What Happened to My Radio?

I rarely ever listen to my radio anymore.  It's not because I don't want to, but it's because nothing worth while is on it anymore.  As a kid growing up in Detroit, radio was all the entertainment I had - and I loved it.  I could always tune into WJR and be rewarded with some great music and excellent DJ's who knew how and when to talk and when not to.  Additionally, they always carried the Detroit Tigers baseball games, and Ernie Harwell (who just passed into glory about a month ago) would keep our teen heads filled with colorful commentary as the game progressed, so much so, that we felt we were in physical attendance.

Now, that kind of radio is gone.  AM is filled with all sorts of nonsense designed to appeal to your left or your right leanings and most of what is said is designed to illicit a high level of emotions, most of which do not bring either joy or amusement.  And what is typically spoken is done so (in my opinion) to produce a larger audience share.  And Christian radio just leaves me totally disappointed.  Very few good "ministers" are sharing the word anymore, and the ones I do enjoy, I'm usually not able to listen long enough to reap any benefits.  Most of the other Christian Radio is just a plethora of commercialism.  

Lately (because I have it as an APP on my computer) I listen to NPR.  They have a fairly un-baised news presentation, but it's also a place where books are reviewed, movies and shows are examined, and the American life in all its wonderful facets is presented INTELLIGENTLY!

When I want music, which is most often, I just connect my IPod and listen to my own playlists.  

Now, in reading back on this post I suppose I sound old and out of touch.  Yearning for the "good ole days," but really, I think we've just gotten our selves to sophisticated and to immersed in news, politics, and drama.  I'm not so sure we need to "know" everything that is happening.  The stress is killing us.  We feel guilty that we can't do something about it - but we're not God.  I would love to be able to put the apple back on the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  At least then, my life, and yours would be simpler by far.  And as a wonderful side benefit - our relationship with the Almighty would be the most important voice we looked forward to each day.

THE IMPACT OF OUR LIFE -

We just never know how our life might effect a generation.  We really sell ourselves short so very often, and make all sorts of excuses for not engaging ourselves with what God has given us.  I ran across the most interesting little fact the other day that I thought I’d pass on to you.

In 1768 a 45-year-old Scottish preacher took charge of a tiny, poor, rural school for teenage boys.  He found the boys to be unprepared and unruly and the conditions of the school’s only building to be deplorable.  Because there were so few students, the preacher had to do all of the teaching himself until he was able to convince some tutors to help him.  Yet, in faithfully mentoring his few students, this preacher started down the path that changed the world.  The preacher’s name is John Witherspoon.  The small, dilapidated school he took charge of is now Princeton University.  And what happened to the 450 students Witherspoon trained during his 26 years as college president forms one of the most astounding facts in American history:

·      114 became ministers

·      49 became U.S. Representatives

·      28 became U.S. Senators

·      26 became state judges

·      17 became members of their state constitutional conventions

·      14 became delegates to the state conventions that ratified the Constitution

·      12 became members of the Continental Congress

·      8 became U.S. District judges

·      5 became delegates to the Constitutional Convention

·      3 became U.S. Supreme Court justices

·      3 became Attorney Generals

·      2 became foreign ministers

·      1 became Secretary of State

·      Aaron Burr, Jr. became Vice-President of the United States

·      James Madison became President of the United States

You just never know whom you’re impacting with your life!

Pain - From Genesis to Revelations

This week in my D.Min course we have been asked to reflect on the meaning behind 'pain.' 


It's been an extremely busy and brutal week for me, and yet through out the entire week, I've thought long and hard about this week's discussion topic - "pain."  

I've certainly decided, like some of you, I don't like it, don't want it and don't even want to inflict it on my worse enemy at this point - considering that 'what goes around comes around.'  

The first mention of pain in the Bible is found during the first judgment of man for his disobedience in the garden. (Gen 3:14-19)  The serpent/Satan is told his head will be bruised, the man is relegated to a life of toil and pain over an unforgiving land, and lastly woman is told she will endure pain in childbirth.  

Nope - I don't like pain!  But in my exploring this subject, I found out God doesn't either.  I know I live under grace, and enjoy his bountiful mercy, but truth be told there still lurks in the corners of my mind the thought that God enjoys inflicting pain on me (us) for the purposes express purpose of correcting my errant ways.  But the correcting of my errant ways is but a by-product of the work of pain.

I wonder if pain isn't shown to us to give us true glimpse of God's great love for us?  The Bible points out that the "Lord was sorry He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart." (Gen 6:6)  That word grieved is related pretty pointedly to the words, pain, sorrow and toil in Genesis 3:16  So in a very real sense God was not exempt from the pain and anguish which sin had introduced into His creation.  

Isn't that just like a good father?  He isn't ticked off with man - just the opposite.  He is grieved and distraught and is thinking in terms of grace even at the moment of judgment.  His heart is so constantly overflowing in loving kindness and tender mercies to his children.  Not everyone of God's children is interested in grace or moved my divine mercy, and the infliction of pain doesn't change that much in some.  God's pleasure actually comes from dispensing grace and mercy.  

