Crossroads' Classics by Dan Reiland
[NOTE: The article below is from the Pastor's Coach, and contains several books to help Christians mature in their walk with Jesus.]
Crossroads is committed to helping people become mature followers of Jesus Christ. There are many ways to help accomplish this, including the printed word. Since we are always looking for the best resources to help people mature as Christians, we embarked on the challenging project of discovering a "short list" of books that have the highest impact on personal spiritual growth.
We are calling them Crossroads' Classics - a dozen books that the pastoral staff and other key leaders felt would best serve our community of believers. The list is so strong; we thought it wrong to keep it to ourselves!
In these books, from contemporary and classic authors, you will find a treasure chest of wisdom and insight covering a wide base of spiritual development for the believer. Most of these books are reasonably short, because we feel that brevity and simplicity are often the better teachers.
My prayer is that Jesus would bless and change you through these works of art as much or even more than he has blessed us, and that you may benefit from the wisdom these fellow journeymen share through their own printed page.
I want to give special thanks to Pastor John Lehmberg who played the lead role in helping me bring this project to the finish line. John is a friend and former staff member who now offers insightful and practical consultation for student ministry. Visit his website at www.makeitloud.org.
The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
The most quoted man and book throughout our entire list of Crossroads' Classics. During World War II, Bonhoeffer was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp and executed for his faith. A brief description of this book hardly does it justice in its value for a believer to learn what it means to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. Bonhoeffer's legacy and insights in faith will deeply bless you. This is one of the finest Christian books ever to go to print.
The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges.
This easy to read book, with teachings primarily from the book of Romans, focuses on engaging God and living for Him. It tackles why holiness is important and how it is achieved in day to day life. This book also gives practical evidence of holiness, without merely employing a "be moral" kind of dialogue. It is also emphasizes that living a holy and devout life from a centered heart is of great importance to one's personal faith development.
No Easy Road, Dick Eastman.
If prayer baffles you, or you are new to it, this book will truly bless you. Not mechanical in any way, it is centered on teaching you to be the kind of person God desires, so that prayer might be intimate, enjoyable, and effective. Eastman uses great analogies to help connect the dots for readers, making this book on prayer very easy to grasp.
The Sacred Romance, John Eldredge.
This book is an all around staff favorite that is destined to be a classic in Christian literature. Eldredge paints a masterful picture of the gospel. He provides a marvelous framework for Christianity and addresses the issue of why Christianity doesn't seem to "work" the way so many have hoped. This book helps new believers to see how God draws them to himself in loving friendship, and helps all Christians understand what it means to fight for our faith. It is an excellent foundational book, written from the heart to the heart.
Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster.
A fantastic book to help you develop the basic spiritual disciplines of Christian faith that are needed to fully engage and encounter God. In a world where many of our disciplines have been lost, Foster returns us in a contemporary way, to God, through prayer, fasting, and many of the other spiritual disciplines. This is a great book to help you understand and practice the disciplines, so that you might connect with God more deeply.
The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence.
So much wisdom can be found in this little book, from a very simple man who lived in the 17th Century. Brother Lawrence simply strived to continually be in the presence of God during the mundane and ordinary workings of his life. Packed with insight on connecting with God in everyday life, this is a book you will return to again and again.
Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis.
Do you consider yourself reasonably philosophical or intellectual? If so, Mere Christianity, or any of C.S. Lewis' work, is for you. You'll find it small, formidable, and thought provoking. Those who often find themselves asking the question "Why?" will love this book. Nothing Lewis writes is for the faint of heart, but of all of his writings on faith, this one is delightfully enlightening. You'll find wonders from a deeply intellectual thinker who is also an excellent study of human nature.
The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning.
If ever you've thought that you could not come to Christ because of your unworthiness - the "I'm too messed up" sort of thing, then this book is the perfect read. It articulates the deep love of God for you in a very real and personal way. Taking the reader through Christ's work, in plain language, Manning has a beautiful way of communicating the simple truths of God.
Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee.
A blessed tour through Ephesians, this book helps us understand our true identity, which is found only in Jesus. Identity is the cry of this generation - they need to know who they are in Christ, and what He has already accomplished in them in so that they might live in His completed work. Short yet profound, this 90 page book is full of insight!
The Return of the Prodigal Son, Henri Nouwen.
If Mere Christianity was a book for intellectuals, then this is a book for those who have an artistic bent, or simply find God speaking to them through a visual nature. As God is the Author of Life, he is also understood through artistic endeavor. Nouwen was so captured by a poster of Rembrandt's The Prodigal Son, that it started him on a personal spiritual pilgrimage with the Father through the story of the prodigal son in the scriptures. Nouwen's insights are contextualized within his descriptions of the painting. He describes how God speaks to him through the story of the prodigal son, whe! n he visits Russia to see the original work of art. A delightful read - an awe inspiring masterpiece that reminds you that you're God's child.
Desiring God, John Piper.
Insights abound in this book of great depth and interesting premise. Piper's approach is what he calls "Christian Hedonism" or finding pleasure in Christ. In a society so pleasure and thrill focused, it is an awesome experience to see someone addressing what it means to find pleasure in a relationship with Christ. With about 350 pages this book is our most lengthy entry on the list. It could be daunting to some, but is written conversationally and is very readable.
The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer.
This book could perhaps be best described by the title of Chapter 1 - "Following Hard After God." Intensity and Intimacy! Tozer takes you through what it means to understand God and pursue him, and how we are wired for relationship with Him. This is not a "how-to" book, but a fresh look at what it means to sit in intimate relationship with the Father, and is a worthy book to close out our list.
We hope that you and those you lead will find the joy and spiritual growth we have found within the pages of these uncommon and timeless books.
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
All Sins Forgiven?
According to the Bible, in the eyes of God, a sin is a sin is a sin. But, do we really believe that? I would say our actions and our words speak otherwise.
For example, just look at the debate about homosexuality in the context of religion. Homosexuality is a sin, obviously. But why do we concern ourself with it more than we do heterosexual adultery, lying, gossiping, cheating on our taxes. If we believe the Bible, then we would have to believe that all of these are equally wrong in the eyes of God.
Think about convicted killers. Do we really believe that Jeffrey Dahmer deserved forgiveness for the atrocities he committed? Do we really believe that his sins were no worse than the daily sins we commit? What about David Berkowitz, the notorious Son of Sam? He claims to now be a Christian, and has been interviewed on Focus on the Family. An article on Religion News Blog (link here) says that he now listens to the Son of God. Does it bother you that he is forgiven the same as you? Don't you feel that he should suffer more, do more, than us in order to obtain salvation?
Thankfully, that's not the case. Thankfully, we have God's grace and mercy for us all, regardless of the severity (in man's eyes) of the sins we have committed. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It doesn't matter if you miss it by a mile or by one inch -- you've still missed it. But God's grace and Jesus' blood takes care of our sins once and for all. Instead of being shocked or disbelieving the salvation of people like Jeffrey Dahmer and David Berkowitz, we should instead by praising our Lord and Savior for His incomparable grace and mercy available to us all and praising the Holy Spirit for His work in sanctifying and saving the saints.
According to the Bible, in the eyes of God, a sin is a sin is a sin. But, do we really believe that? I would say our actions and our words speak otherwise.
For example, just look at the debate about homosexuality in the context of religion. Homosexuality is a sin, obviously. But why do we concern ourself with it more than we do heterosexual adultery, lying, gossiping, cheating on our taxes. If we believe the Bible, then we would have to believe that all of these are equally wrong in the eyes of God.
Think about convicted killers. Do we really believe that Jeffrey Dahmer deserved forgiveness for the atrocities he committed? Do we really believe that his sins were no worse than the daily sins we commit? What about David Berkowitz, the notorious Son of Sam? He claims to now be a Christian, and has been interviewed on Focus on the Family. An article on Religion News Blog (link here) says that he now listens to the Son of God. Does it bother you that he is forgiven the same as you? Don't you feel that he should suffer more, do more, than us in order to obtain salvation?
Thankfully, that's not the case. Thankfully, we have God's grace and mercy for us all, regardless of the severity (in man's eyes) of the sins we have committed. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It doesn't matter if you miss it by a mile or by one inch -- you've still missed it. But God's grace and Jesus' blood takes care of our sins once and for all. Instead of being shocked or disbelieving the salvation of people like Jeffrey Dahmer and David Berkowitz, we should instead by praising our Lord and Savior for His incomparable grace and mercy available to us all and praising the Holy Spirit for His work in sanctifying and saving the saints.
Korean Citizen Beheaded in Iraq
Here is a story about Kim Sun-Il, who was an evangelical Christian ministering in Iraq. He was beheaded by terrorists yesterday.
Here is a story about Kim Sun-Il, who was an evangelical Christian ministering in Iraq. He was beheaded by terrorists yesterday.
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Satan's Plan for the Southern Man
Hi there, my name is Lucifer, and I'd like to give you a few pointers on being a true southern red-neck. Since you've already made up you mind to ignore God's instructions and live your own life, you might as well take a few tips from the old pro. After all, what have you got to lose? You're going to Hell anyway.
Hunt, Fish, and Be A Sports Fanatic
That's right. Since you don't have the guts to be a real man and obey God, waste as much time as possible on excessive hunting, fishing, and sports. This will allow you to feel like a man, and it will also keep your mind occupied so you won't have to think about your eternal home where there is no fishing, no sports, and the only thing you hunt for is water.
Don't Go to Church
Don't attend church services because other red-necks might think you're a sissy. I know the Bible says not to forsake the assembling of yourselves together (Heb. 10:25), but you aren't a Christian anyhow! Don't go to church.
If you do have to attend church services, due to family or social pressures, be sure you don't attend the one on the back of this pamphlet. Be sure to attend either a dead country church or a big liberal city church. The last thing you want is some preacher waving a King James Bible and telling you how to live. If you have to join a church, make sure you pick one where the preaching is soft and the teaching is shallow.
Don't Pray or Read the Bible
Just ignore I Thessalonians 5:17, and you've never even read Joshua 1:8 or Psalm 119:11. Forget it, man! You're not a servant of God, so why pray to Him? You're not going to obey His Book, so why read it? You're going to be a red-neck, remember? Let the wife and kids have God and the Bible, while you take care of the more important things like food, shelter, and clothing for your family.
Learn Some Real Dirty Jokes
Nothing will make you look more like a red-neck than a real nasty joke about sex, God, Jesus Christ, or preachers. All true red-necks have an arsenal of filthy jokes. Sure, you will be held accountable for every idle word you speak (Mat. 12:36), but what do you care? You're going to Hell anyway.
Don't Forget to Use Profanity
A true red-neck should never speak over sixty seconds without using a curse word. Words like "damn" and "hell" should be a regular part of your speech. Also, make it a habit to take God's name in vain regularly. This will really make you feel tough since the Bible says that God will hold you accountable for your dirty mouth (Exod. 20:7).
Be A Ladies' Man
Hey, you only live once so make the most of it. Flirt with the gals! Look'em over! Wink at them! Put your arm around them. Don't worry about God's commands against lust, fornication, and adultery (Gal. 5:19-21; Mat. 5:28; Exod. 20:14). There won't be any sex and pretty women in Hell, so enjoy life now!
Start Smoking and Drinking
Remember the beer commercial where the man says, "Hey, it doesn't get any better than this?" Well, he's right. For you, it only gets worse! Be a real red-neck! Start drinking, and get your tank full now, for there won't be any booze where you're going. If anyone complains, tell them that even Jesus drank wine. They'll never know you're lying.
Find Someone to Criticize
There are going to be times when you feel guilty for not giving your heart to Jesus Christ and serving Him. These guilt feelings can be a real nuisance, so you need to rid yourself of these feelings by focusing on some rascal who is more low-down than yourself. Complain about politics, rich people, murderers, rapists, and thieves. This will make you feel like a respectable man.
Use the Religious Hypocrites
Hey, what good are hypocrites if you can't use them, right? Religious hypocrites are your best excuse for not getting right with God! Every time a Christian talks to you about receiving Jesus Christ as your Saviour, just fuss about the hypocrites. Every time someone invites you to church, fuss about the hypocrites. You're going to wind up in Hell with the hypocrites (Rev. 20:15; Mat. 23:14), but you aren't there yet; so use them as your greatest excuse for rejecting God's Son and His plan for your life.
See how easy it is? Even you can be a devout red-neck! You can be a total disgrace to your Creator and a sorry example for your wife and children. Just follow these simple rules, and I'll see you and your buddies in Hell sooner than you think! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ...
The lord of your life,
Lucifer
P.S.! No matter what you do, DON'T read any further!
IF YOU WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN...
Friend, any fool can be a red-neck for the Devil, but it takes a real man to be a real Christian. Here's what God's word says...
YOU ARE A SINNER
"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.
"As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:10.
YOU WILL DIE A SINNER
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.
YOU WILL BE JUDGED A SINNER
"For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:14.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27.
WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST, YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED A SINNER
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9.
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:5.
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." Romans 10:3-4.
YOUR ONLY HOPE IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." John 14:6.
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.
The Lord Jesus Christ has come and PAID for your sins by shedding His own Blood on Calvary. By receiving Him as your Saviour, you can be WASHED from all your sins in His precious Blood (Rev. 1:5; Col. 1:14; Acts 20:28; I Pet. 1:18-19). Notice these important words from Romans 5:8-9: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."
Friend, Jesus Christ PAID your way to Heaven! By receiving Him as your Saviour, you will be receiving God's ONLY means of Salvation. Are you willing to forsake YOUR righteousness and receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour--your ONLY HOPE for Salvation?
Romans 10:13 says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:9 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Why not pray right now and ask the Lord to come into your heart and cleanse you from all sin? He will save you just as He promised.
If you've received Christ as your Saviour, start attending a Bible-believing church. Submit to believer's baptism, and become a faithful church member. Read your Bible and pray daily. Keep Jesus Christ FIRST in your life, because He kept YOU first on Calvary's cross.
Copyright © 1994 James L. Melton
Hi there, my name is Lucifer, and I'd like to give you a few pointers on being a true southern red-neck. Since you've already made up you mind to ignore God's instructions and live your own life, you might as well take a few tips from the old pro. After all, what have you got to lose? You're going to Hell anyway.
