There is an Explanation, Mr. Congressman

It was awkward and painful listening to a US Congressman twist and squirm in a tense press conference in Washington DC, this afternoon. After more than a week of lying and stonewalling, NY Representative Anthony Weiner finally confessed what most people have suspected for days. He had lied about his Twitter Account being hacked, and had personally sent a lewd photo of his crotch to a young woman he had apparently never met. He had betrayed the trust of his wife, his family and his constituents. He had lied to any number of journalists and reporters on a daily basis. And he had falsely accused one particular conservative muckraker of setting him up and being dishonest.

We've known for days this press conference was coming. We knew it when the congressman announced his Twitter account had been hacked for an embarrassing prank, but did not summon investigators. We knew it every time he made one more sophomoric joke about his name, the awkward situation, or parts of the human anatomy. He should have realized this day was coming as well, but that's the strange thing about the human heart. It can be so callous and stony.

When reporters continued to batter him with questions like, "What were you thinking, anyway," the humilitated politician endlessly repeated phrases like "I sincerely apologize," and "It was a stupid mistake." Finally, in one fleeting moment of clarity, he said something like this: "If you're looking for a rationale explanation or a purpose, there's not one. I can't tell you why I did it."

Without even a whiff of rancor or condescension, I could have explained to the reporters why Rep. Weiner did what he did. The Apostle Paul described it this way: "For the good that I will do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, it is that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me." (Romans 7: 19-20)

Followers of Jesus Christ don't delight in sin. Neither do most of us enjoy heaping scorn on human beings who fall victim to the seductive spell of wickedness. Mankind is uniquely susceptible. We can't help it. In our natural state, the will to defy authority and indulge the self is hard-wired into our system. I suspect it is intertwined with the survival instinct. The sinful impulse can be absolutely overwhelming, causing a man or woman to defy logic and rush towards destruction.

James put it this way: "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." (James 1: 14-15)

Like most Americans, Rep. Weiner lives in a very secular world where the idea of sin has been abandoned, and where personal freedom trumps every remaining virtue. In our self-esteem generation, we have been brainwashed with the false assurance that anything we want is natural and normal, and therefore every desire must be fulfilled. Decades ago, our public schools swapped the ideas of responsibility and character for the illusions of self-esteem and and emotion. We spend our days wandering around a virtual reality theme park in which every one is his own god and there are no consequences. My avatar can even fly!

As it happens, that virtual reality theme park is grounded in a real world where secrets get out, photos are leaked, people go to the press, scandals sell newspapers, and crimes are punished. Like Icarus who flew too close to the sun, our sins eventually bring us crashing to earth in a society where wives feel betrayed, where sons and daughters are humiliated, where employers are scandalized, and where clients bail out of contracts.

This real world is the one where Sin is so insidious, so seductive, so overpowering. The problem with secular societies like ours, is that frail humans begin to believe their press releases and feel free to defy the Laws of the Creator. One of those laws makes a promise: "As a man sows, so shall he reap." This is why grace is not an option. We have to have it. People need the Lord for real-world reasons! Christ died on the cross for sinners, of whom I am chief.

The congressman's most tragic lie was the one he told himself long ago. It's the lie he was probably told as a young man. It's the falsehood that is perpetrated endlessly by the media who have now taken such delight in Mr. Weiner's pathetic pornography. That fatal falsehood promises, "Intelligent people don't need Jesus Christ." Wrong again.

In Love & War

Jihad is a literal concept in Islam, but spiritual warfare is simply a metaphor for followers of Jesus Christ. Do we truly understand that? I suspect we do and yet we don't.

In these treacherous times, it has become apparent that there are occasions when it is valid, even prescribed, for a devotee of Mohammed to slay his enemy. I've read the Koran a couple of times, so I know that holy war is what befalls some infidels. By contrast, the Bible uses images like sword of the spirit or shield of righteousness, and encourages disciples to armor themselves with these spiritual tools, but everybody knows the fellow who wrote that, Paul, never carried either. He actually wrote on another occasion that the weapons of warfare are not carnal, but they are powerful. (2 Cor 10:4)

I think it's fair to say that followers of Christ are not permitted to have enemies. Granted, the Lord mentions our enemies on a couple of occasions, but his command to is love them; to bless those who attempt to persecute us. In other words, when human beings attempt to create enmity with us, we short-circuit their efforts with godly love. We love them and seek to bless them.

So when we speak of the culture war, we have to remember that there's only one enemy: Satan. Everyone else on the cultural battle field is simply a prisoner of war we hope to rescue.

When we refer to the battle for souls, we have to remember that the foe is Satan. The human beings who have been seduced and enslaved by the forces of darkness are not our enemies. They are neighbors we want to love and rescue.

And when we talk about the Defense of Marriage, it's important to remember that the conflict is spiritual, not political. Satan knows what's at stake. The gay men and women involved in that struggle are working in opposition to us, but only because they are slaves to sin.

Of course, there are some who suggest that some of the doctines we uphold risk making the church irrelevant. Secular people don't accept the idea of original sin. Young people overwhelmingly approve of homosexuals and even civil unions. Having cherished ideas like these challenged and even dismissed can create anxiety, embarassment and even resentment. But facing our fears, overcoming our shame, and putting away our resentment are part of the spiritual warfare Paul had in mind.

The people who oppose us, condemn us and attempt to dismiss us are not our enemies. They are our mission. Once we realize that they are enslaved by the forces of evil, we are reminded again that we must overcome evil with love. This is, after all, what is engraved in the Sword of the Spirit.

Selah.

Invisible People

I don't believe in ghosts or poltergeists or even zombies, but I do believe in invisible people. In fact I've seen some! That sounds quirky, doesn't it?

Do you remember the story about the demoniac who came rushing down the hillside to meet Jesus when Christ's boat docked at Gadara? Here was a man in desperate need to compassion and care. The poor guy was so tormented by the demons that controlled his mind and his body that he went running naked through graveyards at night. The neighbors had tried to restrain him with heavy ropes and chains, but poor Legion had always managed to break free to run howling through the hills at midnight. (Luke 8:26 - 39)

Over time he lost some of his shock value and was downgraded to a nuisance. Then one day, his appearances became so routine and unremarkable that Legion became invisible. Nobody could see him anymore. Sure, they could see him, but not really. They couldn't see his pain. They couldn't see his fear. They could no longer see his humanity or his profound physical and spiritual needs. Until Jesus refused to turn away and actually looked this poor man in the eye, the neighbors were no longer angry or even ashamed. They were just indifferent. Because he had become one of those invisible people we don't want to look at.

