What I learned from building a Fence

Our dog had puppies.  Five adorable, food consuming, poop producing puppies.  This was not a planned pregnancy (our pooch was not even a year old when she lost her innocence to a rag-tag scoundrel of a dog that lived across the street).  No, this is not a post about puppies having puppies (although I highly recommend spaying your pet).  Nor is this a PSA for birth control (although I will be writing about a 'barrier' method of sorts).   This is a post about what I learned in building a kennel for the dog and pups.  I wanted an area large enough for all the pups to run and play (until we found good owners for them) and big enough for momma, a highly active Australian shepherd-miniature collie mix, to exercise while I was away at work.  The most cost effective way of doing this was to build a fenced in area that measured approximately 20' x 20'.

Now I must admit, I don't have the foggiest idea about how to build a fence.  But it can't be too hard, right?  Just sink some posts in the ground and wrap some fencing material around them and 'Voila!' you have a fence.  Fortunately for me, one of the deacons in my congregation is a fence-builder by trade, and when he saw my fence posts sticking haphazardly out of the ground he offered his services to help.  When he came over I learned some very important principles on building a fence that can be applied to our walk with Christ, and I thought it would be good to share these fence-building principles with my readers.

Principle 1:  Start with the Corners
The first thing we did was set the corner-posts of the fence.   My deacon friend, Pete, took great care in sinking them to a proper depth, making sure they were level, square and plum.  He then set them in cement, and once the cement cured, he tamped the dirt in around the post.  Pete explained to me that a fence's strength comes from the corner-posts.  They act as the 'foundation' of the fence.  They keep the lines true and level.  They determine where the other posts will be set and how flush the fence will set against them.  If you don't set the corners correctly, the fence will not be as strong or effective.

What are your corner-posts?  What are the things you give primary attention to in your life?  If your corner-posts aren't strong enough to handle the stresses of your life, then your defenses won't hold up when the storms of life blow.  There are many different things people rely on for strength, but most of them aren't sunk deep enough, or not cemented down, or they aren't square with the rest of their lives.  Things like wealth, politics, pleasure, patriotism and even family are things we try to build our lives on, and while they offer varying levels of strength and security, they all prove to be too weak and too temporary to be adequate.  Wealth can be squandered or lost.  A politician's language is usually whatever is expedient at the time.  Pleasure is fleeting and always leaves us wanting more.  Patriotism, while noble in it's intentions, has yet to find an earthly country that lasts forever.  And while we love, honor and protect our family, there is nothing that can wound us more deeply or bring us to our knees quicker than a family member.

There is only one corner-post, or 'cornerstone' that we can trust to be strong enough to withstand and endure everything that life can throw at it.  In fact this cornerstone is often rejected by men, but God has made it 'the' cornerstone (see I Pet. 2:7-8) for His kingdom (the Church) and His people (Christians.)  Jesus said those who built their lives on it would never fall in the midst of storms (see Matt. 7:24-25).  What is this cornerstone?  Actually the question should be 'who' is this cornerstone?  He is Jesus.  Only Jesus is capable of serving all the purposes of a corner-post.  He can make sure the rest of our lives are straight and true.   He can determine where we sink in the other 'posts' of our lives (things like how we use wealth, politics, pleasure and family).  He is strong enough to withstand any and every assault that prevails against us.  In short, only Jesus is adequate to serve as the corner-post of our lives.

Principle #2:  A Fence's Weakest point is the Gate
As Pete continued to set posts, he took great care in measuring and re-measuring the opening for the gate.  He made sure the gate-posts were sunk to the same depth.  He took great care in reinforcing them in concrete and keeping them level so the gate would hang properly.  Why all the extra-attention to this part of the fence?  Because just as the corner-posts are the strength of a fence, the gate is it's weakest point.  Because the gate moves it is more prone to be dug under, left open, or coming unlatched.  If it is not hung true, it may not close tight enough to latch securely.  The gate determines what enters and what leaves.  It is vital that the gate be hung securely and fits snugly into place, or else you might as well not have the gate up in the first place.


You might be expecting me to ask what is your weakest area.  You might expect me to equate that with your 'gate.'  Instead, I want to encourage you as to who should be the 'gate' to your heart.  He can keep the predators out and the good things protected.  Again, He is Jesus.  I take great comfort in Jesus' words when He says, 'I am the sheep-gate' (John 10:7ff.).  The weakest point of the Christian's fence is Jesus!  Our weakest defense is the God of the universe!  It is little wonder that Paul writes in Romans 8, "If God be for us, who can be against us!"