Hunt, Fish, and Be A Sports Fanatic
That's right. Since you don't have the guts to be a real man and obey God, waste as much time as possible on excessive hunting, fishing, and sports. This will allow you to feel like a man, and it will also keep your mind occupied so you won't have to think about your eternal home where there is no fishing, no sports, and the only thing you hunt for is water.
Don't Go to Church
Don't attend church services because other red-necks might think you're a sissy. I know the Bible says not to forsake the assembling of yourselves together (Heb. 10:25), but you aren't a Christian anyhow! Don't go to church.
If you do have to attend church services, due to family or social pressures, be sure you don't attend the one on the back of this pamphlet. Be sure to attend either a dead country church or a big liberal city church. The last thing you want is some preacher waving a King James Bible and telling you how to live. If you have to join a church, make sure you pick one where the preaching is soft and the teaching is shallow.
Don't Pray or Read the Bible
Just ignore I Thessalonians 5:17, and you've never even read Joshua 1:8 or Psalm 119:11. Forget it, man! You're not a servant of God, so why pray to Him? You're not going to obey His Book, so why read it? You're going to be a red-neck, remember? Let the wife and kids have God and the Bible, while you take care of the more important things like food, shelter, and clothing for your family.
Learn Some Real Dirty Jokes
Nothing will make you look more like a red-neck than a real nasty joke about sex, God, Jesus Christ, or preachers. All true red-necks have an arsenal of filthy jokes. Sure, you will be held accountable for every idle word you speak (Mat. 12:36), but what do you care? You're going to Hell anyway.
Don't Forget to Use Profanity
A true red-neck should never speak over sixty seconds without using a curse word. Words like "damn" and "hell" should be a regular part of your speech. Also, make it a habit to take God's name in vain regularly. This will really make you feel tough since the Bible says that God will hold you accountable for your dirty mouth (Exod. 20:7).
Be A Ladies' Man
Hey, you only live once so make the most of it. Flirt with the gals! Look'em over! Wink at them! Put your arm around them. Don't worry about God's commands against lust, fornication, and adultery (Gal. 5:19-21; Mat. 5:28; Exod. 20:14). There won't be any sex and pretty women in Hell, so enjoy life now!
Start Smoking and Drinking
Remember the beer commercial where the man says, "Hey, it doesn't get any better than this?" Well, he's right. For you, it only gets worse! Be a real red-neck! Start drinking, and get your tank full now, for there won't be any booze where you're going. If anyone complains, tell them that even Jesus drank wine. They'll never know you're lying.
Find Someone to Criticize
There are going to be times when you feel guilty for not giving your heart to Jesus Christ and serving Him. These guilt feelings can be a real nuisance, so you need to rid yourself of these feelings by focusing on some rascal who is more low-down than yourself. Complain about politics, rich people, murderers, rapists, and thieves. This will make you feel like a respectable man.
Use the Religious Hypocrites
Hey, what good are hypocrites if you can't use them, right? Religious hypocrites are your best excuse for not getting right with God! Every time a Christian talks to you about receiving Jesus Christ as your Saviour, just fuss about the hypocrites. Every time someone invites you to church, fuss about the hypocrites. You're going to wind up in Hell with the hypocrites (Rev. 20:15; Mat. 23:14), but you aren't there yet; so use them as your greatest excuse for rejecting God's Son and His plan for your life.
See how easy it is? Even you can be a devout red-neck! You can be a total disgrace to your Creator and a sorry example for your wife and children. Just follow these simple rules, and I'll see you and your buddies in Hell sooner than you think! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ...
The lord of your life,
Lucifer
P.S.! No matter what you do, DON'T read any further!
IF YOU WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN...
Friend, any fool can be a red-neck for the Devil, but it takes a real man to be a real Christian. Here's what God's word says...
YOU ARE A SINNER
"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.
"As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:10.
YOU WILL DIE A SINNER
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.
YOU WILL BE JUDGED A SINNER
"For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:14.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27.
WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST, YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED A SINNER
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9.
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:5.
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." Romans 10:3-4.
YOUR ONLY HOPE IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." John 14:6.
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.
The Lord Jesus Christ has come and PAID for your sins by shedding His own Blood on Calvary. By receiving Him as your Saviour, you can be WASHED from all your sins in His precious Blood (Rev. 1:5; Col. 1:14; Acts 20:28; I Pet. 1:18-19). Notice these important words from Romans 5:8-9: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."
Friend, Jesus Christ PAID your way to Heaven! By receiving Him as your Saviour, you will be receiving God's ONLY means of Salvation. Are you willing to forsake YOUR righteousness and receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour--your ONLY HOPE for Salvation?
Romans 10:13 says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:9 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Why not pray right now and ask the Lord to come into your heart and cleanse you from all sin? He will save you just as He promised.
If you've received Christ as your Saviour, start attending a Bible-believing church. Submit to believer's baptism, and become a faithful church member. Read your Bible and pray daily. Keep Jesus Christ FIRST in your life, because He kept YOU first on Calvary's cross.
Copyright © 1994 James L. Melton
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Follow-Up to Below Post
Wesley Putnam (link)has looked at the issue of a schism in our church because of a straying from our true biblical doctrines. He offers the following suggestions that are so good, I wanted to share them with you.
In the meantime, what can we do?
Be committed to earnest prayer for God's Spirit to lead us. As the Psalmist declared, “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless.” (Psalm 127:1) God is our hope for the miracle of revival. Paul prayed, “Now to the one who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine according to the power that is working among us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21) Pray that the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit will blow again across the United Methodist Church.
Be intentional in ministry to the sexually broken. Evangelical Christians need to be the ones reaching out to those dealing with AIDS and help them find the grace of a loving, forgiving God. It is not enough to simply condemn the sin. We are called to offer the transforming love of Christ to all who need it. They need to know there is a way out of this destructive lifestyle. Homosexual and heterosexual brokenness is a problem in the life of the church. There are wonderful tools available to help in outreach to all who need to experience His cleansing and freedom. Many are surprised to know that the success rate for those who seek help with sexual addictions is higher than that for treating alcoholism. There are dozens of wonderful organizations like Exodus International, Pure Life Ministries, and Transforming Congregations that are committed to this ministry and are anxious to partner with churches.
Work within the local church to inform the laity who are totally unaware of how serious the situation has become. If anything is going to change in the church, the laity must first become informed and then empowered to do something. One of the greatest enemies to renewal is ignorance. Although this is not the kind of information you splash across the entire congregation, it is vital that the leaders know what is happening. The people in key positions in the church need to be educated regarding the issues that face us.
Become more involved in the political processes in the church. Make sure your church's delegates to Annual Conference understand what is at stake as they represent your congregation. Work hard to elect delegates to Jurisdictional or General Conference whose votes will be faithful to Scripture. Pray that God will give us bishops who will not be mouthpieces of a misdirected culture, but defenders of the "faith once delivered to the saints." This year there will be over 20 new bishops elected. If most of these are evangelical, it could mean a positive shift in the council of bishops.
Get involved in the appointment process. The Staff Parish Relations Committee does have a say in who comes to your congregation. This may mean sitting down with the District Superintendent and a prospective pastor and asking some very pointed questions. It can no longer be assumed that just because a pastor is ordained, s/he can be trusted with the spiritual needs of your congregation.
If persons in your church are called into ministry, steer them toward a seminary like Asbury or Fuller, where they will be trained from a biblical, orthodox perspective. If they choose to go to one of our United Methodist seminaries, direct them to the evangelical professors who can help ground them in the faith.
Be responsible in your stewardship. This may mean taking a closer look at the way your apportionment monies are spent. Much of the agenda of the radical left is supported by the gifts from more conservative churches and conferences. The money is generally collected using the call to “denominational loyalty,” and “connectionalism.” Most United Methodists simply trust the system. Many an evangelical pastor pays apportionments even though some of the money goes to causes that are morally objectionable. H/She is intimidated into paying for fear of retribution by his/her bishop. Apportionments become the necessary fee for staying in an appointment. However, some churches have chosen to redirect their money to programs and missions that are more closely aligned with their beliefs. This has been a hard step taken by concerned laity in these churches. It has been an informed act of conscience, approached prayerfully and out of conviction, not out of spite or anger.
Get involved with and pray for the organizations working for renewal and reform, such as the Confessing Movement, Mission Society for United Methodists, Aldersgate Renewal Ministries, and Good News.
Pray that those who have chosen to take stands in opposition to Scripture and our Discipline will have the grace to change or to leave. Why would anyone want to stay in a denomination where they disagree on the basic statements of identity and purpose? Those who have pushed for over 30 years to shove this church off of her historic foundations should acknowledge they have failed to accomplish their goals and move on to a place where their beliefs are embraced.
Wesley Putnam (link)has looked at the issue of a schism in our church because of a straying from our true biblical doctrines. He offers the following suggestions that are so good, I wanted to share them with you.
In the meantime, what can we do?
Be committed to earnest prayer for God's Spirit to lead us. As the Psalmist declared, “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless.” (Psalm 127:1) God is our hope for the miracle of revival. Paul prayed, “Now to the one who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine according to the power that is working among us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21) Pray that the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit will blow again across the United Methodist Church.
Be intentional in ministry to the sexually broken. Evangelical Christians need to be the ones reaching out to those dealing with AIDS and help them find the grace of a loving, forgiving God. It is not enough to simply condemn the sin. We are called to offer the transforming love of Christ to all who need it. They need to know there is a way out of this destructive lifestyle. Homosexual and heterosexual brokenness is a problem in the life of the church. There are wonderful tools available to help in outreach to all who need to experience His cleansing and freedom. Many are surprised to know that the success rate for those who seek help with sexual addictions is higher than that for treating alcoholism. There are dozens of wonderful organizations like Exodus International, Pure Life Ministries, and Transforming Congregations that are committed to this ministry and are anxious to partner with churches.
Work within the local church to inform the laity who are totally unaware of how serious the situation has become. If anything is going to change in the church, the laity must first become informed and then empowered to do something. One of the greatest enemies to renewal is ignorance. Although this is not the kind of information you splash across the entire congregation, it is vital that the leaders know what is happening. The people in key positions in the church need to be educated regarding the issues that face us.
Become more involved in the political processes in the church. Make sure your church's delegates to Annual Conference understand what is at stake as they represent your congregation. Work hard to elect delegates to Jurisdictional or General Conference whose votes will be faithful to Scripture. Pray that God will give us bishops who will not be mouthpieces of a misdirected culture, but defenders of the "faith once delivered to the saints." This year there will be over 20 new bishops elected. If most of these are evangelical, it could mean a positive shift in the council of bishops.
Get involved in the appointment process. The Staff Parish Relations Committee does have a say in who comes to your congregation. This may mean sitting down with the District Superintendent and a prospective pastor and asking some very pointed questions. It can no longer be assumed that just because a pastor is ordained, s/he can be trusted with the spiritual needs of your congregation.
If persons in your church are called into ministry, steer them toward a seminary like Asbury or Fuller, where they will be trained from a biblical, orthodox perspective. If they choose to go to one of our United Methodist seminaries, direct them to the evangelical professors who can help ground them in the faith.
Be responsible in your stewardship. This may mean taking a closer look at the way your apportionment monies are spent. Much of the agenda of the radical left is supported by the gifts from more conservative churches and conferences. The money is generally collected using the call to “denominational loyalty,” and “connectionalism.” Most United Methodists simply trust the system. Many an evangelical pastor pays apportionments even though some of the money goes to causes that are morally objectionable. H/She is intimidated into paying for fear of retribution by his/her bishop. Apportionments become the necessary fee for staying in an appointment. However, some churches have chosen to redirect their money to programs and missions that are more closely aligned with their beliefs. This has been a hard step taken by concerned laity in these churches. It has been an informed act of conscience, approached prayerfully and out of conviction, not out of spite or anger.
Get involved with and pray for the organizations working for renewal and reform, such as the Confessing Movement, Mission Society for United Methodists, Aldersgate Renewal Ministries, and Good News.
Pray that those who have chosen to take stands in opposition to Scripture and our Discipline will have the grace to change or to leave. Why would anyone want to stay in a denomination where they disagree on the basic statements of identity and purpose? Those who have pushed for over 30 years to shove this church off of her historic foundations should acknowledge they have failed to accomplish their goals and move on to a place where their beliefs are embraced.
Whither Goes the Methodist Church?
As I have continued to read information on the wrap-up of General Conference and Annual Conference, some disturbing facts and trends continue to make themselves known. Our denomination appears to be in the middle of a shift. We are floundering about in the midst of a storm, and our anchor appears to be slipping. Let me give you a few examples.
First, the unity statement at General Conference. After a resounding vote affirming marriage as being between one man and one woman, General Conference delegates approved a resolution affirming our unity as one body. The purpose of the resolution was to demonstrate to the more liberal members of our denomination that Christ's love was for all. However, it came about as another statement of tolerance and left people feeling that all are welcome in the Methodist Church, regardless of doctrine or belief. That should not be the case. We are called to love the sinner, but hate the sin. If we start excusing sin in an effort to not hurt the feelings of the sinner, then we have failed the church and our Lord.
Second, according to Wesley Putnam (link), we have lost the equivalent of a 200-member church every single day for the past 30 years. Every time one of our liberal brethren put forth a protest or a doctrine contrary to those in the articles of religion in the Book of Discipline, we lose members. Every time the media reports that our denomination is struggling with the homosexual agenda and the ordination and appointment of homosexual pastors, we lose members. Every time our denomination boards issue statements opposing war in Iraq, efforts to reform welfare and immigration, and take up other liberal political causes, we lose members. However, statistics show that the majority of our denomination are conservative in religion and politics. So what is the problem? It is two-fold -- a lack of publicity over the true beliefs of the church, and a blowing in the wind by our leaders in the church. If we do not come out and take a strong stand in favor of biblical doctrines and in support of the articles of religion in our Book of Discipline, we will continue to see a decrease in membership in our denomination. Who wants to join a church that doesn't know where it is going and doesn't know what it believes in? While I don't agree with everything the Southern Baptists do, I do admire their steadfast adherence to the Gospel of Christ, in spite of cultural pressure to change.
As I have continued to read information on the wrap-up of General Conference and Annual Conference, some disturbing facts and trends continue to make themselves known. Our denomination appears to be in the middle of a shift. We are floundering about in the midst of a storm, and our anchor appears to be slipping. Let me give you a few examples.
