"Anyone wishing   to save humanity   must first of all   save the Word." 

Jacques Ellul 

December 31, 2004

One (last) thing

As I leave 2004 and enter into 2005, I pray for, wish for one (last) thing. Oh, of course to be a far better father and husband than I am.  Of course, to be a more effective advocate for the poor and vulnerable that I seek to serve through my vocation as a Community Action Agency planner and grant writer.  I’d even throw in being a better son to my folks.  But this year, my New Year’s prayer is that my colleagues in Community Action, who have become my good friends, for whom I have the utmost respect and admiration, may see, despite the Church’s neglect and so many Christians not living up to their calling, that Jesus is still the answer to every single issue we attempt to tackle to bring relief to the poor, to finding a better voice in advocating before our legislators (whether Federal or State, and the public), and to restore what’s broken in our own lives.  To my colleagues in this most noble and high calling to serve the poor and vulnerable, the Gospel, which many of you know I believe, is true.  My one thing: that you would find it true as well.

Happy New Year!

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December 30, 2004

Most alive person (a rather long Margin)

Not that President Bush doesn’t deserve it, but there was little debate and no short list this year running up to Time’s Person/Man of the Year (which is George W. Bush if you didn't know).  I actually thought Karl Rove, the man behind President Bush’s re-election strategy, or a generic type like “the Bloggers” should have been the choice for the person who had the most impact on the news in 2004.  (Personally, I would have given it to the Bloggers, but I understand why Time would not have picked the one group that is slowly making the news-media irrelevant.)  But  it’s been, now, two days short of five years since 1999 became 2000 (I won’t even begin debating when the new century started—but it did actually started January 1, 2001, but we don’t have to get into that!  Don’t start mess’n with me, now).  Back in December 1999 Time (and others) had polls to decide the “Person of the Century.”  The likes of Elvis Presley and Hitler, Billy Graham, and Albert Einstein, Pope John Paul II and Martin Luther King made the top ten.  What struck me back then was the rules for nominations: “The Person of the Century is that person who, for better or worse, most influenced the course of history over the past 100 years…Whimsical candidates and others who were not alive during this century…will not be considered.”  Other candidates…who were not alive…will not be considered.  I always thought that was funny.  As we close out this year, 2004, I am reminded of the definition of “alive” and the penetrating and poignant words penned by Malcolm Muggeridge:

“…we look back on history and what do we see? Empires rising and falling, revolutions and counter-revolutions succeeding one another, wealth accumulating and wealth dispersed, one nation dominant and then another.  As Shakespeare’s King Lear puts it, ‘The rise and fall of great ones that ebb and flow with the moon.”  In one lifetime I have seen [England] ruling over one quarter of the world...I have heard a crazed Austrian announce the establishment of a German Reich that was to last for a thousand years; an Italian clown report the calendar to begin again with his assumption of power; a murderous Georgian brigand in the Kremlin acclaimed by the intellectual elite as wiser than Solomon, more enlightened than Ashoka, more humane than Marcus Aurelius.  I have seen America wealthier than all the rest of the world put together and with the superiority of weaponry that would have enabled Americans, had they so wished, to outdo an Alexander or a Julius Caesar in the range and scale of conquest.  All in one lifetime gone with the wind...Behind the debris of these solemn supermen, and self-styled imperial diplomatists, there stands the gigantic figure of one, because of whom, by whom, in whom and through whom alone, mankind may still have peace: The person of Jesus Christ. ”

For better or worse—how can we really pick the most influential person?  Of course, the Person of the Century is reserved, as TIME indicated, for someone who was alive during this century.  However, this left out the One who is MOST alive, the One who has had and still has the most influence on the course of history.  St. Paul’s words still have weight: “God...gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

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December 29, 2004

Can 295 supreme beings play well together?

