Things have changed

The family and I are in Memphis doing a little vacationing/homeschool learning adventure. We arrived today and our first stop was the National Civil Rights Museum. The NCRM located at The Lorrain Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King was shot 25 years ago. The museum was an amazing journey through the history of slavery, segregation, integration and equal rights. I was thinking how the difficulties with integration was a factor in my family moving from South Carolina to Chicago in 1974, as my older brothers during their school years dealt with the difficult reality of segregation & integration in the South during that time. And honestly, I hate to say this, but having many family members still in the "old South", there is still a wide gap between blacks and whites.

But there is hope, and things have changed, thanks much to modern-day heroes like Rosa Parks and Dr. MLK.

Today, as we were in the Civil Rights museum, my 2 year old son Aiden got my attention and said "Daddy, look! There's a baby...I'm going to go kiss her." (This is not uncommon, since Aiden has a 1 year old baby sister). But Aiden walked over to a beautiful little black girl, who was around 1 or so like his sister, bent down, and gently kissed her on her cheek. I looked at the little girl's parents and smiled, and they did the same.

Being in Memphis, on the spot where Dr. King was shot, and seeing my very white son treat a little black girl just like he would his sister, brought Dr. King's vision of a day when his children wouldn't get judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Things have changed...for the better. Thanks, Dr.

Red? Blue? What's a Christian to do?

Have you ever seen a presidential race like the one we're in? Never before has religion, race, gender, war, and economy been such hot issues...and we're talking about the candidates themselves! So, how is a Christ-follower to vote? What is the proper criteria?

I have a couple thoughts, and they're not very conservative by traditional standards. For the first time in my life, I'm really trying to ignore candidates positions on issues like abortion & homosexuality. Now, let me clarify: I have strong positions on these issues. I believe in the sanctity of life from the point of conception and I believe that homosexuality and same-sex marriage is not God's design, and practicing them is sin. But I do not think that those are "make-or-break" issues for the leader of our country.

I firmly believe that government is powerless to legislate morality & issues of the heart. Making a law against abortion will not stop abortion, for example. I believe when it comes to our government leaders, we need to strongly look at leadership in the economic, military, education, social welfare, and foreign diplomacy realms. The issues of morality are beyond the lawmakers. Instead, I think that Christians and the Church in general need to step up more and actually begin living out the Gospel with their fellow man. Because the Church has failed to engage and influence society as God intended, people are now looking to government to lead them morally, and that's not their place.

So this is really a call for Christians to actually live like it and bring the Gospel to people, allowing Jesus to change a person's heart when it comes to issues like love, mercy, protecting life, and living out our relationships as God has designed. This may all sound too idealistic, but it sure feels like what Jesus had in mind. We do not live in a Christian nation, and the only way to live in a Christian nation is to make more Christians; not trying to pass laws influenced by Christianity.

Here's a good blog that gives a good outline on how to engage in politics as a Christ-follower without selling your soul out to any particular political party: http://www.smartchristian.com/?p=5535

How to go to church

A couple weeks ago I preached on John 2:12-25, where Jesus whips some lazy worshippers and extortionists into shape and cleans up the Temple. I took some time at the end of that sermon to show how you can best prepare yourself to come to a worship gathering.

Don’t blow it off – Hebrew 10:24-25
Scripture tells us to be intentional about gathering for worship so we can encourage each other and motivate each other to live lives that actively love others. As a Christ-follower, it is a sin to not regularly participate in a local body. We are created as inter-dependant beings who need each other (cf. Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4).

Right motivation – Psalm 122:1
Come not out of guilt or selfish gain, but come expecting to meet God and to worship Him with your community of faith. Coming together to worship is a joyful occasion…you should look forward to it and you should be glad about it. If you are not glad about coming together to worship, you need to examine your heart, repent of sin, or reconcile a relationship.

Come hungry – Matthew 5:6
Come needing to be filled up with Jesus’ righteousness. All of our so-called “righteousness” are nothing but filthy rags to God. We need to come before him, both personally and corporately, hungry and thirsty for Jesus. If we don’t come hungry, we will become critical, judgmental, and unteachable; preventing ourselves from being blessed by God and by our community (much less blessing anybody else).

Bring your best gifts – 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Come prepared to give to Jesus sacrificially and cheerfully. Every local church is dependant on the financial giving of her members and regular attenders to accomplish the vision and mission of ministry that God has given to that church. Ultimately, we give to God…and God deserves and demands our best gifts, not our leftovers. But our giving is a response to the great love that God has shown us through Jesus, so we are to give sacrificially (like Jesus sacrificed for us) and we are to give cheerfully (because we love Jesus so much).

Manage your time well – Numbers 9:2
Come well rested, unhurried, and prepared. Each worship gathering happens at an ‘appointed time’. You know when it’s coming, so we should prepare our selves not just spiritually, but also physically. If we go to a morning gathering, we need to make sure that we get proper sleep the night before (especially the kids!). Our mornings also need to begin early enough to where we aren’t rushed and getting to church 10 minutes late while we’re arguing with our spouse and dragging the kids behind. If you are serving in a ministry during a worship gathering (band, children, greeter, etc), make sure that you have reviewed, rehearsed, and prepared yourself to serve with the right attitude and spirit.

Use your talents – 1 Corinthians 12:7
Come ready to bless your community of faith with the talents, gifts, and abilities that God has given you. The whole point of our abilities, talents, and spiritual gifts are for the ‘common good’ – that is, to bless and minister to the entire body. Withholding your gifts does not honor God or your church; in fact, withholding your gifts hurts the body.

Engage the lost & disconnected – Luke 7:34
Come with a friend or ready to befriend someone who is spiritually disconnected and needing Jesus. Jesus was known as a friend of sinners. The reason Jesus came was to connect the disconnected and heal the “spiritually sick” (Mark 2:17). As we join Jesus’ mission, we actively befriend the lost and include them in our community of faith, praying that they would come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord. The lost and disconnected are a vital part of the church, for they are the reason that the church exists.

Easy Bible Reading Plan for Dudes

So I was talking with a guy from church the other day about reading the Bible. He was very honest about not being a big reader and would rather be out hanging with friends. I totally get that this is where many guys are at. So, to not just excuse any spiritual laziness, here's a suggestion to help guys read their Bibles more:

Read in the bathroom.

Seriously. A guy's "bathroom schedule" is relatively predictable, and most guys read in the john...usually a magazine like ESPN, Car & Driver, or some porno. So guys, engage your brain and turn down the hormone-o-meter. Keep a Bible in your bathroom (but not the one you would bring to church, that's just nasty) and read the following:

1. Genesis 1-2. It's where everything begins, plus Adam's living in a Garden with a naked chick.

2. Genesis 19. Good ol' wrath of God stuff destroying Sodom & Gomorrah.

3. Genesis 29. How to win a woman's heart (hint: you have to work a long time for it).

4. Genesis 39. How to remain sexually pure and not sleep with every chick that comes on to you.

5. Exodus 14. Great story on the power of God (plus God wipes out an army).

6. Judges. Yes, the whole book. But it's story after story about war and battles.

7. 1 Samuel 17. The underdog wins big! (and the giant's head gets cut off, which is the best part of the story)

8. 2 Samuel 11 & 12. Learn the consequences of sexual sin.

9. 1 Kings 18. The One True God beats up on a false god.

10. Nehemiah. Learn how to lead with vision, and carry out that vision.

11. Psalm 1. Basic comparision of the godly and the ungodly.

12. Psalm 119. This shows the worth of scripture.

13. Proverbs. Practical wisdom for young men.

14. Daniel 3 & 6. How to show faith in God and have courage.

15. Luke. You gotta read about Jesus! Plus, good stuff on John the Baptizer, who Jesus said was the greatest man ever born.