First, the unity statement at General Conference. After a resounding vote affirming marriage as being between one man and one woman, General Conference delegates approved a resolution affirming our unity as one body. The purpose of the resolution was to demonstrate to the more liberal members of our denomination that Christ's love was for all. However, it came about as another statement of tolerance and left people feeling that all are welcome in the Methodist Church, regardless of doctrine or belief. That should not be the case. We are called to love the sinner, but hate the sin. If we start excusing sin in an effort to not hurt the feelings of the sinner, then we have failed the church and our Lord.
Second, according to Wesley Putnam (link), we have lost the equivalent of a 200-member church every single day for the past 30 years. Every time one of our liberal brethren put forth a protest or a doctrine contrary to those in the articles of religion in the Book of Discipline, we lose members. Every time the media reports that our denomination is struggling with the homosexual agenda and the ordination and appointment of homosexual pastors, we lose members. Every time our denomination boards issue statements opposing war in Iraq, efforts to reform welfare and immigration, and take up other liberal political causes, we lose members. However, statistics show that the majority of our denomination are conservative in religion and politics. So what is the problem? It is two-fold -- a lack of publicity over the true beliefs of the church, and a blowing in the wind by our leaders in the church. If we do not come out and take a strong stand in favor of biblical doctrines and in support of the articles of religion in our Book of Discipline, we will continue to see a decrease in membership in our denomination. Who wants to join a church that doesn't know where it is going and doesn't know what it believes in? While I don't agree with everything the Southern Baptists do, I do admire their steadfast adherence to the Gospel of Christ, in spite of cultural pressure to change.
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Another Homosexual Pastor Appointed to Lead Methodist Church
(From Seattle Times)
Third gay pastor named for Seattle Methodist church
By Janet I. Tu
Seattle Times staff reporter
In what could become another test of the United Methodist Church's stance on gay clergy, Bishop Elias Galvan of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference is appointing the Rev. Katie Ladd, a lesbian, pastor of Seattle's Woodland Park United Methodist Church.
She will become the third openly gay pastor associated with the church, succeeding as pastor there the Rev. Mark Williams and the Rev. Karen Dammann, both of whom made national headlines after they were accused of breaking church law prohibiting "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" from ministry.
Ladd's appointment could gauge where the denomination now stands on gay clergy, following the controversial March church-trial acquittal of Dammann and the gathering of worldwide Methodists last month that resulted in tighter rules against gay clergy.
"I'm not hoping to be a test case. I'm not hoping to be in the center of any furor," said Ladd, 35, who is now pastor at Crown Hill United Methodist Church.
"I simply want to be the best pastor I can for the people to whom I'm assigned and the church to which I'm appointed," said Ladd, who starts at her new church July 1.
Ladd succeeds Williams, who is leaving to pursue a master's degree in social work at the University of Washington. He remains a minister in good standing with the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference, which encompasses Washington and Northern Idaho.
Ladd disclosed she was gay at the conference's 2001 annual gathering, the same one where Williams also said he was gay. Church charges against Williams were dropped in 2002 after a church investigative panel decided it had insufficient evidence that he had violated church law.
Ladd's appointment comes at a time when the denomination is perhaps more sharply divided than ever on the issue of homosexuality.
That division was clear this year, after 13 fellow pastors acquitted Dammann of the charge of engaging in "practices declared by the United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teaching." The jury said Methodist laws and teachings against homosexual acts were not strong enough to constitute a declaration. That decision elated some and dismayed others.
Then at last month's gathering in Pittsburgh of the denomination's policy-making body, resolutions intended to broaden acceptance of gays and lesbians in the church were defeated, and delegates voted to affirm church teaching that gay sex is "incompatible with Christian teaching."
But delegates also resoundingly voted down a resolution for the denomination to split because of the rift over homosexuality.
Also at the Pittsburgh gathering, the church's highest court did not review Dammann's case, as some delegates had wanted. But it did issue decisions making it easier to enforce the ban on actively gay clergy.
The court declared that the practice of homosexuality is a chargeable offense for clergy and said that local bishops cannot appoint to ministry positions those found at church trials to be "self-avowed practicing homosexuals."
The Rev. Elaine Stanovsky, spokeswoman for the Northwest Conference, said Galvan and his cabinet are "not aware of any reason that Katie Ladd is not fully appointable within the church."
They know of no chargeable offenses against Ladd, she said. "In the United Methodist Church, the way the character of a clergyperson is reviewed is through a complaint process. There is not now, nor has there ever been, a complaint against Katie."
The bishop appointed Ladd to Woodland Park as he would any other minister, Stanovsky said, matching the gifts of the pastor with the needs of the congregation. "Katie Ladd's sexual orientation has never been the topic of conversation," she said.
Ladd said she disclosed she was gay three years ago because "it seemed like an appropriate and opportune time to add my voice to an ongoing conversation that we had been having in the annual conference around the issue of homosexuality. I wanted to be honest about who I am with my congregation and with my colleagues."
She doesn't believe she is violating any church laws.
Only a church trial court can determine if a member of the clergy is a "self-avowed practicing homosexual," she said. And she has never faced church trial.
Ladd said Woodland Park fits her calling to work with those on society's margins, such as disabled and homeless people. Her work as pastor at University Temple and Crown Hill United Methodist have both emphasized that.
"I hope that an effective pastor who has a love for this church, a love for the Gospel, a love for ministry is enough to be a pastor in this annual conference."
The Rev. Rick Vinther, pastor at Woodinville Community United Methodist Church and part of a group of local evangelical Methodists who want to make sure local leaders follow church laws and teachings on homosexuality, declined comment until he knew more about the situation.
Evangelical Methodists generally believe that the Bible says homosexual activity is a sin.
Karen Zeller Lane, a Woodland Park parishioner, said Ladd's sexual orientation is "simply a non-issue" for the congregation.
In their statement to the bishop on what they were looking for in a new pastor, members indicated "we would accept any minister in good standing, regardless of sexual orientation," Lane said. "I think there is enthusiasm and excitement for the skills that she brings. This church is extremely committed to justice and not just in the area of sexual minorities. We're committed to it in regards to all people who are marginalized. And Katie has a vast résumé in regard to the homeless and disadvantaged youths."
Williams, meanwhile, is pursuing a social-work degree because "it's complementary to my work in ministry and the work I feel called to do," he said. He isn't ruling out a return to being a church pastor after finishing school.
His work at Woodland Park, where he was appointed in 1999, has been rewarding, he said. But that work, combined with all the media attention since disclosing he is gay, has been taxing.
"I expect I will continue to be in that spotlight because of being an openly gay clergy person," he said. "But I need a break before I can return to that with my spirit in the right place."
Key dates
1996-1999: The Rev. Karen Dammann serves as pastor at Woodland Park United Methodist Church.
1999: The Rev. Mark Williams is appointed to Woodland Park United Methodist Church.
Feb. 2001: Dammann writes a letter to Bishop Elias Galvan saying she is living in a "partnered, covenanted, homosexual relationship."
June 2001: At the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference gathering, Williams says he is "a practicing gay man," and the Rev. Katie Ladd, then on leave, discloses that she is gay.
Nov. and Dec. 2001: Galvan, under church orders, files complaints against Dammann and Williams.
May 2002: The church dismisses its case against Williams after an investigative committee decides it has insufficient evidence that Williams violated church law.
Jan. 2004: After years of various church panels going back and forth on Dammann's case, an investigative committee forwards the case to trial.
March 2004: Dammann is acquitted at a church trial in Bothell.
May 2004: United Methodist Church's General Conference gathers in Pittsburgh. The denomination's high court declares homosexuality a chargeable offense for clergy and says local bishops cannot appoint those found in church trials to be "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" to ministry positions.
Janet I. Tu: 206-464-2272
(From Seattle Times)
Third gay pastor named for Seattle Methodist church
By Janet I. Tu
Seattle Times staff reporter
In what could become another test of the United Methodist Church's stance on gay clergy, Bishop Elias Galvan of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference is appointing the Rev. Katie Ladd, a lesbian, pastor of Seattle's Woodland Park United Methodist Church.
She will become the third openly gay pastor associated with the church, succeeding as pastor there the Rev. Mark Williams and the Rev. Karen Dammann, both of whom made national headlines after they were accused of breaking church law prohibiting "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" from ministry.
Ladd's appointment could gauge where the denomination now stands on gay clergy, following the controversial March church-trial acquittal of Dammann and the gathering of worldwide Methodists last month that resulted in tighter rules against gay clergy.
"I'm not hoping to be a test case. I'm not hoping to be in the center of any furor," said Ladd, 35, who is now pastor at Crown Hill United Methodist Church.
"I simply want to be the best pastor I can for the people to whom I'm assigned and the church to which I'm appointed," said Ladd, who starts at her new church July 1.
Ladd succeeds Williams, who is leaving to pursue a master's degree in social work at the University of Washington. He remains a minister in good standing with the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference, which encompasses Washington and Northern Idaho.
Ladd disclosed she was gay at the conference's 2001 annual gathering, the same one where Williams also said he was gay. Church charges against Williams were dropped in 2002 after a church investigative panel decided it had insufficient evidence that he had violated church law.
Ladd's appointment comes at a time when the denomination is perhaps more sharply divided than ever on the issue of homosexuality.
That division was clear this year, after 13 fellow pastors acquitted Dammann of the charge of engaging in "practices declared by the United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teaching." The jury said Methodist laws and teachings against homosexual acts were not strong enough to constitute a declaration. That decision elated some and dismayed others.
Then at last month's gathering in Pittsburgh of the denomination's policy-making body, resolutions intended to broaden acceptance of gays and lesbians in the church were defeated, and delegates voted to affirm church teaching that gay sex is "incompatible with Christian teaching."
But delegates also resoundingly voted down a resolution for the denomination to split because of the rift over homosexuality.
Also at the Pittsburgh gathering, the church's highest court did not review Dammann's case, as some delegates had wanted. But it did issue decisions making it easier to enforce the ban on actively gay clergy.
The court declared that the practice of homosexuality is a chargeable offense for clergy and said that local bishops cannot appoint to ministry positions those found at church trials to be "self-avowed practicing homosexuals."
The Rev. Elaine Stanovsky, spokeswoman for the Northwest Conference, said Galvan and his cabinet are "not aware of any reason that Katie Ladd is not fully appointable within the church."
They know of no chargeable offenses against Ladd, she said. "In the United Methodist Church, the way the character of a clergyperson is reviewed is through a complaint process. There is not now, nor has there ever been, a complaint against Katie."
The bishop appointed Ladd to Woodland Park as he would any other minister, Stanovsky said, matching the gifts of the pastor with the needs of the congregation. "Katie Ladd's sexual orientation has never been the topic of conversation," she said.
Ladd said she disclosed she was gay three years ago because "it seemed like an appropriate and opportune time to add my voice to an ongoing conversation that we had been having in the annual conference around the issue of homosexuality. I wanted to be honest about who I am with my congregation and with my colleagues."
She doesn't believe she is violating any church laws.
Only a church trial court can determine if a member of the clergy is a "self-avowed practicing homosexual," she said. And she has never faced church trial.
Ladd said Woodland Park fits her calling to work with those on society's margins, such as disabled and homeless people. Her work as pastor at University Temple and Crown Hill United Methodist have both emphasized that.
"I hope that an effective pastor who has a love for this church, a love for the Gospel, a love for ministry is enough to be a pastor in this annual conference."
The Rev. Rick Vinther, pastor at Woodinville Community United Methodist Church and part of a group of local evangelical Methodists who want to make sure local leaders follow church laws and teachings on homosexuality, declined comment until he knew more about the situation.
Evangelical Methodists generally believe that the Bible says homosexual activity is a sin.
Karen Zeller Lane, a Woodland Park parishioner, said Ladd's sexual orientation is "simply a non-issue" for the congregation.
In their statement to the bishop on what they were looking for in a new pastor, members indicated "we would accept any minister in good standing, regardless of sexual orientation," Lane said. "I think there is enthusiasm and excitement for the skills that she brings. This church is extremely committed to justice and not just in the area of sexual minorities. We're committed to it in regards to all people who are marginalized. And Katie has a vast résumé in regard to the homeless and disadvantaged youths."
Williams, meanwhile, is pursuing a social-work degree because "it's complementary to my work in ministry and the work I feel called to do," he said. He isn't ruling out a return to being a church pastor after finishing school.
His work at Woodland Park, where he was appointed in 1999, has been rewarding, he said. But that work, combined with all the media attention since disclosing he is gay, has been taxing.
"I expect I will continue to be in that spotlight because of being an openly gay clergy person," he said. "But I need a break before I can return to that with my spirit in the right place."
Key dates
1996-1999: The Rev. Karen Dammann serves as pastor at Woodland Park United Methodist Church.
1999: The Rev. Mark Williams is appointed to Woodland Park United Methodist Church.
Feb. 2001: Dammann writes a letter to Bishop Elias Galvan saying she is living in a "partnered, covenanted, homosexual relationship."
June 2001: At the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference gathering, Williams says he is "a practicing gay man," and the Rev. Katie Ladd, then on leave, discloses that she is gay.
Nov. and Dec. 2001: Galvan, under church orders, files complaints against Dammann and Williams.
May 2002: The church dismisses its case against Williams after an investigative committee decides it has insufficient evidence that Williams violated church law.
Jan. 2004: After years of various church panels going back and forth on Dammann's case, an investigative committee forwards the case to trial.
March 2004: Dammann is acquitted at a church trial in Bothell.
May 2004: United Methodist Church's General Conference gathers in Pittsburgh. The denomination's high court declares homosexuality a chargeable offense for clergy and says local bishops cannot appoint those found in church trials to be "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" to ministry positions.
Janet I. Tu: 206-464-2272
Monday, June 14, 2004
Final Report from South Georgia Annual Conference
(From the South Georgia UMC Website)
South Georgia Annual Conference
Wrap-up
South Georgia Annual Conference
June 6-9, 2004, Macon
Faithful, fruitful and bold were the words resonating through the halls at the South Georgia Annual Conference as members celebrated what God is doing in and through South Georgia United Methodists. The conference convened at the Macon Centreplex June 6-9.
“Live the Vision: Faithful, Fruitful and Bold” was this year’s theme, which follows up from the 2003 session when God’s vision for South Georgia United Methodism was articulated and embraced.
