The flag is not the problem!

"Racism isn't a bad habit; it's a sin. The answer is not sociology, it's theology." Tony Evans

 

  There’s a huge public outcry to remove the Confederate flag from the State House in South Carolina. Removing the flag isn’t going to cure the disease of racism. Our culture loves to focus on external and symbolic change, rather than the heart and true change. Eradicating all symbols of the Confederacy won’t end racism in our country any more than taking the label off a bottle of poison makes it non-toxic.

  Racism isn’t new. It goes back to Genesis and the Fall. It’s not an American problem, or even a white versus black problem. A basic study of history and contemporary culture reveals that this horrible sin crosses borders and time. All of us are familiar with the white Aryanism that Adolph Hitler and the Nazis were obsessed with. Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, though Asian, persecuted ethnic Chinese.

  There is only one race—the human race. Caucasians, Africans, Asians, Indians, Arabs and Jews aren’t different races. Rather, they’re different ethnicities of the human race. All human beings have the same physical characteristics (with minor variations, of course). More importantly, for a Bible believer, all human beings are equally created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). God loved the world so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to lay down His life for us (John 3:16). The “world” includes all people groups.

  God doesn’t show partiality or favoritism and neither must we. James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” The Bible instead commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves, making no distinction of ethnicity or people groups. Racism finds its roots in the diabolical sin of pride. All forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination, whether ethnic, economic, educational, gender-based or intelligence-based are an affront to the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for all people.

  Anyone who is racist, prejudiced or discriminatory need to repent. It’s a sin. There’s no rationalization or justification for it. Jesus commands us to love one another as He loves us (John 13:34). If God is impartial and loves us with impartiality, we must love others with that same high standard. When we treat an individual or people-group with contempt, we’re mistreating image-bearers of God. Even if it’s only in our heart, we’re abusing someone whom God loves and for whom Jesus died.

  Racism, in varying forms and to various degrees, has been a plague on humanity since the beginning. As a racist needs to repent, the Bible commands those who are victims of racism, prejudice or discrimination to forgive. Ephesians 4:32 clearly commands us, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Racists may not deserve forgiveness, yet each of us deserved God’s forgiveness far less.

  Since we’re all of one race, the human race or what Scripture calls Adam’s race, we all share Adam’s story. This includes the broken condition into which Adam and Eve fell when they rebelled against God. When our first parents rebelled, it was attributed to us – in a real sense, we rebelled along with them. Original sin means Adam’s sin brought on us both guilt and a fallen nature. Adam brought us guilt in that he represented us. When he sinned and died spiritually, we died in him. Because Adam is our ancient biological father, we inherit his sinful nature.

  The good news and our only hope is that God has addressed the issue of sin — including racism — in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus succeeded where Adam failed; Jesus succeeds where we fail. By faith, we place confidence in Jesus as our true and final representative and have peace with both God and our fellow human beings. Because of salvation we can overcome sin and death through Christ. Someday we will be free of both.

  Scripture teaches very clearly that the Gospel brings an end to interracial squabbling. Our common humanity supersedes our national and ethnic distinctions. Delusions of cultural superiority have absolutely no place in Christ’s kingdom. At salvation we become one Body, one Church, one entity in Jesus Christ. But because of our natural condition, which the Bible calls sinful, we still experience racial strife, even within the Church. This is an enslavement from which the Gospel sets us free but we must choose by God’s grace to live in the liberty that was purchased for us on the cross. One day the Church, which supersedes all ethnic lines and cultural barriers, will meet before God in eternity and worship Him together in one glorious voice forever. It’s already happening right this very minute.

  The problem with someone who is a racist is not fundamentally that they are racist. The core issue is that racists and racist comments only reveal the spiritual deadness of ungodly spiritual heart and the need for God through Christ and by His Spirit to resurrect and transform one’s spiritual heart from the dead. When someone is perceived to be guilty of racism, there’s usually an outcry for them to be banished from the public square. Somehow we foolishly believe that solves the evil problem of racism. It doesn’t and never will. Instead, racism only hides or goes covert.

  As Bible-believers, we must understand and share that there is only one hope, there is only one solution to racism – the Gospel! If a racist trusts in and follows Jesus Christ by faith, the One who died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead for all types of sins and for all types, races, and kinds of sinners, then and only then can he/she truly be liberated from racism. If a racist chooses to become a Christian, the Gospel promises that he/she will go to heaven, a place filled with many sinful Christ-followers—even liberated racist Christ-followers.

  Do you struggle with racism? Are you partial to your own group? If we’re honest, we have to admit that most of us are. Sadly, that’s because we’re foolish enough to rank people by standards the all-wise God of creation does not. Imagine for a second what it might look like to fully recognize that we stand before God utterly by grace, when wrath is in fact deserved. Would you and I still show preference to persons who share our skin color?