I'll bet there are invisible people in your life. I'm talking about that painful person who is so galling to you that you'd rather not face him. Why is he so irritating? Are there spiritual needs in his life other people have chosen to overlook? Then there are those ever afflicted men and women whose problems never seem to go away, and you finally get tired of dealing with them. It's a drain and even an embarassment! You know what I mean? And what about all those faceless people behind the counters at grocery stores, drug stores and coffee shops when you're in such a hurry? Sigh! Sometimes we don't even see those stressed out human beings because we are so busy glancing impatiently at our smart phones and watches. "Good grief! How long does it take to make a stupid cup of coffee, anyway?"

Once in a while, I find myself trying to rush grimly past some clerk or a barista or teller. "Could we just get it done and get me outa here?" It's usually pretty easy, because other people feel overscheduled, over-worked, and unfriendly as well. But once in a while, as I'm glancing at my watch, a service person will glance across the counter with a big smile and inquire, "What do you do for a living, Mr. Floyd?"

OMG do I have to say "I am a Pastor.........?" Then there's the question, "Oh, wow! Where is your church?" There is no escape! I have to slow down, and smile "warmly," and say "Providence Baptist Church in McLean. Have you ever visited us?" (If everyone there is an impersonal jerk like me, why should she?)

Until she smiled and asked about my profession, that teller was just one of those invisible people. I couldn't see her because I was too busy.

The world is full of lost people who think they don't know any Christians. And the church is full of busy Christians who think they have never encountered an invisible person. Both groups are wrong.

Slow down and smile this week. Before leaving home, program a good word onto your tongue and a chorus into your heart. Don't leave home until you're ready to minister grace. How quickly you will discover that you really can see all those faces that never showed up on your radar before! Start warming them up today and- who knows!- in a few days you might be able to talk about your life with Christ or recommend a good book... or a good church.

Selah!

Why are the Lights Blinking? Part 3

Great Falls, VA – A couple of weeks ago, I spent a week-end afternoon with a small group of twenty-somethings. I raised this whole question of what it takes to reach a generation of pagan Americans. Once you recognize that most Americans have no spiritual moorings, you realize the “Come & See” strategies of most churches are not going to work. The multitudes of the pagan majority aren’t coming. They can’t imagine why anyone would waste a great Sunday morning on something as antiquated and irrelevant as a “worship service.” So what are we to do?

Someone immediately waved the red flag of fanaticism. “Well, we certainly can’t go out there with the good news that they’re going to Hell. We can’t run down the list of all the things they can and can’t do in order to be a Christian!”

I could only sigh. Can we all agree that, in all honesty, that old cliché’ is just a straw man? In my long years of working with local churches and outreach strategies, I can recall only three individuals who might have conceivably fit that worn out stereotype. Sure, maybe one in a thousand Christians might assault an unbeliever with the threat of Hell and a list of spiritual do’s and don’ts! But if I’m right, most secular Americans have never met a Christian who behaves that way! to the contrary, far more American Christians are guilty of a different offense: never bringing up the Gospel at all. If only 30% of people here in the very secular DC area are actually Christians, that still means that 1 of every 3 people a bureaucrat meets here is a Christian. At least in my urban area, most people actually know quite a few Christians, but I would daresay many, many secular men and women in this area doubt that they know any Christians at all.

So please understand that I’m not even slightly worried about launching a vast tide of Christian evangelists who angrily warn neighbors they’re facing damnation and unfurl the flag of “Thou shalt nots.” No, it wouldn’t work, but it’s not going to happen. What I’m proposing is a generation of Christians who talk about their own personal lives the way other friends and co-workers talk about theirs. You don’t have to summon the fires of Hell and the demands of the Ten Commandments to share one detail from your spiritual life with an acquaintance or class mate.

For instance, smile and nod as your acquaintance talks about a riotous Friday evening of getting drunk and watching some gross-out movie about randy single people. Then mention that you played tennis or went fishing on Saturday, but the best thing that happened was in worship on Sunday. Then share something wonderful that happened at your church.

Ask questions about the plot when your friend summarizes what has happened so far in the best-selling novel she’s reading. After talking about that book for a while, mention that the most interesting thing you’ve read in the last few days is a particular section in the Bible. Then take a few moments to share something interesting from God’s Word.

Listen with interest as your co-worker shares the details of living with her boyfriend without the benefit of marriage. If it’s good news, you smile and nod. If it’s bad news, you sympathize. Then you confess with a slight smile, I thank God for my husband every day. I’m so glad I got him to say “I do,” because now I know he can’t get away!”

If lost people are not inclined to visit churches, then followers of Jesus will have to win them first and invite them later. But herein lies yet another problem of this pagan age: a vast and shocking number of Christians aren’t reading their Bibles. Hence, when opportunities come up to talk about what Christ is doing in our lives, quite often we have nothing to say. We haven’t thought about our faith. We haven’t read anything. We haven’t given God a chance to speak. So the great spiritual battlefields across the USA are littered with pagans who don’t know Jesus and saints who don’t know the Word of God.

We have to get the people of God back into the Word of God. Imagine a division of Marines rushing onto a battlefield with weapons they’ve never fired or even trained with. Of course, that would never happen. The Marines are better than that. So why are the people of God landing on battlefields with untried Bibles? We have to do better. Whether we want to admit it or not, the USS America is going down. Too often, the Church is still busy reorganizing deck chairs.

Selah!

Why Are the Lights Blinking? Part 2

On the fateful night when the RMS Titanic hit the iceberg that would sink her, the first warnings must have gone nearly unnoticed. Although the trembling chandelier over the ballroom floor gave little clue to the rushing tide that was already filling chambers below the waterline, the ship was doomed and the clock was ticking. Last week, I suggested that in the history of the USS America, the trembling of the proverbial light fixture must have come in 1962 when the US Supreme Court threw prayer out of the public schools. Even then, a surging tide of anti-Christian court decisions and two generations of godless popular culture were preparing to flood the USS America and erase every hint of our Christian foundation.

