a relationship with Christ that should not be defined by what we say, but also by what we do. And, this idea sets the stage for the rest of the book.
Throughout the rest of the book, Pastor Woogy takes a look at worship, treasures, faith, spiritual warfare, prayer, forgiveness, relationships, and truth. He explains each topic in light of not just talking the talk, but also walking the walk. He effectively argues that each tenet of the faith should go beyond what Christians do on Sunday mornings. Christianity is a tangible relationship with Christ and the reason being is so that others will be introduced to Jesus because of our clear vision of Jesus.
Without being too preachy or getting bogged down in deep theology, Pastor Woogy does a great job of explaining what follow Jesus is all about and challenges Christians' perspective on church and the faith. This book is a must read for a new believer or a seasoned believer. It is even a great read for one who might be exploring faith and even Christianity. It can be read by anyone without being confusing and this is a compliment to Pastor Woogy's writing style and clarity on some tough topics.
If you would like to purchase this book, go here: http://pastorwoogy.com/blurred-vision/
Friday, February 13, 2015
Letting go of hell?
Recently I read a blog post by Benjamin L. Corey that questioned the validity of the belief in an eternal hell. The post listed 25 verses that disproved the traditional view. You can read the post along with his whole series on hell here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/formerlyfundie/category/letting-go-of-hell-series/
There is a resurgence of an idea that all will be saved eventually and that hell is only a temporary stop on one's way to be saved. Here is the problem with letting go of the traditional belief in hell and embracing a more universal idea that hell is temporary and God will save all in the end eventually.
1. Without an eternal hell, eternal life is not a big deal.
Jesus came to die on the cross for the sins of the world. That is what is clearly taught in the Scriptures. If you don't have the time to look you can simply read John 3:16-17 because that is what those verses refer to. Now, if Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins and the penalty of those sins was just nonexistence, then it seems like a lot of effort for very little reward. Paul said in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Paul makes a distinction between the wages of sin and the gift of God. If the wage is less than the gift, it makes the gift seem outlandish. It makes it seem like Jesus was trying too hard. But, if the wages of sin is eternal death, then the gift of God looks amazing, awesome, great, etc. You get the picture. If Jesus' sacrifice does not save us from something horrible, then his sacrifice almost seems in vain.
2. Without hell, God ceases to be God.
We like to see God as a loving and gracious God, which He is, thankfully. But, we don't like to think of God as a judge, which he is, thankfully. Not only is God a judge, but he is a righteous judge. What this means is that God judges fairly. Now some may not agree with that because they will look at our faith in Jesus and the benefit of that faith and cry foul. They will look at our beliefs and say that God does not judge fairly because believing in Jesus gets us off the hook. But, Jesus shows just how fair God is in his judgment. What Jesus did on the cross was die in our place. Those who believe in Jesus are saved because Jesus took the punishment that we deserved. The wrath of God was poured out on Jesus because Jesus became the very thing that God hates, sin. II Corinthians 5:21 says, "God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Did you catch that? Jesus actually became sin for us. What this means is that the punishment our sins deserved was taken by Jesus. Isaiah 53:5 and 10 say, "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed...Yet is was the Lord's will to crush him...So, God treated sin like it should be treated, making him a just judge. So, if someone does not put their faith in Jesus, that person remains in their sin. So that person must face the just judge and receive what sins deserve. So, if there is no literal hell, then God is a liar and not a just judge. Imagine if a person murdered someone close to you and the judge said to him, "You know, it's okay. Just don't do it again. In fact, you'll never get in trouble for murder." Would you consider that judge just? Of course not. Then why should we expect God to be any different?
3. Temporary hell means we are saved by works.
If we believe that hell is just a temporary stop to purge all of the bad stuff out of us so that God will be pleased with us, then hell is nothing more than purgatory and we can be saved by our merit. That is completely contrary to Scripture. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you are saved and this not of yourselves for it is the gift of God not by works so that no man should boast." We are not saved by works, but by grace. We can do nothing to earn the favor of God, not in this life or in the next one. A temporary hell goes against the clear teaching of Scripture that we cannot save ourselves by earning salvation.
