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!’

The Ground Grows Thorns

Dust and Dirt
Mud and Clay
Combined to form
A being like no other

Breath of God
Air of life
And there arose
A man with no mother

Image of God
Freedom of will
To choose right from wrong
To choose the dark or the light

Fruit forbidden
Talking snake
The crown of creation falls
And thus begins an everlasting fight

And the ground grew thorns
Thorns that cut
Thorns that choke
Thorns that cause pain and death
Yes, the ground grew thorns

Holy Spirit
Virgin maid
Combined to form
A being like no other

Heaven waits
with bated breath
As God the Son
Is born of a mother

Second Adam
Lamb of God
Love's master plan
Begins to unveil

Darkened Skies
Brutal cross
The gates of death
Will now be assailed

And the ground grows thorns
Thorns that cut
Thorns that choke
Thorns that make a King's crown
Yes, the ground grows thorns

God Knows His Plans for You

I've been chewing on this one for a while. Having friends/family that serve in areas hostile to the Gospel and teaching Acts on Sunday evenings has brought this to the forefront of my mind. Please pray for the Persecuted Church.

I have a bad habit. If I hear a discussion on religion, I squeeze my way into it. It doesn't matter how awkward I appear or how insensitive it may seem. It's an occupational hazard. I see an open door and I barge boldly through it.

One example of this boorish behavior occurred several years ago when we were living in Kentucky. My wife and I went out to eat at the local Dairy Queen and seated near us was a group of teenagers. Their Christian T-shirts, 'WWJD' bracelets and brightly colored Bibles told me they must have been getting ready to go to a youth group meeting at one of the local churches. As I munched on my fries, I could hear the door of opportunity creak open as they began discussing, quite animatedly, a theological conundrum that has given scholars much to write about for centuries: Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? The discussion started getting more lively and I looked up at my wife, who had the "you're-going-to-do-it-anyway-so-just-hurry-up-and-get-it-over-with" look on her face.

I put my french fries down and quickly assessed the group. The most dominant was a loud and brash girl who was maybe 16. She spoke with the cocksure confidence that comes with adolescence. So, like a gun-fighter approaching a posse, I chose to address her. She spoke of how her minister said as long as you had enough faith, bad things won't and can't happen to you, because you are under God's protection. She then went on to cite several television evangelists who spouted off the same message of prosperity and well-being for all God's faithful children. After she gave her side of the argument she crossed her arms and gave me a smirk that said, "I'm right. You know I'm right, so why don't you just go back to your fries and cold hamburger."

I politely asked her one simple question: What Scripture backs up this claim? Her response? Jeremiah 29:11- "'For I know the plans I that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare, and not for calamity; plans to give you a future and a hope.'" I asked her about context and Biblical examples of suffering, including Jesus, but she was deeply rooted in her philosophy and would not yield. I knew when I was beat, and when discussing religion with a headstrong teen, reason would not prevail. I gave her my email address and excused myself from the table.

America is a tremendously prosperous nation. There can be no denying that God has blessed us materially. The majority of Americans live in the top 1% of wealth in the world! But all this wealth has had a side-effect that has seeped deep into the culture of the American church. Consider the following stats from the 2006 article 'Does God Want You to be Rich?' in Time magazine:

-17% of Christians claim to be a member of a church/denomination that teaches 'prosperity theology'

-31% of Christians believe that if you give God money, He will bless you with more money

-61% of Christians believe that God wants all Christians to be prosperous (although to be fair, the question did not specify spiritual or financial prosperity)

-The article goes on to claim that 3 out of the 4 largest congregations in America preach a message of 'prosperity theology.'