  Often Christians, depending on their political persuasion, simply read from the culture's favorite scripts. But shouldn't those who have been born-again sound different from those who are lost? Shouldn't we be reading from a different script, one based on a biblical worldview, rather than an unregenerate world one? Peter calls black, white, Asian, Hispanic Christians together a “chosen race” (1 Pet. 2:9). Shouldn’t this reality affect the look and feel of our church? Our attitude toward those who are “different”? Even how we feel about ourselves?  

  In the church alone we can simultaneously affirm two points: God created people as both different and good. Those differences hold absolutely no weight in our standing or rank relative to one another, since our worthiness depends on something outside of us—on the worthiness of Jesus Christ. So here’s a radical, real world idea – let’s “outdo one another in showing honor,” as Paul puts it (Rom. 12:10). Ask God for wisdom and grace on how you can personally, in very practical ways, outdo members of other ethnic groups in showing them honor and grace, as you have been shown honor and grace by our gracious God!
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A few good (but not perfect) men...

"A father is a man who expects his son to be as good a man as he meant to be." Frank A. Clark 

  More times than I like to think about, I’ve felt that my “Daddy Permit” ought to be revoked. Any Dad who’s honest, I believe, probably feels the same way. What an encouragement the Bible is when it comes to fathers. God’s Word challenges us with Dads in real time, yet paints them as they truly were. It doesn’t sanitize them, creating some unrealistic, idealistic Super Dad, but as real Dads who loved their children, loved God yet still struggled with their own sin nature and shortcomings. It drives me back to the Cross and the Gospel, and the only Father who is perfect.

  One of my favorite quotes that gives me so much hope for my children is from Thomas Fuller, an English churchman and historian. Thomas Fuller was a prolific author, as well as the chaplain to Oliver Cromwell. His powerful insight encourages my heart, that my children will walk closer to the Lord and be more faithful to Him than I have been. He wrote: “Lord, I find the genealogy of my Savior strangely checkered with four remarkable changes in four immediate generations. (1) Rehoboam begat Abijah; that is, a bad father begat a bad son. (2) Abijah begat Asa; that is, a bad father begat a good son. (3) Asa begat Jehoshaphat; that is, a good father a good son. (4) Jehoshaphat begat Joram; that is, a good father a bad son. I see, Lord, from hence that my father's piety cannot be entailed; that is bad news for me. But I see also that actual impiety is not always hereditary; that is good news for my son.”

  Perusing the pages of Scripture, I find some wonderful models of godly fatherhood. Caleb, was a Dad with a vision for the next generation. When nearly everyone else doubted God and were shaking in their sandals, Caleb joined Joshua, in that wonderful do it – “we can do it, we can do it!” Many men are great, yet fail in encouraging greatness in the next generation. Toward the end of his life, Caleb is still claiming new territory and challenging others to do the same, to take great risks and step out on faith. His daughter follows in his steps, claiming unconquered ground in the Promised Land for the glory of God. Too often, we seek to protect our children, essentially handing them their future on a silver platter rather than challenging them to trust God and step out on faith on their own.

  While David was such a disappointment in so many ways, yet when God turned down his holy desire to build a great house for God, David did the next best thing. Though he wasn’t going to be allowed to build a house for the Lord, he prepared the way for his son, Solomon, to honor God. Later when, with all the political intrigue and coups of a Games of Thrones court, a plan was hatched to circumvent Solomon from assuming Israel’s throne after David’s death, David immediately vacated the throne, having Solomon anointed king. He also cleaned up his own messes so that a young Solomon wouldn’t have to deal with the debris from his failures. While we must not fight our children’s battles, we should seek to remove needless impediments out of their way that might dissuade them from following God’s will, and guide them in ways that encourage them to trust Him. 

  Sacrifice, particularly for one’s children seemingly grows rarer among today’s Dads. Weekends are theirs for their hobbies. After work is for “me time.” Though it might put at risk their children’s future, rarely will they slow down their career climb, even if longer hours or a relocation will potentially be a detriment to their child’s spiritual health. Often pastors are the worst violators of this, snatching children out of schools and away from friends who encourage them spiritually, just so that they can take a bigger ministry. Scripture only gives us the briefest glances of Joseph, Jesus’ adopted father. The little that we know of him causes me to admire him. As soon as he knew Jesus was in danger, he doesn’t just get out of town, he leaves the country. He left a new business and friends in the middle of the night for what must have been an unpleasant trek down into Egypt. Even when he returns, rather than going back where it might be easier to start over, he chooses the less ideal town of Nazareth to re-establish himself. A Dad who sacrifices, particularly economically, because it’s in the best interest of his children, is far too rare even in the Church.