As a result, most Americans under the age of forty have no vocabulary for discussing spiritual realities; no framework for arriving at spiritual conclusions. On those moments when some young American might possibly sense a vast, growing emptiness within, the movies and internet offer an endless list of kinky suggestions (i.e. more sex) and narcissistic notions (i.e. create a new self) he or she can pursue. And contrary to the illusion that largely dominates the ranks of church leaders, pagan Americans are not waiting for the right invitation to join in some church activity. From their secular perspective, churches are historical relics of an ignorant world where science and computers were not available to answer every question.

So what does a Christian do when you realize your pagan neighbors are not looking for spiritual answers or waiting for you to invite them to a special church event? It seems that you and I suddenly find ourselves with a lot in common with Patrick of Ireland. Kidnapped from his comfortable home in Britain and carried away to slavery in Celtic Ireland, he was suddenly immersed in a pagan culture in which his identity, his customs, his convictions, even his language were useless and held in contempt. When he finally escaped after years of neglect, he realized he could not take refuge in the comforts of home and privilege back in England. Rather, he prepared himself to be a missionary and returned to pagan Ireland.

It goes without saying that he would often be unappreciated and would frequently be misunderstood. But he relied upon the supernatural power of God. And he worked tirelessly to inject the distinctive ideas of Jesus Christ and the Gospel into an alien environment where violence was a form of recreation; where coarseness trumped sophistication every time; and where the most twisted forms of sexual behavior were woven into routine life.

Patrick surely realized there was no quick fix for this pagan land. He was prepared to commit his entire life to the venture, and that is what it would require. But God was able to anoint one man with so much heavenly fire that his lifetime of ministry would indeed spark a spiritual rebirth. A heavenly tide would eventually cleanse the vile land and replace paganism with a lively and distinctive Christian faith.

In pondering a strategy for unleashing the Gospel across pagan America, Patrick would be a good place for us to start. I challenge you to read his story and ask God to call up an army of Patricks here in 21st Century America.

More next week.

Welcome to the Desert.

WHY ARE THE LIGHTS BLINKING? PART 1

In the motion picture Titanic, one of the most telling scenes depicts the moment when the "unsinkable" ocean liner strikes the submerged portion of an iceberg, leaving a deadly gash in the bow. Upstairs in the ballroom, a large crystal light fixture trembles as if it has been kissed by a gentle breeze, offering the only visible clue of what has happened far below. Dancers and diners will continue to celebrate for at least another hour. In fact, because the generator will survive to keep the lights burning until the very end, many passengers will be reluctant to leave the "security" of the ship in order face the cold biting sea in lifeboats. But at the moment when the crystal chandelier trembles, the great ship is doomed.

A book recently reminded me of that momentous scene in the movie. Immediately, I thought about the tragic state of affairs in my homeland, the United States of America. We have been crippled by an economic disaster rooted in our addiction to spending more than we have. The family is dying, as schools, governments and daycare centers take greater and greater responsibility for children. Our children and teen-agers are jaded, saturated in an over-sexualized culture, and largely disinterested in anything except Facebook and movies. And a growing majority of Americans are beginning to believe that Christianity is a sad, old dragon which has been finished off by the advances of science and technology. At least dinosaurs were real at one time. Christianity is dismissed as mythology.

It seems apparent that the U.S.S. America is taking on water. All that remains is the tragic day when the ship rises up on one end and makes one last dive into darkness. There was a time when we supposed that it was not too late for a political solution. Watching the recent budget debate in Washington over a few billion dollars in cuts even as we are piling on trillions of dollars in debt,it became apparent to many of us that this is beyond the reach of politicians. For nearly a week, I have asked myself, "When was the moment when we should have instantly known our fate was sealed?" When did that crystal light fixture in the ballroom of U.S.culture tremble because a fatal wound had been inflicted at the belly of our nation? I believe I know the answer.

In 1962, the United States Supreme Court ruled that prayer in public schools was unconstitutional and, therefore, illegal. Many Christians actually celebrated that decision as an enlightened advance in the separation of church and state. Not surprisingly, once the camel had his nose in the tent, other rulings followed at national and state levels. Within a very short time, schools were forbidden to tolerate the name of Jesus Christ- not only in class, but even in ceremonial prayers at graduations and footballs games.

Half a century later, we find ourselves in a moment unlike any other we have seen in our history. A large share of Americans has grown up in secularized schools where the name of Jesus Christ was never uttered. One of the lessons they learned is still with them. Children understand that public schools are structured to teach things that adults believe are important. So our children have been convinced that math and science are important. Spelling is also important. Safe sex is taught in most public schools, so it must be very important. Likewise, saving the rain forests is extremely important. But worship, prayer and faith in Jesus Christ are clearly unimportant and unrelated to real life. When you tell kids they can't even say "Christmas Holidays," the message is crystal clear.

It is no accident that jaded boys and girls in the US have trouble wrapping their minds around spiritual ideas about faith, character and sacrifice. It is not by chance that children have difficulty in mentally processing moral and ethical decisions. This was never about atheists or unreligious children being offended. There were never that many atheists or Jews in most US public schools, and they were never compelled to convert, or even to pray. As a child in the South, I sometimes read or doodled mindlessly during the daily prayer, and I was never penalized. The whole debate was designed to generate new atheists and agnostics.

Fifty years later, we in the church have experienced a rude awakening. For the first time in history, American young people are abandoning the religious faith of their parents in record numbers. We finally recognize that this was about more than poison politics. It was about poisoned education. But we look around at our jaded, secularized children whose eyes roll at the mention of spiritual things, and we wonder, is it too late? Can you right a sinking ship or would you only be rearranging deck chairs while everything goes down?

The answers are hard ones. Let's talk about them next week.

Selah.

The Rape of Agape, Part 3

This blog is the 11th in a series, "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors." The leading question commonly sounds like this: "How could a loving God condemn to Hell men and women he has created?"

Two weeks ago, we concluded that 21st Century Americans are in no position to challenge the quality of God's love. Ours is a culture where children are neglected or abandoned to the care of strangers, where marriage is considered too demanding, and where Christians change churches frequently because they can't work through conflict with friends. We are clearly not qualified to make judgment calls about the quality of anyone's love, particularly the love of God.