4. An eternal hell makes eternal life that much sweeter.
Jesus came to offer us a new life, an eternal life. Eternal life means nothing if the rejection of it means we cease to exist or that we can earn it in a temporary holding cell. When faced with the unimaginable, a way out looks that much sweeter. Now, that is not to say we should use hell to scare people into heaven. Those tactics do not work and our contrary to Scripture. Those are the tactics of the Westboro Baptist Church who I strongly oppose. But, the truth needs to be told and not just part of it. The whole truth needs to be told and even the harshest truth can be told in love. The reality is that the wages of our sin is death and that death will not end until we pay that wage. And, that is a wage we can never pay off. That is why Jesus came. He came to show us a better way. He came to show us a more excellent way. He came to show us that we could have life and have it to the full. He came to show us mercy, love, grace, forgiveness, light, etc. All of those things look so much sweeter when compared to the other side of the coin.
I am a pastor and I don't like talking about the reality of hell. But, I know that if I don't, then I will be withholding the truth. I want to make much of Jesus and in order to do that, I have to declare the whole counsel of God and not shrink from it (Acts 20:26-27). Some may say that I am intolerant and not with the times. Some may say that I hate people and do not love. Well, I love people too much to withhold life-saving information from them. Sometimes the truth is hard and it hurts, but the alternative is worse.
There is a resurgence of an idea that all will be saved eventually and that hell is only a temporary stop on one's way to be saved. Here is the problem with letting go of the traditional belief in hell and embracing a more universal idea that hell is temporary and God will save all in the end eventually.
1. Without an eternal hell, eternal life is not a big deal.
Jesus came to die on the cross for the sins of the world. That is what is clearly taught in the Scriptures. If you don't have the time to look you can simply read John 3:16-17 because that is what those verses refer to. Now, if Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins and the penalty of those sins was just nonexistence, then it seems like a lot of effort for very little reward. Paul said in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Paul makes a distinction between the wages of sin and the gift of God. If the wage is less than the gift, it makes the gift seem outlandish. It makes it seem like Jesus was trying too hard. But, if the wages of sin is eternal death, then the gift of God looks amazing, awesome, great, etc. You get the picture. If Jesus' sacrifice does not save us from something horrible, then his sacrifice almost seems in vain.
2. Without hell, God ceases to be God.
We like to see God as a loving and gracious God, which He is, thankfully. But, we don't like to think of God as a judge, which he is, thankfully. Not only is God a judge, but he is a righteous judge. What this means is that God judges fairly. Now some may not agree with that because they will look at our faith in Jesus and the benefit of that faith and cry foul. They will look at our beliefs and say that God does not judge fairly because believing in Jesus gets us off the hook. But, Jesus shows just how fair God is in his judgment. What Jesus did on the cross was die in our place. Those who believe in Jesus are saved because Jesus took the punishment that we deserved. The wrath of God was poured out on Jesus because Jesus became the very thing that God hates, sin. II Corinthians 5:21 says, "God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Did you catch that? Jesus actually became sin for us. What this means is that the punishment our sins deserved was taken by Jesus. Isaiah 53:5 and 10 say, "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed...Yet is was the Lord's will to crush him...So, God treated sin like it should be treated, making him a just judge. So, if someone does not put their faith in Jesus, that person remains in their sin. So that person must face the just judge and receive what sins deserve. So, if there is no literal hell, then God is a liar and not a just judge. Imagine if a person murdered someone close to you and the judge said to him, "You know, it's okay. Just don't do it again. In fact, you'll never get in trouble for murder." Would you consider that judge just? Of course not. Then why should we expect God to be any different?
3. Temporary hell means we are saved by works.
If we believe that hell is just a temporary stop to purge all of the bad stuff out of us so that God will be pleased with us, then hell is nothing more than purgatory and we can be saved by our merit. That is completely contrary to Scripture. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you are saved and this not of yourselves for it is the gift of God not by works so that no man should boast." We are not saved by works, but by grace. We can do nothing to earn the favor of God, not in this life or in the next one. A temporary hell goes against the clear teaching of Scripture that we cannot save ourselves by earning salvation.