The U.S. Census Bureau just released its projected population figures for January1, 2005: On New Year’s day, 2005, the United States population will be over 295 million, 295,160,302 to be exact, or up 1% from 1/1/04. According to the Bureau, as of 1/1/05 the U.S. population will increase one person every twelve seconds—that’s one registered birth every 8 seconds with its opposite of 1 death every 13 seconds, and additionally, it is expected that the net international migration to add 1 person every 26 seconds.  When I read these figures, my mind drifted off to something Paul Vitz, a psychology professor at New York University, once observed—back when there were only 260 million in the US.  He noted that we live in a nation of 260 million supreme beings and that each one is a jealous god.  I wonder how these older supreme beings are going to feel about the newer supreme beings who have brought us from 260 million to over 295 million?  The problem with multiple supreme beings is that they don’t always play well together.  And this is more aggravated here in the U.S. because this land of 295 million gods has a “rights-centered” cultural bent that promotes the individual supreme being over the whole.  Along with solving all the blights of US citizens and protecting us from terrorism, we might want to address our decay within or we will fall as every major, powerful empire has--from within.  It is going to get harder and harder to please all these supreme beings--and more expensive, too.

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December 23, 2004

"The reason for the season"

An atheist friend of mine made the comment, “There seems to be a real push this year on this ‘Jesus is the real reason for the season’ thing.”  My comments weren’t that helpful, I am sure.  I actually told him I didn’t think it was any more than usual.  Churches like to use this cliché as a marketing tool themselves—“Jesus is the reason for the season.”  Of course it’s nice to emphasis the birth of Christ during the calendar year.  I have no problem with a liturgical church calendar that moves us along the Biblical story of salvation.  And not to be too much the curmudgeon, I like friends and family getting together to share meals and gifts.  I like the smells and the Christmas tree.  But I told my friend, if Christians actually thought Jesus was the reason for the season, they’d be working at the local soup kitchens on Christmas eve’ rather than lighting candles and singing silent night.  We’ve had these conversations before.  My friend, like so many other skeptics, doubters, and atheists see all the contradictions.  Of course they don’t seem to see their own set of contradictions.  But that’s not the point.  Christians don’t have to fuel those doubts and reasons for disbelief.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the candlelight service.  I’d just like to see more, as an associate pastor at my church says, ‘intentional’ activities that truly show the reason for the season.

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December 22, 2004

Doctors see more to this life

When one thinks of doctors, the thought of highly educated usually defines one’s conception, not necessarily religious or spiritual.  Doctor’s see the worst that is earthly possible that could ravage the human body.  But, a recent national survey indicated a vast major of doctors actually believe in miracles.

“A national survey of 1,100 physicians, conducted by HCD Research and the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies of The Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City over the past weekend, found that 74% of doctors believe that miracles have occurred in the past and 73% believe that can occur today” (Business Wire, December 20, 2004).

Those surveyed came from various backgrounds and a wide range of religions (Christian to Muslim to Hindu to Buddhist).  Nonetheless, it is an interesting result.  Although usually thought of as more secular than an average person, it appears that a vast majority are actually religious or spiritual.  A majority even pray for their patients (59%). This doesn’t, of course, mean all these doctors are believers, nor, as we can see, Christian.  What it means—at least to me—is that doctors know there is something more to life than just the seen, the physical, the earthly.   Fifty-five percent (55%) say they "have seen treatment results in their patients that they would consider miraculous."  Interestingly, from this same group, the survey also indicated that 58% believe the Bible is inspired by God.  All very interesting.

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December 20, 2004

In my birthday card from Grandma

My grandmother remembered, as she usually does, my birthday.  She always has nice and encouraging things to say.  She usually likes to remind me of older camping days with Pop and her.  When I was a kid, my Grandfather (that's Pop) and my Grandmother took me for weekends to camp in the woods of New York or Connecticut.  Of all the people in my life growing up, besides my great aunt Hazel, my Grandmother talked more about religion, God, and Jesus than anyone else.  I am glad she considered it important enough to have these conversations.  She has always been encouraging this way.  In my birthday card this year, she sent a Methodist Prayer by John Wesley (my hero):

Rules of Conduct

Do all the good you can

By all the means you can

In all the ways you can

In all the places you can

At all the times you can

As long as ever you can.

Not too bad a prayer--and this from a Scottish Catholic Grandma who attends a Methodist Church.

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December 19, 2004

Our forefather's morality check

Debates on the last Presidential election surround America's vulnerability on two fronts:

1) Terrorism, those that want to destroy us from without

2) Morality, that which without we destroy ourselves within

I know that our founding Fathers weren't all "evangelical" Christians, nor were many of them traditionally biblical Christians.  Many were deists, some even agnostic.  Nonetheless, all of them knew well enough that the moral framework that Christianity gives is vital to the survival of a people.