There was a sense of excitement as members heard nine “Vision Celebration Moments” scattered throughout the agenda. These moments provided a sample of the dynamic work God is doing in churches of all sizes and locations and in the various conference ministries that flow out of South Georgia United Methodism.
Members also spent time together in worship with Bishop Paul A. Duffey, retired Bishop. Bishop Duffey was the pastor at Dothan First UMC in the Alabama-West Florida Conference when South Georgia’s own Bishop B. Michael Watson answered the call to ministry. Bishop Duffey preached at both the opening worship service Monday morning and the Monday night ordination service.
Also this year, in conjunction with Annual Conference, nearly sixty youth participated in “Mission Macon,” a service project camp. These youth worked in various setting throughout the community painting houses, feeding the homeless, landscaping, and conducting activities for mentally handicapped individuals. On Tuesday evening, over 500 youth gathered for the first ever Annual Conference Youth Rally. The David Crowder Band led worship and Doug Herman brought the message. A youth presence was further felt as the conference’s summer youth leadership team led the morning worship services at Annual Conference.
In other actions, members:
Engaged in two interactive Bible studies on faithful stewardship led by the Rev. Mike Ricker, clergy member of the South Georgia Conference.
Presented the Rev. Daniel Wandabula, dean of superintendents of the United Methodist Church in Uganda, over $48,000 for Humble Place. Humble Place is a mission devoted to the construction and operation of a comprehensive living facility for orphans in Uganda, East Africa. This money was a collective offering from churches all over South Georgia.
Elected leaders for the next quadrennium.
Approved a budget of $11 million.
Celebrated the progress being made in new and revitalized congregational development, including ten Hispanic ministries.
Presented the Rev. Jim Giddens and Dr. Charlene Black the Denman evangelism awards.
Heard a report from the General Conference delegation. The delegation expressed their continued support for the conference’s Episcopal nominee, the Rev. James Swanson. Rev. Swanson is the first African American to be nominated as a candidate from South Georgia and was also the first African American to lead the delegation to General Conference.
Recognized the faithful service of former staff members and committee members of the Council on Ministries. Last year the conference voted to restructure, replacing the Council on Ministries with the Office of Connectional Ministries.
Passed a resolution expressing support for laws which define marriage as existing only between one man and one woman.
Received $10,156 from the United Methodist Publishing House for the pension fund and then voted to give this money to be utilized for clergy pensions in the central conferences.
Six people were commissioned, and seventeen were ordained – nine as full elders, one as full deacon, three as probationary deacons, and four as associate member deacons. Fifteen pastors retired, and three were recognized for achieving their 50th anniversary in ministry.
Membership stands at 139,917, down 1,419 from the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 53,537, up 145.
(From the South Georgia UMC Website)
South Georgia Annual Conference
Wrap-up
South Georgia Annual Conference
June 6-9, 2004, Macon
Faithful, fruitful and bold were the words resonating through the halls at the South Georgia Annual Conference as members celebrated what God is doing in and through South Georgia United Methodists. The conference convened at the Macon Centreplex June 6-9.
“Live the Vision: Faithful, Fruitful and Bold” was this year’s theme, which follows up from the 2003 session when God’s vision for South Georgia United Methodism was articulated and embraced.
There was a sense of excitement as members heard nine “Vision Celebration Moments” scattered throughout the agenda. These moments provided a sample of the dynamic work God is doing in churches of all sizes and locations and in the various conference ministries that flow out of South Georgia United Methodism.
Members also spent time together in worship with Bishop Paul A. Duffey, retired Bishop. Bishop Duffey was the pastor at Dothan First UMC in the Alabama-West Florida Conference when South Georgia’s own Bishop B. Michael Watson answered the call to ministry. Bishop Duffey preached at both the opening worship service Monday morning and the Monday night ordination service.
Also this year, in conjunction with Annual Conference, nearly sixty youth participated in “Mission Macon,” a service project camp. These youth worked in various setting throughout the community painting houses, feeding the homeless, landscaping, and conducting activities for mentally handicapped individuals. On Tuesday evening, over 500 youth gathered for the first ever Annual Conference Youth Rally. The David Crowder Band led worship and Doug Herman brought the message. A youth presence was further felt as the conference’s summer youth leadership team led the morning worship services at Annual Conference.
In other actions, members:
Engaged in two interactive Bible studies on faithful stewardship led by the Rev. Mike Ricker, clergy member of the South Georgia Conference.
Presented the Rev. Daniel Wandabula, dean of superintendents of the United Methodist Church in Uganda, over $48,000 for Humble Place. Humble Place is a mission devoted to the construction and operation of a comprehensive living facility for orphans in Uganda, East Africa. This money was a collective offering from churches all over South Georgia.
Elected leaders for the next quadrennium.
Approved a budget of $11 million.
Celebrated the progress being made in new and revitalized congregational development, including ten Hispanic ministries.
Presented the Rev. Jim Giddens and Dr. Charlene Black the Denman evangelism awards.
Heard a report from the General Conference delegation. The delegation expressed their continued support for the conference’s Episcopal nominee, the Rev. James Swanson. Rev. Swanson is the first African American to be nominated as a candidate from South Georgia and was also the first African American to lead the delegation to General Conference.
Recognized the faithful service of former staff members and committee members of the Council on Ministries. Last year the conference voted to restructure, replacing the Council on Ministries with the Office of Connectional Ministries.
Passed a resolution expressing support for laws which define marriage as existing only between one man and one woman.
Received $10,156 from the United Methodist Publishing House for the pension fund and then voted to give this money to be utilized for clergy pensions in the central conferences.
Six people were commissioned, and seventeen were ordained – nine as full elders, one as full deacon, three as probationary deacons, and four as associate member deacons. Fifteen pastors retired, and three were recognized for achieving their 50th anniversary in ministry.
Membership stands at 139,917, down 1,419 from the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 53,537, up 145.
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
The Purpose of Discipleship
I ran across this (long) article by John Ortberg today and thought it tied in well with our study on the Purpose-Driven Life. I have posted it below for your reading pleasure.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
True (and False) Transformation
Two counterfeit forms of spiritual maturity, and one way to find the real thing.
by John Ortberg (from "Leadership Journal, Summer 2002)
Hank had been a Christian for 50 years. By the time I came to pastor Hank's church, he was an old cranky guy. He had been a member there since he was a young cranky guy.
Hank complained about his family, he complained about his job, and one day, he began to complain about the church's music. He stopped people in the church lobby—visitors, strangers—and said, "Don't you think the music in this church is too loud?" We sat him down and told him he had to stop that. I figured that was the end of it.
Several weeks later, I got a visit from a man from OSHA, the government agency that oversees safety in workplaces. I wondered, Why is someone from OSHA here to see me?
He began explaining dangerous decibel levels at airports and rock concerts. Then I realized what had happened. Hank couldn't get satisfaction anywhere else, so he called OSHA to report that the church's music was too loud!
I started laughing. I apologized to the OSHA agent for making light of the situation, but it just struck me as silly. The agent said, "You think you feel silly? Do you have any idea how much abuse I've taken at OSHA since everyone found out I was busting a church?"
Fifty years in the church hadn't brought a smile to Hank. He was just as grumpy as he had always been, maybe more.
How can we help people like Hank grow to be more like Christ?
Great expectations
Hank's lack of joy wasn't only his fault. He hadn't changed, perhaps because we didn't expect him to. We expected him to attend, to tithe, to serve, and to stay away from certain scandalous things. But we didn't expect transformation, significant change on the inside and outside.
Unfortunately, we hadn't helped him to change, either.
In Romans 12:2, "Be transformed by the renewing of your minds," the word translated transformed is metamorphoo, from which we get metamorphosis. Paul uses a variant of that word in Galatians 4:19, "Until Christ is formed in you" (emphasis added). The transformation God desires for us is a process of morphing into Christlikeness.
My son was once obsessed with the television show, The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The teenagers on this show would yell, "It's morphing time," and then they would receive power to do extraordinary things.
I liked that so much I tried to use it at Hank's church. It wasn't a liturgical congregation, but I tried to teach the people a liturgy where I would say, "Let us morph." The people were supposed to respond, "We shall morph, indeed." They encouraged me to move to Chicago not long after that.
But for Christians, it is morphing time. When Jesus told us the kingdom of God was at hand, he wasn't referring to a someday promise beyond the pearly gates. The kingdom is supposed to be marked by changed lives and by the fruit of the spirit—love, joy, peace, and so on. But our churches and pulpits are filled with people who, under the surface, are just as anxious or driven or unsettled or angry or unhappy or ego-fed as anyone outside the church.
Why aren't the people of the kingdom morphing?
Some years ago, a Christian leader wrote, "One assumption in particular has haunted me throughout my Christian experience—the assumption of the changed life. I was taught that if I was a Christian, people would see a marked difference in my life. I was taught that the closer I was to God, the more spiritual I was, the greater and more visible the difference would be. I believed that Christianity would change you outside, not just inside.
"I don't believe that anymore."
He isn't the only one that's given up. Spiritual transformation is missing in many churches because failure in the pursuit of it has caused us to settle for less. At least two common counterfeits are passed off as transformation.
Settling for the minimum
Sometimes we mistakenly think the Christian life is primarily about entrance to heaven. We're content with conversion when God is calling for transformation. Rather than expecting the kingdom of God to revolutionize lives today, we hope it will happen in heaven tomorrow.
Somewhere along the line we swapped out Jesus' gospel—through him we can be transformed into citizens of the kingdom of God, right now, today—for a gospel of heaven's minimum entrance requirement.
The difference is illustrated in a scene from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As King Arthur and his knights seek the Holy Grail, they come to a bridge that spans an abyss "of eternal peril." A bridge keeper allows people to cross this bridge only if they can answer three questions. Get one wrong, and you're tossed into the pit.
Lancelot is the first to test the bridge keeper. The keeper asks him, "What is your name?" Lancelot answers.
"What is your quest?"
Lancelot answers, "To seek the Holy Grail."
"What is your favorite color?"
"Blue."
"Right," says the bridge keeper, "off you go." Lancelot crosses the bridge, amazed this was so easy.
The second knight similarly states his name and quest. But the third question is now, "What is the capital of Assyria?"
"I don't know that."
Suddenly the knight is hurled, screaming, into the abyss.
The third knight, Sir Galahad, is nervous as he's asked his name and quest, but he answers correctly.
"What is your favorite color?"
Sir Galahad panics. "Blue … no, yellow. Aaaaahhhh," he screams as he is hurled into the pit.
Finally, the king steps up. "What is your name?"
"Arthur, king of the Britains."
"What is your quest?"
"To seek the Holy Grail."
"What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" (Don't ask. It's a goofy theme that runs throughout the movie.)
"What do you mean," asks Arthur, "an African or European swallow?"
"What? I don't know that," answers the bridge keeper, who immediately is launched into the abyss. Arthur and his followers thereafter cross the bridge unhindered.
Many people's idea of the gospel is that some day we'll get to the bridge to paradise and be asked, "Why should you be allowed to cross?" As long as we answer correctly, we make it across. Answer wrongly, and we're cast into the abyss. The gospel is redefined to be the announcement of the minimal entrance requirements for getting into heaven.
In Hank's church, this is all we asked of him. He knew the words. He knew what his standing before God was based on. But we didn't know how to transform his life.
Jesus never said, "Now I'm going to tell you what you need to say to get into heaven when you die." The gospel writers make it clear that Jesus' good news was that we no longer have to live in the guilt, failure, and impotence of our own strength. The transforming presence and power of God is available through Christ, right here, right now. To live in that power, you must become his disciple, or as Dallas Willard captures it, his apprentice.
Unfortunately, too many apprentices are burning out because they're seeking spiritual transformation the wrong way.
Only looking the part
A second counterfeit form of spiritual maturity is outward appearance.
In his commentary on Romans, James Dunne noted that first-century rabbinic writing focused on dietary law, circumcision, and Sabbath keeping. Why would the rabbis spend so much time on these ancillary aspects of the faith?
Because all groups want to define who is in the group and who is out. Groups tend to establish "boundary markers" to make this distinction. Sociologists define these markers as highly visible, relatively superficial practices—like dietary laws and Sabbath customs.
Conforming to boundary markers too often substitutes for authentic transformation.
The church I grew up in had its boundary markers. A prideful or resentful pastor could have kept his job, but if ever the pastor was caught smoking a cigarette, he would've been fired. Not because anyone in the church actually thought smoking a worse sin than pride or resentment, but because smoking defined who was in our subculture and who wasn't—it was a boundary marker.
As I was growing up, having a "quiet time" became a boundary marker, a measure of spiritual growth. If someone had asked me about my spiritual life, I would immediately think, Have I been having regular and lengthy quiet time? My initial thought was not, Am I growing more loving toward God and toward people?
Doctrine can also be a boundary marker. Dallas Willard said, "One of the hardest things in the world is to be right and not to hurt anybody with it. Yet Jesus was always right, and he never hurt anybody with it."
Boundary markers change from culture to culture, but the dynamic remains the same. If people do not experience authentic transformation, then their faith will deteriorate into a search for the boundary markers that masquerade as evidence of a changed life.
A pastor once asked me, "Isn't your church worldly?"
"What do you mean by worldly?" I asked him.
He answered, "People in the world listen to contemporary music, and you use contemporary music in your church. People in the world use drama, and you use drama. Everybody knows that Christians should be different from non-Christians by being more loving and joyful and all that stuff, but everybody knows we're not. So shouldn't we do something to make ourselves different?"
I felt like saying, "In other words, if we can't be holy, then we should at least be weird?"
Where people are not growing more loving and joyful and truthful and compassionate, Christians have often tried to look different in other areas—weird boundaries disguised as holy differences.
Doctrine, behavioral standards, and even sanctified peculiarities may identify who's in the club, but they also present a façade of pseudo-transformation, masking an unchanged life within. Authentic transformation happens a different way.
The way to transformation
When Paul writes about being "morphed" in Romans 12:2, he gives a command, but in passive voice. He doesn't say, "Transform yourself"; he says, "Be transformed." We can't make transformation happen ourselves; it is something God does to us. But what then is our role in it—personally and in our churches?
1 Corinthians 9:25 says, "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." Here is the reason many people give up on transformation or accept boundary markers as pseudo-transformation: we spend ourselves trying to be transformed, when the Bible calls us to train to be transformed.