  Probably, this one is closer to my heart than others, the Apostle Paul was a man who looked outside of his own blood descendants to make a difference in someone else’s life. Though busy with ministry, Paul invested in the young man, Timothy, adopting him as his own son in the faith. Think how much richer the Church is because of Paul’s love for the Lord that he poured out into Timothy. Many godly men, particularly after their own children are grown, shut their eyes in our fatherless and poor fathering world to have a godly influence on a young man. Yet, such an investment can pay off in huge spiritual dividends. We know too that Paul was single and may have never been married. Yet, this single, very busy man poured his life into a young life for the glory of God. May there be many more in our churches who will follow his example!

  Abraham struggled with fear most of his life, yet was called the “friend of God.” His spiritual priorities challenge me. He wouldn’t even let his long awaited and promised son, Isaac, to come between him and the Lord. He obeyed God, even if meant the sacrifice of his own son. That staggers me. I have to wonder, “Would I do that?” I hope so. I hope that I wouldn’t even let those that I love the most in this world, that I would gladly give my life for, that I wouldn’t even let them come between me and my God. Yet, many a man has become bitter and turned his back on God because he felt God had asked too much when God asked him to “have no other idols before God,” particularly when that idol was his own family. What we think is too great of a sacrifice costs too much when we choose to not trust and obey God. Too often what we think we can’t afford to lose, we lose in a greater way – we lose spiritually, losing that intimate relationship with the Father and our faith, just because we don’t understand God’s plan. 

  No, the Dads in Scripture aren’t perfect and neither are we. Many of them have left a righteous path for us to follow as they followed their Heavenly Father and sought to please Him. They were fathers who were examples for us and we would do well to follow their steps. 

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Honest Questions in a LGBT World

“A rejection of the Bible’s authority on an issue such as homosexuality is a theological problem – not merely a moral controversy. No church can remain divided on this question, and no faithful believer should remain in a church that refuses to be bound to God’s Word.” Albert Mohler

  There aren’t many times that I hesitate to address a subject, either in preaching or in writing. Yet, when it comes to the bi-sexual, transgender, homosexual issue – I find that I walk with great trepidation. Primarily, because those who reject Scripture’s authority and God’s standards of righteousness, often caricature those who dare to say that any sexual sin is wrong as phobic, a bigot, a Neanderthal – and those are some of the kinder terms. If you engage those who don’t understand biblical Christianity and for whom Scripture either has no authority or is culturally fluid, you must follow the sage advice of King Solomon, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1), and the words of the Lord Jesus, “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

  We’re commanded to “speak the truth in love” to a lost world. It’s unloving to stay silent as human beings—image bearers of God—languish in their sin. Telling the truth means telling those that outside the Church that God has absolute moral standards. Speaking the truth in love though means speaking in love not via juvenile online jabs but over a meal or the phone, not through clenched teeth, but with sad eyes and a broken heart.

  As parents and grandparents, you’re the best one to have a conversation with your children and grandchildren about biblical morality. Rather than pontificating or dogmatizing, instead asking questions that require thinking are a wiser approach. Because there has been a cultural brainwashing that started as a trickle in 1969 with the Stonewall Uprising, yet has become a tsunami today, there are great many myths and misconceptions. Let me suggest several questions to ask (they’re not in any particular order).

  What’s the percentage of gay individuals in America? The first is a simple numbers game. You might start this dialogue with other questions like: “Name one show or movie that does NOT have a gay character?” “When was the last time you watched a newscast or read a newspaper or magazine without at least one story (usually more) about something related to a homosexual issue?” On the percentage question, you’ll usually receive answers of anywhere from 15% to 30%. The real numbers are less than 5% and probably less than 3%. In contrast, how many evangelical Christians are there in America? Gallup says 39%. Wikipedia says 13%. Can you think of even one TV show that has an evangelical Christian character? When was the last time you saw or read a story that painted an evangelical in a positive light? With tongue in cheek, maybe we should ask, “Why isn’t there an annual evangelical parade or evangelical fest in our major cities?”

  “Why is ‘born this way’ a valid argument when it comes to sexuality, yet an invalid argument when it comes to virtually any other sphere of life?” Billions of dollars have been spent to find an alcoholic gene without any success. Would someone who says, “I can’t help it. I’m born a liar…or thief…or rapist” get a pass? If someone is “born this way,” isn’t it cruel of God to say that their inborn design is morally wrong? Can you imagine the angst and backlash there would be if someone in our health obsessed world rationalized, “Well, I was born a smoker” or “I’m obese because I was born with a Big Mac Attack addiction”?