16. Acts. How the church got started.

17. Mark. The shortest Gospel; you could read this in one bathroom visit.

18. 1 Corithians. Paul answers questions that the church in Corinth had about living the Christian life.

19. 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus. An older guy mentoring a young leader.

20. James. This is how to actually live out the faith of a Christ-follower.

So, there you have it. The Bathroom Guy's Bible Reading List. The next step is to maybe print all this on a roll of toilet paper....hmmmmm...

Bunch of Bible Questions Part 3

Here are our next round of Bible questions. Today's grouping has to do with the Bible and the writings of other belief systems.

Q- How do we know the bible is the standard (the only authoritative Scripture) and not other writings (e.g., Qur'an, Hindu scriptures, etc.)? How should we look at things like the Book of Mormon that claim to be in alignment with the Bible and subsequent 'revelations from God'?

A- This is a classical postmodern, pluralistic question. We live in a time when the only real sin, according to our culture, is to stake your claim in one Truth. With so many other belief systems out there, especially some major ones like Islam, how can Christianity say that our scripture is the True Scripture?

It basically comes down to the issue that there are major contradictions between all of these holy books. Contradictions cannot be true on major belief points. It's like one person saying that George Washington was the first president of the U.S., and someone else saying that Thomas Jefferson was the first. Somebody's wrong here!

Norman Geisler, a leading Christian apologist and editor of "Who Made God?", writes the following:

"If the Bible declares that Jesus died on the cross and rose bodily from the dead three days later (1 Corinthians 15:1-6), and the Qur'an teaches that he did not (Sura 4:157), both cannot be true on such a crucial teaching. If the writings of Joseph Smith teach that there are many gods (in his Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible as well as the Mormon books of Moses and Abraham), and the bible declares that there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4), then both of these writings cannot be true."

Other belief systems may indeed teach things are true (for example, the "Golden Rule" is found in some form in nearly every belief system), but where they differ from the bible, then they are false.

The bottom line is truly found in the fact that the Bible continually gets affirmed in its teachings throughout history, that it does indeed transform people's lives, and that it implores people to live selfless lives of love, not seeking their own glory, but only the glory of God.

Q- How can I help my friends (who are Jehovah's Witnesses) to understand that Jesus is God? They have a hard time understanding that Jesus can be the "Son of God" and God at the same time.

A- This isn't so much a bible question, but an important one about how we help build bridges with people of other belief systems. Honestly, trying to understand the Trinity is like a high school guy trying to understand why girls go to the bathroom in packs. Thinking on it too much makes your brain hurt!

Jesus said that he was God (John 10:30) and his claim to be God was the blasphemy that we was accused of by the Jewish High Priest in Matthew 27:63-65. Also, Jesus made many "I am" statements about himself (John 8:58) that equated himself with God. Jesus also forgave sins (Mark 2), something reserved for God. Jesus also allowed his disciples to worship him as God (John 20:28; Matthew 16:15-17).

The great theologian and church father Augustine makes the argument that for God to be perfect, he has to exist in community. Since God is love (1 John 4), and love has to be shared; it is an action. And since God is self-sufficient, he must be able to share that love within Himself. Therefore, God must exist in community so he can express the love that is inherent to Him. Again, Norman Geisler say that with love, there must be a love (God the Father), and loved one (God the Son), and a spirit of love (God the Holy Spirit).

The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are not separate entities...they are three persons yet one essence. Visually, you can think of God like a triangle - three distinct corners, but one shape. You can also picture God mathmatically in the equation: 1x1x1=1 (as opposed to 1+1+1=3; this would be polytheism). But in the end, every illustration breaks down; for this is one of the greatest mysteries of our faith.

A Bunch of Bible Questions part 2

OK, here's the next round of questions about the Bible that we'll tackle this week. Remember, these are real, honest questions from the peopel at Delta Church.

Q- Did only the disciples write the Bible?

The Bible was written by solely by Prophets. Prophets were basically mouthpieces for God; speaking to people on behalf of the Lord. Some writers were prophets by office (e.g., Moses, Samuel, Jonah, etc.); and some writers were prophets by gifting (e.g., David & Daniel). In the New Testament, the writers were Apostles (Matthew, Paul, Peter) or a disciple of an Apostle (Luke, Mark).

Q- Was the Bible written in different languages?

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic.

Q- How can we take literally a translation (the Bible wasn't written in English, and surely the cultural and linguistic context of Scripture are important to its interpretation)?

Generally, there are 2 categories of Bible translations. The first is word-for-word, where the original language is translated, remaining true to the original sentence structure. Examples of this type of translation is the KJV, NASB, and the ESV (which Delta uses). The difficulty with these sometimes is that they can be more difficult to understand due to sentence structure from the Greek to English can be tricky, and honestly, the reading level is higher than the typical American adult. The average reading level for an adult is around 8th grade, but 1 out of 5 adults have a reading level below 5th grade; and 2 out of 5 older Americans and minorities read below a 5th grade level.

The other category of Bible translation is thought-for-thought. This is where the tranlation team will look at the idea of the original language, and interpret the idea into English. Examples of this type of translation are the NIV, RSV, NLT, and the CEV. Sadly, important theological terms often get substituted. A common word that is substituted is "propitiation"; which means that the wrath of God toward sin was satisfied with Jesus' death on the cross. But thought-for-thought translations will use the words "sacrifice", "atonement", or "expiation" which do not carry the weight that God intended with using "propitiation."

A last category would be a paraphrase. Popular paraphrases are the Living Bible, The Message, or Philips. These Bibles "update" the language into common language, but their starting point is a translation and not the original text. They are fine for personal reading (along with a good translation), but are insufficient for teaching and preaching.

For a more in-depth look into this question, specifically of why Delta has chosen the ESV as our preferred translation, please read this article.

Lastly, it is important to understand the context of the text. To understand why it was such a big deal that Jesus made friends with tax collectors like Matthew and Zaccheus, you need to understand the cultural implications of being a tax collector during those times (tax collectors basically were traitors to their own people (the Jews) and worked for the oppressive Roman government who ruled at the time, over-taxing in the process to make themselves rich). Same principle goes for Paul's oft-misunderstood teaching regarding women (not be allowed to speak, not wearing jewelry or make-up, etc). Knowing the cultural context allows us to see the eternal truths and translate them into our own day (e.g., modesty and living out our God-given Biblical roles are the principles that Paul talks about).

Q- Are all the stories in the Old and New Testament actually (literally) true or an analogy for teaching?

Everything is the Bible is true. The flood, Jonah and the big fish, Daniel in the lion's den; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the firey furnace; the Virgin Birth of Jesus, and Jesus' resurrection are all true. With that said, since God chose to inspire human writers to record his truth, he did use their personalities, situations, and different literary forms to communicate his truth. So, in the Bible you will find historical narrative (Samuel), poetry (Psalms), parable (much of Jesus' teaching in the Gospels), metaphor (John 15:1-8), allegory (Galatians 4:21-5:1), and even hyperbole (Matthew 5:29; Luke 14:26). So, read the literal parts literally, and read the metaphorial parts metaphorically.

That's good for now. We'll tackle some more questions next week in regards to the Bible and other religious writings.

Tragedy at NIU

A horrible thing happened yesterday. A gunman stormed the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. 21 were shot. 6 were killed (including the gunman, who shot himself). Lives will forever be changed.