There is an enormous difference between trying to do something versus training to do it. Take for example a marathon. How many of us could run a marathon right now? Even if we tried, really, really hard? But many of us could run a marathon eventually, if instead we trained for it.
While I cannot speak Russian, no matter how hard I try, I can be transformed into a fluent Russian-speaker with training. I'll need to pass my eyes before a new alphabet over and over. I'll need to recite with my mouth and with my mind a new vocabulary. Eventually, the training will allow me to become a new speaker.
Training means arranging life around those activities that enable us to do what we cannot do now, even by extreme effort. Significant human transformation always involves training, not just trying.
Too often in our churches, people hear us talk about what an amazing person Jesus is. They leave thinking, I've got to try hard to be like him. We're unwittingly setting them up for frustration. When the trying proves ineffective, they eventually quit or rely on external trivialities to pretend they're transformed.
Authentic spiritual transformation begins with training, with discipline. As we train ourselves in godliness, we begin to overcome the limits of sinful patterns. The purpose of that discipline is always freedom—training myself to be free of the obstacles that hinder my transformation.
Two types of training
The training required varies from one person to the next, depending on maturity and the particular sins that need to be addressed. Sins can be loosely divided into two categories: sins of omission (not doing what I ought) and sins of commission (doing what I shouldn't).
Dallas Willard wrote in The Spirit of the Disciplines (Word, 1988) that the spiritual disciplines, the tools of training, can be divided into two corresponding categories: disciplines of engagement, like worship or study or prayer; and disciplines of abstinence, like fasting or solitude or silence.
There is a connection between the type of sins that I wrestle with, areas in which I need to grow, and the disciplines that will train me for transformation in that area. As a general rule, if I'm struggling with sins of commission, then the disciplines of abstinence train me. For example, if I struggle with gossip, the discipline of silence trains my mouth not to speak unbridled.
Likewise the disciplines of engagement train us against the sins of omission. For example, cranky Hank was omitting joy. The discipline of intentional celebration—engaging in activities that celebrate God, life, creation, and other people, and thanking and praising God for all of it—will train Hank toward a life of joy. Hank may not see the results of this training immediately, but that's the way to rearrange his life around opportunities for the Spirit to increase his joy.
If you are struggling with impatience, training may mean rearranging life around opportunities for the Spirit to increase your patience. Deliberately drive in the slow lane on the freeway. Purposely get in the longer line at the grocery store.
If the Holy Spirit is calling you to break patterns of sin, merely trying leads to frustration, but deliberately training leads to change.
Spiritual transformation is a long-term endeavor. It involves both God and us. I liken it to crossing an ocean. Some people try, day after day, to be good, to become spiritually mature. That's like taking a rowboat across the ocean. It's exhausting and usually unsuccessful.
Others have given up trying and throw themselves entirely on "relying on God's grace." They're like drifters on a raft. They do nothing but hang on and hope God gets them there.
Neither trying nor drifting are very effective in bringing about spiritual transformation. A better image the sailboat, in which if it moves at all, it's a gift of the wind. We can't control the wind, but a good sailor discerns where the wind is blowing and adjusts the sails accordingly.
Working with the Holy Spirit, which Jesus likened to the wind in John 3, means we have a part in discerning the winds, in knowing the direction we need to go, and in training our sails to catch the breezes that God provides.
That's true transformation.
John Ortberg will be a speaker at the 2003 National Pastors Convention. Visit www.nationalpastorsconvention.com for more information.
Copyright © 2002 by the author or Christianity Today International/Leadership Journal.
Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.
Summer 2002, Vol. XXIV, No. 3, Page 100
I ran across this (long) article by John Ortberg today and thought it tied in well with our study on the Purpose-Driven Life. I have posted it below for your reading pleasure.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
True (and False) Transformation
Two counterfeit forms of spiritual maturity, and one way to find the real thing.
by John Ortberg (from "Leadership Journal, Summer 2002)
Hank had been a Christian for 50 years. By the time I came to pastor Hank's church, he was an old cranky guy. He had been a member there since he was a young cranky guy.
Hank complained about his family, he complained about his job, and one day, he began to complain about the church's music. He stopped people in the church lobby—visitors, strangers—and said, "Don't you think the music in this church is too loud?" We sat him down and told him he had to stop that. I figured that was the end of it.
Several weeks later, I got a visit from a man from OSHA, the government agency that oversees safety in workplaces. I wondered, Why is someone from OSHA here to see me?
He began explaining dangerous decibel levels at airports and rock concerts. Then I realized what had happened. Hank couldn't get satisfaction anywhere else, so he called OSHA to report that the church's music was too loud!
I started laughing. I apologized to the OSHA agent for making light of the situation, but it just struck me as silly. The agent said, "You think you feel silly? Do you have any idea how much abuse I've taken at OSHA since everyone found out I was busting a church?"
Fifty years in the church hadn't brought a smile to Hank. He was just as grumpy as he had always been, maybe more.
How can we help people like Hank grow to be more like Christ?
Great expectations
Hank's lack of joy wasn't only his fault. He hadn't changed, perhaps because we didn't expect him to. We expected him to attend, to tithe, to serve, and to stay away from certain scandalous things. But we didn't expect transformation, significant change on the inside and outside.
Unfortunately, we hadn't helped him to change, either.
In Romans 12:2, "Be transformed by the renewing of your minds," the word translated transformed is metamorphoo, from which we get metamorphosis. Paul uses a variant of that word in Galatians 4:19, "Until Christ is formed in you" (emphasis added). The transformation God desires for us is a process of morphing into Christlikeness.
My son was once obsessed with the television show, The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The teenagers on this show would yell, "It's morphing time," and then they would receive power to do extraordinary things.
I liked that so much I tried to use it at Hank's church. It wasn't a liturgical congregation, but I tried to teach the people a liturgy where I would say, "Let us morph." The people were supposed to respond, "We shall morph, indeed." They encouraged me to move to Chicago not long after that.
But for Christians, it is morphing time. When Jesus told us the kingdom of God was at hand, he wasn't referring to a someday promise beyond the pearly gates. The kingdom is supposed to be marked by changed lives and by the fruit of the spirit—love, joy, peace, and so on. But our churches and pulpits are filled with people who, under the surface, are just as anxious or driven or unsettled or angry or unhappy or ego-fed as anyone outside the church.
Why aren't the people of the kingdom morphing?
Some years ago, a Christian leader wrote, "One assumption in particular has haunted me throughout my Christian experience—the assumption of the changed life. I was taught that if I was a Christian, people would see a marked difference in my life. I was taught that the closer I was to God, the more spiritual I was, the greater and more visible the difference would be. I believed that Christianity would change you outside, not just inside.
"I don't believe that anymore."
He isn't the only one that's given up. Spiritual transformation is missing in many churches because failure in the pursuit of it has caused us to settle for less. At least two common counterfeits are passed off as transformation.
Settling for the minimum
Sometimes we mistakenly think the Christian life is primarily about entrance to heaven. We're content with conversion when God is calling for transformation. Rather than expecting the kingdom of God to revolutionize lives today, we hope it will happen in heaven tomorrow.
Somewhere along the line we swapped out Jesus' gospel—through him we can be transformed into citizens of the kingdom of God, right now, today—for a gospel of heaven's minimum entrance requirement.
The difference is illustrated in a scene from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As King Arthur and his knights seek the Holy Grail, they come to a bridge that spans an abyss "of eternal peril." A bridge keeper allows people to cross this bridge only if they can answer three questions. Get one wrong, and you're tossed into the pit.
Lancelot is the first to test the bridge keeper. The keeper asks him, "What is your name?" Lancelot answers.
"What is your quest?"
Lancelot answers, "To seek the Holy Grail."
"What is your favorite color?"
"Blue."
"Right," says the bridge keeper, "off you go." Lancelot crosses the bridge, amazed this was so easy.
The second knight similarly states his name and quest. But the third question is now, "What is the capital of Assyria?"
"I don't know that."
Suddenly the knight is hurled, screaming, into the abyss.
The third knight, Sir Galahad, is nervous as he's asked his name and quest, but he answers correctly.
"What is your favorite color?"
Sir Galahad panics. "Blue … no, yellow. Aaaaahhhh," he screams as he is hurled into the pit.
Finally, the king steps up. "What is your name?"
"Arthur, king of the Britains."
"What is your quest?"
"To seek the Holy Grail."
"What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" (Don't ask. It's a goofy theme that runs throughout the movie.)
"What do you mean," asks Arthur, "an African or European swallow?"
"What? I don't know that," answers the bridge keeper, who immediately is launched into the abyss. Arthur and his followers thereafter cross the bridge unhindered.
Many people's idea of the gospel is that some day we'll get to the bridge to paradise and be asked, "Why should you be allowed to cross?" As long as we answer correctly, we make it across. Answer wrongly, and we're cast into the abyss. The gospel is redefined to be the announcement of the minimal entrance requirements for getting into heaven.
In Hank's church, this is all we asked of him. He knew the words. He knew what his standing before God was based on. But we didn't know how to transform his life.
Jesus never said, "Now I'm going to tell you what you need to say to get into heaven when you die." The gospel writers make it clear that Jesus' good news was that we no longer have to live in the guilt, failure, and impotence of our own strength. The transforming presence and power of God is available through Christ, right here, right now. To live in that power, you must become his disciple, or as Dallas Willard captures it, his apprentice.
Unfortunately, too many apprentices are burning out because they're seeking spiritual transformation the wrong way.
Only looking the part
A second counterfeit form of spiritual maturity is outward appearance.
In his commentary on Romans, James Dunne noted that first-century rabbinic writing focused on dietary law, circumcision, and Sabbath keeping. Why would the rabbis spend so much time on these ancillary aspects of the faith?
Because all groups want to define who is in the group and who is out. Groups tend to establish "boundary markers" to make this distinction. Sociologists define these markers as highly visible, relatively superficial practices—like dietary laws and Sabbath customs.
Conforming to boundary markers too often substitutes for authentic transformation.
The church I grew up in had its boundary markers. A prideful or resentful pastor could have kept his job, but if ever the pastor was caught smoking a cigarette, he would've been fired. Not because anyone in the church actually thought smoking a worse sin than pride or resentment, but because smoking defined who was in our subculture and who wasn't—it was a boundary marker.
As I was growing up, having a "quiet time" became a boundary marker, a measure of spiritual growth. If someone had asked me about my spiritual life, I would immediately think, Have I been having regular and lengthy quiet time? My initial thought was not, Am I growing more loving toward God and toward people?
Doctrine can also be a boundary marker. Dallas Willard said, "One of the hardest things in the world is to be right and not to hurt anybody with it. Yet Jesus was always right, and he never hurt anybody with it."
Boundary markers change from culture to culture, but the dynamic remains the same. If people do not experience authentic transformation, then their faith will deteriorate into a search for the boundary markers that masquerade as evidence of a changed life.
A pastor once asked me, "Isn't your church worldly?"
"What do you mean by worldly?" I asked him.
He answered, "People in the world listen to contemporary music, and you use contemporary music in your church. People in the world use drama, and you use drama. Everybody knows that Christians should be different from non-Christians by being more loving and joyful and all that stuff, but everybody knows we're not. So shouldn't we do something to make ourselves different?"
I felt like saying, "In other words, if we can't be holy, then we should at least be weird?"
Where people are not growing more loving and joyful and truthful and compassionate, Christians have often tried to look different in other areas—weird boundaries disguised as holy differences.
Doctrine, behavioral standards, and even sanctified peculiarities may identify who's in the club, but they also present a façade of pseudo-transformation, masking an unchanged life within. Authentic transformation happens a different way.
The way to transformation
When Paul writes about being "morphed" in Romans 12:2, he gives a command, but in passive voice. He doesn't say, "Transform yourself"; he says, "Be transformed." We can't make transformation happen ourselves; it is something God does to us. But what then is our role in it—personally and in our churches?
1 Corinthians 9:25 says, "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." Here is the reason many people give up on transformation or accept boundary markers as pseudo-transformation: we spend ourselves trying to be transformed, when the Bible calls us to train to be transformed.
There is an enormous difference between trying to do something versus training to do it. Take for example a marathon. How many of us could run a marathon right now? Even if we tried, really, really hard? But many of us could run a marathon eventually, if instead we trained for it.
While I cannot speak Russian, no matter how hard I try, I can be transformed into a fluent Russian-speaker with training. I'll need to pass my eyes before a new alphabet over and over. I'll need to recite with my mouth and with my mind a new vocabulary. Eventually, the training will allow me to become a new speaker.
Training means arranging life around those activities that enable us to do what we cannot do now, even by extreme effort. Significant human transformation always involves training, not just trying.
Too often in our churches, people hear us talk about what an amazing person Jesus is. They leave thinking, I've got to try hard to be like him. We're unwittingly setting them up for frustration. When the trying proves ineffective, they eventually quit or rely on external trivialities to pretend they're transformed.
Authentic spiritual transformation begins with training, with discipline. As we train ourselves in godliness, we begin to overcome the limits of sinful patterns. The purpose of that discipline is always freedom—training myself to be free of the obstacles that hinder my transformation.
Two types of training
The training required varies from one person to the next, depending on maturity and the particular sins that need to be addressed. Sins can be loosely divided into two categories: sins of omission (not doing what I ought) and sins of commission (doing what I shouldn't).
Dallas Willard wrote in The Spirit of the Disciplines (Word, 1988) that the spiritual disciplines, the tools of training, can be divided into two corresponding categories: disciplines of engagement, like worship or study or prayer; and disciplines of abstinence, like fasting or solitude or silence.
There is a connection between the type of sins that I wrestle with, areas in which I need to grow, and the disciplines that will train me for transformation in that area. As a general rule, if I'm struggling with sins of commission, then the disciplines of abstinence train me. For example, if I struggle with gossip, the discipline of silence trains my mouth not to speak unbridled.
Likewise the disciplines of engagement train us against the sins of omission. For example, cranky Hank was omitting joy. The discipline of intentional celebration—engaging in activities that celebrate God, life, creation, and other people, and thanking and praising God for all of it—will train Hank toward a life of joy. Hank may not see the results of this training immediately, but that's the way to rearrange his life around opportunities for the Spirit to increase his joy.
If you are struggling with impatience, training may mean rearranging life around opportunities for the Spirit to increase your patience. Deliberately drive in the slow lane on the freeway. Purposely get in the longer line at the grocery store.
If the Holy Spirit is calling you to break patterns of sin, merely trying leads to frustration, but deliberately training leads to change.