4. An eternal hell makes eternal life that much sweeter.
Jesus came to offer us a new life, an eternal life. Eternal life means nothing if the rejection of it means we cease to exist or that we can earn it in a temporary holding cell. When faced with the unimaginable, a way out looks that much sweeter. Now, that is not to say we should use hell to scare people into heaven. Those tactics do not work and our contrary to Scripture. Those are the tactics of the Westboro Baptist Church who I strongly oppose. But, the truth needs to be told and not just part of it. The whole truth needs to be told and even the harshest truth can be told in love. The reality is that the wages of our sin is death and that death will not end until we pay that wage. And, that is a wage we can never pay off. That is why Jesus came. He came to show us a better way. He came to show us a more excellent way. He came to show us that we could have life and have it to the full. He came to show us mercy, love, grace, forgiveness, light, etc. All of those things look so much sweeter when compared to the other side of the coin.
I am a pastor and I don't like talking about the reality of hell. But, I know that if I don't, then I will be withholding the truth. I want to make much of Jesus and in order to do that, I have to declare the whole counsel of God and not shrink from it (Acts 20:26-27). Some may say that I am intolerant and not with the times. Some may say that I hate people and do not love. Well, I love people too much to withhold life-saving information from them. Sometimes the truth is hard and it hurts, but the alternative is worse.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Take Me to Church
Last night was the Grammys. My wife and I watched some of it, but not all of it because we have other, more pressing priorities (i.e. Walking Dead and Downton Abbey). One performance I did see was Hozier's performance of "Take Me to Church." I was interested in the performance because I wanted to know exactly what the song was about. I didn't catch all of the lyrics last night so I looked them up today.
The song is a metaphor about the singer leaving the faith of his youth. He uses the metaphor of a woman to represent his journey away from God so that he could reclaim his humanity. Hozier grew up in Ireland and what he remembers about church is that it was repressive and handed out burdens to people that they could not bear on their own. He did not speak of church in the light of grace, freedom, forgiveness, salvation, etc. Is this surprising that he would feel this way towards church? No.
Hozier wants to go to a church where he can be free to be who he is. Hozier said about the song, "It's an assertion of self, reclaiming humanity back for something that is the most natural and worthwhile" (quote taken from interview on http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=32921). Hozier sees humanity as the thing that is natural and worthwhile rather than church. And, honestly I can't blame him.
For too long the church has put more burdens on people than lead them to the lifter of burdens. Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day, "Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers" (Luke 11:46). What do you think Jesus would say to His church today? I think he might say something similar. Now, this is a generalization, but it needs to be heard. Not all churches are like this because there are many churches who are leading people to Jesus. But, the church as a whole in this country and in other countries has been putting burdens on people's shoulders rather than pointing them to Jesus who wants to take their burdens.
The song that Hozier sung last night at the Grammys should be a wake up call for the Church. Hozier represents a generation that sees the church as nothing but a burden that they don't want to bear. They see humanity as the end-all-be-all. Humanity has the answer for everything and this life is all we have. But, as Switchfoot says, "We were made for so much more, have we lost ourselves?" As humans we bear the image of God and as Christians we are clothed with Christ. Christ came to lift burdens because he said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls." Jesus came to lift the burdens of sin, guilt, shame, death, and more off of our shoulders. As his followers, why should we add burdens on people's shoulders? Jesus has taken our burdens and his shoulders are big enough to take other people's burdens.
The song is a metaphor about the singer leaving the faith of his youth. He uses the metaphor of a woman to represent his journey away from God so that he could reclaim his humanity. Hozier grew up in Ireland and what he remembers about church is that it was repressive and handed out burdens to people that they could not bear on their own. He did not speak of church in the light of grace, freedom, forgiveness, salvation, etc. Is this surprising that he would feel this way towards church? No.
Hozier wants to go to a church where he can be free to be who he is. Hozier said about the song, "It's an assertion of self, reclaiming humanity back for something that is the most natural and worthwhile" (quote taken from interview on http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=32921). Hozier sees humanity as the thing that is natural and worthwhile rather than church. And, honestly I can't blame him.
For too long the church has put more burdens on people than lead them to the lifter of burdens. Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day, "Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers" (Luke 11:46). What do you think Jesus would say to His church today? I think he might say something similar. Now, this is a generalization, but it needs to be heard. Not all churches are like this because there are many churches who are leading people to Jesus. But, the church as a whole in this country and in other countries has been putting burdens on people's shoulders rather than pointing them to Jesus who wants to take their burdens.