"Men must choose to be governed by God, or condemn themselves to be ruled by tyrants" (William Penn).

"[I]t is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His Will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor . . . ."  (George Washington).

". . . is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible" (George Washington).

"Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand" (John Adams).

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the governance of any other" (John Adams).

Even Benjamin Franklin, who put together his own version of the Bible, understood that "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."  What some of them misunderstood, those not committed to a true Christianity, was that the virtue they sought could not be, especially collectively, obtained without a changed heart--without regeneration, salvation.  I'd like to have asked those gentlemen of good intentions, why they liked the benefits of Christianity, but not its substance.  Some did understand, thankfully.  Today, we have a similar misunderstanding among many in America: we want the benefits of Christianity without the substance (i.e., the death, resurrection, and Lordship of Jesus Christ).  Christians are presented with a great opportunity to put the two together--faith in Christ and morality--on behalf of our neighbors, friends, and fellow Americans.

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December 17, 2004

Toys that shrink and the pursuit of (un)happiness

I do enjoy buying Christmas presents for my kids.  I ask for wish lists, and I might even buy the choices listed, but I actually try to be a little creative.  I try to match up toys and things that my kids will both enjoy and learn from.  No, I don’t buy just educational toys.  My kids gave me their lists after much prodding.  But, for me the lists contained too many things that just distract and subtract—there was a heavy concentration on video games, xboxes, gameboys, and fantasy playing cards (you know those Yugio cards).  I know some parents see these things as evil and wouldn’t buy them for their kids out of conviction.  My concern goes deeper.  They aren’t evil or sinful in and of themselves, but they are toys and games that subtract and distract from more important things.  These are toys that seem to cause children to be addicted to playing them, especially at the expense of other things.  This is what bothers me.  These types of games narrow their world—shrink it.  They get caught up in playing them to the neglect of weightier matters—like homework, studying for tests, and well, playing with others.  (Adults have toys like this, too.) Toys and things that make it appear one is happy and having fun, but in the end leave one impoverish in someway.  I didn’t get the things on my kids’ lists this year, but I know they’ll like what I got them.  I can’t help but think of Malcolm Muggeridge’s comments that “The real paradox of our time is not poverty in plenty, but unhappiness in the pursuit of pleasure.” Parents can disagree with me, but I refrained from encouraging my kids from playing with thing that shrink their world.  Muggeridge finishes that quote and goes on to say, “We have everything that we want materially, and it ought to make us happy, but for some reason it doesn't.  It should be the case that…where all these material things are most available, where the pursuit of happiness is most ardently undertaken should also be the place where human beings are most happy…In fact, it's not so. Something has gone wrong. It hasn't worked.”

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December 16, 2004

My daughter gets it

I admit it: I am taking today as a vacation day.  It is my annual power Christmas shopping day when I buy most of the presents for each of our kids and family members.  This year, I am taking my wife along, which I have never done before.  (I don't think she can power shop.  This might not be a good thing.)  Despite the cave-in on the commercialism on the part of the parents, my daughter, Amanda, gets it.  Last night, while we were all getting ready for Christmas caroling at church, Amanda was busy up stairs doing something with paper, colored pens, and wrapping paper.  When we left for church, she was carrying a few small bags.  When I asked about them, she replied, "They are little gifts for the people we sing to.  You know I like giving presents."  The leaders of the caroling were equally as impressed. As they caroled, the children passed out their hand made Christmas cards and Amanda passed out her gifts.  I am sure each family took the cards and gifts with gratitude.  I don't know if it caused them to move closer to the real "reason for the season."  But I do know, my daughter gets it.  She is catching on to the meaning of Christmas--in fact she is grasping more and more what it means simply to be Christian.  Now, that isn't a bad present for Christmas.