Principle #3: A Fence Depends on Unity for Strength
As Pete finished setting the posts he gave some pointers on how to put up the actual fencing material.  He told us how to stretch and anchor it securely to the corners and how all the posts will be strengthened by stapling the fence to each individual post.  He encouraged us to run planks along the top and bottom, making the entire fence one, cohesive unit instead of four individual walls, independent of each other.

How united is your worldview with that of Christ?  Do you manage your finances according to the principles Jesus outlined in His teachings?  Do you interact with your family the way Jesus encourages you to?  Have you subjected every area, or fence post, of your life to the teachings, or fencing material, of Jesus?  If you haven't then you have some weak points that need to be addressed before they are infiltrated by the enemy.

Principle#4: A Fence Serves Two Purposes
Purpose 1: Keep Things Out
The reason I built the kennel was to keep out other dogs and predators.  By keeping those things out I can ensure the safety and health of momma and her puppies.  By making sure the fence is strong and secure, I can rest at ease knowing that hungry mongrels aren't stealing food or territorial males aren't mauling pups.   If your life's fence is not strong, you will be prone to attacks.  Satan will exploit every opening and every weak-point.  He will invade every gap and attack every breach.  Only a strong fence, with the proper corner posts will withstand such an attack.

Purpose 2:  Keep Things In
It doesn't matter how strong your fence is if you let the wrong things inside.  I could build the Fort Knox of dog kennels, but if I allow a predator inside the fence, the damage will be the same as if I had never put one up in the first place.  Rather, I must take great care of what I place inside my fence in order to protect those things that are dear to me.


What do you let inside your fence?  Do you let friends who have a negative influence on your life inside?  Do you allow anti-Christian philosophies to take residence inside the fence of your heart?  The most dangerous attacks are those that originate within the stronghold.  We can claim Jesus as our cornerstone, but if we don't allow Him to guard the gate also, we can be destroyed from the inside-out and our fence will fail us.

I must give thanks to Pete, my fence-building friend.  Not only did he build us an outstanding dog kennel, he is a reminder of how God can use any profession to remind us of the truths of scripture, and I know he lives his life according to the principles of the fence.  Won't you do the same?

Handing Down my Inheritance

Last Friday was a great day for me.  We had a full week of revival and Friday night was our final night.  A fantastic choir from a local church sang spirituals and that was followed up by a great message on the nature of Jesus Christ.  But that's not what made the night great.  As we stood and sang our hymn of invitation I looked up to see my oldest daughter coming to the front.  Immediately my mind went into 'sappy commercial' mode, and instead of seeing a beautiful pre-teen young woman, I saw Ellie as a toddler, taking her first steps in a new world.  It took me a verse-and-a-half to regain enough composure to sing.

As we stood in the baptistry, I took her confession of faith, and I realized, I gave her the most valuable thing I could ever give.  Just as my parents handed down their faith to me, and their parents handed down their faith to them, and their parents handed down their faith to them, I handed down my faith to my daughter.  I know that it's the Holy Spirit that convicted her heart, and that it was the blood of Jesus that washed away her sins, but the Bible places a high priority on parents teaching their children.  In Deuteronomy 6 God instructs fathers to teach their children God's statutes 'as they rise up, as they eat, as they walk along the way.'  In other words, we are to teach our children as we do everyday things.  Chores can teach responsibility.  Repairing things can teach good stewardship.  Meal time can teach family values.  And woven through all of these there must be the word of God serving as the foundation.

So as my daughter came up out of the water, I welcomed her as my sister in Christ.  I also realized, just as when a child is born, my work was just beginning.   But it's a work that I undertake with great joy, as I watch her become a young woman after God's own heart.

New Opportunities

I am constantly amazed that God chooses to use such a broken jar of clay as myself.  You may have noticed that my usual 'post-a-week' pace has slowed significantly.  This is partly due to a busy schedule.  This time of year is a busy time as we get ready for revivals, community-wide Palm Sunday services and Resurrection Sunday Services.  But the main reason production has slowed is because God has opened up a new opportunity for me to use the gifts He has entrusted me with.  Christian Standard (a magazine that serves Restoration Movement Churches) runs a website called 'Stake'.  The site is a user-influenced blog of sorts designed to promote inter-denominational conversations about many of the relevancy issues the Restoration Movement faces.  I have been asked to be a contributing author for the site, and after much prayer, I accepted.  So for the last several weeks, much of my writing has been directed to that.  However, I don't want to neglect my readers here.  So you can still expect articles here, and once things slow a little I hope to get back to my normal pace of writing.

