Boiling Point

At 211 degrees Fahrenheit, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils.

That simple idea is at the heart of a skinny little book I came across last week. A friend mentioned that 212: The Extra Degree had a real impact on Saints QB Drew Brees. So I ordered it from Amazon and was surprised that it's quite small and only 77 pages long. But it makes a powerful point.

If just 1 degree makes the difference between hot and boiling, I wonder how many other areas life are won or lost, achieved or failed, advanced or set back by one more tiny degree of effort? Author Samuel L. Parker goes on to document all the amazing victories and accomplishments that made a huge difference, and yet were determined by a mere stroke, or one more attempt.

I've taken the book's advice and I'm going to begin asking important questions even during Christmas. Who are the people who could use one extra 15 minutes of encouragement? What are the issues that could benefit from an extra 10 minutes of prayer? What are the victories that might well be won with one more dollar, one more kind word, one more act of kindness, one more determined nudge?

If you're hoping for a White Christmas, I hope you get one. As for me, I'm hoping for a Christmas that cooks: boiling hot. Selah.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I'll be offline for two weeks to recharge and renew. I will return on January 5 with "The Top 10 Questions People Ask Pastors." Hint: "Why do bad things happen to good people," is not in the top ten. I hope the Big Questions and the useful answers will be helpful in 2011.

Oh, Christmas Tree! The Backstory

Everybody knows that the Christmas tree can be traced back to the Druids* in Great Britain, right? The Druids used mistletoe and holly to celebrate their Winter Solstice, and the faithful evergreen seemed to hint of eternity to them. Even more discerning people may recall that evergreen branches were object lessons of eternal life as long ago as the Pharaohs.

But do you know how the Christmas tree tradition crossed the Atlantic from Europe to arrive in the American Colonies? Some say Hessian soldiers brought the custom with them from Germany when they came over to fight in the American Revolution. It is suggested that Christmas trees became popular in Germany through the example of Martin Luther, father of the Protestant Reformation! But as America became established as a nation, many Christians resented all the tawdry drinking games and bawdy revelry associated with Christmas, so the holiday was banned in many places in these United States! That's right: Christmas was banned by Christian churches!

Anyway, historians say that Christmas trees never really took off here in America until just before the War Between the States. President Franklin Pierce set up a tree in the White House in 1856. In 1861 a farmer named Mark Carr brought two sled loads of evergreens into New York City. They sold like hotcakes! And so, the tradition of Christmas and evergreens began to spread across the land. The Christmas tree industry estimates that by 1900, one in five Americans had a Christmas tree. Twenty years later, they were nearly universal in the USA.

Of course, Christmas trees have no place in the story of Christ's birth. Some would suggest the form of a tree is reminiscent of the cross of Jesus Christ, but the silver, tinsel and bright lights would make that something of a stretch. Perhaps the most theological meaning we can assign to our Christmas trees today is that they remind of the Tree of Life that once stood in the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve sinned, the tree was removed to protect them from having to live forever in a miserable, sinful condition.

Ministry Opportunity: bring up the history of the Christmas tree while you're visiting with friends and relatives around tables laden with holiday food. Ask them if they would agree that decorated evergreens might be reminiscent of the Tree of Life in Eden. Ask if they know why that tree was removed from the Garden.

If they're stumped, you have a wonderful opportunity to talk about how baby Jesus grew up to be the Messiah who died for our sins.

Selah.

*The Druids were sorcerors who lived in Britain and, apparently, opposed the coming of Christianity into the area we now call Ireland.

Defining Love without a Greek Dictionary

Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel. Sometimes we are. No, we'd never deny that we believe in Jesus or argue that the cross is not enough. But when skeptical friends and co-workers question the love of God because of one tragic crisis or another, sometimes we just let their questions slide. We nod sympathetically as though the answer is indeed hard to find. But it's not.

I John 3:16 instructs us, "This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us." When God decided to act out his love and make a course correction in mankind's mindless rush to destruction, he intervened by sending his son to die on the cross. That was the ultimate expression of love and was, in addition, the only divine adjustment that would be required. The power of the cross is still working its way through the Earth, one life at a time.

After Hurricane Katrina reduced the Gulf Coast to third world status, some rolled their eyes and asked "Where is God?" God must have been many places saving lives in a cataclysm that destroyed so many and yet killed so very few. But he was surely evident in the tens of thousands of Christians, churches and agencies that engulfed the area for years to come, cleaning up rubble, rebuilding houses, encouraging men and women. And he is surely ministering now through all the new churches springing up in the area, led by prophets and pastors who have relocated from more comfortable regions to lift up the cross in New Orleans.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees has been a huge source of inspiration to people working hard to reassemble their lives along the Gulf Coast. I would even venture to say that God is evident in that. In his new book, Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity, Brees writes that God called him and his wife to that area for this very time. Think about it.

We sometimes pray as though God is obligated to prove his love every few minutes by rescuing us from our sinful choices, our difficult days, every unpleasant shadow that falls across your pathway or mine. Think again. Sometimes God's love is made evident by the good things that result in our lives from the hardships we overcome through faith.

Let's be careful not to suggest an attitude towards God, "Thanks for the cross. But what have you done for me lately?" The cross is still doing great things. And let's not forget the rest of that statement from 1 John 3:16. "And we must in turn give ours lives for our fellow Christians." Whenever I find myself wondering what love requires, I don't need to look for a dictionary- not even a Greek lexicon. Love is Jesus dying on the cross, and the rest of us doing the same for our friends.

Selah.

Beware of Mr. Beck

Glenn Beck stands for patriotism, the US Constitution, smaller government, and traditional American values. Those concepts are precious to me as well, so I hate to be be suspicious. But whenever I encounter the familiar Fox News celebrity while flipping channels, I am always troubled. Sure, we always see images of Washington and Lincoln. And graphs warn us about the path from "progressive" to "socialist." It's what you can't see that bothers me.

A few months ago, Beck attracted several hundred thousand Americans to a rally near the steps of the Lincoln Monument. The speeches and atmosphere had all the markings of a religious revival except there was no specific religion being recommended. Beck is a devout Mormon. Some of the other speakers were Christians. There was a lot of talk about character and choosing to live differently, along with a litany of platitudes and cliches. But this was not about Jesus Christ or even Joseph Smith for that matter. It was about Glenn Beck's vision for America.

Yesterday Glenn interviewed a rabbi about the Genesis 11 account of the Tower of Babel. This instantly caught my attention so I paused on Fox News for a few moments. The rabbi taught Fox News fans that King Nimrod ordered his people to build bricks and then to construct a tower to the heavens. The rabbi and the host went on to explain that "bricks" denote people being forced into uniformity while "stones" always suggest someone unique and created by God. Dictators and tyrants want to make us all into bricks, while God wants us to be individuals as He designed us. The "mortar" used to unite the bricks into a wall is actually materialism. (The Rabbi commented: Notice how "mortar" sounds similar to "matter" or "materialism.") The interview ended with the revelation that God didn't really punish the people of Babel but, rather, divided them for their own good. Their intentions were actually okay, but the king's motives were evil!

Nobody is more opposed to socialism, communism, tyrants, or 21st Century "Newspeak" than I am, but the host and the rabbi were broadcasting absolute hogwash! Even skeptics who regard the account as a myth must understand the people of Babel united to build a tower in order to resist God's command to "go and fill the earth." It's one thing to draw insights out of the passage, but it's completely unacceptable to read ideas into the text that were not intended. The king's name was never given, the metaphor is not supported anywhere else in Scripture, and the Hebrew word for "mortar" is rooted in the word "to boil." It is not related to the Hebrew term for "material."

I continued to watch only because I knew I would likely be asked about this broadcast within a few days. Soon I was astonished when one segment of the interview segued into a montage of scenes from the Beck rally at the Lincoln Monument. Viewers were treated to one clip after another of dewy eyed young adults speaking reverentially that this Glenn Beck moment had changed their lives forever. In other words, this was not just a political rally. This was a religious event!

I hope American Christians are not being seduced by the slick image being cultivated and projected by this appealing stranger who celebrates conservative values. Patriotism is a wonderful thing, but there's a reason we have that old adage that heralds "patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels." Many of us were somewhat irritated by so many messianic references to candidate Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. Clearly, President Obama is just a politician. Likewise, Glenn Beck is only a talk show host. Let's be careful. Be very careful.

Selah.

At the End of the World

Peter gazes into the future and sees the heavens evaporate with a roar. The stars and planets burst into flame. The evil of the Planet Earth is exposed once and for all. Then the apostle cautions us, "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?" (2 Peter:3:11, NIV)

A vivid answer to that New Testament question can be found in the Old Testament pages of Isaiah. The prophet devotes several chapters to his vision of God's final judgment raining down upon the earth. "The earth staggers like a drunkard and sways like a hut. Earth's rebellion weighs it down, and it falls, never to rise again." (Isaiah 24:20, HCSB) Like ancient Egypt tottering and reeling in the face of the plagues of Moses, the whole world is suddenly a fortress of barbarians reduced to rubble.