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December 12, 2004

D x V x F > R

Dissatisfaction times Vision times First Steps must be greater than Resistance (to change).  After almost 24 hours of discussion and workgroups, in the final half hour, the facilitator asked us to sum up in a word or two the one thing or emphasis we were leaving with.  This was a two-day retreat of the Connecticut Association for Community Action, primarily the annual retreat for the Executive Directors of the twelve Community Action Agencies in Connecticut, along with the Association staff.  The retreat is usually for planning and for discussing the next year’s legislative agenda.  This year, the leadership asked that a “second” staff person from each agency be included.  I had the privilege of accompanying my Executive Director on this retreat.  Okay, that’s the setting.  We spent hours in work groups talking about numerous ideas and topics of concern.  Late in the afternoon on Thursday, the facilitator placed up on the wall a formula she thought significant since we were talking about change: D x V x F > R.  This was a wonderful insight.  In order for their to be change, the sum of D x V x F must be greater than the potential resistance there will be to change in order for change to occur. 

Dissatisfaction x Vision x First Steps must be greater than Resistance

There must be a significant among of dissatisfaction.  There needs to be an accompanying, ennobled (bold), public vision for change (as someone said, a “clear call to arms”).  And, there must be some initial first steps already in place or articulated in order for change to occur.  And, it goes without saying, there will be resistance to change.  Some expected.  And, some from unexpected sources (unexpected people!).  If anyone of these is zero, then, as we know, that makes the whole equation = zero, and thus there will be no change.  And as well, if there is significance resistance and only a minor amount among the other variables, than change will either be difficult or improbable.

I thought this was the most significant moment, at least for me, of the retreat.  For those in churches who seek to change the status quo or rethink church ministry or outreach or evangelism, this formula is not a bad thing to consider.

PS For those who are curious...check out Connecticut Association for Community Action website and you'll see more about what I do for my day-job.  If you browse it, you will find a few pics of me and one of Amanda in Senator Dodd's office.  (CAFCA...click here)

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December 9, 2004

Imus in the morning guest drives me nuts

On my way into work yesterday, Imus (“in the morning”) had the author of Newsweek’s cover topic on as a guest.  I actually have the issue here at home, but haven’t read it yet—I will.  What intrigued me and irked me at the same time is, the author seems like a genuinely nice fellow, who believes we’ve short-changed believers both in the media and in politics, articulates the basic tenets of Christianity well—even quotes passages—but, makes that absolutely mind-boggling statement that the Gospel doesn’t have to be true—to, well, be true enough to believe.  Why?  Because believing is good, just plain good.  If that assertion isn’t mind blowing enough, he actually stated this is even the Bible’s own testimony—that’s what the disciples and the Apostles and Jesus and Paul actually teach us through their writings.  In other words, fact and faith are not necessarily linked.  It doesn’t matter that the Gospel, as it is explained, is wrong on history, makes things up, gets “facts” wrong, because its not the facts or truth that matter, it is the “higher” concept of faith and believing that matters.  All right I can’t take it anymore!  This is so wrong on so many levels…I was arguing with this guy in my car, but to no avail, he wasn’t listening.  Okay, let me get this right: The early believers faced lions, torture, arrest, imprisonment, crucifixion themselves, banishment from family and friends and the marketplace, and death, and they were okay with the Gospel being only a matter of faith because it’s a good idea and didn’t necessarily have to be actually true?  Yes, this is a question asked very loudly.  Wish that nice author and Imus guest could answer it.  His one assertion that the Gospel isn’t the same thing as truth drove me nuts.  Not just because he said it, but also because he was proof-texting the Bible all over the place throughout the interview.  He told us that, “yeah, there are some right-wing nuts that think that the Gospel and truth are the same thing, but they are wrong.”  Now that’s what drove me nuts.  Of course it matters if the Gospel is truth.  Of course it matters if the written record is true.  What is this guy thinking?  Christianity isn’t just a good thing, higher ideal, a better way of thinking (even if the Bible writers at worse lied, and at best mislead us on historical facts).  Okay, Chip, take a deep breath.  Obviously the guest hadn’t read Colossians 1:3-5 and 2 Peter 1:16:

“We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel” (Col 1:3-5).

Apparently, the hope Christians have is based on the gospel, which IS THE WORD OF TRUTH!

“For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).

And, what’s this?  The apostles didn’t—hear that, didn’t—make it up.  They didn’t devise clever tales to get their point across.  In fact, the Gospel stands on eyewitness testimony.

Breathe again, Chip, breath.