Sin has a devestating effect on the world and on individual lives. I pray for those who are wounded and for the families and friends who have undergone a terrible loss.

Many questions will be put forth in regards to God, suffering, and justice. The questions can really wait a couple days, for now is the time to grieve. But to help you process the relevant issue of pain and suffering in the world, and where the Gospel fits into all of it, I encourage you to listen (or watch) Dr. John Piper from his message during the Gospel Coalition back in May 2007: http://thegospelcoalition.org/plenary_downloads.php

I'll continue the mini-series on "A Bunch of Bible Questions" later today, or perhaps on Monday.

Grace+Peace to all...

A Bunch of Bible Questions

This past Sunday I began preaching through the Gospel of John. I began the series in a very introductory manner, emphasizing the reliability of Scripture and Jesus as the center of the entire Bible. Now, teaching a subject like that brings up a myriad of questions, so I gave Delta the opportunity to write down some questions about the Bible that I would categorize and answer here on the blog. There are some great questions, and I will be posting answers over the next couple weeks. But to get us started off, one question (which really isn't a question, but more of a positional statement) jumped to the front:

"There is no absolute truth. I don't believe the Bible, so any response that finds its foundation in the Bible I reject. Christians are narrow-minded thinking there is only one way, their way."

Now, I have no idea who wrote this, so I'm not going to worry about offending anyone in my answer.

The first statement, "there is no absolute truth", ironically is an absolute statement. He (the handwriting looked like a guys, so we'll go with that) absolutely said there is no absolute truth. Right off the bat he is condraticting himself. So in the attempt to pull his gun out of the holster, it went off and shot himself in the foot.

The second statement about rejecting any internal biblical evidence is a very fair one. The only problem here is that making a statement, or assumption, like this completely denies any historical accuracy of the bible. Doing so is simply ignoring nearly 4000 years (going back to the Old Testament) of biblical steadfastness. But there's a question to be asked here, what about the bible don't you believe? If you say you don't believe the bible, then you're saying that you don't believe obvious historical facts of something as obvious as the nation of Israel existing. So, I'm guessing that what is meant is that any truth claims the bible makes is what's being rejected, specifically revolving around the person of Jesus Christ. Now, there are extra-biblical sources that speak to the existence of Jesus Christ and the influence of Christianity. Writings by the Jewish historian Josephus and Roman historians Cornelius Tacitus and Pliny the Younger are the most popular. You can read their writings for yourself here and here.

The last statement about Christians being narrow-minded is both true and very ignorant. Jesus himself said in John 14:6 "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one come to the Father except through me." And in Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus says, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." So Christians are narrow-minded because that's what Jesus himself taught. The problem isn't with Christians, it's with Jesus.

But this is narrow view is not limited to Christians. Any devout follower of any religion would believe the same thing about their religion. Author and theologian Ravi Zacharias says, "All religions are not the same. All religions to not point to God. All religions do not say that all religions are the same. At the heart of every religion is an uncompromising commitment to a particular way of defining who God is or is not and accordingly, of defining life’s purpose. Anyone who claims that all religions are the same betrays not only an ignorance of all religions but also a caricatured view of even the best-known ones. Every religion at its core is exclusive.”

I would argue that the same would be said of those who are pluralists or even atheists. To be accepting of all ways, or not accepting any way, is being narrow minded as well. And trying to convince others of your position (or should we call it a belief) is doing the work of what we Christians call an "evangelist"...or what secular people refer to as proselytizing - an effort to convert someone to your way of thinking or believing. So, the rules that a pluralist, or a Religious Reletivist (as Tim Keller puts it), makes about being narrow minded are broken as soon as they are made. As soon as you say that all religions are subjective, that is that the "path to god" is completely personal and that is the position you try to get others to accept, suddenly the pluralist is just as narrow as the monotheist. So that is a useless argument and position.

So, either Jesus is THE way, or there's NO way. Jesus is the only major religious leader to claim that sort of exclusivity. Jesus is the only major religious leader who claimed to come down from heaven, as opposed to 'ascending' to heaven or a god-like position. When it comes down it, in the midst of a myriad of religions and belief-systems, you have to ask yourself, "which of these religions leads me best in the path of love and service to my fellow man?" At the heart of Christianity is a God who became a man and sacrificed himself for the beings that he created. The heart of Christianity is the highest form of love: sacrificing yourself for another, especially one who is undeserving and by all rights deserves punishment, not love and grace and mercy. Following Jesus is about living a life of love, service, and reconciliation. There have been many who have gone to war, have acted tremendously selfish, and have oppressed their fellow man in the name of Jesus. These people have missed the whole point of the Bible and the life that Jesus lived. But they have illustrated the darkness of the heart of man, and why we need a Savior so desperately. And that is exactly why Jesus came to earth, lived, died, and rose again.

Bad ride home from Bootcamp

The Acts 29 Chicago Bootcamp went really well, but my ride home just sucked. I left Chicago at 2pm, and got home at 10pm...yeah, 8 hours. The weather was terrible (most of Illinois is getting covered with 6-12 inches of snow). I got stuck for 45 minutes on the 55 south exit of off 294. But the worst of it was when I got to Bloomington, a mere hour away from home, I hit a patch of ice, fish tailed all over the highway, and crashed into the concrete wall (on a bridge no less). Here's what my Blazer looks like:

My only thought as I was spinning around was that I didn't want to hit too hard and flip over the wall. And had I hit another 20 or so feet further down the road, I would have hit a metal barrier, smashed through that and would have been down in the hill in a ditch. All in all, my truck got the worst of it. My neck and back are a little sore. Major thanks to my buddy Scott for coming and fetching me and bringing me home to my family.

A29 Bootcamp in very cold Chicago

I'm currently up in Chicago (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, to be exact) for the Acts 29 Network Bootcamp. What we do is basically provide large-group training, networking opportunities, and assess potential church planters for the Network. It's been a great time being with my A29 brothers and meeting new guys around Illinois who are wrestling through a call to church plant.

Nasty winter weather blew in last night. We saw the temperature drop over 40 degrees yesterday, and winds gusting to over 40 MPH, and got 3 inches of snow. When I woke up this morning, the normal temperature was -1 with a wind chill of -20. When you go to Chicago in January, this is what you get!

I've heard great messages so far from my friends Darrin Patrick, Mark Driscoll, and Ed Stetzer. Mark Dever will be speaking today, as will Mark again, and the A29 director, Scott Thomas will be as well. Within the next month, these message will be posted on the Acts 29 site for your listening pleasure as well.

This is also a good time for a reminder of Delta's church planting vision: 8 church plants in Central Illinois by 2018. We feeled called to be a church planting catalyst in Central Illinois as we seek to train, resource, network, and coach men who want to bring the Gospel to the 217 area code (you can read Mark 2:17 for our inspiration).

Anyway, I've got to warm up and drink a lot of coffee...baby, it's cold outside!

Defeating Idolatry

I'm currently up in Chicago for the Acts 29 Bootcamp...I'll write an update on that in the next day or so.

1 John 5:21 "Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

This past Sunday at Delta we explored idolatry. Idolatry is pretty much anything, anyone, any idealogy, any whatever in your life that takes the place that only Jesus deserves, which is #1. Theologian FF Bruce defines idolatry as:

“[Idols] are false conceptions of God. Any conception of Him that is at variance with His self-revelation in Christ is an idol."