But in the midst of all this devastation, Isaiah 24:14,15 interrupts with two of the most unlikely verses. "They lift up their voices. They sing for joy. Over the majesty of the Lord they shout from the west. Therefore in the east, give glory to the Lord. In the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel."

Who are these strange people celebrating God's goodness among the ruins of civilization? Those people are us, the holy people of God, taking hope in the certainty of God's promises and the reality of his justice. They have always known these things had to happen because God's Word is true and his authority is final. They are vindicated in their faith. What's more, they realize the joy that is yet to come.

In our generation, we have become quite attached to this evil world. The bright lights have become too seductive for us, and the earthly delights taste succulent indeed. We love the night life because we belong to the city. When we gaze into the store windows, we see fond reflections of ourselves, draped in high fashion and lounging on designer sofas. We do not see the expiration date stamped on every item.

Knowing these baubles will be destroyed by fire, what sort of people should we be? Peter exhorts us to live holy and godly lives as we look forward to the Day of the Lord, and hope it will come speedily. Something within us will have to change before we can be those visionary souls who rejoice at the end of the world. We will need to break off our affair with the world. We must detach. We must disengage. Alright, that sounds much too new age and trendy. Let's be prophetic. We must repent and rediscover Matthew 6:33.

Selah!

Dark Side of the Moon

A good friend of mine has endured a hellish six months. What began with a health crisis continued to snowball with a month by month list of personal grief and painful surprises. News of her most recent blow reached me while I was wrestling with a sermon on pain and suffering in the life of faith. She was on the road, so we visited by cell phone before I returned to my desk.

With that backdrop of grief freshly brought to mind, I couldn't move beyond one idea in 1 Peter 4:13. We've just been encouraged not to complain when trials erupt in our lives. We must not behave as though something alien or unnatural has interrupted our lives. Then Peter adds, "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." I have worked through that text many times before, but this time, the ground deep inside my heart began to shift painfully, like seismic plates along a fault line.

"I can understand suffering for a cause," I complained to my Father, "But this is too much. This kind of affliction goes too far! Lord, it almost makes the God of amazing grace appear to be cruel and insensitive!" Face it, you can't be much more critical here in 2010 than to say someone is insensitive! But that's what I was thinking. I can easily relate to Christ when the world rejects me and people abuse me, as long as the Author of Life is working on my behalf. It's me and God against the world. It's okay!

But I wondered what in the world I might learn about Jesus when it seems that God has turned his back on me. How can I possibly relate to Christ in the face of divine rejection? I had barely put those words into a sentence when this image came creeping into my mind. It was a vision of a man dying on a cross, wracked with pain and absorbing all the scorn some cruel bystanders could heap upon him. I could see his cracked, parched lips moving slowly, finally uttering those familiar words, "My God! My God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from my deliverance?"

Insight came slowly. But the light finally came on.

I don't believe God ever turned his back on his dying Son. I happen to believe that Christ was reciting Psalm 22, lyrics beloved by the Jews in times of profound distress. But Christ prayed that psalm because that's surely how it felt. His life was painfully slipping away and the world was blanketed in ominous darkness. Heaven was silent. But praying a psalm when it feels like God isn't watching is a simple way of confirming, "Of course my Father is nearby!" Otherwise, why not simply cry out with a curse? Why not denounce all those insufficient ideas you ever believed and wait for death? Why use God's Word unless you still believe it works? A psalm is one way to identify with God even when you can't explain him.

I realized that is what we learn about Christ when life feels intentionally brutal. And that's what we can learn about ourselves. My convictions about God have grown so deep and my experience with him is so fully realized that even when it feels he has turned his back, I know in my heart he is still standing close by. I believe my life is never beyond his gentle touch and his powerful love, no matter how it may feel at one moment or another. And that's not just what I believe; it's what I have experienced in my life.

So I took some time and prayed for my friend in her unfolding grief. To us it all seems like too much sorrow piled high, as hard and black as a mound of coal. But that's just how it appears for the moment. History confirms our Eternal God can turn it all to diamonds.

Selah.

Angry Saints

Sunday's sermon was about angry Christians. (10-17-10: "Blessed are the Angry?") I applied the words of Christ to the bad reputation churches have for anger and division. And at the end of the service, I challenged everyone to examine their attitudes and let their anger go. In fact, I asked members of the congregation to bow their heads and turn the palms of their hands up toward Heaven, asking God to take hidden, deep seated anger away.

Afterwards, a woman came by to ask if she could speak with me for a moment. She indicated that her son and daughter-in-law had been angry at her for over a year. They'd been offended by some innocent decision related to a crisis in the larger family. As a result, they hadn't spoken to her for months. She shared that she has occasionally tried to offer an olive branch, but that she has always been rebuffed.

Finally, she confessed, "I never thought I was angry. I always thought I was perfectly fine and willing to be at peace with them. So today when you asked us to turn up the palms of our hands to God and release our anger, I thought, 'I don't need to do that.' Then I thought, 'I'm not going to do that. That's silly!' Then the Holy Spirit just turned my hands over, and I realized I've been extremely angry and have just been trying to hide it."

That dear lady is not alone. It's very common for church people to deny that we're angry. We try and conceal the rage with more polite phrases like "I'm just concerned," or "I'm hurt," or "I'm merely offended." We are unwilling to confess that we're still angry because we know it's wrong.

And when we're not in denial, we rationalize. We cleverly concede that ongoing anger is generally wrong, but this case is the exception. We try to make it all right by suggesting this is a spiritual matter or a biblical matter of it's something we've prayed about. But deep down in our hearts, we know we're not behaving like Jesus. We're acting like the Pharisees who were angry at him for three whole years!

You can't help it when anger suddenly rises up in your life without warning. That's what emotions do, and that first rush of rage is beyond your control. You're not accountable for that. But you and I are accountable to God for what we do with our anger- or rather, what we allow our anger to do to us and the people around us when we allow it to simmer for days or weeks.

Paul warns us, "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry." (Ephesians 4:26) The truth is, if I've been angry at someone for more than the last hour or so, there is no excuse. Anger is like a raging cancer. We want it treated and removed as quickly as possible.

Selah.

The Shrinking Dollar

Jesus never ordered his disciples to sell everything they owned and give it to the poor. In fact, he only gave that directive to one deluded young man. On a different occasion, a typically corrupt tax collector named Zaccheus was celebrated when his new-found faith prompted him to sell half of his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor. So the early monks and friars were mistaken when they assumed that poverty is innately virtuous. There must be at least as many corrupt poor people as there are corrupt rich folks.

Francis of Assisi was so committed to poverty and so fearful of the corrupting powers of money that he would not allow his followers even to touch coins. When a brother inadvertently touched some small change in moving it to a window ledge, an apology was not nearly enough. Francis forced him to get down on all fours, pick up each coin with his mouth, crawl across the yard to the livestock pens, and deposit the money onto a heap of donkey dung!

But Jesus Christ never told us not to touch money, or own it, or spend it. We know that the Lord himself and his followers carried money around with them. Otherwise they would not have required a Treasurer, and Judas would have had nothing to steal! It's acceptable for people of faith to earn money and even enjoy some of the benefits of the money we've earned. Rather, Christ teaches us that we must not treasure it, we must not allow it to rule our lives, and we must seek God's Kingdom first! (Matthew 6: 19,24,33)

Living Kingdom-First makes two demands on our lives in regard to money and wealth. I'd express those requirements this way: Live more simply and give more away.

It's no wonder these ideas are part of what I call the Lost Gospel. To make your home in the United States is to live and breathe in an environment of unrelenting materialism. Television commercials, radio jingles, magazine ads, roadside billboards and even signs on buses urge us to buy, to acquire, to taste, to experience, to accumulate, to spend! Reclaiming the Gospel truths about money will require a lot of faith and diligence for saints in the 21st Century marketplace.

So we decided to begin our Boot Camp at Providence during the run-up to Christmas. We're going to be intentional about spending less and giving more; refusing to chase after the World in their lust to buy the largest possible number of presents for friends who don't really need anything! We've resolved to give presents that are more simple, more spiritual, more eternal. We are committed to shop less but share more. It's not a battle we will win in three months- far from it! But it's a lifetime discipline we will begin to learn.

Someone has quipped, "We live by the golden rule: those who have the gold make the rules." The Bible says it differently- He who makes the gold rules. And that's why some of us have lost our religion. We have walked away from the god of the world's largest religion: Mammon. We have picked up a cross and taken the narrow path to the vastly bigger God of Heaven. And we have no regrets. So this Christmas, let's be sure we worship the real God, not the more popular one.

Selah.