Last week, we considered the importance of someone's decision to follow Christ. In the mind of God, that is obviously the most important decision in all of life. God sacrificed his only begotten Son to offer men and women an escape from judgment, and an avenue to life with Him. But in this generation, we have devalued that all important decision. For present day Americans, a decision about religion ranks all the way down there with other mundane choices about deodorant, shave cream, toilet tissue and dog food. We argue that everyone has a right to make his own decisions and even God should not challenge my civil right to make choices for myself. "How dare God send someone to Hell because of a personal decision?" We demand tolerance from everyone, even God! Of course, the God of Creation isn't really subject to our demands. Best-selling authors and ambitious pastor-marketers may care about the whims and fantasies of consumers. But those passing fads have no standing in the courtroom of God. And here is what the Lord of Salvation says about the unpopular subject of Hell:

• Mark 9:42-48; Christ insists you should get rid of anything in your life that might cause you to reject God and be sentenced to Hell. Better to live a limited life on the earth, than allow earthly comforts to take you to Hell "where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out."


• Matthew 8:46; The Master explains that some people will continue to enjoy life in eternity, while others will depart the earth for eternal punishment.

The Son of God says more about Hell than any other person in the Bible. We'd be wise to take his words literally. But even is you interpret them in some symbolic fashion, Christ's point is still clear. The consequences for neglecting the grace of God are lasting, serious, and agonizing. Knowing that, how could a loving person fail to warn a friend or relative about the consequences that we believe are waiting beyond the grave?

I love my family, friends and neighbors so much that I want to inform them all about the principles of faith and eternal life. Yes, this is the 21st Century and we are living in America. Sure, everybody has the right to choose. All I'm saying is that people should make informed choices. And I have discovered that the information found in God's Word is vastly superior to the trivia and celebrity gossip that are constantly on the airwaves of the world.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever should believe on him might not perish, but have eternal life."

Selah.

The Rape of Agape, Part 2

This blog is the tenth in a series, "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors." Over the last year or two, these have been the queries which have most frequently made their way to my desk in one form or another.

Top Question #2: "How can a loving God justify sending people he created to Hell?" Last week, we mentioned that whenever God seems unloving by our standards, our standards are likely the problem. On the topic of genuine love, for example,people in our generation are not experts. To the contrary, our "highly evolved" concept of love allows us to neglect our children, break our marriage vows, treat our spouses as inferiors, avoid commitment, and leave churches when we can't get along with other Christians we love. As I mentioned last time, we're not only ignorant about the love of God, but we're ignorant about the Word of God as well.

Then there's another problem with our conclusion that the God of the Bible is "unloving." Our objections to the concept of Hell vividly illustrate how we have completely discounted the significance of the decision to worship Jesus Christ and follow him. The commitment to repent and trust Christ has been devalued from the ultimate choice in all of life to a private, consumer preference which has no connection to absolute truth or the teachings of Scripture. Rather like my choice to purchase Charmin bathroom tissue over Scott, my spiritual inclinations are made and practiced in private.

Last week, I read that the Marine Corps will institute "gay sensitivity"training to prepare their recruits for the new policy permitting gays to serve openly in the military. The report indicated that the training will explain how individuals must respond to situations like seeing two male Marines kissing at the mall. It occurred to me that only twenty years ago, homosexuality was discouraged and restricted to private behavior while Christianity was encouraged and practiced publicly. Two decades later, homosexuality is encouraged and practiced publicly while Christianity is discouraged and restricted to private behavior. What happened?

If choosing or rejecting Jesus Christ is merely a private lifestyle preference, it must surely seem cruel to send anyone to Hell on the basis of that! Why would anyone with a brain, much less a heart, condemn someone else to an eternity in darkness and fire for choosing Coke Zero over Pepsi, or Charmin over Scott Tissue, or NBC News over the Fox News Channel? This is America and we are accustomed to consumer decisions in a free market! Once again, the problem here is "according to our standards."

In fact, God has never discounted the urgency of living by faith. In his mind, the decision to trust his Son as Lord and Savior is the only decision in life that ultimately matters. What's more, the decision to reject Jesus is not a mere indiscretion: it requires a lifetime of saying "No" to the Son of God again and again and again. Dying without Jesus Christ is not a freak accident. Rather, it involves fifty to eighty years of rejecting the Gospel, ignoring the evidence, shutting out the truth, and defying the Creator of the Universe.

Skeptics point to the "multitudes" who have never heard. Must people face judgment when they never got to hear the Gospel? Read Romans 1:18-20. Whenever an isolated Hindu or Buddhist or agnostic anywhere on the planet recognizes the magnificence of the Creation and concludes, "I want to worship the God who made this," God is on the hook. He has obligated himself to send a missionary or a New Testament or a Gospel tract or a shipwrecked Christian who can tell that seeking soul about Jesus Christ. If they take the first step, God has committed himself to provide them with the means to confess Christ.

That's because the Gospel is ultimate truth of greatest importance. And deciding to repent and follow the Prince of Peace is the ultimate decision in all of life. If you devote your life to your own selfish whims and manage to shut out Christ entirely, you are accountable. Somebody died for you, but you were busy worshiping yourself. Next week, we'll wrap this up with what the New Testament actually teaches about Hell. Leave your comments below.

Selah.

The Rape of Agape

This blog in ninth in a series entitled "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors." Over the last year or two, these are the queries which have most frequently reached my desk in one form or another.

The 3rd most frequent question is this: "How can a loving God justify sending people he created to a place like Hell?" This hot topic has become particulary searing over the last two decades as Americans have become so averse to discomfort that even animals like pigeons and mice are commonly granted civil rights status. In his recent book Love Wins, emergent author Rob Bell acknowledges the tension and, tragically, manages to abandon biblical truth and completely surrender to 21st Century emotionalism and prejudice.

Nevertheless, even serious Christians who affirm everything in the Bible will admit this is a prickly subject. At first blush, sending men and women to a place of eternal suffering doesn't sound very loving by our standards, does it? And therein lies the rub: by our standards.

Although Christians have understood the doctrine of eternal judgment for 2,000 years, it has only been in recent memory that the notion has become so abhorrent. In fact, judgment does not seem to mesh with the idea of "love" for us because we have oversimplified the ideal of love to something Scripture does not recognize. According to the standards of 21st Century love, loving parents cannot discipline their children. Love can coddle boys and girls, indulge them, spoil them, leave them unattended, or entrust their care and upbringing to strangers, but love cannot cause a child to suffer discomfort, experience frustration, or eat spinach! Modern day love cannot compel a child to do his homework, but it can call his teacher irresponsible and lazy.