The song that Hozier sung last night at the Grammys should be a wake up call for the Church. Hozier represents a generation that sees the church as nothing but a burden that they don't want to bear. They see humanity as the end-all-be-all. Humanity has the answer for everything and this life is all we have. But, as Switchfoot says, "We were made for so much more, have we lost ourselves?" As humans we bear the image of God and as Christians we are clothed with Christ. Christ came to lift burdens because he said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls." Jesus came to lift the burdens of sin, guilt, shame, death, and more off of our shoulders. As his followers, why should we add burdens on people's shoulders? Jesus has taken our burdens and his shoulders are big enough to take other people's burdens.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Not Helping
For a little over five years, I have supported Answers in Genesis through my teaching and sharing their content with others. My family and I visited the Creation Museum in Kentucky a few years ago and I loved it. I thought it was a great museum and served as an alternative to evolutionary teaching. But, things change.
On New Year's Eve, Answers in Genesis paid for a billboard advertisement to promote the message of the cross. You can read about it here: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/slices/heres-controversial-billboard-answers-genesis-displaying-times-square-tonight.
The problem I have with this advertisement and some things that Ken Hamm and Answers in Genesis have done lately is that they are not helping the cause of Christ in a post-Christian world. They talk and act as though we are still living 20-30 years in the past. They paid for a billboard advertisement that didn't promote grace, but promoted picking a fight with the "liberals" of society. Did Jesus ever pick a fight with someone? Pretty sure it was the religious leaders of his day that picked fights with him.
I understand the motivation behind the project, but I don't think it was a good one. They want to defend Christian ideals and beliefs. In a sense they want to defend God, but when did God ever need defending?
The problems we face as Christians are mostly brought on by ourselves. We play the martyr card any chance we get. We think that if the Ten Commandments are taken down, then we are being persecuted. Or, whenever our moral beliefs are questioned or threatened, it is the second coming of Roman persecution. Didn't Jesus tell us in this world we would have trouble (John 16:33)?
We act like we are martyrs, but we are martyrs by our own hand. Things like putting a billboard in Times Square with the kind of message that AIG put on there is not helping the cause of Christ. It's pushing people away and alienating people who may identify themselves as "liberal" with their views and beliefs. We need to spend more time treating people as human beings not as labels. Jesus never labeled anyone. In fact, he said that he was sent into the world to save the world not condemn it (John 3:17).
Now I am not saying that we should not take stands for things that are against God and His word. We should, but not in a way that is going to alienate people from Christ. Our goal should be to bring people to Christ not push them away from him.
In a post-Christian world, we need to use our ears more than we use our mouths (for more insight into that click here: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/christian-mission-in-a-post-christian-world-interview). We need to listen to people before we start speaking at them because that is what we are doing far too often now, speaking at them rather than to them.
I don't mean to bash AIG because I still love some of the stuff they put out and have on their website. I love the scientific approach they take towards the book of Genesis. What I hope to do is to raise awareness of the harsh tactics that we as Christians have used in the past and are still using that are not working anymore. In fact, I don't know if they ever worked.
It's time to focus on the methods of Jesus. He took time to treat people as people. His first words to people were not condemnation. We are the messengers of Christ not his defenders. He faced trial and conviction without opening his mouth. He died on the cross and rose again from the dead without our help. I think he can handle defending himself now.
On New Year's Eve, Answers in Genesis paid for a billboard advertisement to promote the message of the cross. You can read about it here: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/slices/heres-controversial-billboard-answers-genesis-displaying-times-square-tonight.
The problem I have with this advertisement and some things that Ken Hamm and Answers in Genesis have done lately is that they are not helping the cause of Christ in a post-Christian world. They talk and act as though we are still living 20-30 years in the past. They paid for a billboard advertisement that didn't promote grace, but promoted picking a fight with the "liberals" of society. Did Jesus ever pick a fight with someone? Pretty sure it was the religious leaders of his day that picked fights with him.
I understand the motivation behind the project, but I don't think it was a good one. They want to defend Christian ideals and beliefs. In a sense they want to defend God, but when did God ever need defending?