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December 7, 2004

Today and one thought

This morning is given over to writing a grant to help pre-school children from economically vulnerable families develop their literacy skills.  I do have a thought developing on "It ain't my Mama's church." I was thinking yesterday: As a kid, I didn't wear bell-bottoms and platform shoes when they were popular.  And, I didn't grow my hair long when every other guy my age was growing theirs.  Maybe I am incapable of being trendy.  Maybe its a flaw.  But then, I am no traditionalist either."  This bothered me all day.  Well, maybe I am just a curmudgeon.  Comments forthcoming on a church slogan I ran into while I had these thoughts...tomorrow.  See December 8, 2004 CommonPlace...click

December 6, 2004

More than handing out books

I am writing two grant.  Both small one's, but significant.  One is only a few thousand dollars to support a fatherhood initiative among our Head Start families.  The other, a little larger grant application to support training our education management and support staff so they are better equipped to guide, support, and evaluate the teaching staff.  The attempt is to connect both grants to literacy development for pre-school children and help parents read to their children at home.  Everyone knows that the more reading at home, the more literate potential for pre-school children.  There is one problem, says our education staff: The only time most of our low-income, single-parented, and often Housing Authority families have time for reading is at night.  This is problem for many of our families.  Electricity is expensive, as our family outreach workers and home-visiting teachers have discovered, and so the families don't have lights.  At night they function by the light of the TV and small night-lights.  Now, you and I would think passed this and say "Let's exchange the cost of the TV for the cost of reading to our children."  But that's because those of us outside of poverty have different habits and capacities than our more barrier-laden, economically vulnerable neighbors.  Literacy training for parents is more than just handing them books to read to their children and saying, "It is a good thing, now go do it and read."  I will be contacting our local electric company, CL&P, to see about getting those special cost-saving lights they hand out to go with the books we hand out.  And maybe we can help the parents see passed the electric bill and beyond their daily habits, so they can change their habits and family routines to include reading to their pre-school children.

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December 2, 2004

Steeper waves than expected

Twenty-three years ago, I was in my second year at St. Paul Bible College (now Crown College) in Bible College, MN (really St. Bonifacius, MN).  I had, a year earlier, finished up my time in the US Air Force, and had been a Christian for 2 1/2 years.  Twenty-three years ago, Tom Brokaw became the anchor at NBC.  Yesterday...last evening Mr. Brokaw signed off as the anchor for the very last time.  First, its hard to believe 23 years have gone by.  All the news articles were chronicling his departure and final words, but they actually reached back to his 30th anniversary at NBC  in 1996.  Brokaw said then,

"I never expected the waves would be quite as steep as they were...But even in the worst of times, it was better than anything I thought I'd ever have in life."

I was struck by these words.  Great way of reflecting on a career, on life.  My own waves are steeper than I expected, but its a fine ride.  At 64, I only hope my reflection on what I have done with my life is equally "better than anything I thought" my life could have amounted to. For as sure as there will be a tomorrow (until the Lord returns), the waves will be steeper than expected.

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December 1, 2004

From “eat or be eaten” to “love”

I am preparing an essay on the problem of atheism and the atheist’s relative comfort in maintaining his or her commitment to atheism—the belief that God does not exist—here in America (or the west).  My research led me to atheism’s moral dilemma, that is the origins of morality.  From what I gather, most atheists maintain that our human origins are part of a long chain of events, namely evolution.  It occurred to me that we have a problem here—well, the atheist does anyway.  Evolution is built on the idea of the survival of the fittest, or natural selection.  Okay, here’s where I have a problem: long, long, long ago, as the single cell organism mysteriously became two, then three, then four…and the ooze became a functioning, living something in a sea of nutrients, that eventually evolved into a fish-like creature, that eventually flopped up on dry land, and after a million tries of flopping adapted so it could walk away from the sea and catch food (where'd the food come from?), the creature learned it had to survive so it invented the “eat or be eaten” philosophy, which eventually became what its future ancestors would call, natural selection or the evolutionary process.  (It is hard to believe that I used to actually believe this was all scientific fact.)  Then once the creature-turned-animal learned that it had to adapt to survive, time and time again (the evolutionary process) through millions of years, finally produced up-right, thinking, rational, thumbed man (or woman, or both at same exact time so they could mate and reproduce what eventually would be the human race, homo sapiens).  Now, after all these years of “eat or be eaten,” that is the survival of the fittest, there is a leap forward according to the atheist—morality came into existence, the real something out of nothing.  In order for man to “survive” it now, after eons of “eat or be eaten” survival tactics (all embedded into our evolutionary make-up), love (and other moral attributes like trustworthiness, honesty, kindness, etc.) is the word.  After all this time of “eat or be eaten”, now its “love will keep us together.”  Well, it’s a good thing there are people of religious faith, especially those of the Judeo-Christian faith, who figured this out—the origins of morality and its evolutionary consequence, love—so the human race can survive.  Time, plus chance, plus some mysteriously existing, eternal material, produced humans with a concept of morality.  I think not.