Just Call Me a Tool

"Why is American culture so friendly to Islam?" friends often ask me. "The icons of US society are utterly and completely offended by Christianity! So why does Islam always get a pass?"

Here's my answer: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." American elites consider Christianity the Archenemy. They resent us because we talk too much about self-control, purity, chastity, and eternity, and it hasn't escaped their notice that Islam resents us as well. So just like the Pharisees and the Herodians who united to oppose Jesus Christ, Hollywood and NYC are more than happy to elevate the Muslim religion at the expense of the Christian faith. If they can just get rid of Jesus, they figure Mohammed will be a piece of cake later on.

Nowhere is the clash of cultures between the World and the Church more evident than in the topic of authority. Rock legends and TV celebrities use the airways to champion the simple ethic of "Do your own thing!" There's a basic reason why motion pictures routinely make heroines out of prostitutes and strippers, and why TV talk shows headline the most sordid and excessive forms of behavior: nothing is normal. In a world that celebrates the civil right to express yourself and find your personal groove, there is no such thing as a norm.

And there is no such thing as a Lord! This is where Jesus Christ comes in, of course. As much as Americans would like to chill with someone of such notoriety, Jesus calls us to surrender and confess him!

• In John 14:15 he directs us, "If you love me, keep my commandments."
• In Matthew 11:28 he invites world weary men and women to submit to his yoke, using imagery that suggests oxen laboring for their master.
• In Luke 6:46 he asks "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' when you don't do what I say?"

Don't miss the irony here! The more Americans reject authority and insist on absolute personal liberty, the more powerless we feel. We allow callous, governments to assume more and more control over our lives, because existence is so compicated. We feel less able to maintain a healthy marriage, to train up our children, to face our problems, to find true satisfaction. We demand more and more options and alternatives because it feels as though nothing is really working!

I love that gospel account of the respected Roman centurion who asks Christ to heal a trusted servant who is extremely ill. When the Lord offers to follow the man to his house, the centurion replies, "Oh no, Lord. I'm not worthy to have you under my roof. Just speak the word and my servant will be healed." Then he goes on to explain that he is also a man under authority. Because he is under the authority of more powerful people, he can order his subordinates to go and they must go- not because he's so strong, but because of the authority of Rome. (See Matthew 8.) Jesus marvels at the insight reflected in that confession: the centurion realizes that Christ has power because he, too, is under the authority of Heaven.

The icons of evolution take pride in the idea that we humans are merely advanced flotsam and jetsam adrift in a random universe. Why should microscopic space dust like us aspire to meaning? But the Bible counters that we are precision tools custom fitted to a master craftsman's hands; organs perfectly designed for the Body of Christ. Only when we are connected, coordinated, and in sync with his divine mind do we finally understand why people need the Lord.

Selah!

The Lost Gospel

When the US Marines advertise for recruits, they don't apologize for the mission. Their television commercials are full of grit and dust, explosions, warriors and weapons. They climax with the image of an alert man of war- highly disciplined, precisely uniformed, at ease with a gleaming sword. Then you see their slogan: "The few. The proud. The Marines."

The USMC is just looking for a few good men. And year after year, they attract young people who can be trained and equipped according to that vision. When bad comes to worse, they are prepared to be the point of the spear.

Then there's the American Church! My buddy Charles recently commented with a wry smile, "If we advertised that Christianity is about sacrifice, suffering and dying on a cross, nobody would want to do it!" So churches advertise with images of happy, wholesome young families and with words like acceptance and community. And when happy, young families show up at the highly publicized Community Church, they are greeted with a message that encourages them, "never settle for less than the best!" Some stay, while others wander away thinking, "I missed the US Open on HDTV for this?"

When I titled this blog the Lost Gospel, I wasn't thinking of the so-called gospel of Judas or Mary Magdalene. Those documents are not lost; they are rejected. They were set aside by the Church many centuries ago as too recent, incompatible with holy Scripture, and lacking in substance.

No, what's truly been lost in our own generation are key elements of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that don't mesh with the spirit of the age or appeal to affluent consumers. Unlike the the US Marines, US Christians have not signed up for warfare, spiritual or otherwise. Apparently, we're mostly here to be motivated for Success, to meet some other chill individuals with whom we can drink a latte, and to check off the box for "faith" in our to do list for achieving a balanced life. The happy people crammed into our mega church theater seats match the stock photo faces in our advertising- attractive and very successful. So it seems we got exactly what we were looking for: cute consumers who enjoy crowds! But is that really what the Heavenly Father was looking for? The Bible begs to differ.

The Book of Ecclesiastes assures us that every human being ultimately grows weary of this seasonal, short-term world and homesick for an Eternity that has been coded into our hearts. The First Epistle of John reminds us that we must not fall in love with the Culture, because it crowds out the love of God in our hearts, and it won't last anyhow. The Gospel of Matthew urges us to deny ourselves, pick up a cross and follow Jesus. Then there's the New York Times which makes it clear that sophisticated Americans are much more interested in chic relationships than religious authority.

I've just gotta say, something tells me that churches who live by the New York Times will die with the New York Times. But visionary churches that dare to preach the Gospel boldly will continue to find there are always men and women who hunger for something bigger and more timeless than themselves. Granted, the broad interstate turnpike to New York City will always be vastly more crowded than the road to life. But we were never called to draw a crowd. We have been commissioned to be The Army of Light: The few. The powerful. The bold.

Selah.

Visit our sermon page for the new series, The Lost Gospel.
Learn more about Pastor's new book at www.TreasureintheSand.org.

What do you Say to an Angry Muslim?

The culture is abuzz with conversations about angry Muslims. I live just outside Washington, DC and I've traveled to other nations, but I've never met one of those guys. Sure, I realize that the hijackers who brought down our planes on 9-11 were Muslims, like many other terrorists who have made headlines in this decade. I've watched news broadcasts from Turkey and Afghanistan that featured mobs of raging people calling out to Allah. And I am confident that US troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq have seen their share of angry admirers of Mohammed.

But I think it's useful for us in the Church to draw a distinction between what is happening at large and what's happening at home. I live and work in a region of the country where I frequently encounter men and women who look like they might be from the Middle East. Some of them are actually from parts of Africa, as it turns out. Some of them are Muslims who were born right here in America. And quite a few of the people I meet are former Muslims who are now followers of Jesus Christ. Some of those guys are among my best friends: loyal, supportive people who would give their lives for me.

Even when I meet Muslims from the Middle East who are now living in America, I find that many of them are not devout. Quite a few of them are searching, in transition, watching from a safe distance and trying to make their way in America. They often speak English with a distinct accent, but if you make the effort to listen and reach across the language barrier, they are deeply appreciative. (I refuse to smirk about their accents since English is the only language I have mastered, and the Brits find my accent strange as well.)

Here's what I have observed about people from the Middle East who live in America: they respond to kindness. Maybe it's because Muslim cultures tend to be harsh and intolerant of individuals, particularly women. Or maybe it's because they have been assured that Americans are arrogant and self-centered. Or perhaps it is simply because they've heard sensationalized tales of bloodbaths inflicted by Christians during the Crusades. But I have found that whenever I encounter people from Iran or Iraq, for example, they are deeply appreciative when they are treated with kindness and respect.

I often have the opportunity to intervene in the lives of people and families from Middle Eastern nations. Every time, I have observed profound, undying gratitude and- more often that not- a willingness to consider a meaningful alternative to Islam. I have baptized former Muslims into the Kingdom of God in our church. They are the real thing!

So when I am asked how Christians should combat the Muslim assault on American values, I have mixed emotions. Certainly our government should be strong and straightforward in dealing with the tyrants who rule many Islamic nations. And there is good reason for paying the price to ensure that our borders are secure. But when it finally comes down to the individual level where most of us live, the people of Christ should recall that "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty."

It happened again today. I received an note from a young woman whose family emigrated here from Iran more than a decade ago. Our church had recently intervened in a personal issue to offer assistance. I had hoped for an opportunity to share my faith in Christ with the family. But it all happened during an unusually hectic time, and before I knew it, the window of opportunity had closed. In her note, she expressed her gratitude not only for our assistance, but for the kindness and respect she received from everyone she encountered here. She said she hoped to see us again. I thought, "I wish I had done more."

Then she called later in the day to ask if she could visit our worship service on Sunday. She'll be bringing her mom. I look forward to meeting her mother.

Overseas the war on terror is fought with tanks and rifles and mortars and counter insurgency strategies. But in my hometown, the spiritual warfare is waged with love, kindness, and amazing grace and Good News. So I pray for our soldiers abroad and keep trying to love my neighbors as myself.

Selah!