Spiritual transformation is a long-term endeavor. It involves both God and us. I liken it to crossing an ocean. Some people try, day after day, to be good, to become spiritually mature. That's like taking a rowboat across the ocean. It's exhausting and usually unsuccessful.
Others have given up trying and throw themselves entirely on "relying on God's grace." They're like drifters on a raft. They do nothing but hang on and hope God gets them there.
Neither trying nor drifting are very effective in bringing about spiritual transformation. A better image the sailboat, in which if it moves at all, it's a gift of the wind. We can't control the wind, but a good sailor discerns where the wind is blowing and adjusts the sails accordingly.
Working with the Holy Spirit, which Jesus likened to the wind in John 3, means we have a part in discerning the winds, in knowing the direction we need to go, and in training our sails to catch the breezes that God provides.
That's true transformation.
John Ortberg will be a speaker at the 2003 National Pastors Convention. Visit www.nationalpastorsconvention.com for more information.
Copyright © 2002 by the author or Christianity Today International/Leadership Journal.
Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.
Summer 2002, Vol. XXIV, No. 3, Page 100
Lest We Forget...
In honor of President Ronald Reagan and the influence that his presidency had on our country, I have attached a speech that he gave in 1984 on the role of religion in politics. Wise words from 20 years ago that we should heed in our own day and time.
Remarks at an Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast in Dallas, Texas
August 23, 1984
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, very much. And, Martha Weisend, thank you very much. And I could say that if the morning ended with the music we have just heard from that magnificent choir, it would indeed be a holy day for all of us.
It's wonderful to be here this morning. The past few days have been pretty busy for all of us, but I've wanted to be with you today to share some of my own thoughts.
These past few weeks it seems that we've all been hearing a lot of talk about religion and its role in politics, religion and its place in the political life of the Nation. And I think it's appropriate today, at a prayer breakfast for 17,000 citizens in the State of Texas during a great political convention, that this issue be addressed.
I don't speak as a theologian or a scholar, only as one who's lived a little more than his threescore ten -- which has been a source of annoyance to some -- [laughter] -- and as one who has been active in the political life of the Nation for roughly four decades and now who's served the past 3\1/2\ years in our highest office. I speak, I think I can say, as one who has seen much, who has loved his country, and who's seen it change in many ways.
I believe that faith and religion play a critical role in the political life of our nation -- and always has -- and that the church -- and by that I mean all churches, all denominations -- has had a strong influence on the state. And this has worked to our benefit as a nation.
Those who created our country -- the Founding Fathers and Mothers -- understood that there is a divine order which transcends the human order. They saw the state, in fact, as a form of moral order and felt that the bedrock of moral order is religion.
The Mayflower Compact began with the words, ``In the name of God, amen.'' The Declaration of Independence appeals to ``Nature's God'' and the ``Creator'' and ``the Supreme Judge of the world.'' Congress was given a chaplain, and the oaths of office are oaths before God.
James Madison in the Federalist Papers admitted that in the creation of our Republic he perceived the hand of the Almighty. John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, warned that we must never forget the God from whom our blessings flowed.
George Washington referred to religion's profound and unsurpassed place in the heart of our nation quite directly in his Farewell Address in 1796. Seven years earlier, France had erected a government that was intended to be purely secular. This new government would be grounded on reason rather than the law of God. By 1796 the French Revolution had known the Reign of Terror.
And Washington voiced reservations about the idea that there could be a wise policy without a firm moral and religious foundation. He said, ``Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man (call himself a patriot) who (would) labour to subvert these . . . finest [firmest]\1\ (FOOTNOTE) props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere Politician . . . (and) the pious man ought to respect and to cherish (religion and morality).'' And he added, ``. . . let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion.''
(FOOTNOTE) \1\White House correction.
I believe that George Washington knew the City of Man cannot survive without the City of God, that the Visible City will perish without the Invisible City.
Religion played not only a strong role in our national life; it played a positive role. The abolitionist movement was at heart a moral and religious movement; so was the modern civil rights struggle. And throughout this time, the state was tolerant of religious belief, expression, and practice. Society, too, was tolerant.
But in the 1960's this began to change. We began to make great steps toward secularizing our nation and removing religion from its honored place.
In 1962 the Supreme Court in the New York prayer case banned the compulsory saying of prayers. In 1963 the Court banned the reading of the Bible in our public schools. From that point on, the courts pushed the meaning of the ruling ever outward, so that now our children are not allowed voluntary prayer. We even had to pass a law -- we passed a special law in the Congress just a few weeks ago to allow student prayer groups the same access to schoolrooms after classes that a young Marxist society, for example, would already enjoy with no opposition.
The 1962 decision opened the way to a flood of similar suits. Once religion had been made vulnerable, a series of assaults were made in one court after another, on one issue after another. Cases were started to argue against tax-exempt status for churches. Suits were brought to abolish the words ``under God'' from the Pledge of Allegiance and to remove ``In God We Trust'' from public documents and from our currency.
Today there are those who are fighting to make sure voluntary prayer is not returned to the classrooms. And the frustrating thing for the great majority of Americans who support and understand the special importance of religion in the national life -- the frustrating thing is that those who are attacking religion claim they are doing it in the name of tolerance, freedom, and openmindedness. Question: Isn't the real truth that they are intolerant of religion? [Applause] They refuse to tolerate its importance in our lives.
If all the children of our country studied together all of the many religions in our country, wouldn't they learn greater tolerance of each other's beliefs? If children prayed together, would they not understand what they have in common, and would this not, indeed, bring them closer, and is this not to be desired? So, I submit to you that those who claim to be fighting for tolerance on this issue may not be tolerant at all.
When John Kennedy was running for President in 1960, he said that his church would not dictate his Presidency any more than he would speak for his church. Just so, and proper. But John Kennedy was speaking in an America in which the role of religion -- and by that I mean the role of all churches -- was secure. Abortion was not a political issue. Prayer was not a political issue. The right of church schools to operate was not a political issue. And it was broadly acknowledged that religious leaders had a right and a duty to speak out on the issues of the day. They held a place of respect, and a politician who spoke to or of them with a lack of respect would not long survive in the political arena.
It was acknowledged then that religion held a special place, occupied a special territory in the hearts of the citizenry. The climate has changed greatly since then. And since it has, it logically follows that religion needs defenders against those who care only for the interests of the state.
There are, these days, many questions on which religious leaders are obliged to offer their moral and theological guidance, and such guidance is a good and necessary thing. To know how a church and its members feel on a public issue expands the parameters of debate. It does not narrow the debate; it expands it.
The truth is, politics and morality are inseparable. And as morality's foundation is religion, religion and politics are necessarily related. We need religion as a guide. We need it because we are imperfect, and our government needs the church, because only those humble enough to admit they're sinners can bring to democracy the tolerance it requires in order to survive.
A state is nothing more than a reflection of its citizens; the more decent the citizens, the more decent the state. If you practice a religion, whether you're Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, or guided by some other faith, then your private life will be influenced by a sense of moral obligation, and so, too, will your public life. One affects the other. The churches of America do not exist by the grace of the state; the churches of America are not mere citizens of the state. The churches of America exist apart; they have their own vantage point, their own authority. Religion is its own realm; it makes its own claims.
We establish no religion in this country, nor will we ever. We command no worship. We mandate no belief. But we poison our society when we remove its theological underpinnings. We court corruption when we leave it bereft of belief. All are free to believe or not believe; all are free to practice a faith or not. But those who believe must be free to speak of and act on their belief, to apply moral teaching to public questions.
I submit to you that the tolerant society is open to and encouraging of all religions. And this does not weaken us; it strengthens us, it makes us strong. You know, if we look back through history to all those great civilizations, those great nations that rose up to even world dominance and then deteriorated, declined, and fell, we find they all had one thing in common. One of the significant forerunners of their fall was their turning away from their God or gods.
Without God, there is no virtue, because there's no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we're mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.
If I could just make a personal statement of my own -- in these 3\1/2\ years I have understood and known better than ever before the words of Lincoln, when he said that he would be the greatest fool on this footstool called Earth if he ever thought that for one moment he could perform the duties of that office without help from One who is stronger than all.
I thank you, thank you for inviting us here today. Thank you for your kindness and your patience. May God keep you, and may we, all of us, keep God.
Thank you.
Note: The President spoke at 9:26 a.m. at Reunion Arena. He was introduced by Martha Weisend, cochair of the Texas Reagan-Bush campaign.
In honor of President Ronald Reagan and the influence that his presidency had on our country, I have attached a speech that he gave in 1984 on the role of religion in politics. Wise words from 20 years ago that we should heed in our own day and time.
Remarks at an Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast in Dallas, Texas
August 23, 1984
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, very much. And, Martha Weisend, thank you very much. And I could say that if the morning ended with the music we have just heard from that magnificent choir, it would indeed be a holy day for all of us.
It's wonderful to be here this morning. The past few days have been pretty busy for all of us, but I've wanted to be with you today to share some of my own thoughts.
These past few weeks it seems that we've all been hearing a lot of talk about religion and its role in politics, religion and its place in the political life of the Nation. And I think it's appropriate today, at a prayer breakfast for 17,000 citizens in the State of Texas during a great political convention, that this issue be addressed.
I don't speak as a theologian or a scholar, only as one who's lived a little more than his threescore ten -- which has been a source of annoyance to some -- [laughter] -- and as one who has been active in the political life of the Nation for roughly four decades and now who's served the past 3\1/2\ years in our highest office. I speak, I think I can say, as one who has seen much, who has loved his country, and who's seen it change in many ways.
I believe that faith and religion play a critical role in the political life of our nation -- and always has -- and that the church -- and by that I mean all churches, all denominations -- has had a strong influence on the state. And this has worked to our benefit as a nation.
Those who created our country -- the Founding Fathers and Mothers -- understood that there is a divine order which transcends the human order. They saw the state, in fact, as a form of moral order and felt that the bedrock of moral order is religion.
The Mayflower Compact began with the words, ``In the name of God, amen.'' The Declaration of Independence appeals to ``Nature's God'' and the ``Creator'' and ``the Supreme Judge of the world.'' Congress was given a chaplain, and the oaths of office are oaths before God.
James Madison in the Federalist Papers admitted that in the creation of our Republic he perceived the hand of the Almighty. John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, warned that we must never forget the God from whom our blessings flowed.
George Washington referred to religion's profound and unsurpassed place in the heart of our nation quite directly in his Farewell Address in 1796. Seven years earlier, France had erected a government that was intended to be purely secular. This new government would be grounded on reason rather than the law of God. By 1796 the French Revolution had known the Reign of Terror.
And Washington voiced reservations about the idea that there could be a wise policy without a firm moral and religious foundation. He said, ``Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man (call himself a patriot) who (would) labour to subvert these . . . finest [firmest]\1\ (FOOTNOTE) props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere Politician . . . (and) the pious man ought to respect and to cherish (religion and morality).'' And he added, ``. . . let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion.''
(FOOTNOTE) \1\White House correction.
I believe that George Washington knew the City of Man cannot survive without the City of God, that the Visible City will perish without the Invisible City.
Religion played not only a strong role in our national life; it played a positive role. The abolitionist movement was at heart a moral and religious movement; so was the modern civil rights struggle. And throughout this time, the state was tolerant of religious belief, expression, and practice. Society, too, was tolerant.
But in the 1960's this began to change. We began to make great steps toward secularizing our nation and removing religion from its honored place.
In 1962 the Supreme Court in the New York prayer case banned the compulsory saying of prayers. In 1963 the Court banned the reading of the Bible in our public schools. From that point on, the courts pushed the meaning of the ruling ever outward, so that now our children are not allowed voluntary prayer. We even had to pass a law -- we passed a special law in the Congress just a few weeks ago to allow student prayer groups the same access to schoolrooms after classes that a young Marxist society, for example, would already enjoy with no opposition.
The 1962 decision opened the way to a flood of similar suits. Once religion had been made vulnerable, a series of assaults were made in one court after another, on one issue after another. Cases were started to argue against tax-exempt status for churches. Suits were brought to abolish the words ``under God'' from the Pledge of Allegiance and to remove ``In God We Trust'' from public documents and from our currency.
Today there are those who are fighting to make sure voluntary prayer is not returned to the classrooms. And the frustrating thing for the great majority of Americans who support and understand the special importance of religion in the national life -- the frustrating thing is that those who are attacking religion claim they are doing it in the name of tolerance, freedom, and openmindedness. Question: Isn't the real truth that they are intolerant of religion? [Applause] They refuse to tolerate its importance in our lives.
If all the children of our country studied together all of the many religions in our country, wouldn't they learn greater tolerance of each other's beliefs? If children prayed together, would they not understand what they have in common, and would this not, indeed, bring them closer, and is this not to be desired? So, I submit to you that those who claim to be fighting for tolerance on this issue may not be tolerant at all.
When John Kennedy was running for President in 1960, he said that his church would not dictate his Presidency any more than he would speak for his church. Just so, and proper. But John Kennedy was speaking in an America in which the role of religion -- and by that I mean the role of all churches -- was secure. Abortion was not a political issue. Prayer was not a political issue. The right of church schools to operate was not a political issue. And it was broadly acknowledged that religious leaders had a right and a duty to speak out on the issues of the day. They held a place of respect, and a politician who spoke to or of them with a lack of respect would not long survive in the political arena.
It was acknowledged then that religion held a special place, occupied a special territory in the hearts of the citizenry. The climate has changed greatly since then. And since it has, it logically follows that religion needs defenders against those who care only for the interests of the state.
There are, these days, many questions on which religious leaders are obliged to offer their moral and theological guidance, and such guidance is a good and necessary thing. To know how a church and its members feel on a public issue expands the parameters of debate. It does not narrow the debate; it expands it.
The truth is, politics and morality are inseparable. And as morality's foundation is religion, religion and politics are necessarily related. We need religion as a guide. We need it because we are imperfect, and our government needs the church, because only those humble enough to admit they're sinners can bring to democracy the tolerance it requires in order to survive.
A state is nothing more than a reflection of its citizens; the more decent the citizens, the more decent the state. If you practice a religion, whether you're Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, or guided by some other faith, then your private life will be influenced by a sense of moral obligation, and so, too, will your public life. One affects the other. The churches of America do not exist by the grace of the state; the churches of America are not mere citizens of the state. The churches of America exist apart; they have their own vantage point, their own authority. Religion is its own realm; it makes its own claims.