When a person has an idol, he is pretty much settling for something immediate and accesible in order to find happiness and temporal fulfillment. It's basically reaching for something that very well may be good instead of going after what's best. For example, money is a good thing and does bring an amount of happiness to a person's life; but money will never bring the lasting joy that only Jesus provides. But things like money, possessions, relationships, etc are only "surface level" idols - the real idols are deeper. There are four of them:

Comfort – deepest desire is to escape stress, and have freedom
Sensory driven; look to “feelings”…people find comfort in food, possessions, no accountability. If you typically feel bored, comfort may be your deep idol because there’s no risk in your life

Approval – deepest desire is to be affirmed, accepted
Relational driven; look to people…find approval in relationships, respect, lack of conflict. If you typically feel fearful, approval may be your deep idol because you are terrified of rejection and being alone

Control – deepest desire is for self-discipline, certainty, maintaining standards
Authority/mastery driven; self driven, but impose your control on others…find control in your schedule, independence, religion/irreligion. If you typically feel worried, control may be your deep idol because deep down you know you can’t control everything

Power – deepest desire is to succeed, win, be influential
Achievement driven; find power as you’re in charge, your ideology/cause/race/culture has power. If you typically feel angry, power may be your deep idol because you’re just ticked off that there are others in the world that have more influence than you do

The surface level idols are sign posts to the deep idols. And how do you defeat these idols? Paul simply tells us to "flee" from them (1 Corinthians 10:14). But we need to run with purpose and toward a goal: the person of Jesus Christ and his word. Jesus overcame idolatry when tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:8-10). Here are some scriptures to run to in your quest to defeat your idols:

If you have a Comfort idol, take comfort in these truths:

Jeremiah 31:13
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

If you have an Approval idol, find your approval in these truths:

1 Thessalonians 2:4
Hebrews 11:6
Ephesians 2:4-5

If you have a Control idol, remember who is really in control;

2 Corinthians 5:14
Galatians 5:22-23
2 Timothy 1:7
Hebrews 2:8

If you have a Power idol, remember the source of ultimate power

1 Chronicles 29:11
Mark 14:61-62
Acts 1:8
2 Corinthians 10:3-4

God desires for you to have the best - and that's Jesus; not any cheap imitation. Don't settle for cheap happiness...go after true joy.

Happy Birthday Delta!

Today marks the official 1 year birthday of Delta. We launched our Sunday services on January 21, 2007 on a very cold January day (not something I would recommend). Yesterday as we celebrated, it was eerily familiar as the temperature was hovering somewhere around 10 degrees. But we had a good crowd, some new visitors, and I was able to finish up our "Foolishness" mini-series by exploring craziness of church planting and where Delta is heading this next year as well as the future.

Yesterday evening we also had a special "constituting" service where we got to baptize a couple people, have our members officially adopt and sign our church constitution, and we installed our first Elders, yours truly and my good friend Charles Campbell. It was a great time to hear testimonies about how God is transforming lives in the Delta community and how God has knitted together this church. Our story really is the story of many people (which I likened to the highway system around Atlanta - very chaotic) and how God has intersected our journeys at just the right time and place.

So, happy birthday Delta! I look forward to see how God continues to work in and through us as we seek to love Him, see people's lives transform because of the Gospel, and watch us change the world.

Some good research

Check this out from the missional yoda, Ed Stetzer:

http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/2008/01/new_research_on_the_unchurched.html

Foolishness

This week leads up to Delta's 1 year Anniversary on January 21. One year ago I was going in wide-eyed into the "public" phase of church planting. I've been personally celebrating the occasion this whole month by preaching through 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 talking about the "foolishnes" of the cross, the church, and my church, specifically.

Not that I think that the cross is foolish...but Paul makes the argument that those who are perishing - the spiritually disconnected - do indeed think that the Christian faith is a bit foolish. He then goes on to talk about how God intentionally chose the foolish of the world (namely, people; the church) to be the main way that he would expand his kingdom. Paul then opens up chapter 2 very personally admitting that he didn't show up in Corinth with anything fancy about himself, but he just told people about Jesus and His death and resurrection.

It does indeed seem to be a foolish thing to plant a church. You're trying to gather people together to create a community based on what one Man did 2000 years ago, have them live sacrificially in regards to their time, their abilities, their money, and then have them go find others to add to the mix. And we're not doing this in some mover-and-shaker city like Chicago, New York, or L.A., but we're in the middle of corn fields in Springfield, Il.

It's all rather foolish.

But I can't imagine doing anything else. Wanna join us?

Classic Piper

You gotta love John Piper...especially when he gets riled up!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ukcV-xtU3hc

I'm back...bigger & better

We're in the midst of redesigning our Delta's website, and the blog I moved over there will now be moved back here, but we're losing the cheesy "Adventures in Abe-Town" title as well as the also lame "Delta Devotional". As you can now see, the new title for my blog is "Transformissionary." This lines up much better with Delta's mission of "Loving God, Transforming Lives, and Changing the World." Because, we're just not that great and we really need Jesus to transform us all.

New Blog Space

I'm moving my devotional/blog to:

http://deltachurch.net/ryan_s_blog

See you there!

The Curtain's Been Torn

Mark 15:37 "And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom."

Hebrews 10:19-20 "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new an dliving way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh"

The curtain that scripture talks about is the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, first in the tabernacle and then in the temple. The Most Holy Place was where the High Priest could go in only once a year to make atonement for the sins of the people. It was where the Ark of the Covenant was and where the presence of God rested. To come into the Most Holy Place, into God's direct presence, would mean death if it wasn't done properly. In essence, the curtain represented the separation of God and man because of man's sin.

Jesus changed all of that through his death. Jesus took the penalty for our sin, and when he cried out, "It is finished!" there was no need for the curtain any more...so at his death, it split in two; thus reuniting God and man through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus, God's own Son.

The torn curtain is a tremendous visual reminder that we have direct access to God now through faith in Jesus. There is no need for priest to go to God for us. Jesus himself said that he is the only way to the Father. He has made peace for us where there once was hostility.

That's what is "good" about Good Friday.

Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage

Finishing the discussion of marriage, divorce, and remarriage

I preached on Marriage and Divorce on March 11 at Delta. We dealt very forthrightly with God’s Word on both subjects, and I logged 61 minutes of pulpit time. But despite the depth and length that we gave to those subjects, we still weren’t able to talk about the final piece of the trilogy, namely the issue of remarriage according to God’s Word. So, I’d like to take some space here to finish the subject. Before we jump in, here’s an overview of marriage and divorce:

Marriage:

-Marriage is God-ordained (Genesis 2:20-25)
-God created Eve to be Adam’s helper, and Eve is declared Adam’s wife at her creation.

-Marriage is designed as a Permanent Union (Matthew 19:4-6)
-Here’s a little Sex Ed: when you have intercourse, you are not only coming together physically, but spiritually…it is a unique union…you join your soul to that person…people who are sexually promiscuous eventually end up so torn up because their souls are ripped apart between too many people.
-God also is the ultimate one overseeing the marriage and joining the two together

-Marriage is a Covenant (Proverbs 2:17; Malachi 2:14)
-A man and woman declare love and devotion to each other, express their commitment, and share their vows…witnesses ratify the covenant…anniversaries celebrate the covenant.
-It different than a contract…there’s no signing bonus, no restructuring, no time limit.
-God is in the middle of it.

-Marriage reflects the Trinity (Deuteronomy 6:4; Genesis 2:24)
-The Hebrew word “echad” means one, and it is used to describe the Trinitarian God and the oneness of a husband and wife
-A Christian marriage is God’s first illustration of the community he desires his followers to have.

Divorce/Dissolving of a Marriage:

-Death (1 Corinthians 7:39; Romans 7:2-4)
-Remember, a covenant is a life-long commitment…death is the most legitimate ending of the marriage covenant.