Learn more about Tim's new book Treasure in the Sand

at www.TreasureintheSand.org

The Bonfire of False Religion

Well, it's over! The angry little church in Jacksonville, Florida will not burn copies of the Koran on Saturday as they had promised. Yes, they have enjoyed free worldwide publicity. But they were denounced by nearly everyone on the globe from one of our most respected US generals to former presidents to the Pope! The FBI paid a personal visit to the pastor. The church website was dropped by the web provider. Their hometown threatened to bill them for additional hours by the police force. The Associated Press vowed not to cover the book burning in print or images! Death threats came in from all around the world. Perhaps this shocking assault on world peace is behind us once and for all.

Of course, I'm pleased this misguided little church in Florida has changed their plans. In a nation where burning the US flag is a civil right protected by the US Constitution, this was never a question of civil rights. As controversial columnist Ann Coulter explained, it's a question of kindness. It's not kind to burn a book that is sacred to some of your neighbors. So I always objected to this hostile publicity stunt, and always considered it not very Christ-like.

But did anyone notice the universal outrage? Generals were appalled! Religious leaders were horrified! Politicians rushed to go on the record! In fact, if the truth be told, most Christians across the land were deeply offended by the idea of a Christian Church burning the Koran- even though most of us agree the book is demonic. (All false religions are, of course.)

Truth is, just about everyone realized this was not what followers of Christ should be doing. We all instinctively acknowledged that Christians stand for love, kindness and compassion- not burning books treasured by our neighbors. Even irreligious Americans know this about the church of Jesus Christ. We don't respect the Koran, but if we disrespect people of the Islamic religion, we will never be able to build bridges of relationship to bring some of them to Christ. So we don't burn their misguided holy books. We wouldn't want them to burn copies of the Bible, so let's abide by the Golden Rule.

Meanwhile, around the globe, Muslims demonstrated violently. Signs called for death to all Americans. Political and military leaders here and abroad insisted that burning the Koran would lead to attacks on US troops, bombings of US properties, and the execution of American citizens around the world. Muslims around the world would be so outraged that the level of death and destruction would be incalculable! Muslims who have not been involved in terrorism before would be driven to jihad by one insignificant little congregation in the USA burning copies of the Koran which they had purchased with their own money.

This has been the most shocking act of violence threatened by a US Church in more than a decade- burning a few copies of the Koran. We have been assured it would prompt Muslims to go rioting and killing and burning all around the world. Okay, let's accept that as a fact. So why are Christians in the US called fanatics and narrow minded zealots? And why is Islam constantly heralded as a "religion of peace?" Why are US Christians most commonly labeled as "angry people who cling to guns and religion" by American intellectuals, while followers of Mohammed are protected as a noble religion with a history of enlightenment?

Don't miss the point here! I am not suggesting that Muslims are evil and that we should despise them or burn their sacred books. To the contrary, I urge you to love your Muslim neighbors, build compassionate relationships with them and pray for Christ to reveal Himself to them. I am simply reminding you that the World is two-faced and hypocritical. Unbelievers in the US and around the world know they have absolutely nothing to fear from Christians. They simply resent us because we remind them of something they would rather forget: one day they will die and stand before God.

Never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Islam has never been a religion of peace, but Jesus Christ continues to reign as the Prince of Peace. Let's stop cowering in the corner.

Selah.

Learn more about Tim's new book Treasure in the Sand
at www.TreasureintheSand.org

Praying with Your Eyes Wide Open

Paul didn't close his eyes when he prayed. I have a hunch he didn't kneel all the time either. Perhaps you're wondering how I know this. If you'd assumed the New Testament never describes Paul's body language in prayer, you'd be right. But in his own letters, Paul writes that he prayed all the time, night and day, at all times and on all occasions, endlessly, continually, etc. What's more, he instructed you and me to pray without ceasing. Yet Acts makes it clear that Paul was on the road or out and about ministering most of the time. When he wasn't on the road, he was writing half the New Testament. So it stands to reason that many of Paul's prayers were offered while walking, riding, standing amid crowds in the temple, or locked hand and foot in stocks at one prison or another.

I suspect one reason prayer is difficult for many Christians is because our definition is so restrictive. We assume one must kneel, bow his head, and work through a lengthy written list of requests. In fact, the Bible mentions godly people who pray while standing, kneeling, prostrate on the ground, waiting by a highway, lying on their beds, under water, and hanging from a cross. Apparently, you can talk to God the way you talk to other people you love and respect- while walking, riding, standing in line, or wandering around in a wilderness area. In fact, if we don't learn to pray in all those ways plus others as well, we will never fulfill Paul's directive to pray without ceasing, will we?

I find that my prayer life cycles through four distinct phases:

• The Dynamic phase is when my spiritual life is clicking on all six cylinders, my prayers come easy and often, and I find myself constantly thanking God for all his blessings.
• Then comes the Difficult phase. I still make time to pray throughout the day, but it's more challenging. Life has become hectic and over scheduled, so that I feel like I'm on a treadmill just trying to keep up and manage God's blessings.
• Before long it's clear that I am Distracted. My schedule is so crammed and irregular that I find I'm interceding less and less. In every part of my life, things appear to be out of sync and winding down.
• One day I wake up and realize I'm Defeated. Whole days have gone by without a single meaningful conversation with God. Obstacles loom on every side and life begins to feel depressing. Minor problems feel more serious than they really are because I am spiritually drained. Sooner or later I repent, fall on my knees in desperation, cry out to God and feel his hand on my shoulder. My heavenly Father graciously ushers me back to the dynamic mode.

We can safely assume that most of us can't remain in the Dynamic Phase for fifty-two weeks a year. Life changes, situations beckon, emergencies arise. Sooner or later, most of us will find we've become distracted. And for many of us things will get worse. One day the alarm bells will ring and the Holy Spirit will alert us that we are distracted. That unpleasant season will probably come again for many of us.

But here's my question: Who really wants to be defeated? I certainly don't! That means the first time I notice one of the warning signs that my prayer life is heading south, I need to take it seriously. I will treat it like one of the warning signs for cancer. I should respond with the same urgency I would give to a fire alarm or a storm warning. I want to drop everything and take stock of my spiritual life. I must stop, drop and pray. (If ever there was a great time for kneeling, this would be it. I need to get my mind in the right attitude.)

How frequently church people confess, "I know my prayer life is not what it should be." That's even sadder than it sounds! If you're saying that just to be modest, you're encouraging less mature believers to be slackers, too. And if you really know your prayer life is insufficient and disrespectful to the Father, what are you doing about it? Don't wait until you're beaten.

Selah.

Learn more about Tim's new book, Treasure in the Sand,
at www.TreasureintheSand.org

Dirty, Bearded & Barefoot

I almost named my new book Take Off Your Shoes! It seemed like an insightful reference to God’s quirky command when he first appeared to Moses in that burning bush. What a great, snappy call to worship! But I relented after people I trust insisted that kind of title would turn buyers off. Church people in America don’t want to take off their shoes in our posh, richly carpeted, color coordinated, air-conditioned, high-tech worship arenas. When was the last time your church celebrated foot-washing?

Sometimes I wonder if 21st Century believers are working hard to accomplish some of the very things Moses crossed a blistering desert to escape. I mean, Egypt had splendor, sophistication and technology. But Moses sacrificed it all to become a dirty, bearded, barefoot prophet for a God who wanted to live in a tent! Something tells me that Moses wouldn’t have the first idea about what to do at one of our Arts & Worship Conferences.

In a world where even the term modern seems archaic to people who call themselves postmodern, what are we to make of those bearded, barefoot guys from the Stone Age who wrote our Bible? In 1500 BC, high-tech was all about carving granite artistically. Not only did God forbid being represented by some artistic graven image, but he even warned his people not to use tools to decorate their altars. [EX 20:26] Moses was so astute, he didn’t even argue that everybody back in Egypt built their altars with dressed stones. Selah.

Of course we understand why Old Testament prophets appear out of step with our sophisticated world of I-Phones and high fashion, but we tend to forget they looked painfully unsophisticated to their uncivilized neighbors, too. I think people were shocked when Isaiah walked down the street stripped down to his underwear. The nerve! And we know for a fact that David’s emissaries were so humiliated when a foreign king shaved off half their beards that they were allowed to remain in hiding until their beards grew back. So how foolish do you suppose Ezekiel looked when God ordered him to shave his hair and his beard?

The holy men who wrote our Bible needed to have their feet washed before they could eat with friends because both animals and people went to the bathroom alongside every road and highway they traversed. And they were lucky to enjoy a bath even once a week.

It should remind us that there is such a thing as trying too hard. Sometimes we try much too hard for sophistication in a ministry that has often been advanced by men who looked like fools. Sure, Paul complimented the Greeks at Mars Hill on their diverse religiosity, but only a few sentences later he reminded them they were all accountable to the One True God. It really didn’t go that well!

I remind myself that God has seldom valued virtues like polish and chic sophistication. He has always worked to cultivate things like durable faith and visible integrity. And when I recall that some of the holiest men who ever lived had matted beards and smelly feet, I remember that God cherishes humility as well.

Welcome to the Desert!