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November 29, 2004

Thanksgiving tears

Wednesday night’s Thanksgiving eve service at church was uplifting, edifying, and emotional—at least for me.  Surrounded by my family—both my wife and daughter gave testimony of their thankfulness for God’s goodness to them.  The flood of tears from my eyes started right away, as soon as Pete and his daughter, Ellary (12 years old) opened the service with a duet.  His daughter has never song in front of church before—or at least I can’t remember that she has—but, Pete has led our worship at church numerous times and is often a part of singing teams.  He’s a great guy, too.  But that’s not why tears welled up in my eyes.  They, together, set in motion a number of thoughts that were ripe for tears on this thanksgiving eve.  I love my own daughter and step-kids, and I knew Pete was proud to be singing next to his own daughter.  I have so often an occasion to be proud of my kids.  So very thankful for that.  Then my mind drifted to the many fathers and mothers who will be separated from their own children because they are in Iraq or Afghanistan on Thanksgiving day.  I know that war is divisive here in this country—good friends are on both sides of the issue.  But, these moms and dads volunteered to be in harms way, so my kids and I don't have to be.  And, despite all the rhetoric for and against, these moms and dads have disrupted the free flowing of terrorism and its network.  These moms and dads are there so Pete and his daughter can sing together and I can sit next to my kids, all in relative safety.  From the start, as soon as Pete and his daughter hit their first note, I was so filled with thankfulness and gratitude, I couldn't help but cry.  My daughter turned at one point in the service and noticed I was crying.  She took her finger to catch a few of the tears.  She smiled and let her dad continue to cry.

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November 24, 2004

Reflection on Arafat--and home

Upon Arafat's passing, I remembered evangelist Ravi Zacharias quoting someone in a long ago delivered message that has stuck with me for the last fifteen years.  My memory is fuzzy--I thought it was attributed to a long time missionary in Palestine, but it actually came in 1969 through a 71 year old Golda Meir, Israeli founder and prime minister (1898-1978).  Reflecting on the long time conflict between Arabs and Jews, she said:

"We will have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us"

Aside from the century's old conflict, I thought this principle would even work in my own arena of fighting the "war on poverty."  At least partially, we'll see much of poverty alleviated when fathers (and parents) love their children more than themselves.  And I add: there will be revival when we, the church--I put myself in this--love our neighbors--especially the vulnerable, at-risk, different, other ethnic background--than we do our comfort, upward mobility, and place in democracy.  I read world news and this is where it takes me--almost always back home.

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November 22, 2004

Atheists pay taxes, too

Speaking of JFK, Helen Thomas, the long reigning White House correspondent (74 years old I believe) and long time fixture in the White House Press corps, spoke at a Connecticut conference on non-profits last Friday.  I had the privilege of being there.  She, you could tell, had fond memories of the late President Kennedy.  Thomas started her career when JFK was President.  She didn't have any fondness for the first President Bush, nor any appreciation for the current President Bush.  In fact, admitting her far left leanings, she took more than half her time lamenting President Bush's first term and reelection.  For the little she did, I appreciate the historical vignettes she revealed.  But I was actually more shocked at her very apparent hatred for Evangelical Christianity.  Her apparent tolerance and liberal views are narrow enough (intolerant) to exclude the existence of evangelicals in her world.  She made one comment that I almost forgot my manners and caught myself before laughing out loud:  In her tirade on the so-called evangelical leanings of this White House, she lambasted W's opening of a Faith Based Initiative Office.  Thomas said, "Atheists pay taxes, too, you know."  Now that's funny.  For, since I have been a Christian, I have heard for two decades that phrase with another twist, "Christians pay taxes, too." While Christians are finding a friend in President Bush, they are also finding a consolidation of hatred from a number of sectors of American society, all being fueled by a very anti-Christian biased media.  The truly shocking thing about Thomas' comments, wasn't the comments.  It was that she didn't take stock of her audience and expected, since we were all non-profit related, that her comments would be received well.  I guess being caught within the Beltway since the days of JFK, Thomas didn't get out much.  She just doesn't know that many of us in the non-profit world are people of faith--and some of us are even evangelicals.