Likewise, this generation has a different notion of marital love. Married love can make all kinds of demands, but married love cannot be expected to endure discomfort, undergo sacrifice, surrender personal rights, or offer unconditional commitment. Love wants everything to be smooth and easy, and when things become rough and demanding, 21st Century love wants out. In all honesty, what passes for love today doesn't actually want to get "in" in the first place unless we are talking about somebody else's bed for a couple of hours. "In love" is not the compelling concept it once was.

In religious life, contemporary love is such a flimsy ideal that people have trouble staying in churches where people they love don't share the same opinions. We find it almost impossible to tolerate people we love when they are immature or insensitive to us. We find it exceedingly difficult to forgive Christians we love even when they offend us unintentionally. In fact, we can actually enjoy savaging the reputations of other church members we love as long as we invoke the spiritual exception clause of "Bless her heart,...!"

That's the kind of love we have in mind when we wonder if a God of Love could also be a God of Judgment. On the basis of that highly evolved love, we reject God's concept of personal accountability. But in his eternal wisdom and truth, God rejects now and forever the rotting corpse we call love. In fact, not only God but most of the saints throughout the history of his church rise to denounce the form of self indulgence that we have recently labeled "love." Like the people of Laodecea who thought they were rich when they were in fact poor, our blind generation has failed to recognize that we know little about love; that we have confused "agape" with "apathy."

It's sad but true that most church people in our age are not qualified to take a position on Hell. Not only have we abandoned that biblical ideal, the Love of God. We are mostly ignorant of the Word of God as well.

My time is up for this week. Let's continue this discussion next week.

Selah!

Going Under

This blog is the 8th in a series, "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors." Over the last year or two, these have been the queries that have most frequently reached my desk in one way or another.

The 4th most frequently asked question is this: "Why should I be baptized by immersion if I have already been christened as a child in a Christian church?" Last week, I shared the biblical basis for believer's baptism. This week, allow me to respond to the question, "Fine, but why must I be immersed? Isn't sprinkling acceptable?"

Surely most people know by now that our English word baptism comes from the Greek term baptidzo which literally means "to immerse" or "to submerge." Nevertheless, skeptics occasionally point to Acts 3: 41, "So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 were added to them." I've actually read calculations of how many people Peter would needed to have dunked every minute to achieve this number. "It's physically impossible," deniers insist. "It couldn't have been done!"

I always laugh. A few years ago in Africa, another team leader and I baptized over 200 people in a slippery, slimy elephant watering hole. Even with all the difficulties of slipping and sliding on the banks of the pond, we accomplished the feat in only one hour. This would suggest that 12 apostles could immerse 1200 new believers in one hour. Three thousand new converts would have required slightly less than three hours. And for all we know, other church leaders were baptizing as well. What's more, just because 3,000 were added to the church in one day does not require that all of them were baptized in one day. Perhaps they were baptized in the Jordan River over several days. When you know what the word baptism literally means, it seems rather lame to appeal to strange calculations based on details that aren't recorded.

The biblical priority of immersion is also reflected in texts like these:

• Romans 6:4 compares baptism to being buried; dying to the old life and being raised to walk in a new life. Being buried and then raised indicates that Paul had immersion- not sprinkling- in his mind as he wrote.
• Acts 8:38 describes the baptism of a eunuch from Ethiopia by Philip. "Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him."
• Matthew 3:16 describes the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist. "And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water..."
• John 3:23 explains that John the Baptist tended to baptize in an area named Aenon, because there was lots of water there. Had sprinkling been the custom, the amount of water would never have been a consideration.

Churches that practice baptism by sprinkling commonly equate the symbol with the coming of the Holy Spirit. Hence, they suggest, sprinkling is more fitting. It's a nice thought, but the New Testament actually has a specific word for sprinkling. That word, rhantizo, is never employed in relationship to the Spirit. Think about it: we are filled with the Spirit, saturated with the Spirit, inhabited by the Spirit. No doubt, that's why the word for immersion is used to explain how the Spirit comes into our lives- baptidzo. On Pentecost, the believers were baptized in the Spirit!

In a church and a culture where so much has changed over the last 2,000 years, I find it especially meaningful when we can do something exactly like the apostles did it. Our preaching looks and sounds different. Our singing is accompanied by instruments that did not exist in the first century. Our Bibles aren't scrolls any longer; they are produced in the codex form. And at least in my church, our language is English rather than Greek or Aramaic. But when it comes to baptism, it thrills me to do it just like the apostles did it. We are buried with Christ in baptism that we may be raised to walk in newness of life.

Selah.

Don't Mess up My Hair!

This blog is the 7th in a series "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors." Over the last year or two, these have been the questions that most frequently make their way to my office.

It is often said that people here in the Northeast are much too private to publicly identify with a personal religious tradition. In fact, that's simply not true. Every week during football season, vast numbers of my friends and neighbors wear color combinations they would never wear under any other circumstances in order to carry the cross of the Washington Redskins. And it is a cross! The Skins have enjoyed only one winning season in the last decade or so. Our team has elevated defeat to an art. Nevertheless, Redskins bumper stickers, jerseys, workout clothing, caps, mailboxes, etc., etc., are everywhere.

We're not ashamed to announce our allegiance to the Redskins or the Packers or the Crimson Tide or the Longhorns. And we're not ashamed to identify with Gucci or Christian Dior or the Outer Banks or a leading political candidate. Why does privacy become such a priority when it comes to Jesus Christ?

That brings us to my 4th most frequently asked question. "Why should I be immersed as an adult if I've already been christened as a child in some other Christian church?" Apparently, I'm not the only pastor who gets that question a lot. Studies show that baptism is declining all across the USA as people are more reluctant to experience immersion and churches are more reluctant to require it. Are Christians really the most private of all private citizens?

When I explain that baptism is not essential for salvation, but is simply a very important symbol, I am sometimes challenged: "If it's just a symbol, why is it so important?" In fact, the flag of the United States is nothing more than a symbol, but large numbers of men and women die defending that symbol. And while burning a flag in public is quite legal, it can also get you pummeled and kicked to the dirt pretty quickly in America. The wedding ring is nothing more than a symbol of marital faith and fidelity, but don't tell millions of married men and women that ring isn't important.

In 1 Peter 3:21,22 scripture teaches that the floodwater in the story of Noah "symbolizes baptism which now saves you also, not by the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God." Neither buoyant water nor floating boat actually saved Noah and his family. God saved them all. But the the boat and the water were tools in his hands. Likewise, baptism is a tool in the hands of Almighty God. It expresses our allegiance to his kingdom based on the mystery of faith. Like a wedding band, it doesn't make me a Christian but it does reflect the truth that I am one. So why are most football fans willing to look ridiculous for hours on end, while many Christians are not willing to look wet for a moment?