-Sexual Immorality/Adultery (Matthew 5:32, 19:9)
-Much has been debated over the word used here, “Porneia”…some try to make the meaning of the word very general and vague in regards to unfaithfulness…but I believe that it is inclusive of any sexual sin, and in a marriage covenant, adultery.
-When Jesus taught about divorce in Matthew 19, he was answering a specific question posed to him by the Pharisees when they asked “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” (v. 3)…the Pharisees were holding a pretty open view of divorce at this time, and Jesus made the point to talk about the covenant of marriage as opposed to the issue of divorce…but at the end of his answer, he did say that sexual immorality or adultery was a reason for divorce.
-The OT had very strict laws concerning adultery, if someone was caught in adultery, both parties were immediately killed (Deuteronomy 22:22)…so, death was ending the marriage covenant.
-Since that law isn’t practiced now, some view that if the adulterer is not repentant of their sin, you can in effect live as if the adulterer is dead and are then released from the covenant.

-Non-Christian Divorce (1 Corinthians 7:15)
-If you get married and you are both unbelievers, and then one gets saved, if the unbelieving spouse wants out, the Christian is not to stop them
-The believing spouse is not to seek divorce, but live as a godly example and influence in the home, in hopes to see the unbeliever come to faith
-This is not about a Christian knowingly marrying a non-Christian…that’s a whole other issue

-Hardness of heart (Matthew 19:8)
-The thrust of this is “defiant, unrepentant sin”
-This not only hurts the relationship with your spouse, but also is damaging your relationship with God
-You cannot be poorly related to your spouse and rightly related to God at the same time!
-This can include issues of neglect and abuse which can break the marriage covenant
-If there are issues like this happening in a Christian marriage, the couple needs to go to the elders of the church for counsel, to work the process of church discipline, repentance and reconciliation, and ideally see the marriage restored

A final thought on the issue of divorce: just because God has given us concessions for divorce does not mean that he has given us license for divorce. His primary desire is for God-honoring marriages that practice repentance and reconciliation.

As for the issue of remarriage, the following is a very biblical summation from Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, where much of my study has originated from other than scripture.

Am I required to take back my spouse after they have committed adultery?

Whenever possible, reconciliation is the primary motivation behind our actions
toward those who have done great harm to us (1 Corinthians 7:11). Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your father in heaven” (Matthew 5:43–45).

How does one do this in practice? Doing good to the offending spouse will mean praying for God to deeply cut the offender to the bone of their resistance, so that there is no more opposition to change. Reconciliation is not simply entering into relationship again as though nothing happened (Luke 17:3). It is not entrusting yourself to a betrayer who is likely to betray again. And it is not melting before whatever display of apology the betrayer can muster. Repentance is deep, life changing remorse by the betrayer in the face of their depravity. It is the betrayer coming to the end of themselves and authentically turning toward those harmed to be permanently oriented toward blessing, not harming or neglecting, them. Repentance is not simply an apology; in fact, an apology is merely an admission that one has been caught, a want to be “let off the hook.” Confession, not apology, is required (James 5:16). Confession spells out the offense in full.
Repentance is a well-considered path of measurable change that is demonstrated over time. As transformation is seen and confirmed, trust is regained. Restitution, where possible, is completed and reconciliation is begun with a better level of honesty, trust, and intimacy than existed before.
Repentance abandons all forms of violence (physical, which includes restraint, and standing in doorways; verbal, which is shouting, threats, demeaning ridiculing words; emotional, which can be subtle or over manipulation, and withholding.) It is a requirement on the part of the victim to forgive the offender when this authentic, long-lasting repentance is seen (Colossians 3:13).
If, however, there is no repentance, then there is no requirement to live together in the marriage (1 Corinthians 7:10–11). The temptation, though, is to give up prematurely. It is to lose hope that the restoration could occur sometime in the future. Other times it is more sinister. It is being hardened by resentment and wanting to make the other person pay.

Can I remarry if my spouse dies?

Yes. The marriage covenant ends with the death of one’s husband or wife. You are free to marry (1 Corinthians 7:39).

Can I remarry after divorcing an adulterer?

This is the most disputed issue on the topic of divorce and remarriage. On the face of it, Jesus and the apostle Paul made no allowance for remarriage.
D “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:31– 32)
D “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:9)
D He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:11–12)
D “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Luke 16:18)
D To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. (1 Corinthians 7:10–11)

These statements by Jesus and Paul set the parameters for remarriage.

1. Jesus restricts the grounds for divorce to moicheia (adultery) or porneia (a broader net of sexual misconduct). Jesus speaks to the husband directly. If the husband is divorcing his wife, he is to give her a certificate of divorce, so she can remarry, rather than punish her by keeping her in a state of unsupported marriage. Jesus, in Luke 16:19, states that though an adulterous woman is given a certificate of divorce making it possible for her to remarry, the man who marries her commits adultery. The consequence of sexual sin is grave and not resolvable for the offending spouse, outside the mercy, forgiveness, and grace of the other spouse. Hardness of heart will demand punishment. Mercy and grace will work toward authentic repentance and restoration.

2. The innocent party of a divorce due to adultery may remarry. Remarriage after one has been betrayed by an adulterous spouse does not constitute adultery. The person marrying a previously married spouse who was the victim of an adulterous person also does not constitute adultery. This is implied but not specifically proscribed in Matthew 19:9. Scripture is clear: marriage is a covenant relationship that should not be broken even under extreme circumstances of betrayal such as adultery. It should be restored through repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Paul instructed members of the Corinthian church who separated from their spouses to remain unmarried, so reconciliation could occur. Reconciliation is the priority (1 Corinthians 7:10).

3. A believer who remarries after a non-Christian spouse divorces the believing spouse constitutes a legitimate marriage (1 Corinthians 7:15).

4. If divorce occurs before a person has surrendered his or her life to Christ, and an appropriate effort to restore the marriage has been undertaken without favorable results, remarriage is appropriate, so long as the believer marries a
Christian.

Does this mean the innocent party should remain single indefinitely?

It means they should remain single for as long as every effort is applied to reconcile with their husband or wife under the supervision of the church elders. Though divorce and remarriage is intensely personal, the counsel and objectivity available through consultation with the elders will greatly increase the likelihood of avoiding impulsiveness (Proverbs 15:22; Hebrews 13:17).

If the offending spouse remarries, is there any obligation for me to remain single?

This is a matter of conscience as no further option is available to restore the marriage. Remarriage to a former husband or wife who since the divorce has been married to another person is clearly forbidden (Deuteronomy 24:3–4). In this case the innocent party would be free to remarry, provided that resentments and relational issues are resolved so they are not carried forward into the new marriage.

Are there other justifications for remarriage?

Jesus made it clear that marrying an adulterer or adulteress constitutes adultery.
This means the one who is guilty of breaking faith and violating the covenant of marriage is committing himself or herself to a life of singleness. It is implicit that the innocent party may remarry, but the offender may not (Mark 10:10–12; Luke
16:18). The elders (of Mars Hill Church) take a conservative stance on remarriage, which we believe agrees with Jesus. This means that the primary thrust of any effort is to bring about repentance in the offender, restoration of relationship, forgiveness by the offended, and mutual reconciliation of the marriage.
The elders (of Mars Hill Church) would not support remarriage unless the previous marriage ended because of the stubborn unrepentance of the adulterer/adulteress (moicheia), or immoral person (porneia), or because of violence by the spouse of the previous marriage.

Can I remarry if I divorced my spouse just because we were incompatible?