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November 18, 2004

Acts 29, the church's unfinished business

Despite the many possible activities, debates, and styles the church can be involved in, there is one that is penultimate, further reaching, more superior: being witnesses unto the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).  Between raising four kids, being married to a very active wife, work that is easily 50-60 hours a week, developing a website, and trying to market my book, I surf the net for good, useful websites.  Last week I ran across the Acts 29 Network.  This you have to know about!  Their vision statement:

Acts 29 is network of pastors from around the nation and world whose dream is to help qualified leaders called by God plant new churches and replant declining churches.

If you have a dream to plant or replant, we will assess your fitness to pursue that dream. And, if you are a good fit with our network we will strive to assist you with friendship, coaching, and resources that will help you successfully serve Jesus.

Simply, we love Jesus and if He has called you to serve Him in church planting we would love to serve you.

Upon reading the Book of Acts, one does not get the impression that the task of the church is to grow churches (although a good thing), but to spread churches, plant churches further and further to the ends of the earth.  So I am introduced to a site, ministry, and organization close to my own heart.  It is not only a fascinating site, its mission and goals are absolutely biblical and apostolic.  Check it out.  It will take more than one sitting.  And, they post some very good written material worth reading.  Church planting...the Church's one unfinished mandate.  Click here to check out...the Acts 29 Network.

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November 16, 2004

Maybe a Miracle in your church

Anyone remember the miracle in Darien?  I do.  Back in the 70’s and early 80’s, there was an outpouring of God’s Spirit.  A book was even written about it Miracle in Darien.  It happened in an unlikely place—Darien, Connecticut—and in an implausible church—not a Baptist church or Pentecostal church, or community church, but an established Episcopal church.  My own conversion coincided with this work (1978), as well as did my mother’s.  We both had the privilege of partaking in some of this extra-ordinary work.  In fact, I consider the pastor (rector) of the church to have been foundational in the early stages of my spiritual growth (Terry Fullam).  I was gone for the most part—first the Air Force in Idaho and Korea, later Bible College in Minnesota.  So, I received only highlights while on leave or later in-between semesters.  I remember a lot of what Terry Fullam taught, however.  But here is one thing that has always stood out: As God’s instrument of renewal, Rev. Fullam didn’t start a new program at church, no new approach to ministry, didn’t even really “buck the system” (for the church remained very high Episcopalian).  He did two things I believe, surely, that were foundational, nonetheless.  First, he preached the word.  Some of the best exposition of Scripture I still have heard from the pulpit.  He carefully explained the texts of Scripture to his congregation, week after week.  (In fact, in my homiletics class, I profiled Rev Fullam and his sermons for my major course research paper.)  Second, he didn’t start a new program to “get the renewal going.”  He discipled 12 men.  He found 12 men who would commit themselves to weekly teaching, prayer, and fellowship with him.  Taught them what he knew.  Now I know there are always other factors—like the trio that prayed long before Rev Fullam accepted the call to the church.  But, this is how Rev. Fullam changed a church—and you and I can decide in heaven which came first: the working of the Spirit and then the preaching and discipleship, or was it the preached word and the discipling first?

Bob Slosser in his book, Miracle in Darien, quoted Terry Fullam: "The church as it has been organized over the centuries, in many ways has become organized into structures that are contrary to the plan of God as expressed in the New Testament.  And one thing is perfectly clear: God does not bless that which militates against His purposes."  Changing the structure of a church, redoing the by-laws, forming new organizational patterns is an earthly way of getting God to work (more like Baal worship actually).  I, as Rev Fullam, am convinced that if pastors would disciple a small group of men and preach the word to their congregation—I mean really do expository preaching—churches would change and perhaps God’s Spirit would be poured out.  Maybe if this New Testament pattern is followed, a miracle would happen in my church,  in your church?
 