We establish no religion in this country, nor will we ever. We command no worship. We mandate no belief. But we poison our society when we remove its theological underpinnings. We court corruption when we leave it bereft of belief. All are free to believe or not believe; all are free to practice a faith or not. But those who believe must be free to speak of and act on their belief, to apply moral teaching to public questions.
I submit to you that the tolerant society is open to and encouraging of all religions. And this does not weaken us; it strengthens us, it makes us strong. You know, if we look back through history to all those great civilizations, those great nations that rose up to even world dominance and then deteriorated, declined, and fell, we find they all had one thing in common. One of the significant forerunners of their fall was their turning away from their God or gods.
Without God, there is no virtue, because there's no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we're mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.
If I could just make a personal statement of my own -- in these 3\1/2\ years I have understood and known better than ever before the words of Lincoln, when he said that he would be the greatest fool on this footstool called Earth if he ever thought that for one moment he could perform the duties of that office without help from One who is stronger than all.
I thank you, thank you for inviting us here today. Thank you for your kindness and your patience. May God keep you, and may we, all of us, keep God.
Thank you.
Note: The President spoke at 9:26 a.m. at Reunion Arena. He was introduced by Martha Weisend, cochair of the Texas Reagan-Bush campaign.
Monday, June 07, 2004
What to do?
What do you do when you are confronted with someone who comes up to you asking for money or help? Maybe someone comes up to you in a parking lot or at a rest area and ask for money for gas or food or any number of other reasons. What do you do? This is a question that I have pondered over time and time again. Are these people really in need, or are they merely trying to take advantage of nice people?
Over the years, I have come to this conclusion and plan of action. First, I try to not give money to anyone. If they are hungry, I'll buy them a meal. If they need gas, I'll fill up their tank. I really hesitate to give anyone money, although I have done it on occasion. Secondly, I try to let them know that the only reason I am doing it is because of Jesus. I give them this in Jesus' name and then usually try to pray for them. Depends on the situation.
Right now, Stacie Orrico (concert coming up this Saturday at Wild Adventures) has a song out that speaks to the heart of this matter. She is approached by a man who wants a dollar from her, and she tells him to leave her alone. But then she has another thought, "what if he's really hungry? What would I do in this situation?" She then sings of encountering a muslim lady all dressed in black in the hot summer sun trying to speak, and she wonders if she is lost and if she needs help. The chorus of her song is, "a new point of view, a walk in your shoes -- I wish I could get inside your head." It would be easier to give if we knew people honestly needed help, but we can't ever know for sure.
I also ran across a post by Joshua Claybourn on his blog that was insightful and ran along the same lines. His story of a similar encounter is below.
"One Summer Day
It's fairly late in the afternoon, and I need to run an errand. I'm going to Wal-Mart, that retail bastion so loved by some and so hated by others. John Kerry calls it "disgraceful" and "unconscionable" while the VP has campaigned there. It sucks when even our shopping stores become politicized. Anyway, to get back on track, I'm headed to Wal-Mart on a simple errand. As I pull up a middle-aged man in average clothes appears to be approaching my car and asking me to stop. Surely, I think to myself, he's not trying to approach me as I'm driving to a parking space. I'm a bit startled, especially with the odd way he's trying to stop me. After all, I'm not really in the best part of town.
Being on "the bad side of town" is something that most of my friends will note when we're there, yet it hardly crosses my mind or matters to me. In fact, given the choice between plush Carmel or one of Indy's seedier shopping districts, I'd choose the latter. I like to smile at people, and the shoppers at supposedly "bad" sides of town often have this warm, genuine, no-strings-attached smile in return.
So back to this fellow approaching my moving car. I convince myself that he's actually motioning to someone behind me and I proceed to park the car. Almost immediately he's there, standing right next to my door and essentially blocking my departure from the car. "Sir," he says in a gasping voice, "I really hope I didn't scare you, but my wife and I are stranded and we're out of gas." Sure enough, there in his coarsened left hand is a three gallon empty gas container.
I've heard this story before; many times before in fact. Sometimes they have kids, sometimes just a wife, but the story always involves a sorry family that needs my money, immediately, or their stranded existence will forever be tied to the side of a road somewhere. I'm sounding cynical, but I don't usually react that way to people asking for me money. In particular a Bible verse has been weighing on my heart lately that reads like this: "So God created man in his own image. . . " (Gen. 1:27). That verse is monumental in significance. It's hard to ignore a fellow human when you view them as being made in the image of God. In a similar vein Jesus tells us, through a parable, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Mt. 25:40). There are countless more, and the message is clear. Besides, few feelings are better than helping another.
But, in the case at hand, am I helping him? Or is it just a ruse like so many others? After all, it's a story you'll often hear at interstate rest areas. And even if he is poor and needs the money for food, I don't want to reward dishonesty. As I always do, though, I reach for my pocket and pull out whatever cash I happen to be carrying. There's only a dollar. I almost always give money to those who ask, in spite of my own precarious financial situation, and I can't think of any reason to deviate from that policy now.
I look at the one dollar bill, and then into his eyes. I can see a flood of emotions there, and in my own mind I decide it's probably likely that he's lying to me. After all, I don't see his car or wife anywhere around. Still, I hand him the dollar and embrace him. That's right, I hug him. I say to myself that if he wants this dollar he'll have to hug me for it. He seems surprised, but gladly takes the dollar and we part ways.
I go into the store and get my thank you cards I came to purchase. As I exit, I see the man still lingering, sort of sitting down on his heels in the parking lot. But he's lingering near my car and now I'm not annoyed; instead I'm frightened. Isn't this the sort of setup typical for a robbery or even something worse? I trudge on to my car and approach him directly. Once he notices me he slowly rises to his feet. Then I stop dead in my tracks. He's crying! What on earth is he crying for? I'm cautious, and slowly walk forward. Then he hands me the dollar bill and walks away. Just like that, he's gone.
I'm not sure what happened to that man or what was going through his mind. I guess I'll never know. I hope he found what he was looking for."
Posted by Joshua Claybourn [NOTE: You can access Joshua's Blog by clicking here.]
What do you do when you are confronted with someone who comes up to you asking for money or help? Maybe someone comes up to you in a parking lot or at a rest area and ask for money for gas or food or any number of other reasons. What do you do? This is a question that I have pondered over time and time again. Are these people really in need, or are they merely trying to take advantage of nice people?
Over the years, I have come to this conclusion and plan of action. First, I try to not give money to anyone. If they are hungry, I'll buy them a meal. If they need gas, I'll fill up their tank. I really hesitate to give anyone money, although I have done it on occasion. Secondly, I try to let them know that the only reason I am doing it is because of Jesus. I give them this in Jesus' name and then usually try to pray for them. Depends on the situation.
Right now, Stacie Orrico (concert coming up this Saturday at Wild Adventures) has a song out that speaks to the heart of this matter. She is approached by a man who wants a dollar from her, and she tells him to leave her alone. But then she has another thought, "what if he's really hungry? What would I do in this situation?" She then sings of encountering a muslim lady all dressed in black in the hot summer sun trying to speak, and she wonders if she is lost and if she needs help. The chorus of her song is, "a new point of view, a walk in your shoes -- I wish I could get inside your head." It would be easier to give if we knew people honestly needed help, but we can't ever know for sure.
I also ran across a post by Joshua Claybourn on his blog that was insightful and ran along the same lines. His story of a similar encounter is below.
"One Summer Day
It's fairly late in the afternoon, and I need to run an errand. I'm going to Wal-Mart, that retail bastion so loved by some and so hated by others. John Kerry calls it "disgraceful" and "unconscionable" while the VP has campaigned there. It sucks when even our shopping stores become politicized. Anyway, to get back on track, I'm headed to Wal-Mart on a simple errand. As I pull up a middle-aged man in average clothes appears to be approaching my car and asking me to stop. Surely, I think to myself, he's not trying to approach me as I'm driving to a parking space. I'm a bit startled, especially with the odd way he's trying to stop me. After all, I'm not really in the best part of town.
Being on "the bad side of town" is something that most of my friends will note when we're there, yet it hardly crosses my mind or matters to me. In fact, given the choice between plush Carmel or one of Indy's seedier shopping districts, I'd choose the latter. I like to smile at people, and the shoppers at supposedly "bad" sides of town often have this warm, genuine, no-strings-attached smile in return.
So back to this fellow approaching my moving car. I convince myself that he's actually motioning to someone behind me and I proceed to park the car. Almost immediately he's there, standing right next to my door and essentially blocking my departure from the car. "Sir," he says in a gasping voice, "I really hope I didn't scare you, but my wife and I are stranded and we're out of gas." Sure enough, there in his coarsened left hand is a three gallon empty gas container.
I've heard this story before; many times before in fact. Sometimes they have kids, sometimes just a wife, but the story always involves a sorry family that needs my money, immediately, or their stranded existence will forever be tied to the side of a road somewhere. I'm sounding cynical, but I don't usually react that way to people asking for me money. In particular a Bible verse has been weighing on my heart lately that reads like this: "So God created man in his own image. . . " (Gen. 1:27). That verse is monumental in significance. It's hard to ignore a fellow human when you view them as being made in the image of God. In a similar vein Jesus tells us, through a parable, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Mt. 25:40). There are countless more, and the message is clear. Besides, few feelings are better than helping another.
But, in the case at hand, am I helping him? Or is it just a ruse like so many others? After all, it's a story you'll often hear at interstate rest areas. And even if he is poor and needs the money for food, I don't want to reward dishonesty. As I always do, though, I reach for my pocket and pull out whatever cash I happen to be carrying. There's only a dollar. I almost always give money to those who ask, in spite of my own precarious financial situation, and I can't think of any reason to deviate from that policy now.
I look at the one dollar bill, and then into his eyes. I can see a flood of emotions there, and in my own mind I decide it's probably likely that he's lying to me. After all, I don't see his car or wife anywhere around. Still, I hand him the dollar and embrace him. That's right, I hug him. I say to myself that if he wants this dollar he'll have to hug me for it. He seems surprised, but gladly takes the dollar and we part ways.
I go into the store and get my thank you cards I came to purchase. As I exit, I see the man still lingering, sort of sitting down on his heels in the parking lot. But he's lingering near my car and now I'm not annoyed; instead I'm frightened. Isn't this the sort of setup typical for a robbery or even something worse? I trudge on to my car and approach him directly. Once he notices me he slowly rises to his feet. Then I stop dead in my tracks. He's crying! What on earth is he crying for? I'm cautious, and slowly walk forward. Then he hands me the dollar bill and walks away. Just like that, he's gone.
I'm not sure what happened to that man or what was going through his mind. I guess I'll never know. I hope he found what he was looking for."
Posted by Joshua Claybourn [NOTE: You can access Joshua's Blog by clicking here.]
Thursday, June 03, 2004
Another Review of the Movie "Saved"
You can get Focus on the Family's take on the movie by clicking here.
You can get Focus on the Family's take on the movie by clicking here.
New Movie "Saved" -- Watch with Care
There is a new movie coming out this summer starring Mandy Moore, who has made some decent movies. Reviewers agree that this movie, however, is a not so hidden slam on Christians and Christianity. I have not seen this movie, but here is a commentary on it from Don Feder.
Why Hollywood Hates Christianity
By Don Feder
FrontPageMagazine.com | May 31, 2004
What do you get when you cross the village atheist with the village idiot? Saved -- the alleged comedy polluting theaters nationwide this weekend.
Recall the wailing and hand-wringing that accompanied the release of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, in February. Given the hysterical reaction to Gibson’s opus, you’d think Hollywood had suddenly become an adjunct of "The 700 Club." But The Passion was an aberration that never would have been made without the influence of its famous producer/director.
Saved is far more typical of the way the movie industry does religion these days. The teen sex comedy is politically correct, tedious, nasty and loaded with anti-Christian stereotypes.
The heroine, Mary, attends a Christian academy – American Eagle Christian High School – a combination of the Valley Girls’ school in "Clueless" and a parody of a revival meeting.
Mary learns her boyfriend has homosexual tendencies. Jesus comes to her in a vision – Jesus and Mary, get it? – and commands the good girl to do everything in her power to save the lad. She ends up pregnant and ostracized by the school’s Bible-belt Barbie in-crowd.
Mary joins the academy’s misfits, including a Jewish girl who claims she’s an ex-stripper – in modern movies, Jews are okay, as long as they’re safely secular – a skateboarder, and a wheelchair-bound cynic, played by a grownup Macauley Culkin, who would have been better off at home, alone.
Naturally, the outcasts are all swell kids, while the Christian students are portrayed as Nazi airheads.
What’s more interesting than this latest cinematic assault on Christianity, is the mind-set behind it: Not how, but why Hollywood hates the followers of Jesus.
Since at least the 1970s, Hollywood’s treatment of Christians has been only slightly more benevolent than al-Qaeda’s attitude toward Jews.
Gone are the kindly Barry Fitzgerald priest, the wise rabbi and the steadfast minister. In their place is a rogue’s gallery of lusting priests, sadistic nuns, perverted pastors and con-men TV evangelists – not to mention ordinary Christians (Catholic or evangelical) who are depicted as superstitious nitwits, malevolent hypocrites, or both.
Saved joins the Hollywood hit parade of blasphemy and slander, including:
· The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) – wherein Jesus is given a fantasy sex life.
· Priest (1994) – a good, homosexual priest battles "repression" in his Church and heterosexual incest.
· Dogma (1999) – another reputed comedy, wherein an abortion clinic worker (the perfect heroine, from Hollywood’s perspective) and the great-grand-niece of Jesus (?) saves the world from destruction by fallen angels trying to enter a church to reenter Heaven. Don’t ask. When it comes to an opportunity to bash Christians, no plot is too ridiculous.
· The Magdalene Sisters (2003) – set in a convent school run by nuns who could pass as concentration-camp guards.
· The Order (2003) – teen heartthrob Heath Ledger battles yet another secret order within the Roman Catholic Church bent on no-good.
· Stigmata (1999) – the entire Roman Catholic Church is shown to be hiding the "real" Gospel, and a priest tries to murder its last true disciple.
· The Saint (1997) – frequently, anti-Christian characterizations bear little or no relation to a movie’s plot. They are gratuitous, but damaging nonetheless. This movie opens in a Far Eastern orphanage run by a brutal priest who beats and starves the children and is responsible for the death of one of his charges.