  Usually, those who believe in a “gay gene,” (though any scientific evidence is very sketchy) also believe in evolution. One of the foundational premises of evolutionary theory is “survival of the fittest.” A gay gene is thus impossible. There would be no reproduction and thus, no survival. If there is a gay gene and evolution was true, then the gay gene would go extinct in one generation. So do people have same sex attraction? Do some have a predisposition toward homosexuality? I believe so. I’m more inclined to believe that it’s a matter of nurture, rather than nature. As a heterosexual, I have a predisposition to sexual sin and have to continually guard my eyes and heart…just like everyone else.  

  “Did you know that biblical Christianity demands radical morality?”  Those outside the Church think our position on homosexuality is radical. Yet, a biblical standard of morality is much more radical. As Christians, we believe that a teenage guy and girl who have sex in the backseat of a pick-up are sinning. The unmarried heterosexual couple living down the street is sinning. In fact, any sexual activity that takes place outside of the marriage covenant between a husband and wife is sinful. What’s more, Jesus takes this sexual ethic a step further and goes to the heart of the matter. That means that any time we even lust after someone else, we’re sinning. Jesus’ radical view of sexuality shows all of us up as guilty, sexual sinners. Jesus doesn’t just condemn adultery, as does one of the Ten Commandments. Jesus condemns even the mental lust that leads to adultery, all with the purpose of offering us transformed hearts that begin beating in step with His radical demands.

    “Did you know that a holy God offers us a solution with His radical love, mercy and grace?” Jesus’ teaching on sexuality shows us that there’s something wrong with all of us, something that can only be fixed by what Jesus did for us on the Cross when He died for all of our sins and in His resurrection. Christianity teaches that all people are born with a bent toward sin. And professing Christians who mistreat those have succumbed to sexual sin are sinning. It’s wrong for anyone anywhere to mock, taunt, or bully another human being made in God’s image.

  That said, we must make one thing clear in regard to civil discourse: To differ is not to hate. The silly notion that disagreeing with homosexual behavior necessarily results in harm to gay people is designed to shut down dialogue and immediately rule one point of view (in this case, the Christian one) out of bounds. As Christians, we’re to love our neighbors and seek their good, even when we disagree with them or their choices. The radical example of Jesus dying for His enemies necessarily affects the way I think and behave about this and other issues.

  The end message is that God loves every sinner, as hard as that may be for us to comprehend. It doesn't mean He overlooks evil or pretends it’s not serious. My sin, your sin, their sin is so serious that only one remedy could be found to wipe it away: the blood of God’s own Son. Jesus was absolutely pure, but on the cross all of our sins were placed on Him. Jesus took the horrible penalty we deserved. It’s why the Bible says, “the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). God’s grace can change even the worst person. He radically changed the most evil person I know – Me! The good news for a gay person is the same good news for a straight person. Homosexuality isn't the chief sin; unbelief is. Jesus loves us so much that died for every type of sin and for all types of sinners. And we must reach out to gay people with the love of God, just as we in our wicked state were reached with that same radical love by a gracious God.

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Peanuts, Popcorn...NOT for the Pulpit!

“May I beg you carefully to judge every preacher, not by his gifts, not by his elocutionary powers, not by his status in society, not by the respectability of his congregation, not by the prettiness of his church, but by this – does he preach the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation?”   C.H. Spurgeon

  Sadly, for the most part, the contemporary Church is spiritually emaciated. You often sense it as you walk in the door. There’s a lack of seriousness, fervency, or even a heart for God. May that not be true of us!

  There are many reasons for this sad situation. A primary one is that we’ve jettisoned what Scripture teaches is to be a priority – the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. Recently, I was told that we use the Bible too much at Grace to be a successful church. The typical church measures success by numbers of attendees and size of the budget. Churches are constantly looking for that next “thing” that will bring in crowds and cash. The end result is that we’re pragmatically driven, rather than biblically motivated. But having a big crowd doesn’t mean we’re making disciples or are successful in God’s eyes.

  From a human perspective, one of the dumbest things we do is put a man behind a pulpit and have him deliver a monologue. Adding to the tedium, he uses an ancient book written two millennia ago in an ancient language as his primary resource. Could anything be more passé? Yet, amazingly, the Bible commands us to “preach” God’s Word and even warns us that preaching will be considered stupid, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe… but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles…For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:21-25). But because we’re this world success driven, we use cheap substitutes for preaching like…

  Entertainment. In many churches, you’re not sure if you’re in a worship service or a circus. The music, light show, drama, video and dance routine drive the service. Preaching is a sidebar. Church gurus tell us we need these things so we don’t bore people. While there are boring preachers, the Bible is anything but boring. Martin Lloyd Jones said, “Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire. A man who can speak about these things dispassionately has no right whatsoever to be in a pulpit and should never be allowed to enter one.” God’s eternal Word needs to grip the heart of the preacher and the congregation by the power of the Holy Spirit.