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November 9, 2004

Would it matter if it were true?

I have found that most people that don’t believe Christianity, or believe in God, or believe that Jesus did miracles, or that the Bible is inspired, or that there is a heaven and a hell—simply don’t like Christianity.  As if liking or not liking something makes something true or false.  I have friends, good friends, very good friends that are skeptics, agnostics, and even hard-core atheists, all who have a range of disbelief from just not caring to “its nice for you but not for me” to down right, borderline hatred.  Some are in deep pain over life’s unfair twists.  Some have hidden pain that actually defines their disbelief (though I doubt they’d admit this).  For some, life is on a good track—no sense changing it with some silly conversion.  I was there once.  Found the religion of my great Aunt Hazel and the ridicules beliefs of my Christian Air Force colleagues to be out of date, off the wall, for old people, and a bit silly—I had to live in the “real world.”  But then one thing came to mind—what if it’s true?  What if this Jesus really did rise from the dead?  Would that make a difference to me?

So I began, at least, thinking about whether it’s true or not.  Not whether I liked Christianity or not.  I found that I had to decide if Jesus dying on a cross for my sins and truly being raised from the grave actually would mean something to me.  If I really cared if it was true or not?  Because if it wouldn’t change anything, if it didn’t matter, then it wouldn’t matter if it were true or not.

Soon I will share my testimony on these web pages.  For now, I know I decided it did matter if Christianity is true.  If Jesus was indeed raised from the dead, that would change everything.  Frank Morrison, a lawyer and skeptic, set out to “prove” that the Christian story is a fairytale.  He applied his discipline as a lawyer to “the case.”  He ended up writing a little book called, Who Moved the Stone.  His first chapter was entitled, “"The Book that refused to be written."  Listen to his conclusion: 

...we...have stumbled, almost unconsciously, upon the true answer to one of the profoundest questions which has engaged the thought of the Church from the time of the Early Fathers to our own...There may be, and, as the writer thinks, there is certainly, a deep and profoundly historical basis for that much disputed sentence in the Apostle's Creed “The third day he rose again from the dead.”

Anyone investigating, with an honest mind, will find that the Old and New Testament are the most reliable and accurate documents of antiquity.  Bottom line, however, is: do you really care if it is true?  And, would it matter if Jesus truly did rise from the dead?

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November 4, 2004

Some quotes for the morning after

"In a Gallup Poll released last week, respondents were asked whether George W. Bush was a uniter or divider.  The result 48 percent said he was a uniter, and 48 percent said he was a divider.  Think about it."

"...take comfort in the immortal words of Adlai Stevenson, who said, 'In America, anyone can become president.  It's one of the risks you take.'"

Both quotes from a U.S. News & World Report essay by Roger Simon, "The Final Hours" (November 8, 2004).

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November 3, 2000

While we wait

Ah.  Finally, a day without checking the polls.  I couldn’t help myself—every day, five or six times.  Now, the big one has come in.  Now, it is not polls, but lawyers we’ll hear from.  On the bright side, more of us registered and voted in this election than we have seen in our country in decades.  For the most part, Red and Blue stayed the same as 2000—with a few exceptions to be determined by “counting all the votes.”  I am surprised, as were the talking heads of election eve—moral, cultural values ranked high on the electorate’s mind as a vote-deciding factor.  And, as it seems, 51% of the voting public decided that Bush’s moral worldview is more preferable than Kerry’s.  While watching the returns last night, I couldn’t help but watch a re-run of the West Wing.  The character, Sam Seaborn, was greatly offended by a former, long since dead traitor, a US citizen who was a Russian spy.  He was angered because this “citizen” injured America.  He said that America is an idea and that man sold out the idea.  This reminded me that our country is more than a land with a government—it is an experiment, an idea.  We are still almost 50/50, red vs. blue, and really urban vs. non-urban.  Seems to me that Christians, the Third Way, should stand out, not as a voting block, but as people who are looking out for the least of us.  Does this mean, whether we appreciate Bush’s stand on the war on terror or not, we as the Third Way, should be the purple people?  So while we wait for the final tally and the lawyers, we who go by the name of Christ, should be busy doing the work of the kingdom of God, which is immune to vote or law-suit or polling.  Thank God!

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