Learn more about Tim's new book, Treasure in the Sand at www.TreasureintheSand.org.

Aim for the Heart

Some friends and I spent the morning at a NRA firing range a few weeks ago. We were accompanied by a gun enthusiast who opened the trunk of his automobile and unpacked the most amazing arsenal of dangerous toys and ammo! We fired a Smith & Wesson 500, the most powerful handgun in the world. With the right cartridge, it will stop a charging elephant! We had a Kel-Tech SU 22 rifle which was so deadly accurate that even I racked up 4 bulls eyes in 6 shots! We laughed and blasted away at paper targets for three hours.

The guys and I are part of a Life Group that meets in my home every other Friday night. There are couples and singles from a range of ages and ethnic backgrounds. Some have kids and others are retired. We always spend an hour in lively discussion of one passage in the Bible or another. Otherwise, we talk and laugh and eat; and the last person usually leaves somewhere around 11:00 - 11:30 PM! One night we actually got everyone outside by 11:00 but then they all stood around talking and admiring the stars until after midnight!

In the Bible, deep friendships among the people of God can be found in almost every chapter. But it can be a lot more difficult to find those kinds of friendships in American churches today. Too often we find that Christians have "church friends" and then they have real friends, but the two groups don't overlap. A real friend is someone you could call with a problem at 2:00 AM. Most of us wouldn't dream of disturbing our church friends at that hour. What would they think of me?

I suspect that last question is very revealing: "what would they think of me?" It makes sense that some people might not want friends at church. Maybe I'm afraid that my life won't pass inspection. So I mingle in the parking lot and chit chat with my church friends, but then I meet my real friends on the golf course where I can lighten up and be myself. It's hard acting like a saint while you're trying to hit that unpredictable little white ball with demonic dimples!

I once heard a preacher argue that we'd all be better off if God would just write our sins on our foreheads so that everyone could see them. Then there would be no point in trying to conceal them or pretend I'm perfect or sinless or nearly beatified. I could just be myself- a guy who needs Christ because I'm not so together. It would be okay to act that way if everybody already knew the truth, wouldn't it?

I've told our folks at Providence that "church friends" are a rip-off and a cheap substitute. We should settle for nothing less than real friends. True friendship is one of the most satisfying and essential blessings the Christian faith offers. Sure, it's work. It requires making allowance for the sins and peculiarities of others, even as you recognize that you're not The Finished Product either. It requires dealing with that constantly nagging fear of rejection. What if they don't like me? What if I'm not good enough?

Remember those lyrical words from 1 John 4:18? "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

John isn't describing what perfect love will be like in Heaven. He's talking about what the love of Christ makes possible for you and me on the Earth today. Even in a world of dissension and distrust, we can experience a kind of love that is alien to this planet. We can experience the unconditional commitment of other forgiven sinners who can understand my struggles because they have been there.

Guns are one form of security, but they don't really cast out fear. Even people holding loaded weapons experience fear from time to time. But love is more powerful than guns. When I love someone, I am suddenly able to set aside my fears and act in faith. I'm not afraid of being rejected. I'm not afraid of failing to measure up. I'm not afraid of looking like a sinner; I already do. I set my fears aside and walk in faith with other people who love Jesus.

If this sounds too good to be true, take a few minutes and read 1 John 4. Authentic friendship is the most overlooked topic in 1 John, and it's the best kept secret in the Church. We can really love each other because Jesus first loved us.

Selah.

The Most Surprising Thing Jesus Never Said

A friend of mine mocks people who wear WWJD bracelets. Sure, their motives are good. But no one can ever say, "I know exactly what Jesus would do." Even Christ's buds in the 1st Century couldn't predict what he would do or say next. His astonishing words and deeds constantly took the people around him by surprise.

For instance, think of all the mystifying miracles the Lord performed just because someone asked. He resuscitated a dead boy, a dead girl and a dead friend. He healed lepers, brought sight to people born blind, and commanded a man to walk despite the fact he'd been paralyzed most of his life! He calmed a storm just because his disciples were having a panic attack. Take a moment to review just some of the outrageous things Jesus did and said to repair the problems of his fellow human beings.

Then recall what happens in Luke 12:13 when a nice guy in a crowd asks Jesus for some help with a family problem. "Hey Jesus," he calls out, "Could you please tell my brother to share my father's estate with me?" Think about it: you and I can completely relate to this man. His dad has passed away. His older brother inherited everything. And now some time has passed and the older sibling refuses to share any of the estate with one of the rightful heirs.

If Jesus can transform a leper back to health or repair eyes that have never seen the light of day, imagine how easily he can remedy this family problem. It won't even require a miracle. All he has to do is just say, "Hey friend, share the estate with your brother. You know your father would want this, and it will strengthen your ties with your family. Don't ever be afraid to share!"

You'd say something like that if you were Jesus. So would I. But if you're familiar with Luke 12: 13-21, you know that Jesus absolutely refuses! Instead, he replies to the guy in the crowd, "Friend, who has authorized me to judge between you and your brother?" If you're really paying attention, you'll understand this must seem outrageous! Christ is always talking about loving, sharing, giving of yourself. And now, when it would make such a difference in one life, he refuses to tell a selfish brother to share his father's estate?

Let's ask God for a teachable spirit here. Instead of ordering the other man to share, Christ tosses out two powerful statements. First, he tells the man in the crowd to be careful and beware of every kind of covetousness. Second, he reminds him that life is not measured by how much stuff you own.

Christ warns the man in the crowd, "Don't ever, ever let greed or covetousness take root in your life- even when you have a right to something." Think about that. Greed is so insidious and so cancerous that it can spread through my system and fill me with sin, even if it's the justifiable kind; even if I have a right to something that has been withheld from me. Followers of Christ must never tolerate covetous desires in our lives, even when we can rationalize them. It's too dangerous.

Secondly, Christ reminds the man that even if his brother should share the estate, it won't add measurably to his life. He would have more things, but not every thing that was possible. If the only limit on your desires if what you cannot afford, your desires will always change with your circumstances and you may never be happy. Christ reminds the wronged sibling to find a more accurate way to measure his life. (In 12:13 he will encourage him to seek a rich relationship with God. That's the measure of life.)

I taught this lesson at our church last Wednesday night. Afterward a man came up to me and commented, "You were really talking to me tonight, Pastor." I've heard that before so I wasn't surprised. The parable of the rich fool speaks to all of us. So I nodded and smiled, but he continued. He explained that when his father died a few years ago, the entire estate went to his mom and should have left her comfortable for life. But a year or two later, he learned that one of his siblings had secretly gone to his tenderhearted mom and conned her into giving up a huge chunk of the inheritance. The man said, "I've been angry and bitter ever since. I realize tonight I have to forgive and let it go." I assured him that he does. And so do we all.

I understand this flies in the face of everything you've been taught as an American consumer. (It offended people in Christ's world, too. They killed him. Duh!) Labor unions train us never to settle for less. Attorneys advise us to hold out for everything we deserve. Madison Avenue whips us up into a feeding frenzy over the newest laptop, the next edition of the I-Phone, the skinnier version of the I-Pad, the bigger, thinner HD-TV screen. That's what shopping is all about: looking and lusting.

Christ says, "The thing you should never settle for is a greedy, covetous heart." You will never get everything you want on the Earth. And you'll completely miss the things you need." Life is measured by how much we trust God.

Gold Plated Religion & 14 Kt Faith

Here in the USA, 2010 has brought us to a curious and surprising moment: giving to the needy has become a fashion statement! I'm not joking! Back in June, billionaires Warren Buffet and Bill Gates hosted a posh dinner affair for some of America's Top 2%, and challenged them to give away half their wealth to charity! Although it hasn't become a tidal wave yet, the list of CEO's issuing press releases with plans to share 50% is beginning to grow. Already some are suggesting this is just too public and too exclusive. "Sure you can afford to drive a Bugati and spend your weekends on a yacht with beautiful people from Hollywood, but are you wealthy enough to give half your fortune away?" But let's wish these folks well.

You might be more impressed by another story that surfaced last week. We learned that the estate of the late Johnny Carson has just given $167 million to a whole list of charitable organizations. Mr. Carson was apparently quite generous throughout his famed career, but we never knew the rest of the story until last week. He died 5 years ago, so he clearly didn't do it for publicity.

This all came to mind as I've been thinking about the commands of Christ. On one occasion he told a wealthy young man to sell his vast holdings, give the money to the poor, and follow him. On another occasion, he warned a would be follower that the Son of God owned no house where he could lay his head. And then there's that pesky story of the poor widow whom the Lord commended when she gave her last two pennies to charity at the Temple.

Some have asked, "But surely she wasn't giving her last money in the world! Jesus wouldn't want her to starve to death, would he?" Those are interesting questions, but they miss the point. Perhaps she had a garden at home where she could pick some tomatoes and beans. Maybe she had a caring cousin who dropped by most Fridays to deliver some stew. But the point remains the same: she gave the only money she had because she was sure her Heavenly Father would provide for her no matter what. Money was only one of her resources, and the easiest to give away!