  Sharing. A pastor will say something like, “There are some things I just want to share with you today…” Since when is the man of God some Dr. Phil and Oprah combo? God called the preacher to preach His message. Because it reveals the human heart, because we’re naked before a Holy God, it’s often uncomfortable…even offensive. We dare not remove the offense from the Gospel: I’m a mess, you’re a mess, this world’s a mess and there is no cure except Jesus Christ and His cross. Either you run to Christ as Savior or you’ll face Him as Judge. There is no in between.

  Sermonettes. Anyone want a discount open heart surgery? Half the price, half the time. When we preach God’s Word, we’re doing soul surgery. You can’t do that in 20 minutes. It takes time. Truth must be explained clearly. It needs personal application. We also naturally resist it, so resistance must be broken down. It’s impossible to do meaningful life change in a hurry.

  How can I listen to a sermon so that I get as much as I can out of it? Even those of us who believe God’s plan and command is the preaching of His Word have often given little thought on how to listen to a sermon. Yet, shouldn’t we be highly motivated to learn how to develop the spiritual discipline of listening to a sermon? If for nothing else, just the practical, utilitarian reason of not wasting time. If you’re an adult who’s been in church for several years, you’ve spent hundreds of hours sitting through sermons. Just the sheer amount of time we spend listening to sermons should spark some curiosity in us on how to listen to a sermon effectively.

  And there’s a far greater motivation for a believer to want to listen to a sermon well: Scripture teaches that preaching is God’s design and His great gift to us (1 Cor. 1:20-25, Eph. 4:7-16 & 2 Tim. 4:1-5). In our ADHD world, listening to a sermon is a learned discipline that can be developed. If we know preaching is God’s plan and we’re going to spend lots of hours doing it, shouldn’t we want to get good at it? Learning to listen well to a sermon will change your life and maximize the effect of the preaching of God’s Word upon your life. Here are some basic pointers:

  It’s requires effort. With our growing increase of technology, we’re probably the most distracted generation in history. That means you’re going to struggle to concentrate to listen to a monologue for forty minutes. That doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. Yet, like anything worthwhile, it’s going to demand that you put forth some real effort.

  It means pre-planning. It’s the same advice your parents gave you when you were a child. Go to bed early. Have your clothes and other items ready before you go to bed. Get up at a decent time so you don’t have to rush. Leave home with enough time so you can relax. Plan for the rest of the day beforehand. If you have to think about Sunday afternoon – What you’re going to eat? Who you’re spending time with? What time is the game on? – You’ll have difficulty focusing during the preaching.  

  It demands thinking. Since at Grace, we preach through books of the Bible, most Sundays, you know in advance what passage is going to be preached on. Why not take a few moments during the week to read the text, familiarize yourself with it, and begin thinking through it so you aren’t starting from scratch when the sermon starts? Perhaps do a little research and work through some background information on the passage.

  Please pray. Pray in advance for the sermon time. Preaching is a very spiritual phenomenon: God revealed through Christ revealed through the Scriptures revealing a particular message through His appointed, earthly messenger to a particular audience on a particular Sunday. If you fail to approach it spiritually, you won’t experience its full impact on your life. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give the preacher His message and to help him deliver it. Pray for our church family and yourself to hear and understand it. That all requires the work of the Spirit working in us.

  It means knowing how you’re wired. Know your learning style and prepare for the sermon time accordingly. If you’re easily distracted by people around you, sit in the front and center of the room. Take extra notes. Engage the material, asking questions. Taking notes usually forces us to concentrate more and keeps our minds focused on the message. 
  God’s Word is a priceless treasure. Let’s determine to value the time invested listening to Scripture being taught!

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Yelping for His Glory!

“Technology and social media have brought power back to the people."   Mark McKinnon

  Are you travelling this summer? Going on vacation? When you’re on the road, how do you determine where you’ll stay or where you’ll eat?

  Jane and I will hardly step foot into a new place without first checking it out on either Tripadvisor or Yelp. TripAdvisor has become the most commonly accessed travel review website today with up to 50 million users every month and is the most widely recognized, used, and trusted travel website. Among 3,641 users surveyed by PhoCusWright, 69% found TripAdvisor reviews to be “highly or extremely accurate;” 92% agreed with the statement that TripAdvisor hotel reviews “help me pick the right hotel for my travel needs;” and 83% usually or always take a look at TripAdvisor reviews before selecting a hotel. Social media officially took over travel in 2010—or so the scientists say. That’s the year, according to a Cornell study, that “guest experience mentioned in customer reviews” became the factor most frequently cited by consumers in surveys about the process of choosing a hotel. While most of us still look at a hotel’s web page, what has more credibility though aren’t those pristine professional hotel pictures, but the average person’s review of the hotel. The hotel is a paid salesman whereas the reviewer is a satisfied (or dissatisfied) customer.