What the article does not say is that this theology is a phenomenon unique to the American church. In countries where the Church is persecuted, you won't hear a message of financial prosperity based on having enough faith. In cities stricken with disease and poverty, the 'health & wealth' gospel would be rightfully scorned. Every day Christians all over the world are arrested, imprisoned, tortured and executed for their beliefs. What do the prosperity preachers have to say to these martyrs? Was their faith, a faith that was fired in the kiln of persecution and purified in the crucible of humiliation, not enough to allow them to fulfill God's plan of financial well-being in their life? This doesn't include the Christians who die of cancer, who are suffering from debilitating diseases or who work hard every day to keep their head from drowning below the poverty line. The prosperity 'gospel' leaves way too many questions unanswered for my taste.

But what about Jeremiah 29:11? What about other passages where it clearly states that God desires to bless his children? How do we interpret these Scriptures in light of the reality we face?

1. Recognize that the World is Sick with Sin
Sin has consequences that reach far beyond our own personal lives. Because of sin death entered the world, and with it came every form of disease known to man. Because of sin governments are corrupt, depriving people of the ability to make a living or practice their faith openly. Because of sin natural disasters (a byproduct of the flood that destroyed the world in Noah's time. A world so sinful that God was forced to 'wash' it away and start anew) inflict terror that is felt acutely by countries so poor, they cannot properly prepare for them. Sin is what causes suffering. Not God, and definitely not a lack of faith in Him.

2. Recognize that God's Blessings are not Always Physical
Some of the blessings I have enjoyed from God are not physical in nature. Encouragement, the presence of His Spirit, the confidence of knowing He stands with me and the knowledge that this world of suffering is not my home are all things that pale in comparison to physical wealth. When we add suffering to the mix, the apostles open a whole new door on how to rejoice in God's blessing. They counted it as a blessing to share in Christ's suffering (Acts 6:40-41). Paul said that 'to live is Christ and to die is gain'. The greatest thing that can happen to a Christian is death. The early church understood this, and this leads us to one final point.

3. Recognize that God's People have a History of being Persecuted
Let's take Jeremiah as an example. Here is a guy who wore an ox-yoke while he preached, was imprisoned numerous times, was considered a heretic by the priests, a naysayer by the false prophets, and a traitor by the king. He was so hated that he was thrown into a cistern and left for dead. When his prophecies of defeat to Babylon came true, he was exiled to Egypt, and was hated by the exiles there as he warned against falling into idolatry. Jewish tradition teaches that while in Egypt he was assassinated and denied a proper burial. This is the guy that God delivered the message of "a future and a hope" to Israel. God's promise through Jeremiah was (a) specific to Israel and (b) a spiritual reality to His people. Today, nearly 20,000 Christians a year are martyred world-wide (according to Voice of the Martyrs). This persecution should not be ignored. Neither should it be grieved. These men and women gave their lives for the Gospel. As Tertullian said, their blood is the seed of the spread of Christianity. God placed upon them a burden that is perhaps to heavy for the American Church to bear. Their suffering blesses us with encouragement, edification and hope. If only our 'prosperity preachers' could be so worthy.

A Birthday Musing

Today I turn 34. It's time for me to make a difference.

According to tradition my lifespan has surpassed that of Jesus' time on earth in the form of a man. I cannot help but think, "What have I really accomplished in that amount of time?" I have been reading a biography on the German martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. By the time he was 34 he had earned a doctorate, began a church movement that rebelled against the Nazi-sanctioned German church, spoke at international conferences condemning the Nazi party and completed his masterful book, "The Cost of Discipleship."

I know, it's not fair to compare myself with the Lord of the universe (although He is the only One we ought to compare ourselves with), and Bonhoeffer's example is an exemplary one that few can measure up to. But still, I feel the weight of Paul's commands to 'make the most of every opportunity' (see Galatians 6:10 and Colossians 4:5 for a couple of examples) as I grow older. None of us know how many trips around the sun we get to take. Bonhoeffer would never live to see his 40th birthday, and yet he left an indelible mark on this world for the cause of Christ. Whether I live to be 40 or 100, I want to spend every moment pursuing Christ and His plan for me. I want to accomplish great things for His glorification. I want my life to matter.

Today I turn 34. It's time for me to make a difference.