Of course, someone will ask, "But I don't object to baptism. I object to being baptized by immersion! Why must I be soaked in front of a crowd? Why do you insist that I be immersed?" I'll answer that next week with three texts from scripture that make it perfectly clear.

Selah!

Losing It!

This blog is the sixth in a series, "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors."

Of all the questions asked of me this year, this one must surely be #5 in frequency. "Aren't there verses in the Bible that suggest a believer can actually lose his salvation?"

There is at least one verse that might suggest that, but only if you take it out of context. In fact, most people who raise this question are thinking of Hebrews 6: 4 - 6. "For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened- those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the power of the age to come- and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance for by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once agains and holding him up to public shame."

The problem is that the author of Hebrews is not describing Christians who fall from grace. In every first century church there were Jews and even Gentiles who met with the church on a regular basis, seeking Christ. In many cases, those seekers actually became convinced that Jesus Christ was real and faith was important. But because of fiery persecution by Jewish neighbors and the resentment of their own Jewish families, many retreated from the church and chose to delay their decision until a time when it would be safe to do so. By sharing in worship with true believers, they tasted the goodness of the Word of God and experienced the Holy Spirit working in people all around them. That is, they felt the Word of God resonate with their own hearts, and they saw the power of the Spirit working in the lives of others.

But when they dropped out of worship to escape persecution, they didn't lose their faith. They had never made a commitment. Rather, they were simply rejecting Jesus Christ and refusing to deal with him while he was dealing with them. "Seek the Lord while he may be found," Isaiah 55:6 counsels us all. "Call upon him while he is near." In other words, we are not guaranteed that God's Holy Spirit will continue to deal with us year after year while we delay and postpone. God is obligated to extend his grace to us once, but not forever!

In the verses that follow Hebrews 6: 4 - 6, the writer compares the people who fell away to land which is fertilized and watered but finally brings forth only thorns and thistles rather than fruit. He adds that they are worthless. Bearing fruit is always the New Testament analogy for people who receive salvation and are changed by it. People who don't bear fruit have not experienced salvation. (See Luke 8: 4 - 21.)

So there is one verse which, taken out of context, can suggest falling from grace. By contrast, there are numerous very clear verses which, taken in context, clearly affirm eternal security for believers. In John 6:38-40, for example, Jesus says, "For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is the Father's will that all who see his Son and believer I him should have eternal life. I will raise them up on the last day."

Another personal favorite of mine is Ephesians 1: 14, "The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised us." The Greek text literally says we are sealed with the spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance." The term sealed refers to the Law of the Medes and Persians which required that once a king sealed a law, he could not change it even if he wanted to. For instance, after the Babylonian king sealed the law requiring the execution of anyone praying to another god, he was forced to carry it out even when he learned the offender was his trusted friend Daniel!

So the Bible does not gurantee us that God will deal with any lost person forever. No wise person should ever presume that just because God is dealing with him, this will always be an option for him. But we are promised that once we come to Christ, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and kept by the saving power of Christ Jesus our Lord.

Selah.

Together in Worship

This blog is part of a series, "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors." These may not be the top ten all time questions, but they are the ones I've fielded most commonly over the last year.

The sixth most common question for pastors is this: "How can I persuade my spouse to attend church with me?" This is a particularly thorny question because people tend to make marriage decisions when they're young and fairly immature. When you're single and twenty-something, the features you might find most appealing in a prospective date would probably be good looks, a sense of humor, good taste in clothes, and a bubbly personality. Only ten years later and thinking about children, the qualities that matter most in a relationship will likely shift all the way across the spectrum to stability, willingness to work, a mature worldview, and- yes! -a faith similar to yours.

And herein lies the problem! You wake up one day and you're a thirty year old parent of two children. You want to give your kids every possible benefit to grow up healthy, follow Jesus Christ, and become a healthy disciple. But that person who used to be so fun at movies and football games has no interest in Jesus Christ or putting the kids first. Now what? Now you have a spouse who doesn't share your faith.

That's why churches, spiritual leaders and parents should be so consistent in what they teach kids about dating. Bottom line: don't date people who aren't believers. Don't be unequally yoked, as Paul wrote the Corinthians. Don't attempt missionary dating. You may not convert that cute boy or girl who has such a winning personality, but you may fall in love anyway.

But let's get back to the original question. You're married and your husband or wife has no interest in church or worship or fellowship. Is there anything you can do to motivate your spouse to show up at church at your side? No doubt, this is a tough assignment. But now that we agree it's difficult, allow me to offer some basic suggestions.

1. Make worship and Bible Study one of your highest priorities. Don't act self-righteous. Don't be critical or walk out in a huff. Don't start arguments and walk out with your Bible, slamming the door behind you. But lovingly, consistently, eagerly get dressed and participate in worship and Bible Study. If you have children, get them up and dressed without complaining and teach them the value of time with God.

I've known many church members who decided to stay home and wait until a husband or wife is finally willing to make it a family experience. Almost 100% of the time, the unbelieving spouse drags the religious spouse down. You rarely if ever see those families again. Waiting for your unbelieving spouse to cultivate an appetite for worship may take longer than you think- like eternity!

2. Live like your husband's life (or your wife's) depends on your faith. Don't let down your guard at home. Don't complain and gossip about other people at church. Don't let other religious people come to your home and behave that way around your spouse. Don't fly off the handle and curse when things go wrong. Don't criticize your spouse- and especially don't criticize his or her lack of faith. Apologize when your use poor judgment or say harsh things. Include your husband or wife in your disciplines at home; pray for your spouse or, if possible, with your spouse. Invite your loved one to sit with you when you're reading your Bible. Read it aloud some time.

3. Let your spouse see the real benefits of your faith. If you're a man, let your wife see that your are determined to love her like Christ loved the church because that's how Jesus tells you to love her. If you're a woman, be sure your husband knows that one reason you respect him so much is because Christ commands you to submit to your husband. Be generous with your spouse. Be patient. Love unconditionally because that's how followers of Jesus Christ love others.