  Most churches have web pages and Facebook pages. For an outsider, those fall into the category of “paid sales people.” While they have some merit, they don’t have the powerful influence a satisfied church attendee has. And it has even more potency when the post isn’t on an “official” church website or social media outlet. 

  Can I encourage you to prayerfully consider using social media for Kingdom purposes? How can we do that? Let me offer some suggestions.

  Pray and think before you post. Social media has replaced talking with our tongue to talking with our fingers. All of us regret saying something that was poorly timed, said in haste, was hurtful or even sinful. The same is true when we’re talking with our fingers. God has promised to give us wisdom (James 1:5). As we know that the Lord Jesus hears what we say, He sees what we post. Words on a page lack the added clarification of tone or facial expression. Most of us hear written words at a much louder volume than they’re often intended. Obviously, if you wouldn’t say it to the person if they were right in front of you, you shouldn’t post it.

  Use social media to build bridges, not walls. Social media has redefined communication. It’s replaced personal interaction, phone calls and e-mails. People are relaying their most private and important information in semi-public status updates. The very nature of authenticity and identity is being challenged. With the push of a button, one can transform themselves into whoever they want to be. Facts about myself can be added or deleted. “Friends” are casually collected and I can transform myself into the very person I wished I were back in high school.

  Yet, with all of our “friends,” a sad outcome of social media is increasing isolation and loneliness among users. You may have lots of people you consider friends, yet not have any confidants with which you can discuss deep personal matters. Facebook allows people to connect, but users lack the meaningful bond that results from intimate conversation and contact.

  As part of a church family, the Bible commands us to encourage community, “one anotherness.” As a Christian, my priority must first be “us-ies,” not “selfies.” It’s one reason that when we’re with other believers, we should let those outside the family know it, and not just when we attend a worship service. Lost people aren’t surprised when a Christian attends church (hopefully, they’re surprised when we skip). Just as most of us post pictures when we’re with our biological family, when we post pictures and comments when we’re with our spiritual family, it sends a message of supernatural family and our love for God and each other to a lost and lonely world.

  Use social media to direct the focus toward a victorious returning King, not a deteriorating, dying world. This world is a big mess and everyone knows it. So is it something that a Christian needs to continually draw attention to or obsessively post about? So why do we?

  For most of us, the problem doesn’t begin with our posting, it begins with our thinking. Zig Ziglar used to call it “stinkin’ thinkin.” When we’re secularized by the negativity of a lost world, we fail to obey Scripture and think like a believer. Philippians 4:8 is a command, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

  Yes, we must deal with sin and negative things. But if we truly believe that Jesus is King and that He really is in control, and that one day soon the Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25) will bring justice and right every wrong, then all that’s currently wrong shouldn’t be our habitual mental diet. A Christian should be the most encouraging, positive, grateful person that most of their friends know. That should come forth from words whether verbal or in a post. When our thinking is spiritual, it will overflow with the fruits of the Spirit. When we are living out our mission as the “salt of the earth,” a thirsty lost world wants what we have.

  Obviously, we need to be discerning. Yet, if others can post when they’re blitzed, should a believer be ashamed to post how the Lord answered a prayer, or something they read in their devotions that touched their life, or a special song that encourages them, or how the message during worship moved them? When the Lord stretches your soul, it helps advance His Kingdom to let others know it. Even when you’re on vacation and visiting a church, think how you might encourage that family of believers by sharing how God used their ministry to be a blessing to you. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if every believer had a non-official “Tripadvisor” account where we faithfully posted how the Lord always walks with us, guides us, blesses us and shapes our trip on our journey through this life? It’s not that everything is perfect yet even in the mess of this world, we’re never alone. Maybe it would encourage our friends who don’t yet know Him to check out having our Savior as their “Tripadvisor,” too? 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com.

We are family!

“Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly intercourse than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.”  C.H. Spurgeon

  If you’ve been a Christian for very long, you know that one of the most common questions when seeking to ascertain someone’s relationship with Jesus Christ is: “Have you trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?” What’s so noteworthy about that question is that if you search the pages of Scripture, you’ll never find that expression “personal.” Our radical overemphasis on a “personal” relationship with God is a very American yet not a biblical or theological construct. Instead, what we find in the Bible is a God Who is at least as concerned with His group (me/you in relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ) as He is with the individual (me in relationship with God). Yet, American churchianity has been shaped by a worldview diametrically opposed to the teaching of Scripture and the outlook of those early Christians. American Christians have been taught to believe that my individual fulfillment and my personal relationship with God is far more important than any connection I might have with brothers and sisters in Christ. We become oblivious to biblical truths like “Jesus died for His Church” (Ephesians 5:25) and also forget that ultimately all Christians will spend eternity in heaven together.

