What If the Lunatics are Right?

Harold Camping is just the latest in a long list of doomsday prophets who have fallen flat on their faces.  As I watched the aftermath of his failed prediction I was struck by the sincerity of some of his followers.  Sure, they were gullible and easily led astray.  And yes, it's easy to look at them with total bewilderment as we see all that  they sacrificed for a false prophet.  ABC news profiled one guy who spent his entire life savings (nearly $150,000!) on billboards, pamphlets and posters.  When asked why, his answer was something along the lines of "I wanted to do everything I could to save as many as I could."  Was he misguided?  Absolutely.  Is there something we can learn from his example of total sacrifice?  Absolutely.


A Long Line of Lunatics
Have you paid attention to just how many 'lunatics' there are on the pages of Scripture?  What I mean by this is, just look at how many characters were willing to do crazy things to get the message of God out to the masses.  These guys, if they existed in our culture, would be mocked by the media, estranged by mainstream Christianity, and thought of in the same vein as the sidewalk preacher who hands out the 'You're Going to Hell' tracts.  Here's a list of just a few:

• John the Baptist-  Yeah, he attracted a huge crowd, but I wonder how many were just curious bystanders who wanted to look at the quack country preacher with long hair, itchy clothes and who ate bugs.  Let's admit it, he would be the preacher that everybody says is just too 'out of touch' with modern culture, especially with that whole repentance message he had.
• Hosea-  This guy married a whore!  No, really, he did.  Can't you read the headlines now, "Preacher Marries Prostitute: 'God told me to do it!'"  Never mind the laughability, now he's got no credibility among the religious right.  And things are just going to get worse when he starts explaining that his marriage is a picture of God's people selling out to lesser idols rather than remaining true to God.
• Jeremiah-  As far as lunatics, this guy owns the franchise.  During one series of sermons he walks around town with an ox-yoke on his shoulders (that will garner some unwanted attention).  But that's nothing compared to his let's-preach-naked stunt.  He would be on all the cable news shows for being locked up for indecent exposure, not to mention being sued by the naked-cowboy guy in New York for trying to steal his unique performance gimmick.

Our faith has been handed down to us by some radically different characters.  Men and women who were absolutely unyielding in their devotion to God and unwavering in their commitment to Him.  Unfortunately, such commitment and devotion is not only rare today, it is looked down upon by many within the Church.  And the sad thing is, I am just as guilty of looking down my nose at those who are willing to do whatever it takes to share the gospel.

A Confession
Earlier this week, NBC news did a story on a woman who was taking a year off of work to do something different.  She was going to walk from her home in Utah to Washington DC.  What made her unique however, was that she was going to carry a ten-foot tall wooden cross the entire way.  I'll be honest, my first reaction was religious snobbery.  'That's not going to be effective,' I mused pridefully to myself.  'She's just going to be a joke to 90% of the people she meets.'  My snobbery was reflected in the faces of the news anchor who had that raised eyebrow smirk on his face.  But then the Holy Spirit started to do it's work of convicting me.  I began to ask myself all sorts of questions, 'What if she is called by God to do this?  Who am I to question such a calling?  How many conversations is she going to start on this 2,000 mile journey?  Would I be willing to take a year off of work to do something radical for God?  Am I as devoted to Jesus as she is?'  Needless to say, I spent the rest of the night repenting, and being challenged by a woman I never met, that I don't know what her religious background is and that I initially thought of as a loon.  I guess her walk wasn't in vain.

What About You?
Are you as dedicated to Jesus as Mr. Camping's followers were to his false teachings?  Are you willing to give up everything you have to see others come to Christ?  Would you take a year off of work to do something radical if God called you to do it?  The 'lunatics' may be misguided at times, but their devotion should serve as an example of what Christ expects of His disciples.
For those of us who are leaders, are we leading by example?  What are we doing to cultivate an absolute devotion to Jesus Christ in our followers?  Are we, as C.S. Lewis pointed out in The Weight of Glory, "half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us..."?  As Lewis concludes, I sometimes wonder if, "we are far too easily pleased."  Let's get radical with our message.  Let's go to people no one else will go to, preach the truth that no one else will preach, and love those that no one else will love.  We may be branded as lunatics, but at least the message of Christ will be spread.

Rejoicing and Mourning- My feelings on the death of a Terrorist

It is tempting to cheer, and at first I did.  Hands went in the air triumphantly at the news that one of America's greatest foes had fallen.  Justice was served.  The innocent blood of thousands was avenged, and I rejoiced.

But in my heart something broke.  Beneath the jubilation was a great sadness, a mourning of sorts.  Yes an enemy was defeated.  A murderer had his own blood shed.  But the Spirit within me would not let me cheer with the others who chanted 'U-S-A' outside the gates of the White House.  My heart was too heavy to share the jubilation of those who gathered in Times Square in the early morning hours of May 2, 2011.

Osama Bin Laden was dead.  Terrorist.  Murderer.  Hate-filled propagator of evil.  Image-bearer of God.  It's the last one I struggle with.  How can one filled with so much hate, who has killed and wounded so many, bear the image of God?  Yet, I cannot deny that this is what the Bible teaches, and my spirit wrestles with the fact that one made in God's image appears to have died outside of His grace.  So I attempt to answer two questions that many Christians are wrestling with today.

Is it Wrong for me to feel a certain amount of Joy at this News?
In short, no.  Now before I get any 'Amens' from those who have rejoiced all day, and before my fellow believers who feel saddened that another soul has crossed the threshold of Hell cast any stones, let me explain.  The Bible is full of examples of those who rejoiced when God's justice fell.  Ranging from Psalm 58 to Revelation 19 we see examples of the righteous rejoicing when God's justice falls upon the unrighteous.  We serve a God whose justice will not be denied.  The Psalmist says that God is known by His justice (9:16), that He loves justice (11:7; 33:5) and that His justice is as deep as the oceans (36:6).  We can rejoice that God is vindicated in this matter.  We can rejoice that His justice has been meted out.  We can rejoice that good has triumphed evil, that a murderer was brought to justice and that God can and will be glorified in this.  We can rejoice that thousands of families will be brought closure by today's news.  We can rejoice that New York City has taken a giant step towards healing today.  So yes, it is okay to feel a certain amount of joy at this news.

Should I feel Sorrow that Another Soul has Died Outside of Christ?
Yes, but no more than you should for any other soul that has perished outside of God's grace.  Why should Bin Laden deserve more grief than your neighbor?  Should we not be sorrowed by every death of every unbeliever?  If anything, this has reminded me that I do not grieve the lost enough.  Many 'good' people die outside of Christ everyday.  Why do I not mourn for them the same way so many are saying we should mourn for Bin Laden?  It is to my shame that I do not shed tears for every soul in my community that perishes without a saving knowledge of Jesus.  My heart should feel this weight every day, and I should feel more compelled than ever to share the good news as effectively as I can with as many as I can.   I dare not mourn this man any more than any other lost soul, and I fear I do not mourn the lost as I ought.  It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit makes me more aware than ever before of those who need the Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed in a real and tangible way.

I pray that this historical event does more than stir feelings of patriotism.  I also pray that it does more than cause us to be saddened by the death of an evil man.  I pray that it raises our awareness of two things, (1) God's justice is sometimes slow, but it always comes and (2) Because of God's justice, we need to share the Gospel with all who will listen.

I end by echoing the words of Paul in Romans 12:15, 21: 'Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.'

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.