4. Ask some of your closest Christian friends to pray regularly for your spouse's salvation. Don't talk about it publicly. Ask them not to mention it publicly. But assemble a network of loving, godly people who are praying for your spouse's salvation and looking for opportunities to plant seeds of faith.

5. Don't ever give up. Years ago I came across a riveting remark by an atheist. He argued that he didn't believe in Chritianity and he didn't believe in Hell. But then he added that if he really were a Christian and really did believe in Hell, he would crawl across England on broken glass if he could keep one person from going to a place so dreadful! If you really are a Christian and you really do believe in Hell, don't you think there's a price you should be willing to pay if you could just get your spouse in the gates as well? So you have to endure some inconvenience and live a rigorous, disciplined life at home. So you have to put up with some second guessing. If you have pledged your life and your love to this person of the opposite sex and have perhaps even had a child or two with this person, isn't this person's salvation worth some sacrifice?

Stay the course and live for Christ in season and out. I can't promise you that your spouse will ever wake up and get saved. But someday you'll stand before God and you'll be aware of every occasion in your life when you failed to realize your spiritual potential. Be sure that when you one day enter eternity, you depart having made your witness to your spouse one of your highest priorities.

Selah.

How Old is Old Enough?

This blog is the fifth in a series, "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors."

Top Question #7: How can I know if my child is old enough to be baptized?

I always approach this question with a bit of personal bias. I became a follower of Jesus Christ when I was five years old. I was actually called into ministry at age six. And over all those years when other boys fantasized about being cowboys or astronauts or Marines, my sense of calling never wavered. As it happened, however, my parents had this conviction that a person should not be baptized until he was older and underwent some kind of 'emotional experience.' So I was compelled to wait for baptism until I was fifteen years old when an understanding pastor finally took time to talk with my mom.

As a result, there are some cautions I always set forth whenever parents ask when a child who loves Jesus should be baptized.

1. You should ensure that your child is old enough to remember this event. There is a phase in every child's life, somewhere in the range of 4-6 years of age, when vivid recent memories are suddenly dumped into the irretrievable memory file. One day the lad remembers all the details of the trip to Disney World at three. A few weeks later, memories like that are all gone. As a parent should be sure your child has already undergone that development before baptism.

2. Children are very susceptible to peer pressure. If a sibling or close friend has recently been baptized, your child may very likely be swept along in the desire not to be left out of something fun. Mom and Dad should ensure that a child is being immersed because of his own convictions, not merely the decision of a friend or sibling.

3. Before being baptized, a boy or girl should be capable of going through a month-long study with Mom or Dad to explore the basics of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ, prayer, worship, etc. There are numerous books and resources which are age appropriate and excellent for this kind of study. Here at Providence, we recommend Now that I'm a Christian by William Young, or I'm a Christian Now by Capps and Shaw.

4. Finally, there are some core concepts a child should understand. Of course these things will be understood with more clarity and sophistication later in life, but they're so important that they should be in a boy or girl's mind in some form from the beginning.

• What is sin? Does your child understand why he or she is a sinner?


• Why did Jesus die? Does your child understand that Christ exchanged his perfect life for our sinful ones?


• What is baptism? Can your child grasp that baptism is a symbol for dying to a life of sin and self, and being raised to life a godly life by faith?

Experience teaches us that most boys and girls are able to think in terms like this somewhere beyond the age of nine or ten years old. When a younger child first surfaces the idea of baptism, you'll often find it will pass if simply deferred for a couple of months. For the purposes of memory and understanding, slightly older is better. But if your seven year old son or daughter persists in talking about faith in Christ and the importance of baptism, give it some thought and prayer. You might even want to talk with your pastor or a ministerial staff member. But whatever you do, don't make it a point of anger of frustration.

Selah.

Tithing: The Rest of the Story

This blog is the 4th in a series, "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors."

The 8th most common question asked of Pastors involves money. "If tithing is never mentioned in the New Testament, why do we still teach it?" This query is is rooted in the thought that tithing is a complicated practice from the Old Covenant, and that it ceased with the end of the Old Testament. Indeed, if tithing were simply a requirement of Old Testament Law like the sacrifice of goats, we should not impose it on followers of Jesus Christ. However, that is not the case.

God delivers the Law as a gift to his chosen people, beginning in Exodus 20. First, Moses explains the crux of the Law- the Ten Commandments. Then over the course of the months that follow, he fleshes out the sacrificial system and all the other rituals that are integral to Old Testament faith. The Law has now been fulfilled in Christ. But the tithe is an integral part of worship and devotion in redemptive history long before the coming of the Law. In fact, tithing dates all the way back to Genesis, cropping up in one of the earliest chapters.

• In Genesis 14:20, Abram recognizes that a mysterious figure named Melchizedek is a priest of the Most High God. In reverence and gratitude, he offers the priest a tenth of the treasure he has just won in battle.


• Genesis 28:22 records this promise made by Jacob to God: "And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that you give me I will surely give a tenth to you."

For generations before the Law was established by God, people of faith worshiped the One True God in a fairly unstructured way. But returning a tenth reflected the prevailing assumption of faith that God owns everything and human beings are simply allowed to manage a share. One part in ten denotes it all belongs to Him, and we are returning a token of that underlying truth. Returning the tenth to the Lord reflects that my heart is in sync with his divine authority.

In the New Testament, Jesus never suggests that New Covenant faith is designed to make our lives more convenient or less rigorous. To the contrary, Christ doesn't lessen the commandment about murder. He raises the standard, teaching that we must not even tolerate hatred of our fellow man. Rather than diminishing God's command that we must not commit adultery, Jesus actually raises the bar: don't even look upon a woman with lust in your heart! In fact, one of the highest compliments Jesus offers anyone in the New Testament goes out to the widow who gives her last two coins in an offering at the Temple.

The claim that the tithe does not belong in the New Testament may sound appealing, even rational at first glance. But the claim should be followed by a question- "If that's true, do you plan to give more than a tithe to God's kingdom- or less?" Paul writes in Romans 14:23 that "Whatever is not from faith is sin." I always want to be sure than the prevailing choices of my life are based on faith, not fear.

Selah.

Adam's In-laws

This is the third in a series of blogs, "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors."

Top Question #9 is, Where did Cain and Abel get find their wives?" In Genesis 4:17, Cain and his wife give birth to a son. Just a few verses later in 4:26, brother Seth and his wife have a son. The text concludes, "At that time, people began to call upon the name of the Lord."