For now, I ask for your prayers.  Ask God that He uses me in such a way that He gets all the glory in these writing ventures.  Pray that I may have wisdom that exceeds my experiences.  Pray that even more opportunities present themselves as I seek to use my gifts for His fame and glory.  Thank you for being such faithful readers, and I look forward to more writing!

Leaking Happiness

The written word.  It's a powerful thing.   Our history is littered with important documents: The Torah, The Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, The U.S. Constitution.  These are works that have shaped not only our history, but the very culture that is Western Civilization.  There are other works that have left a mark on history, whether you agree with them or not.  Darwin's Origin of the Species forever altered the way many people view creation.  Descartes'  Meditations left a wake that the philosophical world still bobs around in. 

I was reminded last week of the power of the written word.  Charley has been learning about love at the Christian pre-school she goes to and parents were asked to write a 'love-letter' to their child.  I wrote a page, describing how she was my favorite birthday present ever (Mandy found out she was pregnant with her on my birthday in 2006) and that I loved the way she laughed, and the way she has to hug everyone in a room before she leaves.  When my wife picked her up from school later that day the teacher said, "Charley made me cry today."  She then proceeded to explain to my wife how, as the letter was read, Charley began to cry.  When I asked Charley why she cried when the letter was read, she sheepishly tried to explain deep feelings with a four-year-old's vocabulary, "it just made me so happy that it leaked out."

Even though I have said to Charley, "I love you" a million times over, there was something about having it written down that affected her deeply.  Just as the works of men like Jefferson, Darwin and Descartes have impacted our world, that one page letter impacted her little heart in a way that I did not expect.  In fact it has convicted to write more love letters to my children.  I want them to have a physical reminder of their father's love for them.

God has left us a written love-letter that is the Bible.  When was the last time you wept for joy over the following words, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life"?  Or what about the wonderful promise, "Perfect love casts out fear" or "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!"  I think we need to let the happiness 'leak out' so that the world may be infected with the love of God.

The Jesus Inquest by Charles Foster

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is by far the central tenet of the Christian faith.  It is at once the core of our doctrine and the source of new life in Christ Jesus.  When I saw Charles Foster's The Jesus Inquest was available, I jumped at the chance to read it.  The book is extremely well-researched and is set up in a debate-type dialogue where the debaters (x and y) alternately present their side of the argument.  The book covers a plethora of topics centered on the resurrection ranging from the death of Christ (did he actually die?) to Scriptural integrity to different theories concerning the body (including some that are largely ignored by other apolegetics books).  He even delves into what the earliest Christians actually believed and where their doctrine of resurrection originated (the Gospels, mythology, or somewhere else?)  Overall I believe the author gave a very balanced and fair treatment of the subject matter at hand.

My biggest objection to the book is his source theory for the New Testament.  He seems to outright reject the Apostolic authorship of Matthew and questions the authorship of the other Gospels.  If I were an agnostic or atheist, this gap in the armor is where I would attack viciously. If the Biblical account cannot be validated by either eye-witnesses (Matthew, Mark, and John) or by those closely associated with the witnesses (Luke), then what authority does it carry?  While the book, overall, builds a strong argument for the resurrection of Christ, my fear is that Foster's argument rests on a shaky foundation of poor textual critique.

Is the 'Movement' in Need of Restoration?

Let me begin by saying I love the Church.  As a minister I have had a front-row seat to see the Bride of Christ in action.  I have sat as a witness to God’s people mourning with those who mourn and rejoicing with those who rejoice.  I have seen the hungry fed, the homeless sheltered, the hurting comforted, the repentant restored, and most importantly, the lost saved. This is not to say I haven’t seen the ugly side of overly zealous religionists, but in my experience, the good has outweighed the bad.

I also must say I love the Restoration Movement.  I love the principles upon which she was founded.  I love the thought of ‘restoring’ the Church to that which God intended her to be.  The ‘Movement’ runs deep in my veins.  My family’s roots run at least four generations deep into it’s history.  Both sides of my family boast preachers, elders, deacons, church planters, Sunday School teachers and missionaries.  Even the congregation I serve is one of the oldest in our movement (depending on which local legend you accept either Campbell or Stone preached there and played an essential role in bringing Cool Spring Christian Church into the Restoration family).  This is not to boast, this is just to say I have a vested interest in the subject that I am about to broach, a subject that may raise more questions than it answers.

Symptoms of a Dying Cause

Over the last several months I have read a fair share of articles questioning the relevance of our Movement.  Granted, most of them are written by bloggers who are taking advantage of the technology available to them to voice their opinions.  Some are unsubstantial, others raise some very good points and ask some very hard questions, all point to a huge problem: we are failing to reach young adults with the voice of our movement.  Why is this?