The problems we face as Christians are mostly brought on by ourselves. We play the martyr card any chance we get. We think that if the Ten Commandments are taken down, then we are being persecuted. Or, whenever our moral beliefs are questioned or threatened, it is the second coming of Roman persecution. Didn't Jesus tell us in this world we would have trouble (John 16:33)?
We act like we are martyrs, but we are martyrs by our own hand. Things like putting a billboard in Times Square with the kind of message that AIG put on there is not helping the cause of Christ. It's pushing people away and alienating people who may identify themselves as "liberal" with their views and beliefs. We need to spend more time treating people as human beings not as labels. Jesus never labeled anyone. In fact, he said that he was sent into the world to save the world not condemn it (John 3:17).
Now I am not saying that we should not take stands for things that are against God and His word. We should, but not in a way that is going to alienate people from Christ. Our goal should be to bring people to Christ not push them away from him.
In a post-Christian world, we need to use our ears more than we use our mouths (for more insight into that click here: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/christian-mission-in-a-post-christian-world-interview). We need to listen to people before we start speaking at them because that is what we are doing far too often now, speaking at them rather than to them.
I don't mean to bash AIG because I still love some of the stuff they put out and have on their website. I love the scientific approach they take towards the book of Genesis. What I hope to do is to raise awareness of the harsh tactics that we as Christians have used in the past and are still using that are not working anymore. In fact, I don't know if they ever worked.
It's time to focus on the methods of Jesus. He took time to treat people as people. His first words to people were not condemnation. We are the messengers of Christ not his defenders. He faced trial and conviction without opening his mouth. He died on the cross and rose again from the dead without our help. I think he can handle defending himself now.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Who is in control?
Perhaps you have heard of the young woman named Brittany Maynard who was diagnosed with terminal cancer and has decided to end her own life. If you have not heard about this, you can read the story here: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/woman-brain-cancer-advocates-law-kill-article-1.1964843
Obviously this is a controversial decision. Both sides of the issue have weighed in. What makes this especially hard is the question, "Is this considered suicide?" Some may say that it is considered suicide while others, like Brittany, would absolutely refute that idea.
From a Christian perspective, is it ever okay with God to willing end your life? Now, I am not talking about giving into depression or mental illness. That is a different topic altogether that I dealt with in a blog about Robin Williams. You can read that one here: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4546903407907944360#editor/target=post;postID=3413520863858777831;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=3;src=postname
I know that God is a merciful God and does not like to see people suffer. My mom grew up as a nurse and would try to advocate on patients' behalves to their families to let their loved ones go if there was no medical hope for them. Does Brittany's situation fall under the same category? Psalm 139:16, a psalm of David, says, "...your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." God knows how long we will live and when we will die. But, does that mean that life and death are in our hands? Or does God control life and death?
If you were a Christian in Brittany's situation, what would you do? Would you want to end it all to avoid the certain horrible, painful death you would face? Or would you put your hope and trust and God?
Brittany's situation is a very tough one. I feel for her and her family. Her situation does bring up an interesting discussion about how we should respond to situations like this, especially as followers of Christ.
Obviously this is a controversial decision. Both sides of the issue have weighed in. What makes this especially hard is the question, "Is this considered suicide?" Some may say that it is considered suicide while others, like Brittany, would absolutely refute that idea.
From a Christian perspective, is it ever okay with God to willing end your life? Now, I am not talking about giving into depression or mental illness. That is a different topic altogether that I dealt with in a blog about Robin Williams. You can read that one here: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4546903407907944360#editor/target=post;postID=3413520863858777831;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=3;src=postname
I know that God is a merciful God and does not like to see people suffer. My mom grew up as a nurse and would try to advocate on patients' behalves to their families to let their loved ones go if there was no medical hope for them. Does Brittany's situation fall under the same category? Psalm 139:16, a psalm of David, says, "...your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." God knows how long we will live and when we will die. But, does that mean that life and death are in our hands? Or does God control life and death?
If you were a Christian in Brittany's situation, what would you do? Would you want to end it all to avoid the certain horrible, painful death you would face? Or would you put your hope and trust and God?
Brittany's situation is a very tough one. I feel for her and her family. Her situation does bring up an interesting discussion about how we should respond to situations like this, especially as followers of Christ.
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