Before you and I speak too harshly about the motives of mostly non-Christian billionaires who may be obsessed with good PR, we should probably give more thought to the motives of 21st Century "disciples" like us who who seem obsessed with the Good Life. Most of us aren't giving away anything close to 50% for the right motives or the wrong ones. And we certainly haven't sacrificed our last nickel for the more profound needs of others.

Jesus told us, "Life is not measured by how much you own," but we still check the value of our houses every couple of months. And when his apostles reminded him, "Lord we have given up our houses, our lands- everything to follow you," he didn't say "You'll have it all back in a year or two." Rather, he said "You'll get it all back a hundred times over in Heaven."

For hundreds of years, the most celebrated figures in the Church were compassionate leaders who embraced poverty for the Kingdom of God; Patrick of Ireland, Francis of Assisi, Brother Charles of Jesus, the list goes on and on. Today we prefer heroes who have made it big and have some bling to show for it. Something tells me we are missing something important. Something tells me it's a cross.

What do you think?

Disappointed with Church

A famous novelist made news last week when she announced she was quitting Christianity. Anne Rice was already well-known for her seductive vampire novels, like Interview with a Vampire, when she announced in 1998 that she was returning to her childhood faith, Catholicism. She began to write novelized accounts of New Testament stories as a way of reflecting her new found faith.

Recently, a friend apparently called her attention to the hateful rants of some angry online preacher in Minnesota. He hates gays and despises Muslims, and tried to find some lesson in the fact that Muslims hate homosexuals too. Ms. Rice was so offended that she wrote about how hard it is to belong to a church that's so full of contempt for groups of people. A day or two later on Facebook, she announced she would continue to admire Jesus, but that she was done with His Church for good.

I can sympathize with Anne Rice. I am often offended by the comments of some of the fringe people who say they are followers of Christ. Most Americans are now aware that those cruel, scowling hate mongers who protest at US military funerals not only profess to be Christians, but Baptists as well! Frankly, those strident zealots have nothing in common with me except that live in America.

But when people write off the Church because of the behavior of a few, they are revealing a lot more than they intend. I am ashamed of some of the things my fellow Americans say and do, but I would never renounce America and move away because a few head cases make outrageous remarks. Sometimes I even disagree with comments made by our Presidents, but people in America are free like that. If I should ever discover that large numbers of Americans were organizing to harm one population group or another, I would fight that conspiracy until my dying breath. But nobody can stop their fellow countrymen from expressing their ideas- even stupid ones!

That's also true of the Church. In order to guarantee freedom of religion for all, no one has federal authority to say which group is really a Christian church, and which group is simply a fringe, hate group. Even within most churches and denominations, no one has the authority to go around expelling counterfeits, hypocrites, and evil members of the Visible Church! Jesus made it clear that there will always be tares (weeds) growing up alongside the true believers in the Church. They won't be separated until the End. We would probably never uproot them all, and we'd become suspicious and hateful by trying so hard.

Jesus tells us to be discerning. "You will know them by their fruits," he counsels us. In other words, before I assume someone is actually a part of the Church of Jesus Christ, I should examine the results of his life and words. If someone's life and words are not Christlike, he is not a reflection of Christ or His Church. I don't need to leave the church to get away from him. He doesn't belong!

I'm sorry Anne Rice has hit this stumbling block in her search. I wish her well and I hope she'll keep looking to Jesus. It probably feels purifying and cleansing to make dramatic public statements about evil people who hate in the name of religion. But if Ms. Rice will keep looking, she will eventually find a group of New Testament believers who love Christ with all their hearts and their neighbors as themselves. She will find a true welcome there, and that bond of community will feel even more satisfying and wholesome than all those verbal hand grenades she was lobbing at the Church last week.

Surprise Ending

Sunday was "Signing Day" at Providence. Copies of Treasure in the Sand were stacked on a table in front of me. My friends could either buy a copy or bring one they had recently purchased online. I signed them all and, along the way, I was reminded of another book signing years ago in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

It was my first book back in 1986. I was seated at a table in a Christian Bookstore five miles from the beach. I looked up to greet a sharp looking guy, probably in his forties. He had a big smile on his face as he handed me a copy of my book. Then he asked, "Do you remember me, Tim?"

I looked again. I didn't really recognize him- not the smile, not the haircut. But there was something vaguely familiar about his eyes. I was about to ask, "Who are you," until I suddenly remembered. Then I thought, "No, this can't be right!"

Two years earlier, I had been actively involved at First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale. The church had a booming evangelism training ministry which sent dozens of teams out all over town to share their faith every Tuesday night. Over several semesters, all those teams had always departed through the rear parking lot, driving right past the home of an unhappy family living just across the street from the church complex. Sometimes the poor man who lived there could be seen sitting on his porch, very drunk. I'm sure some had tried to interact with the people who lived there over the years, but it had apparently never worked. Then one Tuesday night, events took a different direction.

A team had managed to get into the home to meet this addicted man named Rocky along with his wife and kids. I can't remember all the details but, by the end of the evening, the unpleasant man who had lived across the street for years made a shocking decision. He prayed to confess Jesus Christ as Lord- prayed with tears in his eyes. Afterwards he actually accompanied the team back to the Fellowship Hall to share his experience during the report back session.

The very next Sunday Rocky showed up for worship; and the next, and the next. Soon he was baptized. With his deeply creased face reflecting the hard mileage he had endured, he would lead his wife and kids down the aisle to the front pew every Sunday. He didn't look like most of the other upper class professionals who mostly comprised the downtown church, but he never seemed to be aware of all the differences. He was aware of God's grace.

Shortly after Rocky had become a part of FBC, my family and I had been called to serve on staff at another area church. A year or more had passed. My new book had come out. And there I was sitting behind a stack of books signing copies. I took another look at the smiling face across the table, and after a long pause, I asked, "Rocky? Rocky, is it you, buddy?"

Tears welled up in those familiar eyes. Rocky nodded and grinned. The creases and hard edges had melted from his face along with quite a few years. He looked younger and incredibly happy. I learned he was working now, and was involved in the outreach program that had reached him. It had only been a year, but what a year! I gave him a long, joyful hug. I don't really like signing books but I was incredibly happy to sign Rocky's copy!

He was an old friend but a new man. By the grace of God in Christ, the old was gone and the new had come. My name was written in his book, but far, far more importantly, his name was written in Christ's Book of Life. It made all the difference in the world.

LOL at the Movies

I was hurriedly flipping through a copy of Entertainment Weekly this weekend, when one particular caption reached out and grabbed me! In his column, “The Final Cut,” Mark Harris had written, “Hollywood loves weddings, but ignores marriage.”

“Wow!” I thought, “I couldn’t agree more. Wouldn't it be refreshing and satisfying to catch a movie that treats marriage with respect and admiration?” So I continued to read, and found nuggets like these:

“I couldn’t remember the last time I saw such a good film about being married- a condition that 110 million Americans experience firsthand every day, but almost never at the movies.”

“As I tried to recall films about marriage, I was startled to realize that the best ones that occurred to me... were all about divorce and at least 30 years old.”

I had begun to speculate that Mr. Harris might be some kind of closet Hollywood conservative. I was eager to learn more about this revolutionary movie so pro-marriage in tone that the writer calls it a godsend. Then I came to this confession: “The breakthrough here isn’t simply that the couple in question is gay...”

Sometimes there’s nothing to do but laugh! In Hollywood, only gay marriages or dying ones are interesting.

For most of us, traditional marriage is one of the most practical, beneficial elements of life. It is an endless source of affirmation, partnership, community, joy, and- yes- stability. Most of us don’t really desire that our lives be more theatrical or dramatic. But if you’ve ever been a parent, you know how welcome a little stability can be.

Marriage is so fascinating to God that he opens the Bible with it. Okay, the first chapter is actually about creation, but it builds toward the second chapter which is about marriage. Matrimony is the first institution ordained by God because it is so central to life and so essential for healthy communities and nations. Every child needs the diversity and the personal buy-in of a father who affords wings and a mother who nurtures roots.

Our popular culture insists that money and sex appeal can acquire anything a person really needs. The fact that Hollywood has been unable to describe the blessings and the magic of healthy marriage for more than three decades now only shows you what they’re missing.

Excitement Was Never Enough

Today's churches are addicted to excitement. Schedules are chock full of events that are exciting, out of the ordinary, new and improved or easy to advertise. Exclamation points dot our home pages and worship sheet covers. The unspoken rationale is that American Christians in 2010 need frequent booster shots of adrenalin to keep their faith functioning.