Newer Churches Are Distancing Themselves from Our History

I have several friends and family who are involved in ‘new’ churches and church-planting.  While I must admit that most of them are doing some exciting things in reaching unchurched people with the story of Jesus, and I love the fact that they are using their freedom from established traditions to use some unique methods in demonstrating the Gospel in their local communities, there is a disturbing trend among them all:  they don’t have any teaching on their Restoration heritage.  This not to say that they don’t have sound doctrine, nor is it to say that they are ineffective in reaching the lost or making disciples.  What it does point to is that these churches, which are very effective at reaching the 40 and under crowd, are producing members of our Movement who may or may not even know that our Movement exists.

Our Movement is No Longer Distinguishable from other Denominations
 
I know, I know… eyebrows are arching and blood pressures are spiking, and the old arguments are beginning to escape from the lips of the faithful:

“We have no central governing body like denominations.”
“We have no man-made creeds like denominations.”
“We don’t follow non-Biblical traditions like some denominations.”

To this I would say that while we have no central governing body, the NACC often serves the purpose of one (what else would you call a group of leaders coming together to discuss matters pertaining to their organization?)  And whether we admit or not, our movement is rife with creeds. ‘We are not the only Christians, but we are Christians only’ has served as a creed for centuries, as has the shibboleth ‘in essentials, unity; in non-essentials, charity; in all things, liberty.’   Even the battle cry of the Restoration Movement, ‘no creed but Christ!’ has served as a creed, or central teaching, within our movement since the times of Stone and Campbell.  As for non-Biblical traditions, while we may not hold them as equals with the Scriptures like those in the Orthodox denominations,  and while they differ from congregation to congregation, we cherish them nonetheless (just ask any leader who has tried to lead a church through the transition from hymns to praise choruses, or from one building to another.)
 
The fact is, while we may not see ourselves as a denomination, those unfamiliar or outside of our movement perceive us as one.  While this may show ignorance on their part, it should also serve as a clarion call for us to once again distinguish ourselves as ‘different’ and ‘set apart’ and most importantly, as relevant.

We Are no longer Perceived As a Movement for Unity

Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell, independent from each other, sought to restore the unity of God’s Church.  This was in response to Jesus’ plea in John 17.  Unfortunately, we are no longer recognized as a force for unity.  Rather we are known for one thing we are for (baptism) and a plethora of things we are against (Calvinism, Catholicism, Pelagianism and denominationalism, to name a few.)  No longer are we the group who was considered scandalous because they dared to practice ‘open communion’ and allowed any who considered themselves ‘Christian’ to partake, regardless of denominational background.  Today, a marked legalism and exclusiveness have become the fingerprint of our movement.  This has lead to ‘denomination-bashing’ from many a pulpit and a pharisaic pride in our ability to ‘get it right’ in areas of doctrine and Biblical interpretation.  In short, we have lost our focus, and as a movement we are flailing about aimlessly, sometimes fighting with each other through blogs and periodicals.  This, most definitely, is not the picture Campbell and Stone had in mind when they began our Movement.  It is this divisive nature that is alienating many from our cause and driving others from our ranks.

Searching for A Cure

So what are we to do?  If we truly care for the Restoration Movement and her original purpose of restoring and unifying the Church we cannot merely stand by and watch as she becomes mired in a swamp of irrelevance and legalism.  But how?  What is needed, and is it too late?

A Good, Healthy Dialogue

One of the characteristics of the beginning of our movement is that it was founded in the golden age of debate.  Campbell made a name for himself as a debater, and our movement flourished.  Why?  Because ideas were put forth, discussed, tested, compared, exchanged and adopted or rejected.  In an age where we can exchange information faster, and more broadly than ever before we should see an exchange of ideas like never before.  While this is true in many areas, within our Movement it is exceedingly rare.  Usually we read one-sided articles.  If we agree with them we file them away, if we disagree, we trash them.  If we really disagree we might zip off a tersely worded letter to the editor or author.  But there is no exchange.  There is no dialogue.  There is no debate.

Why is this needed?  After all isn’t a debate bad?  Not at all!  At the beginning of this article I said it might generate more questions than answers.  But that is not necessarily a bad thing!  When we can have an intelligent, respectful exchange of ideas (and questions) it forces us to grow.  We are forced to not only examine what we believe and why we believe it, but we are also forced to examine and test the ideas of others.  We are stretched mentally and spiritually.  Yet, in too many cases those who have concerns in our movement are shouted down or branded as a ‘liberal’.  Within our movement we need to discuss why we exist, what God desires from us, and whether or not we are living up to either standard.  These discussions and exchanges may become heated, but it is within that heat that a unity is forged as we search for common ground.