"So who were all those people who began to call on the name of the Lord?" skeptics ask. Did God make them after he made Adam? Or were they already in existence on the Earth when God specially crafted Adam and Eve? I find that some people are just curious about what Genesis really means, while others are looking for ways to fit the accounts of Genesis and the theory of Darwinism neatly together. So where did Cain find the woman he married?

Answer: Cain married either his sister or a niece. If his bride was a niece, it means that one or more of his other brothers married sisters. Here in the Twenty-first Century, it's normal for us to cringe at the idea of intermarriage. It's more than a legal matter. There are genetic liabilities inherent in close relatives marrying. But in fact, consider this:

• The first two chapter of Genesis narrate an exceptional period when the Earth is brand new, the human bloodline is pure and uncorrupted by the physical wear and tear of sin, and there are only two people available for filling the planet.

• According to Genesis 5:5, Adam lived 930 years. I wonder how many sons and daughters he finally had over that length of time? It makes sense that there would have been plenty of generations for the necessary intermarriage so that human beings could begin to fill the Earth.


• We know for a fact that Abram married his half-sister not that many generations later (Genesis 20:12.) Nobody had a problem with that. That's because the Law,which forbade sexual intimacy among siblings, came hundreds of years later.

There is a theological reason why this is important. Adam's sin did not simply influence or motivate all other human beings to sin. Rather, his sin nature was passed along to all the rest of us as his descendants. For this reason, Psalm 51:5 indicates we are sinful from the time our parents conceive us. For this same reason, Jesus explains to Nicodemus (John 3:5) that no one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven unles he is born again. Everyone born of Adam is born into sin and spiritual death.

If there were originally multitudes of other specially created people who were not descended from Adam, they would surely have ancestors today not genetically stamped with the curse of sin. There are no people like that today, nor have their ever been. For this reason, God sent his own son into the world to rescue us from the curse of Adam, and offer us the gift of a new life.

This is why it is clear that Cain's wife was either a sister or a niece.

Selah.

Question #10: Why Wait?

This blog is the second in a series "The Top Ten Questions People Ask Pastors." All ten questions are listed in last week's session.

Top Question #10: Why shouldn't a young man and woman move in together if they are already engaged to be married? In the expensive area where I live just outside of Washington, DC, the economic situation is commonly offered up as a good rationale. That is, it would cost a fortune for two young adults to maintain separate residences until the wedding.

Of course, when you begin to base your ethical decisions on financial calculations, you have already lost your footing and are on your way down. Think about it. Why go to all the expense of raising a child when a quick abortion is so much cheaper? Think of all the money a family could save for college by going ahead and letting an aging parent die, rather than allowing her to continue at home for a while. A lot of sick children would never survive if parents failed to get them medical treatment just because hospitals are expensive!

Once you rule out the economic excuse, there's only one other rationale for two Christians shacking up before marriage. That last rationalization would be, "Everybody's doing it." I presume we don't have to explain why holy people refuse to base ethical decisions on public opinion polls. Even if you really are that one couple in 1,000,000 who can remain chaste under those circumstances, you have created the appearance of willful disobedience. God instructs us, "Be holy as I your God am holy."

But in case you're not convinced yet, here are three more scriptural commands that ought to have some bearing on our choices.

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 warns us to "Abtain from every appearance of evil." A few unmarried couples have assured me, "We still plan to wait until we're married to have sex. We will have separate bedrooms in our new apartment." If I'm the average American, I don't believe you for a moment. In fact, even if I'm your pastor, I don't believe that skinny little rationalization. Godly young men should man up and do what the Lord commands.

2. Galatians 5:17 is very clear. "For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature, so you cannot do what you want." That's not the Holy Spirit urging you to move in with your fiancee' I can assure you. It's the flesh. And the moment you sign the lease on the apartment you'll share, the flesh has won over the Holy Spirit of God.

3. Romans 13:14 advises us, "But rather, clothe yourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Tyndale even translated the Greek more precisely, "Make no provision the lusts of the flesh to fulfill." Moving into a residence with a member of the opposite sex to whom you aren't married is what we call "making provision for the lusts of the sinful nature." Only a fool would call it "economics."

So what about the young couple who truly has financial constraints? There are many alternatives. Let one partner live with parents for another few months. Perhaps one partner can live with friends for a few months. If all else fails, move up the wedding ceremony and tie the knot earlier. When a tender young woman mentions that she can't fulfill all her wedding fantasies that quickly, I have a simple reply. As a follower of Jesus Christ, which is more important to you: your fantasies of what your wedding should be like, or the Lord's desires about how his servants should live?"

Selah!

Next week, we'll pick up Top Question #9.

The Top Ten Questions

A few weeks ago, a friendly teller at my bank asked me what I do for a living. When I replied that I am a pastor, he commented, "That must be a very rewarding profession!" He was right! Sure, there are frustrating and irritating moments in leading a church, but I'm sure that even professional golfers and Hollywood movie stars have to endure occasional personality clashes and difficult days as well. Beyond annoyances like that, I enjoy preaching and teaching the Word of God; I get a lot of satisfaction offering counsel and encouragement; I love the staff members I've been called to lead; and I even get a kick out of growing people through ministry tasks and committee meetings.

Then there are all those questions! People make appointments to come by the office. On other occasions, they drop in or buy me lunch. Sometimes, Bible Study classes dispatch their teacher to get my take on a major issue. And finally, there are emails, telephone calls, conversations in the corridor, and even notes left in the offering plates.

Over the last year, the questions have ranged from the very practical to the very theological. Some have been rather unique, but many have turned up time and again in one form or another. So as 2011 gets underway, I thought you might enjoy reading the ten most frequent questions from 2010.

10. Why shouldn't a young man and woman move in together if they are engaged and committed to be married?

9. Where did Cain meet his wife?

8. If tithing is not mentioned in the New Testament, why do we still teach it?

7. How can I know when my child is old enough to be baptized?

6. How can I convince my spouse to come to church with me?

5. Don't some Bible verses suggest you can lose your salvation?

4. Why should I be baptized again if I was christened as a child in a Christian church?

3. How can a loving God justify sending innocent people to Hell forever?

2. How can you share your faith with coworkers who may be offended and report you for harassment?

1. Can unbelievers be condemned for rejecting Jesus if they never heard the Gospel in the first place?

Those are the most frequent questions that came my way during the last 12 months. If you'd like to know the answers, check in next week at this space.

Selah.