No. Work toward reconciliation, which means discovering what made you incompatible, and change. There are few legitimate reasons for divorce.
Incompatibility is not one of them (1 Corinthians 7:10).

What if I divorced my spouse because of domestic violence, child abuse, or abandonment— can I remarry?

The Bible gives no direct instruction in these cases. However, the Bible is clear in this regard: a husband is responsible to love his wife, which means caring for her and protecting her from any harm. He is also responsible for the care and protection of his children. He must assure that no form of harm or exploitation comes to them (Ephesians 5:21–31).

Some have used biblical teaching on wives submitting to their husband to force battered women to stay in their marriages. This is not our position. Physical harm to spouses or children is absolutely not acceptable.

What if I was divorced while a non-Christian?

Though marriage is a blessing given to all humanity and is to be honored as a binding covenant even when entered into before being in Christ, it is understood that the non-Christian is ignorant of God’s decrees and expectations. Therefore, a non-Christian cannot be bound by the same expectations governing a Christian. The atonement Jesus achieved by His blood is sufficient to pay the penalty of previous sin. Therefore, that person would be eligible to remarry a Christian, but only after every effort is made to restore the previous marriage through a reconciliation process.


I believe that the Elders of Mars Hill Church have done a very thorough job of properly eyeleting scripture in regards to the issue of remarriage. That being said, this is not the official stance for Delta Church or the associations that we are a part of.

The bible is our final authority on all issues of faith and life. Generally, the bible teaches that: marriage is to be highly honored and every effort must be made to see that a marriage is God honoring; divorce is not God’s desire or design, yet some concessions are made for it; and remarriage for issues other than death have specific parameters that should be adhered to.

Delta seeks to be a church where marriage is championed, cultivated, and celebrated. Delta also seeks to be a church where those who have been deeply wounded by the harsh realities of divorce can be healed. And Delta seeks to be a church where people and relationships can find restoration and reconciliation.

Got a quiver full of arrows

Psalm 127:3-4

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

My wife gave birth to our fourth child last Wednesday. Rachel Mae came in at 7lbs, 12oz and 22 inches long. God has blessed me tremendously. Enjoy the pic!

How offensive are you?

I would like to take a moment of silence for Chief Illiniwek. Tonight at the Illinois/Michigan basketball game is his last dance. He's been the symbol of The Fighting Illini's competative spirit for over 80 years. When he stepped out onto the field or court, he would get the crowd in a frenzy and let the opposing team know that they were in for a battle.

But no more.

He has been labeled as "offensive" to some Native Americans, noting that the dances he does are mimcking important religious ceremonies and his dress reflects more of the Souix tribe than the actual Illini tribe. They saw him as a mockery or their heritage and an insult to their beliefs and culture.

So, the Chief is now gone, as soon will be the Illini logo that also bears his image. I'm not going to sit here and say why they shouldn't be offended and that they're making a really big deal out of nothing. I do wonder what's in store now for teams like the Florida State Seminoles, the Atlanta Braves, and the Cleveland Indians. I precedent has now been set, and sooner or later another group will go after them.

But this has got me thinking about being offensive to people. We all offend somebody most all of the time. No two people hold exactly the same views, use the same language, hold the same ideals, or think the same thoughts. We all say and act in ways that hurt people, albeit intentionally or unintentionally. So, do people need to thicken up their skin or do people need to be more sensitive or both?

As a Chrisitan, I need to accept the fact that I will offend people with my faith. I mean, it's a very exclusive thing. I believe that the Bible is the Word of God. I believe that Jesus is God and is the only way to heaven. I believe in absolute truth. That's really offensive to most of our pluralistic society.

Galatians 5:11 talks about the "offense of the cross"; meaning that the Gospel will tick people off. When you in essence tell people who aren't believers that their philosophies or religion (or lack there of) are flat-out wrong, what do you expect them to do? They're going to be offended, get angry, hurt, and think that we're nuts. But it's really not about that. It's really not about their feelings, or ours...it's about being true and bold in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now, before you run out and just start spouting off telling people they're going to Hell, remember what Paul wrote in Colossians 4:5-6 "Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders (ie, outside the faith), making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may now how you ought to answer each person." We are always to speak and act out of love, not judgment. We need to make sure that we truly are living out the Gospel by people of love, peace, kindness, generosity, and servitude. That way we earn the right to speak the Gospel and have it fall on fertile ears.

But be aware: you'll still offend people.

Maybe the Manliest Show Ever

There's nothing too spiritual about this post, except that God loves manly men. Is seems, especially in the Old Testament, he's always telling some guy to go beat up guys with a jawbone of an ass, cut off a defeated army's foreskins, and to stay away from loose women. When Jesus came, he didn't come as some silver-spooned, never get your hands dirty, rich man's son; no, he came as a carpenter's kid that was born in a barn. His first word might have been "splinter."

One of my new favorite shows is called "Man vs. Wild" on the Discovery Channel (http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/manvswild/manvswild.html). The host's name is Bear (very appropriate) and he used to be in the British Special Forces where he did survival training, and now he's bringing that training to the world via Discovery Channel. He even climbed Mount Everest. What the show is about is this: a helicopter drops Bear off in some remote area like a rain forest, the desert, or the Swiss Alps. All he has is the clothes on his back, a knife, flint, and a canteen. He has to find food and water on his own, and the show is over when he finds civilization. I've watched this guy eat raw zebra meat that was left over from a lion kill, eat maggots (good protein, he said), and drink water out of elephant dung to keep hydrated. He's taught me how to not get trampled by elephants and rhinos, and how to warm up after falling into a frozen lake (you need to get naked and rub snow on you). It's pretty amazing to watch a truly 'manly man' in action, even though he makes me want to throw up at least a couple times during the hour watching him eat!

So if you ever check out "Man vs. Wild", be reminded that God did indeed create and loves the 'manly man'. Now excuse me while I go and shovel snow off my driveway in my swim suit.

Perseverance

"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed...struck down, but not destroyed." 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Go Bears!!

OK, not to really spiritualize yesterday, but I must say that Rex Grossman of the Chicago Bears is a good illustration right now. All the sports world has been hearing for the last month or two is how Rex isn't the quarterback to bring Chicago to the Superbowl; bench him and play Brian Griese. He hasn't really helped his case much by having some absolutely terrible games, either. But yesterday, he showed great composure and made big plays when he needed and the Bears are going to the Superbowl.

In life we all get beat up on, disappointed, disappoint others, don't have things go our way, and have things just be difficult. And many times the best thing we can do is "just hang in there". We have to keep doing the things we know are right and fundamental in life and faith (read scripture, pray, serve, show hospitality, love others) and just be patient for God to work everything out.

Life just happens. We aren't promised a life where everything comes up roses, but we are promised that God is in control, will work things out, and he is on our side. So in the midst of health issues, relational struggles, pressure at work, or financial stress, I encourage you to hang in there, do the things you know are right, surround yourself with people who care about you, and exercise some trust.

Peace to all...and I'm picking the Bears by 10 in the Superbowl!

Perspective

Happy 2007! It's been a little while since I've posted a new devotional, and the theme of this devotional will let you know why. Let me catch you up.

The holidays hit in full force, and we had an unexpected curve ball thrown our way. My 16 month old, Aiden, got some kind of virus or stomach flu the beginning of December that he held onto for almost a week. It then took him another week to really start feeling back to normal, or so we thought. He began to have trouble breathing and was really stuffed up, which we thought was normal for him, because he's teething and he's been on a nebulizer since he was a couple months old. But this seemed different, and on the 21st Dawn took him to the doctor. Well, they didn't come home, and instead went directly to the Pediatric ICU ward in the hospital where he spent the next 3 1/2 days with a virus, an infection in his lungs, and more cords coming out of him than C3-P0 from Star Wars. He responded really well to treatment, and was able to come home on Christmas Eve. That was the best present this year.