We also need to be willing to exchange ideas with leaders of the denominations represented in our community.  If we are to seek unity, then it is we who must initiate the dialogue.  How else will they see the values of our Movement if we do not share those values with them?

A Dose of Humility

As a young Bible College graduate I was convinced I had all the answers, and my attitude reflected that conviction.  I was quick to judge others, sometimes based on nothing more than their denominational affiliation.  As I have grown in my walk, I have learned that people must be, and deserve to be regarded as individuals with individual beliefs that are unique to them.  In our movement there is a strong segment that is often labeled by younger ministers as ‘legalists’.  My generation often looks at this segment with skepticism because in their zeal for perfect doctrine, they have built themselves altars of pride that mimic the Pharisees who knew the law, but not the Spirit behind the law.

But the ‘legalist’ segment is not the only segment that needs to eat some humble pie.  As younger ministers strive to achieve unity and show love to the lost, they at times have been just as guilty of pride as they look at the legalists and say the prayer of the Pharisee, ‘Thank you Lord for not making me like them.’  The result can be a church that is strong on love and acceptance but weak on doctrine.

If the Movement is to be restored, we must strike a balance.  In order to accomplish this, both sides need to acknowledge the strengths of the other and the weaknesses of their own approaches.  We cannot sacrifice Truth on the altar of unity, nor can we teach the letter of the law of Christ without love for our common man.  Rather, as the Scriptures say, we need to ‘teach the truth in love.’

A Focus on Jesus

Campbell believed that unity could be achieved through solid Biblical interpretation.  However, if we are to achieve unity we must take it a step farther.  Why?  Because many denominations think their interpretation is correct and sound.  To overcome this we must focus not on the written Word, but on the living Word; namely Jesus Christ.  It is Christ who taught us how to make disciples.  It is Christ who gave us the example of viewing others as more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:1-11).  It is Christ who pleaded for unity in the Garden and that unity would be based in the fact that we are one with Jesus just as Jesus is one with the Father (John 17:20-26) and that oneness is rooted in a Christ-like love.  If we are to survive as a Movement, if we are to be restored, then Jesus is our only hope.

Finding Equillibrium

It seems all ministers live life in the middle of a teeter-totter.  We are constantly trying to find balance in so many areas of our life:

Between church needs and family needs.

Between pride in our successes and giving God proper credit.

Between being available to people and being alone with God.

Between study time and devotional time (and yes, there is a huge difference).

Between working productively and resting responsibly.

It seems everything we do is an attempt to keep from leaning toward one side or the other.  There is one area in particular that I struggle with, and that is striking a balance between theologian and shepherd.  I love knowledge.  I love to read, study, and debate as well as challenge myself by reading and studying what opponents to Christianity have to say.  I love exploring theological conundrums and trying to explain passages of scripture that have been debated back in forth in millennia old table-tennis grudge matches.  I also love the preaching and teaching aspect of my job.  I thrive on going through a book of the Bible, verse-by-verse, with a group of people who are eager to dig deeper into the text and learn what God is teaching them through His Word.  Needless to say, I tend to tip toward the Theologian side of the scale.

It’s the Shepherd side I struggle with.  I am not naturally a ‘nurturing’ person.  It is something I have worked on for years to try to develop, and God has used my children on more than one occasion to humble me enough to learn.  I also don’t score very high in the compassion department.  It’s not that I don’t care… it’s that I don’t always notice.  This is where God has blessed me with an observant wife who notices people in need and points me towards them.   But my lack of compassion sometimes leads to frustration in areas of counseling.  My first impulse in counseling is to ask what someone has done wrong and then instruct them to stop!  In addition to all these issues, my mercy meter usually reads on low.  I have had to develop an attitude of grace and forgiveness, because like many a Pharisee (and remember, the Pharisees were strong theologians) I am quick to point the finger and quicker to pull the trigger.

In all this I have noticed something, however.  I have met many a minister who is strong as a theologian, and I have met just as many who are strong shepherds.  Yet I have rarely met one that is gifted in both.  But God is rich in mercy and He has a place for theologically-challenged shepherds and sheep-fearing theologians.  I am confident in this; God is working to develop within me the set of skills I will need to carry out His will for my life.  Knowing this I say, ‘Bring on the sheep!’