  In our naïveté American believers, have in very subtle ways, been conformed to this world. Yet, there’s great hope for Spirit led transformation. God’s vision for community, for spiritual family, as reflected in the lives of those early Christians, offers a powerful antidote to the relational ills that so often characterize the lives of contemporary evangelicals. It’s essential that we grow and mature in a biblical understanding that a local church, our local church, is a family.

  It’s encouraging to see this beginning to take place within our church in places like our 50+ group, women’s ministry and their recent “Garden Getaway,” our quilting class. Even our recent men’s fishing outing helped us gain new ground in our understanding that our church is a family. Our Sunday Morning Live classes and other small groups continually help us gain ground in this area. Even teams who serve in a ministry together like our worship team or midweek ministries increase our understanding of church as a family. God has so much more joy and fulfillment for us when we understand that our church is a family.

  Yet, for most of us, this is so foreign that we’re going to have to immerse ourselves in the study of church as a family to begin to grasp it. Even when we’re part of the church as a family, we may not even be aware of it. We’re rarely purposeful when we’re part of the church as a family. In other words, we’re part of it, yet often don’t even realize that we’re part of it.

  With this in mind, please join us in our summer reading of Randy Frazee’s, The Connecting Church. A New Testament understanding of the church as a family is so foreign to us that it’s going to take both prayer and a study of God’s Word to begin to reprogram our misconceptions of New Testament Christianity. Add to that, the book is a mere $12, not much more than a McDonald’s lunch. The book is written in a conversational style, and though thought provoking, it’s not some dry theological tome. It will challenge you and stretch you so that you have a greater understanding of what the Bible teaches about what it means to be part of a spiritual family.

  Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer. It’s easier to create opportunities for fellowship when the weather is warmer. Fellowship is a planned investment. While it’s going to mean a shift in our thinking, schedule and priorities, you’ll find that the investment is well worth it. Much of it can be done in the midst of the normal stuff of life.

  For example, if a lady is headed to Milwaukee or Chicago to shop, ask another lady or several other ladies from church to go along. Include a stop at a coffee shop or perhaps a place for lunch in the trip. Maybe you’re dropping someone off at the airport, why ride alone?

  Determine to stretch out of your normal and safe social circles. Ask someone to go along who you don’t normally spend time with. Maybe someone you hardly know. Perhaps even someone that grates on you a bit. Stretch out of your world. For example, if you’re older, ask someone younger. If you have kids, ask someone who’s single to come along. If you have older children, ask someone with small children. Spiritual family and growth is not about playing it safe or being stuck in the familiar.  

  Here are some other areas that you might consider. If you’re a walker, runner, biker, golfer, motorcyclist, ask someone else to join you. Do you have love bonfires, going to the beach, having a picnic? Then, ask another family or two to come along. If you’re headed to a Brewers game (even a Cubs game), invite someone else. Even if you’re headed to watch your child play ball, ask someone to tag along. Your child will appreciate the extra cheering section. Stop at a local ice cream place afterwards.

  Do you love to go to garage sales? Find a friend to join you. It could be an extra bonus if they happen to own a truck or large van J. Have a theme party or invite others to join you at a unique restaurant. Maybe find someone who needs an extra hand, perhaps an elderly person or someone who’s been in the hospital recently, with some yard work. Invite another family to join you. Then, share a meal together afterwards. Even just go see an older person and spend some time with them.

  Ask someone to help you with a project. Jane and I have some lifelong friends in Detroit, Russ and Linda Johns. Our friendship was born one Saturday when they asked me to help them wash some walls.

  Fellowship and growth though require that you must change it up. If you hang with the group you always hang with, you’re never going to grow in a biblical understanding of fellowship or stretch spiritually. Sadly, you’re more likely to harden yourself within the lines of a closed circle and clique.

  So let’s commit as a church family to resist the cultural lies that personal happiness, individualism, me-time must take precedence over connections that we have with others in our church family. Too often we run from uncomfortable, even painful, redemptive relationships that God has placed us in. The tune of radical individualism has been playing in our ears at full volume nearly all our lives. We’re dancing to the music with gusto and it’s costing us dearly. It’s costing us a close walk with the Lord. It’s also costing our church family and hindering God’s will, glory and plan. 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's online used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com. 

If readers are leaders, what are non-readers...