The PICU is not a fun place to be. There was a baby across the hall from us who was only about a week and a half old. After his parents brought him home from the hospital, they went in to his room to check on him only to discover that he wasn't breathing. He was able to be revived, but was without oxygen for 40 minutes. His internal organs were working OK, but his brain wasn't responding. I just found out yesterday that they took him off the respirator. I pray that the baby is safe in Jesus' arms right now.

But with all this going on right in the middle of the holiday hub-bub, presents, and parties, it really made me take some stock about what's really important. Presents, bows, parties, and running around can really distract us from things we take so for granted each day. Things like family, health, and salvation. Gift-getting did not matter to me this Christmas; only getting my son home healthy did and having my family all together.

We live in a society that values consumerism over generosity, programs over people, and ego over God. I truly believe that people need a good slap in the face, or get thrown on their backs sometimes to really see the important things that God has graciously given us and to stop being so busy and distracted with everything else.

In light of all this, the verse that has kept coming to mind is from Ecclesiastes 5:2 "Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few." The main gist of the verse is just imploring us to keep the right perspective; specifically that we are not as important as we think we are and God is the only One that really counts. My selfish desires for gifts at Christmas are no where near as important as my kid being sick or the pain of new parents watching their 1 month old slowly die before their eyes.

I pray that 2007 is a year that things are able to be kept in perspective. I pray that there won't be so much running around, staying busy, or acquiring 'stuff'. I pray that we all can slow down, enjoy life, love God, and love people.

Here's to a new year with new opportunities!

Grace & peace,
Ryan

Pursue Godliness

"But you, O man of God, ...pursue godliness..." 1 Timothy 6:11

At Delta, we've spent the last several months systematically going through our Core Values...the non-negotiables that define us as a church. We've talked about Truth, Worship, Community, Mission, and began to look at Equipping this month. Scripture is clear that one of the main purposes for scripture (other than revealing God) is to equip people for a thing called 'godliness' - but what is that?

Godliness is the active presence of divine good in our lives.

Godliness is the day in day out, 24/7 proof that Jesus is transforming our lives. It encompasses everything about us - our relationships, our jobs, our families, our money, our recreation, and anything else you can think of. But the important thing about godliness is that it is active and it is good.

I emphasize the point about it being active and good because too many people, mainly old-school fundamentalists and the non-Christian, buy into the lie "moralism" instead of godliness. Moralism is the pursuit of ridding yourself of "sin" or "evil" or whatever else you want to call it. Let me illustrate.

If you walk up to Joe Schmo non-Christian on the street and ask them if they think they will go to heaven when they die (if they belive in heaven), they will most likely answer: "Yes. I'm a good person. I mean, I've never killed anybody or robbed a bank." Do you see how they defined their "goodness"? They defined goodness by the absence of major evil in their lives. You could ask a person who has attended the classic old-school fundamentalist church the question of "what is godliness?" and they will most likely answer: "Godliness is not watching R-rated movies, not listening to certain music, avoiding alcohol, smoking, & drugs, not going to certain food establishments, etc." Their definition of godliness was not exercising godly attributes, it was avoiding sin. They have gotten moralism confused with godliness.

Since godliness is the active presence of divine good, we need to look at passages like Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25) to see what a Spirit-infused godly life should look like. It is my persuasion that if we focus on pursuing godliness, the avoidance of sin will take care of itself. It doesn't work the other way around. Moralism will not result in godliness; it will only result in pride. But godliness will produce a divine morality - for as we focus on godly attrubutes like love, joy, peace, and patience, the sins we should be avoiding will not be enticing to us. Also, some "sins" that man makes main issues will be seen clearly as secondary issues (for example, moralism will tell you that alcohol is bad altogether, while godliness focuses on being filled with the Holy Spirit and not getting drunk (Ephesians 5:18)).

So let's make this very practical. Since we are to be trained and equipped for godliness, what areas of our lives do we need to be equipped in? You see, this is where Christianity comes to life. Christianity is not about 90 minutes on a Sunday morning. Christianity is how your life reflects Jesus is every area. So, think about where you feel you need to pursue godliness. Here are some areas to get your juices flowing:

Marriage. Sexuality. Parenting. Being a good neighbor. Choosing a career. Managing your money.

Please add your list in the comments. You can post anonymously. For further study on this subject of godliness, please read Ephesians 4:17-32.

Grace & peace,

Ryan

Lighten Up

OK, I've realized that the last couple of posts have been a little on the heavy side. And with the big ice/snow storm that came through Springfield last night and the damage it brought with it, I thought I'd just bring a little levity into the picture. So I began to think of things that I really like (I told you this was light). So here you go. Feel free to add your own list in the comments.

Favorite Sports Team: Chicago Bears

Favorite Athlete: Walter Payton

Favorite Pizza (Restaurant): Gino's East in Chicago

Favorite Pizza (store bought): Home Run Inn

Favorite Movie (Trilogy): Original Star Wars (when 'Star Wars' first came on HBO when I was a kid, I watched it 27 times in one month)

Favorite Food: (Tie) Babyback Ribs & BBQ Chicken Wings

Favorite Drink: hmmm...as far as pop goes, Wild Cherry Pepsi; other than that, a Black & Tan

Favorite Vacation Spot: Charleston, South Carolina (my birthplace!)

Favorite Band: U2

Favorite Coffee Place: Caribou Coffee (but a close second in Panera Bread since there's no Caribou's in Springfield, plus they have free refills...which in one sense doesn't matter because I've had to give up coffee for a while, so now I drink their Hot Green Tea with Honey)

Favorite Car: I really dig the Chrysler 300M and the new Dodge Charger

Favorite Website: Probaby my Fantasy Football league on Yahoo!, other than that, ESPN.com

Favorite Read: Now this is tough...the Bible is the default #1, but other than that, I like Michael Crichton novels and whatever is meeting my particular sermon need at the time...would it also be bad if I mentioned Harry Potter?

Favorite Pastor/Speaker to listen to: Ravi Zacharias is brilliant

Favorite Book of the Bible: Ephesians, hands down

Favorite Passage: Romans 12:1-2

Favorite Bible Character: (tie) David & Paul

Favorite Place in Springfield: either Washington Park or Big R (tongue firmly in cheek)

Favorite Place to Eat in Springfield: Holy Land Diner (thanks, Dave!)

Favorite Abe Lincoln Attraction in Springfield: I keep meaning to check one out...honest

Favorite Christmas Song: "Blue Christmas" by Elvis

Favorite Christmas Album: Harry Connick Jr.

Favorite Christmas Tradition: Cooking breakfast for my family

Favorite Christmas "Thing" in General: Seeing my kids unbelievably excited for their presents on Christmas morning

I should stop now. I am spending way too much time on this. It's reminding me of my youth ministry days when every year we would take a trip to either Six Flags or Cedar Point and while we were waiting in line for 3 hours for a 45 second ride, we would just list crap off like all day long. Praise God for church planting.

Stay warm, relax, and be thankful for the favorite things in your life...and spend time doing some of them.

Ryan

Pain

As a Pastor, I've often thought and fearfully prayed a line from U2's song "I Need Your Love" from the Rattle and Hum album which goes: "Like a preacher needs pain, I need your love." I remember my dad coming in my room one night somewhere around 1989. I had this album on (yes, album - as in 12" vinyl) and was talking with my dad about it. He picked up the record jacket and was reading through the lyrics, and came across this line and asked "What kind of pain does a preacher need?" My 16 year old brain was stumped.