I pondered that whole idea recently after a revealing study in John 6. In that text, Christ has just fed 5,000 men and their families, starting with only a small basket of loaves and fishes. By the time everyone has been fed, there are 12 giant agricultural baskets of bread left over! Only hours later, Jesus walks across a storm tossed Sea of Galilee about 3 AM, enables one of his disciples to walk on the water as well, and then joins them all in the boat!

You can't get much more exciting or invigorating than that. But less than 24 hours later, Christ sees a large number of his disciples turn their backs and walk away. By their own admission, the reason for their departure is "a hard teaching" which they have trouble accepting (John 6:60.)

Christ may be saddened to see them walk away, but the Scripture emphasizes that he is not surprised by this outcome. He had always known their hearts, and had realized from the beginning that they had not been enabled by God. Christ explains to those who remain that no one can come to him unless "it is granted to them by the Father." If the personality of Jesus Christ and the astonishing miracles of John 6 could not sustain Adrenalin Seekers in the First Century, what makes anyone think our high tech wizardry and video can sustain them in the 21st Century?

Jesus Christ still requires that his disciples embrace hard teachings. We are told to live simple lives in an extravagant culture; to talk about our faith in office places where people are easily offended; to reject certain popular lifestyles because they defy God's Word, despite the fact that the whole world has gone after them. Christ calls for moral purity in a society that celebrates personal abandon. Our friends and neighbors are prone to argue, "These are hard teachings! Who can keep them?"

Sometimes our current day outreach strategies seem to suggest that we can keep these secular people if we can just get them into a routine. Far from another routine, our postmodern neighbors need guidance getting into a relationship- particularly a relationship with Jesus Christ. When people finally get real with Jesus, getting a rush from religion becomes far less significant.

Is anybody else thinking what I'm thinking?

Missions: When Love is Blind

Friday the Wall Street Journal featured a column entitled "How the Missionaries Lost their Chariots of Fire." ("Houses of Worship;" July 2, 2010.) Columnist Brad Greenberg documents that even as more Christians are traveling to international locations for the purpose of "missions," evangelism has been quickly demoted to the back of the plane. Comparing the zeal of missionaries a generation ago to the attitudes of the church today, he quotes a seminary dean at a recent missions conference: "[They] thought they were going to take over the world, and now many of our students wonder if they should even try."

American Christians still do mission trips- probably more than ever- but instead of proclaiming the Good news, they now prefer fighting poverty, working against human trafficking, doing things in the interest of "justice" rather than "redemption." But when it comes to choosing between evangelization and social ministry, Greenberg leaves no doubt about his priorities: "The reality is the church should be doing both."

I know that tension that is experienced by so many postmodern missionaries. You arrive on some distant mission field fully determined to teach and preach the Gospel, but you are quickly distracted by the hunger, the hopeless economy, the broken families, the squalid living conditions. And while you're leading a Bible Study, you realize that in a place this desperate, even the money you spend on coffee back home could make a real difference here.

Seeing the elation that spills over the face of a man in Africa when you buy him a cold orange soda, it's easy to fantasize about the change your American dollars and bright ideas could engender in a tragic land. But it's a seduction, not a vision: the biggest change wrought by easy money is the dependency it quickly fosters in the hearts of desperate people who will treat you like a Hollywood star if it seems you might have a few more dollars tomorrow!

Most of us simply aren't smart enough to fight human trafficking, except by giving some money to a reputable ministry that does. And we don't really need to travel to Bangkok to see it happening: we can pray from home and give the money we would have wasted on airfare to that ministry as well.

Our church has carried on a relationship with Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe for seven years. Zimbabwe is one of the three most desperate nations in the world, and conditions seem to worsen every year. So our work there has been multifaceted. We have done AIDS education and women's conferences. We have distributed truck loads of food, and have fitted hundreds of locals with reading glasses. But every trip requires that we work 24/7. Because in addition to showing the love of Jesus, it's our priority to preach it and teach it as well.

We have organized and grown circles of small group Bible Studies. We preach and teach in churches. Our disciples actually launched a brand new church three years ago, and it's still growing and thriving. We teach Bible Studies in a crowded curio market, and see the spiritual atmosphere improve every year.

Brad Greenberg quotes one group that explains their missionaries believe in Christ, "But do NOT want to limit themselves in any way." But frankly, doing social work alone is an extremely limited approach to ministry. We emphasize the Gospel for a better reason- we do NOT want to limit God in any way.

A Giant Arrives in Heaven

Last week, a man named Manute Bol passed away at age 47. He will be remembered by people in our area for his career with the Washington Bullets (now Wizards.) At 7’7” he was a force to be reckoned with on the court. He never scored lots of points, but at defense he was amazing. He was at least 6" taller than anyone else on the court, and he had long arms.

I saw him at the gym a year or two ago: it was impossible not to stare at him. Everyone in the gym watched him constantly. His head nearly touched the ceiling. He moved with a certain grace, despite his awkward frame.

Bol was well known among area people for his faith. A Christian who came here as an immigrant from Sudan, he made a fortune in the NBA but he never forgot his roots. In 2004 he told Sports Illustrated, “God guided me to America and gave me a good job, but he also gave me a heart so I would look back."

He saw his life as a gift from God to be invested here. After retiring from basketball, he made various celebrity appearances to continue to capitalize on his basketball fame. But he never lived a celebrity lifestyle.

The fact is, Bol gave most of his fortune, estimated at more than $6 million, to the Sudan. He earned more money only to send it home as well. He made frequent trips to assist and inspire the desperate folks back home. On one relief trip, he contracted a skin disease which ultimately contributed to his death last week.

I obviously don’t know what happened when he arrived in Heaven last week, but I have an idea. I suspect Manute Bol walked into the gates and was given a standing ovation- the kind that can only be given in Heaven. No, I don’t mean that all the saints stood and cheered him with one voice, although perhaps they did.

Rather, I suspect that Jesus Christ, the son of God, stood in his honor; and that Christ walked over to say, “Well done, faithful servant. Welcome Home. Come now and receive an inheritance prepared for you since before the world began.”

Manute Bol spent his career in the USA looking back to his desperate countrymen in the Sudan. And in doing so, he taught us all a powerful lesson. Live every moment for Christ. Do whatever you can while it is still called today. And someday, you'll be able to celebrate in Heaven with no looking back.

Interview with an Unborn

Sunday morning's sermon was all about the coming resurrection. In
1 Corinthians 15: 35-48, Paul explains that resurrection is not some distant fantasy. We see a simple form of resurrection every time we bury a seed, allow it to die, and then watch a squash or a tomato or a watermelon grow and ripen. The seed has to die in order to create new life. And when the new life comes, it's larger and more wonderful than the seed was! (Listen to the sermon: "Resurrection & Reality.")

It's a difficult concept not because we are so scientifically oriented, but simply because it's hard to imagine. I tried to imagine an interview a journalist might have with an unborn child, snuggled safely inside the womb:

Reporter: So are you excited about what happens after you leave the womb?
Baby: Leaving? Who's leaving? I'm not going anywhere. Why would I want to leave?

Reporter: But being born is the whole purpose behind your existence! Have you ever thought about how wonderful it will be to walk around and smell the flowers, breathe the fresh air of spring time or enjoy a juicy steak?
Baby: What do you mean 'breathe?' What's a steak? Do you know how flaky you sound right now?

Reporter: Don't you ever want to fall in love and enjoy some romance?
Baby: I have my mommy. What's romance, anyway?

Reporter: Think of all the amazing sights you'll see once you open your eyes!
Baby: What are eyes?

If you could interview an unborn baby, you'd probably find a little person tucked safely away in the womb who has no desire to leave all that instant gratification. Floating safely inside the body of his mom, he would be utterly unable to imagine the joys and freedom of walking on land, riding horseback, dining at a restaurant or seeing the Grand Canyon. All the uncertainty of life after birth would be more terrifying than appealing.

And so it is with life after death. It's hard to imagine exactly how it works, but the Bible says it's the point of our current existence. One day, all these problems and limitations will pass away, and we will enjoy even more freedom and more astonishment in a world unlike anything we can imagine here. We have the Holy Spirit transmitting God's Word into our hearts here, but there we will see the Father face to face. We will worship him in person with no intermediary, no veil of mystery in between.

Granted, it's hard to imagine what you've never experienced. But an unborn baby has the same problem. There is indeed life after birth, even though he can't imagine it. God says there is also life after death. It's hard to believe, but if you've ever eaten a watermelon, you know what I mean.

One for the Record Books

Columnist Thomas Sowell said it best when he asked, "How long has it been since anyone has done anything that called for the word grace?" We've all seen plenty of victimhood and outrage. In public settings, arrogance and insults have are all too familiar. But what a wonderful thing it was last week to behold something as rare and truly refreshing as Grace!