Along the same lines, but somewhat more restrained, there’s the paddle-wielding priest in The Basketball Diaries (1995) and the brother who thinks he’s Mike Tyson in Heaven Help Us (1985).
The above only skims the surface of Hollywood’s anti-Christian crusade. As they do in so many areas, movies shape popular attitudes and perceptions here as well. According to the Barna Group, the percentage of Americans who only attend religious services for holidays or on special occasions, increased from 21 percent in 1991 to 34 percent today.
When it comes to different denominations, Hollywood isn’t an equal-opportunity offender. Here’s a short lists of religious groups it wouldn’t dream of baiting: Unitarians, Presbyterians, members of any liberal, Protestant denomination, Cafeteria Catholics, Reform Jews, Buddhists, Wiccans and Moslems. (Producers and directors may be anti-religion, but they aren’t suicidal.)
Why are traditional Catholics, evangelicals and – to a lesser extent – Orthodox Jews, considered fair game?
Because the Hollywood Left (in other words, 98 percent of the self-styled artistic community) views them as the enemy – more even than the military (which occasionally come off well in action films) and corporate executives, and about on par with the CIA, Southern sheriffs, Republicans and companies bulldozing the Brazilian rainforest.
Hollywood hates authentic Christians, because Christianity is diametrically opposed to its worldview – a dogma reflected in the very deep thoughts of Michael Moore, Tim Robbins and Barbra (color me stupid) Streisand. It's based on the following tenets:
1) Sexual Liberation – the glorification of pre-marital sex (including adolescent experimentation), adultery, homosexuality, abortion and the sexualization of children. This may be contrasted with the Judeo-Christian ethic of sexual restraint/responsibility, and the sanctification of sex within marriage (raising the carnal to a spiritual plane).
2) A Live-for-the-Moment Ethos – the here-and-now is all there is, or as the beer commercial used to put it, "You only go around once; so grab all the gusto you can." This is opposed to the Christian emphasis on life eternal. Christians and religious Jews live not for the moment but for eternity. Hollywood’s seize-the-moment ethic must ultimately lead to a total rejection of the Ten Commandments and all biblical morality.
3) The Cult of Self – or to put it in the lingo of pop psychology: "self-actualization," really self-gratification. From this perspective, putting anything ahead of your own happiness is dumb, if not psychotic. Christianity and Judaism both teach that your life isn’t your own. It belongs to the One who gave you life.
4) Gender Sameness – the bizarre and amply refuted doctrine that men and women are psychologically identical, that gender roles are socially imposed, instead of reality-based. This dogma lies at the heart of liberalism’s push to radically remake the family. The worse invective the Left can hurl at the family (from its perspective) is "patriarchal" and "male-dominated."
5) Militant Secularism – the belief that religious expression should be confined to a white clapboard building, and that traditional faith should play no role in shaping our laws and institutions. Thus, someone who speaks of rights being "endowed by their Creator" (like the Founding Fathers) or saying that America is a nation "under God" (like Abraham Lincoln) becomes an enemy of democracy.
What really enrages the Hollywood Left is the realization that, more than any other group in our society, evangelical Christians – who now constitute the nation's largest identifiable voting bloc – stand in the way of its political agenda: abortion on demand, a contraceptive culture, erotic indoctrination masquerading as sex education, universal day care (the literal Nanny State), the complete societal blessing of gay marriage and hate-crimes legislation that criminalizes religious speech. By attacking Christians, Hollywood is advancing its agenda.
Actually, it is to the credit of Christians that Hollywood considers them the enemy. Similarly, Jews can take pride in the fact that, in the 20th century, both communists and Nazis hated them, as do Islamacists today.
Over the past 40 years, Hollywood has been primarily responsible for the rapid degeneration of our culture. Modern cinema is filled with violence, sadism, sex at its most animalistic, crudeness, nihilism and despair. If Hollywood wants to treat Christianity as the antithesis of all it holds dear, Christians should feel complimented.
There is a new movie coming out this summer starring Mandy Moore, who has made some decent movies. Reviewers agree that this movie, however, is a not so hidden slam on Christians and Christianity. I have not seen this movie, but here is a commentary on it from Don Feder.
Why Hollywood Hates Christianity
By Don Feder
FrontPageMagazine.com | May 31, 2004
What do you get when you cross the village atheist with the village idiot? Saved -- the alleged comedy polluting theaters nationwide this weekend.
Recall the wailing and hand-wringing that accompanied the release of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, in February. Given the hysterical reaction to Gibson’s opus, you’d think Hollywood had suddenly become an adjunct of "The 700 Club." But The Passion was an aberration that never would have been made without the influence of its famous producer/director.
Saved is far more typical of the way the movie industry does religion these days. The teen sex comedy is politically correct, tedious, nasty and loaded with anti-Christian stereotypes.
The heroine, Mary, attends a Christian academy – American Eagle Christian High School – a combination of the Valley Girls’ school in "Clueless" and a parody of a revival meeting.
Mary learns her boyfriend has homosexual tendencies. Jesus comes to her in a vision – Jesus and Mary, get it? – and commands the good girl to do everything in her power to save the lad. She ends up pregnant and ostracized by the school’s Bible-belt Barbie in-crowd.
Mary joins the academy’s misfits, including a Jewish girl who claims she’s an ex-stripper – in modern movies, Jews are okay, as long as they’re safely secular – a skateboarder, and a wheelchair-bound cynic, played by a grownup Macauley Culkin, who would have been better off at home, alone.
Naturally, the outcasts are all swell kids, while the Christian students are portrayed as Nazi airheads.
What’s more interesting than this latest cinematic assault on Christianity, is the mind-set behind it: Not how, but why Hollywood hates the followers of Jesus.
Since at least the 1970s, Hollywood’s treatment of Christians has been only slightly more benevolent than al-Qaeda’s attitude toward Jews.
Gone are the kindly Barry Fitzgerald priest, the wise rabbi and the steadfast minister. In their place is a rogue’s gallery of lusting priests, sadistic nuns, perverted pastors and con-men TV evangelists – not to mention ordinary Christians (Catholic or evangelical) who are depicted as superstitious nitwits, malevolent hypocrites, or both.
Saved joins the Hollywood hit parade of blasphemy and slander, including:
· The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) – wherein Jesus is given a fantasy sex life.
· Priest (1994) – a good, homosexual priest battles "repression" in his Church and heterosexual incest.
· Dogma (1999) – another reputed comedy, wherein an abortion clinic worker (the perfect heroine, from Hollywood’s perspective) and the great-grand-niece of Jesus (?) saves the world from destruction by fallen angels trying to enter a church to reenter Heaven. Don’t ask. When it comes to an opportunity to bash Christians, no plot is too ridiculous.
· The Magdalene Sisters (2003) – set in a convent school run by nuns who could pass as concentration-camp guards.
· The Order (2003) – teen heartthrob Heath Ledger battles yet another secret order within the Roman Catholic Church bent on no-good.
· Stigmata (1999) – the entire Roman Catholic Church is shown to be hiding the "real" Gospel, and a priest tries to murder its last true disciple.
· The Saint (1997) – frequently, anti-Christian characterizations bear little or no relation to a movie’s plot. They are gratuitous, but damaging nonetheless. This movie opens in a Far Eastern orphanage run by a brutal priest who beats and starves the children and is responsible for the death of one of his charges.
Along the same lines, but somewhat more restrained, there’s the paddle-wielding priest in The Basketball Diaries (1995) and the brother who thinks he’s Mike Tyson in Heaven Help Us (1985).
The above only skims the surface of Hollywood’s anti-Christian crusade. As they do in so many areas, movies shape popular attitudes and perceptions here as well. According to the Barna Group, the percentage of Americans who only attend religious services for holidays or on special occasions, increased from 21 percent in 1991 to 34 percent today.
When it comes to different denominations, Hollywood isn’t an equal-opportunity offender. Here’s a short lists of religious groups it wouldn’t dream of baiting: Unitarians, Presbyterians, members of any liberal, Protestant denomination, Cafeteria Catholics, Reform Jews, Buddhists, Wiccans and Moslems. (Producers and directors may be anti-religion, but they aren’t suicidal.)
Why are traditional Catholics, evangelicals and – to a lesser extent – Orthodox Jews, considered fair game?
Because the Hollywood Left (in other words, 98 percent of the self-styled artistic community) views them as the enemy – more even than the military (which occasionally come off well in action films) and corporate executives, and about on par with the CIA, Southern sheriffs, Republicans and companies bulldozing the Brazilian rainforest.
Hollywood hates authentic Christians, because Christianity is diametrically opposed to its worldview – a dogma reflected in the very deep thoughts of Michael Moore, Tim Robbins and Barbra (color me stupid) Streisand. It's based on the following tenets:
1) Sexual Liberation – the glorification of pre-marital sex (including adolescent experimentation), adultery, homosexuality, abortion and the sexualization of children. This may be contrasted with the Judeo-Christian ethic of sexual restraint/responsibility, and the sanctification of sex within marriage (raising the carnal to a spiritual plane).
2) A Live-for-the-Moment Ethos – the here-and-now is all there is, or as the beer commercial used to put it, "You only go around once; so grab all the gusto you can." This is opposed to the Christian emphasis on life eternal. Christians and religious Jews live not for the moment but for eternity. Hollywood’s seize-the-moment ethic must ultimately lead to a total rejection of the Ten Commandments and all biblical morality.
3) The Cult of Self – or to put it in the lingo of pop psychology: "self-actualization," really self-gratification. From this perspective, putting anything ahead of your own happiness is dumb, if not psychotic. Christianity and Judaism both teach that your life isn’t your own. It belongs to the One who gave you life.
4) Gender Sameness – the bizarre and amply refuted doctrine that men and women are psychologically identical, that gender roles are socially imposed, instead of reality-based. This dogma lies at the heart of liberalism’s push to radically remake the family. The worse invective the Left can hurl at the family (from its perspective) is "patriarchal" and "male-dominated."
5) Militant Secularism – the belief that religious expression should be confined to a white clapboard building, and that traditional faith should play no role in shaping our laws and institutions. Thus, someone who speaks of rights being "endowed by their Creator" (like the Founding Fathers) or saying that America is a nation "under God" (like Abraham Lincoln) becomes an enemy of democracy.
What really enrages the Hollywood Left is the realization that, more than any other group in our society, evangelical Christians – who now constitute the nation's largest identifiable voting bloc – stand in the way of its political agenda: abortion on demand, a contraceptive culture, erotic indoctrination masquerading as sex education, universal day care (the literal Nanny State), the complete societal blessing of gay marriage and hate-crimes legislation that criminalizes religious speech. By attacking Christians, Hollywood is advancing its agenda.
Actually, it is to the credit of Christians that Hollywood considers them the enemy. Similarly, Jews can take pride in the fact that, in the 20th century, both communists and Nazis hated them, as do Islamacists today.
Over the past 40 years, Hollywood has been primarily responsible for the rapid degeneration of our culture. Modern cinema is filled with violence, sadism, sex at its most animalistic, crudeness, nihilism and despair. If Hollywood wants to treat Christianity as the antithesis of all it holds dear, Christians should feel complimented.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
What Would YOU Do?
A news story (click here) reports that an Arab Christian taken hostage by Al Quaida in Saudi Arabia over the weekend denied his faith and claimed to be a muslim in order to survive the ordeal. As Al Quaida terrorists knocked on his door and demanded, "Are you Arabs or Westerns?" and then wanted to know "Are you Muslims or Christians?," he answered, "We're muslims" and showed them his friend's Koran as proof.
What would you have done if you were in a similiar situation? Would you deny your faith in order to survive?
I am reminded of Cassie Bernall, who during the school shooting at Columbine was faced with the same situation. She stared down the barrel of a pistol pointed to her and listened as her assailant asked, "Are you a Christian?" Cassie responded, "Yes, I am" and her life was ended.
Two stories. Two people who proclaimed to believe in Christ as Lord and Savior. Two threats to their life. Two different outcomes.
What would you have done?
A news story (click here) reports that an Arab Christian taken hostage by Al Quaida in Saudi Arabia over the weekend denied his faith and claimed to be a muslim in order to survive the ordeal. As Al Quaida terrorists knocked on his door and demanded, "Are you Arabs or Westerns?" and then wanted to know "Are you Muslims or Christians?," he answered, "We're muslims" and showed them his friend's Koran as proof.
What would you have done if you were in a similiar situation? Would you deny your faith in order to survive?
I am reminded of Cassie Bernall, who during the school shooting at Columbine was faced with the same situation. She stared down the barrel of a pistol pointed to her and listened as her assailant asked, "Are you a Christian?" Cassie responded, "Yes, I am" and her life was ended.
Two stories. Two people who proclaimed to believe in Christ as Lord and Savior. Two threats to their life. Two different outcomes.
What would you have done?
Unusual Fish Wrapper Story
“One afternoon, Leopoldo's wife brought him a fish which she had purchased at the local market. She asked him to clean it in order that she might prepare it for supper. The meal-to-be was wrapped in a year-old newspaper. As he tore away the paper, Leopoldo noticed an ad for World Bible School. The ad caused him to answer it, and before long, he was regularly receiving Bible correspondence materials.
At the conclusion of the series of lessons, Leopoldo requested baptism and became a Christian believer. He made this decision despite the obvious anti-church sentiment held by Communist rebels in his region of the Philippines.
If we can a reach a man on the other side of the world with a year-old newspaper wrapped around a dead fish, then why can’t I reach my neighbor with the same living truth offered person-to-person?” (From Forthright Magazine, article by Mike Benson)
“One afternoon, Leopoldo's wife brought him a fish which she had purchased at the local market. She asked him to clean it in order that she might prepare it for supper. The meal-to-be was wrapped in a year-old newspaper. As he tore away the paper, Leopoldo noticed an ad for World Bible School. The ad caused him to answer it, and before long, he was regularly receiving Bible correspondence materials.
At the conclusion of the series of lessons, Leopoldo requested baptism and became a Christian believer. He made this decision despite the obvious anti-church sentiment held by Communist rebels in his region of the Philippines.
If we can a reach a man on the other side of the world with a year-old newspaper wrapped around a dead fish, then why can’t I reach my neighbor with the same living truth offered person-to-person?” (From Forthright Magazine, article by Mike Benson)
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