My 33 year old brain is no longer stumped. Since that day in 1989, I've finished high school, college, moved more times than I care for, had a number of different jobs, gotten married, and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of our 4th child next Spring. I've also logged about 15 years of church ministry (10 vocationally) in which I've seen marriages fall apart, friendships fail, leaders fall and churches split. I've walked through and counselled people who are infertle, who are angry, whose children have run away from home, students that have been neglected, abused, and abuse themselves. For every victory a person celebrates in life, you can count on a list of about a dozen painful moments that are there as well. This is exactly why "a preacher needs pain": because life is full of pain, people are full of pain, and a preacher (pastor) needs to have experienced pain to identify, empathize with, and model how to deal with pain in life.

You see, if my life was pain-free, how could I possibly minister to hurting people? This doesn't mean that I like going through pain, but I know it's accomplishing a few purposes. First, it glorifies God. I believe everything happens for God's glory, whether good or bad. This is a hard pill to swallow, but in the end it's the only pill that makes sense. I'll post on this topic sometime in the near future. Second, it keeps me humble and dependant on God. Naturally, I'm pretty prideful and self-reliant. God knows this. God also knows that this is not a good thing. Sure, it has its benefits sometimes, but left to myself for too long, I'll screw something up. So God brings difficulty into my life to make sure I'm keeping Him #1 and to grow in my faith. Third, my pain will help somebody else. This is the heart of 2 Corinthians 1 where Paul expounds on the reason that we experience the good and bad in life is to bless somebody else by either rejoicing with them and magnifying the good in their life, or walking through the pain with them to make the bad in life more bearable.

I write this mainly because of 2 painful experiences that I am faced with right now. One is a pretty mild discomfort, and one is very painful on the hurt scale. The first has to do with a house we own. I'm in one of my favorite cafe's in Michigan right now writing this...but I live in Illinois, right? Right. Our house in Michigan still hasn't sold after being on the market for 6 months. Not even one offer. So, the family is up here gathering up the rest of our things to bring with us to Illinois as we prepare for the winter. Not a huge pain, but very uncomfortable. It's keeping us from fully being in Illinois and puts financial strain on us. But, the good in it is that I've been able to talk with other people who are in the same situation we're in, waiting for a house to sell. We commiserate together. It makes it more bearable. The difficult situation is a conversation I just had with one of my former students in a previous ministry I oversaw. She's trying to make sense in her life of a painful divorce that her parents are going through. The pain and confusion in her eyes saddens my soul. I have no real words to bring comfort to her...words won't do the trick anyway. She needs (and thankfully has) people to gather around her, feel with her, listen to her, and love her through this extremely painful time. But what can I identify with her on? These things: betrayal...disappointment...hurt...shock... confusion...the list could go on. In the end, I pray for her, hug her, and tell her to hang in there...and do my best to stay away from pithy statements like "God's going to work everything out" because she doesn't need that right now.

I just encourage you to not enjoy pain in your life, but at least welcome it and realize that it really isn't about you. God is reminding you of him, trying to get your attention to trust him a little more, and wants you to share your journey, your story, with others who will need to hear it so they can have some hope.

Grace & peace,

Ryan

Fear

Fear. I didn't really plan on writing about fear just because it's Halloween today, but God showed me some things as I was reading the Word this morning, and 2 & 2 just began to add up.

I stayed up later than I should've last night, since I know I need to get good rest, and also because my 15-month old, Aiden, has been sick and the probability of him waking up in the middle of the night is pretty high (and guess who has middle of the night duty in my house? yup, that's me). And even if he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night, he's an early bird and will usually wake up between 6-6:30am. I haven't willingly woken up at that hour since I was in high school and went in early to work out. Anyway, every cable channel in the world has been playing 'scary' movies the last couple weeks in preparation of celebrating Halloween. As I was flipping through the channels and going back and forth between Sportscenter and whatever else was on, I believe it was Spike TV that was playing the movie "Hellraiser" - the one with the Pinhead character. I kept it on for a little while simply out of nostalgia. When I was in high school, an old youth leader of mine and I watched Hellraiser once. Yeah, that's right - a church youth leader and myself were watching Hellraiser. Go figure. I'm not sure if I thought it was scary then, but it sure wasn't scary now. It was more comical than anything. The horror movie industry has made a strong comeback in the last decade or so. The "Scream", "Final Destination, and "Saw" movies have really gotten people (teenagers & college students mainly) into the theaters screaming and jumping in their seats all over again.

So I'm thinking about fear. People like to be scared in the movies. But people also live in fear and out of fear more than they would admit. People are fearful of commitment, their boss at work, letting their family down, or not being successful at whatever they do - be it sports, school, career, etc. I lump myself into this with everybody else. Confession time: I'm fearful of failing with this church plant...specifically, I'm fearful of me being the one to screw it up. Upwards of 80% of church plants fail (meaning, by year 3 they are not self-sufficient by means of finances & government, and are not seeing non-believers become Christians). That statistic scares me, because it's mostly the planter's fault. He either falls morally, financially, doesn't set the right tone, gets off-focus, and builds the church more around himself than Jesus. And it's real easy to do that.

So it hit me this morning that I am being motivated more out of my fear of failing than out of fear of God. Basically, I'm more focused on me than God. When this happens, life has way more ups & downs (with the downs winning) because that's what I am. But God is unchanging, steady, holy, perfect - all the time. When I live out of my own fear, I become irritable, short-tempered, and impatient (just ask my wife). I'm also unsure and paranoid. Sounds like fun, huh? It really sucks.

So here's what I read this morning that turned the light to all of this: "Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." -Psalm 96:1-6.

God is a big, glorious, majestic God. He is to be loved, worshipped, respected, and yes, feared above all gods. There is nothing wrong with fearing God. Think back to the story of the Exodus...the plagues that he sent, the pillar or fire & smoke, and the parting of the Red Sea (which crashed down upon the Egyptians)...this was a God to be feared. But when I begin to live out of fear of failing, disappointing people, or whatever else, that thing then becomes my "little g" god instead of the "big G" God. It becomes an idol, and the scripture above calls is "worthless" - because it is. It brings no worth to my life...remember my list I mentioned earlier? The only thing it brings to my life is irritation, impatience, uncertainty, and paranoia. But living in fear of the true God will bring peace, patience, wisdom, focus, and confidence.

What fear are you living in? Fear that you bring on yourself or that man puts on you? Or fear of the one true and living God? I'm doing some repenting today, and I invite you to join me. Meditate on Psalm 96 to help you.

Peace,

Ryan

Read Some Good Books

OK, I know this is a pretty weak blog as far as a devotional goes. But, at the same time, I would be remiss to not ever point you to some people who are just plain smarter than me. So, with that in mind, grab a cup of coffee or tea, put on some jazz or classical music, sit in your favorite chair, and begin reading. If it's impossible for you to get something to drink or find good music, just take a book into the bathroom with you - that works too!

Check out these titles:

• "Revolution Within" by Dwight Edwards
• "The Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning
• "Simply Christian" by NT Wright
• "The Life You've Always Wanted" by John Ortberg
• "Jesus Among Other gods" by Ravi Zacharias
• "God Is the Gospel" by John Piper
• "The Radical Reformission" by Mark Driscoll

That'll do for now. I'll put out a new list of books and maybe movies and websites that I think you'd enjoy. Until then, happy reading!

Ryan