  “I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”  Groucho Marx

 

  When I was in grade school, each year my school dragged us down to listen to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. How many ways can you spell b-o-r-i-n-g? At least we were out of the classroom and the seats were comfortable. I still remember working my way down the program, trying to track where they were in their repertoire of arrangements, and how much longer before we could escape. I couldn’t stand classical music. If I never heard another symphony or classical song, it’d be too soon. And then I grew up…

  Continually, you’ll hear people say, “I don’t read.” 24% of adults didn’t read a single book last year. 75% only read one book. There’s a direct connection between pragmatic illiteracy, in that people know how to read yet choose not to, and a lack of being able to reason in a logical, rational manner. Engage the average person, often even in the Church, on nearly any issue and you’ll soon hear the claptrap that’s propagated throughout the cultural mainstream.

  Why don’t people read? Because for too many, they associate reading with school or homework. Once you graduate from school, who still wants to do schoolwork? It was once my view of classical music.

  Somehow in our physical exercise obsessed world, we’re ignorant of the fact that our brain is like a muscle. It only grows stronger with use and practice. Scientists have demonstrated how your brain grows and becomes stronger when you learn. They’ve shown that when people study hard and learn new ways to study, their brains change and grow. But if your brain isn’t used, it atrophies. Victims of brain atrophy are all around us.

  Is it any wonder that as we become a non-reading society, there’s a deterioration in communication skills? Listening to far too many, you discover a very limited vocabulary, primarily composed of monosyllable profanities and obscenities. Much of their communication “education” has come from the media, popular movies or the top 40. Think Cee Lo Green.

  Someone astutely observed that in five years you’ll be the same person that you are today except for the books that you read and the people that you meet. Look back over your life. How much have you changed? How much have you grown over the last five or ten years? Then, how many books have you read during that same period of time?

  As Christ-followers, a lost culture pressures us to conform whereas the Christian life is to be transformational. Reading God’s Word, listening to faithful preaching and teaching, engaging in godly conversation, and the reading of good books are invaluable tools to assist in this process of transformation and what Scripture calls “the renewing of our minds” (Romans 12:2). Add to that, there are a multitude of other transformational benefits that can be derived from reading including…increased intelligence, stress reduction, problem-solving skills, improved analytical thinking, better memory, broader vocabulary, better concentration and focus…to name a few. Yet, like anything worthwhile, reading books require time, effort and commitment.

  Though we continually talk about quality education, society is addicted to a junk food brain diet. Rather than reading, most spend their time watching TV, going to movies, or watching sports. While none of those are wrong, any more than periodically having a Big Mac, they’re not going to help you move forward in what Jesus died for you to have – a transformational life.

  This past week Jane and I went to see The Avengers: Age of Ultron. It was entertaining. I appreciated, too, that it was clear who the good guys and bad guys were. Yet, there was a subtle message about an evolutionary worldview and a ridiculing of moral purity, specifically in language. But for the most part, there was zero transformational benefit. There was nothing in that investment of my time and money which made me a better person, much less a better Christ-follower.

  Be honest, what TV show, movie, sports event, video game, Internet activity actually delivered some transformational benefits in your life? Did watching encourage you to love Jesus more? Make you a better spouse or parent? Were you kinder, more committed to serve others after watching? Or, were they subtly conformational, in that they lowered your tolerance for sinful behavior or even opened you up to be more accepting of unbiblical worldviews?

  While I can find little benefit there, I can think of countless books that have made a huge difference in my own soul and life. So how can we grow up in our reading?

  1. Never neglect the supremacy of God’s Word. The most important book for the child of God to read is God’s Book. If you’re a young believer or struggle with being a disciplined reader, start with the basics like the Gospels or one of the New Testament letters. It’s better to take small, consistent steps forward, than to stay stuck because you’ve made reading your Bible some type of spiritual Olympics.

  2. Begin with your own personal taste yet something brief. Because it had been talked about so much, I determined one summer to read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. It was over a 1,000 pages. If I hadn’t been a disciplined reader already, I know I would never have finished it. So start with an average book. Most are between 150 to 200 pages. More importantly, start with something that YOU are interested in. If you love sports, there scores of Christian sports biographies. If you love drama, then pick up a well written book of Christian fiction. Think about what you’re interested in and no doubt, there’s a Christian book that fits it. While there’s nothing wrong with secular books. In fact, Christians need to read them, yet most of us need to first strengthen our mental grip on a biblical worldview, which is why I’d suggest a Christian book first.

  3. Find a book partner or group. The Bible commands fellowship. Why not enjoy community through reading? This summer we’re encouraging our church family to read a book together. Why not join us? Perhaps partner with a friend and meet weekly to discuss it. Because we believe reading together is important, our leaders continually read a book together.

  Today I enjoy classical music. I grew up and got over school. God gave each of us a mind that we’re to be wise, faithful stewards of. What goes into our mind, comes out in our life. So what are you putting into your mind? Reading good books is a great mental diet to help you grow in grace. 

Looking for quality used Christian books and other types of books at prices lower than even Amazon. Check out our family's used bookstore at resurrectedreads.com.