Everyone knows the story: seasoned umpire Jim Joyce cost Tigers' pitcher Armando Galarraga an historic perfect game. On the last play of a hitless nine innings, Joyce called a runner safe on first when video would confirm he was out by a mile. Minutes later, the remorseful ump took off his cap and confessed that his mistake had cost a young man his place in the record books. He apologized to the pitcher. He apologized to the fans. Then Armando Galarraga did something amazing: he graciously accepted the apology of this man who had wronged him. A few days later, finding himself in another game with Joyce as ump, Galarraga made it a point to greet the official and treat him with great respect.

We all experienced a bit of grace on the part of Joyce and Galarraga. The public continued to debate whether the Commissioner should intervene and right the wrong. But the recriminations and public anger were instantly dissipated.

Compare that with what happened in South Africa only a few days after Sowell's column was published. In a hard fought World Cup battle between the US Soccer Team and the Brits, England's goalkeeper expertly fielded a hard driven kick headed straight for the net. Then strangely, the ball rebounded from his glove and gently rolled around his knees, sauntering into the net for a quirky US score!

Goalkeeper Robert Green toppled onto the turf in bitter humiliation. The US went on to retain the tie against a superior team. Fans of England were crushed and outraged! Commentators unleashed scorching analysis suggesting even high school players would never make such a pathetic mistake. Green remains a goat and the butt of jokes. Days later, we have still heard nothing from the unfortunate goalie or his team mates. The rancor hangs heavy in the air. Insults and second guesses continue to rise like smoke from a burned-out crater.

We sing that familiar old hymn about grace, never pondering the reasons why that asset, that divine virtue, is truly so astonishing- so remarkable. Yes, grace is certainly amazing because it must be offered by someone who has been wronged, and offered to someone undeserving. But grace is also breathtaking because of what it makes possible: it instantly removes hostility and restores relationships which seemed dead and buried only moments before.

Grace resurrects things we had thought were gone forever. That's why only the power of God can generate amazing grace.

Paul & The Silence of Women

There’s quite a bit of controversy surrounding 1 Corinthians 14:34 – 40. This is the passage in which Paul explains “The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission.” Many insist this is sexist and discriminatory. Others argue that Paul is simply speaking to women who are uneducated and have not been taught how to read. Still others teach that these cannot be the actual words of Paul because he has permitted women to speak on other occasions.

Because this topic is so charged with emotion in today’s cultural setting, you can read 10 different commentaries on this text and find 10 different slants on what the language actually means. With all that controversy and complexity in mind, allow me to make a few observations that should be obvious.

First, the context of this passage is very narrow. 1 Corinthians 14 teaches that the gift of prophecy, applying God’s Word to life, is more helpful in a local church setting than the gift of tongues. “Tongues” in 1 Corinthians refers to the gift of speaking a human language one has never learned. In a local church setting, people are instructed and inspired only when leaders speak in the native tongue which they all understand.

It is within this context of teaching God’s Word publicly in the local church that Paul directs women to be silent. This dovetails with his comments in 1 Timothy 2:12 that he does not permit a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man. These texts comprise part of the reason why most Baptist churches do not call women as pastors or “overseers.” We understand that women can be gifted speakers and can make powerful applications from God’s words. (Acts teaches that Philip had four daughters who were prophets.) Rather, we simply believe it is important to follow the teachings of God’s Word in season and out, even when it collides with conventional wisdom.

Secondly, this is rather discriminatory, but God reserves that authority for himself. Indeed, he exercises it frequently. It is discriminatory, for example, that men cannot give birth to sons and daughters or breast feed them after they are born. In Scripture, God practiced discrimination when he favored Jacob over Isaac; when he elevated Moses over older siblings Aaron and Miriam; when he selected the Jews as his chosen people out of all the nations of the earth. While human discrimination is evil whenever it is based on selfishness and ignorance, the same is never true of what God does. Divine discrimination is based on purpose and eternal wisdom.

Finally, it is baseless and hypocritical to suggest that the Bible continues to oppress women just as the world has done throughout history. Around the planet today, the nations where women are treated best are those where the Bible has advanced, and where the Gospel has prevailed. Historically, whenever Christian missionaries have penetrated pioneer areas, one of their first priorities has been building schools and introducing education that includes girls, who have historically been neglected. Wherever the church has gone, polygamy has been discouraged in favor of sacred, one man-one women matrimony. God's Word has not reflected the unjust culture: it has challenged it.

The advances of women in the West today have been fueled largely by the momentum created by the Word of God over the centuries. One need only visit any Muslim nation to observe the sort cultural bias which the Christian Faith has tirelessly resisted since the earliest days of the movement when Jesus encouraged his friend Mary to sit with his disciples as he taught them. Sister Martha indignantly continued to putter around in the kitchen, fulfilling her duties assigned by the culture. Jesus corrected Martha for her proud spirit, and explained that she should leave the kitchen and join the men at his feet as well.

In our church as in most churches today, the vast majority of ministry slots are available to leaders of both sexes. Indeed, many of the most powerful, life-changing ministries are conducted by strong, tireless women. Unlike Eve, these unnumbered heroines of the faith have refused to obsess on one forbidden tree. To the contrary, they have surveyed all the boundless opportunities crying out for attention on every side. And they have responded, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.” So should we all.

That Quiet Voice from Eternity

Skeptics insist that Christian worship is just so much voodoo for hillbillies! They are convinced that worship services survive into the 21st Century only because bored, superstitious conformists in 'Flyover Country' need a place where we can feel safe and secure. If we hadn't grown accustomed to such rituals through years of repetition and reinforcement, this dry, sanctified blather would be appear as bankrupt of meaning as it truly is.

Of course, critics like Bill Maher and Christopher Hitchens have never experienced my vantage point. As a pastor, I step up behind the pulpit every week and look into the faces of educated men and women, row after row, waiting to hear something that matters. I'm not a scientist or a sports commentator; just a simple theologian with a sacred book in my hand. I have never believed that my thoughts and opinions are particularly profound or even novel. But the book I hold in my hand each week is more than profound; I have come to realize it is supernatural.

As I arrive on campus this morning, I wonder how my church family will relate to the text. We're working our way through 1 Corinthians. Last week was the celebrated "Love chapter." Next week, we consider the mystery and wonder of the resurrection. But today's sermon is based on 1 Corinthians 14: tongues and prophecy. In this disastrous economy with world crises looming at every turn, I wonder how many of today's worshipers have been wondering about glossalalia and prophecy this week? Probably not very many, I suspect.

Speaking in tongues hasn't been a hot topic in most churches for a generation. Some people do it. Others don't. We all go to different churches. As I recall, that debate lost it's appeal and finally died out nearly forty years ago. And when it comes to prophecy: I'm not the kind of prophet who can forecast when the economy will turn around or even when the Gulf Oil Spill will be resolved. My calling has always been more "forth telling" than foretelling. So I open the Holy Bible and begin to teach.

As I speak, I notice the faces of those men, women and teenagers seated out there in the pews. There are people who grew up in Southern Baptist churches deep in the Bible Belt. I recognize others who can honestly say they had never gone to a church anywhere until they came to ours as adults just years or months ago. I notice numbers of sophisticated, well-versed professionals with positions of influence in DC. Some of these have been in worship with us for mere weeks. Quite a few of them grew up Catholic, which is like a different planet in the same solar system.

Many are leaning forward intently while others nod in agreement. Nobody rattles papers or randomly flips pages. And as usual, some have tears in their eyes. Why are these people so moved by a sermon on tongues and prophecy? There are no emotional stories- no tear jerkers- in this message. We are talking about hearing the Word of God and using it to build up the church. There is nothing here about conducting a relationship rescue or dealing with abuse from childhood.

These phenomena happen every week, but I pay particular notice this morning because of one verse in our text. Paul describes what happens when a person hears the Word of God being taught: "The secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, 'God is really among you.'" (14:25) As I unpack God's prophetic truths, minds are being unlocked and secrets of the heart are indeed laid bare.

One woman has arrived to worship with us for the very first time. She comes quietly into the room and takes the first seat she can find- a pew on the very back row. As worship unfolds, her eyes become moist. Soon tears well up. By the end of the service, she is weeping quietly as she jots down notes on a small sheet of paper. People check on her near the end of the service. She is fine. God is good. She hasn't been in a worship service in a long, long time. She remains there in her seat for 10 minutes after worship concludes, dealing with secrets suddenly exposed inside her heart.

Like most people, our critics get angry when they realize their arguments are weak. Meanwhile, the worship of Jesus Christ advances in the 21st Century for the very same reason the Bible remains the most potent and talked about book in the world. These are the very words of God. Humor can alter my mood for a few moments, and pop psychology can soothe for a time, but the Bible is the voice of God. Men and women who listen carefully can hear an affirmation that reaches all the way from Eternity. It is the wisdom of their Heavenly Father probing secrets long buried in their hearts. They had thought no one else knew; that nobody really cares. They had supposed there is no other way. Hearing the very words of God, they discover they were wrong.