So to sum, I'm more aware than ever after this week of thinking about it - that my disobedience doesn't only bring me pain - more importantly it brings pain to my father and grieves him.  That thought then brings me pain!  Perhaps that is the greatest motive to submission - avoiding God experiencing pain along with me.

By the way - although the Bible pretty much begins with pain for mankind, it also ends with the eradication of all pain.  Here's the good news:  "And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more PAIN, for the former things have passed away

A letter to George (Barna)

Dear George - 

I read, with much dismay, your recent book entitled "Pagan Christianity?" that you co-authored with Frank Viola (a leader in the house church movement).  

Bro. George, you have every right to criticize church buildings, and altar calls, sermons, and even pastors (or the need for them).  In my opinion you can even go after (as you've done in this book) clothing, worship and worship teams, youth pastors and music directors.  I don't really mind so much your harsh criticism of tithing and giving, and water baptism and the Lord suppers, and I will even agree with your take on seminarian training (what good is that after all?) and counselors (never had much use for them myself).  

But sir, you crossed the line when you attacked those of us who feel that the weekly bulletins are a vital and necessary part of our Sunday worship experience, and I must protest in the strongest of terms to you calling us out like you've done.

I represent a church that uses bulletins and we have been doing so for many decades now!!  We feel very strongly that true 'bulletinites" like ourselves have been indeed called out from the rest of the world systems and we will hold the line on our convictions until the Lord returns for us one day!  

I am proud to state here and now that we have not compromised our position concerning the bulletin and we proudly produce our bulletins the old fashioned way - the mimeograph machine.  Just the lingering smell of the "special ink" filling our place of worship  - well, it just has a way of "bringing us in" if you know what I mean.

I will admit there have been certain folks several years ago that split off from us and started a new church down the street (2nd Bulletin Church of the Xerox) who determined to compromise and dabble in color bulletins - but we continue to hold fast to the true blue/white that can only come from a genuine mimeograph machine.  Additionally, I am ashamed to say that as the world has moved on, there is also a group out there  - the Reformist - that have abandoned the bulletin altogether in favor of that new medium called the "web-site."  We try to avoid them as much as possible - and truth be told, we're not sure that we will ever even run into them in heaven (if you get my drift).

George, again, I must protest the blatant slam on our worship experience and I would press you as much as possible that you repent of this rash approach of yours and recant your position about bulletins.  Surely with everything else that you've condemned and criticized in this book, as well as in your all time best seller - "Revolution," you must know by now that the whole church of Jesus Christ world-wide is focused on function and format over substance.  After all, isn't that why you write such tomes?

George, thank you for taking the time to read this letter from a die-hard bulletinite.  We will continue to pray for you that you see the light and return to the fold(ed).

Your friend

Jerry David

Let The Church Rise

I happened to be reading a book by Eugene Peterson’s for a class I’m taking for my course work at Regent University.  The book is entitled, "Working the Angles."  I  was immediately taken by his focused and laser like approach to the state of the church.  That this was written in 1987 is no small proof to the fact he is speaking prophetically to the church in this hour.

The word picture he paints for the reader in the introduction stunned me when I first read it: “Pastors of America have metamorphosed into a company of shopkeepers, and the shops they keep are churches.” 

Little did he probably know that in the late 90’s and so far this current decade the ministry of a pastor has been reduced to just that; a shopkeeper.  In fact, so much so, that we are told the truly successful pastor will need to exhibit a CEO quality to his leadership.  This implies that a successful pastor must not only exhibit a certain personal drive and charisma, but he must gather around him a team that is going to be versed in the art of commerce!  Only by doing so will the church grow to mega proportions (as if that is the goal).

For success, you will need a VP of Human Resources, and a VP of Marketing and Advertising, you will not be able to do without the help of both a CIO and a CFO, and heaven help you if you leave off  the team the expertise of a qualified CCO (read: Chief Communications Officer – the worship and praise person). 

I am of the opinion that we’ve have moved so far away from what church and pastoring was suppose to be, that I’m not sure we would even recognize (much less validate) the authentic any longer.  To our chagrin, we have made church (and the worship of church) the center of our attention and focus.  It is not!  Certainly we would all nod in agreement that Jesus Christ is the center of our focus and attention – but more specifically, it is His kingdom and His kingdom authority and rule that is. 

From the very first day of creation He desired to have a visible display of His kingdom on earth.  Sin messed that up, but the Redeemer, our King Jesus, restored the Kingdom by dealing with the sin issue.  His message was, and has always been “kingdom.”  He preached it, he lived it, he displayed it, he promoted it, and he commissioned us to propagate it.  He only mentioned church two times in his entire ministry (Matthew 16 and 18). 

I think too often we get caught up in "church" and our way of doing "church"  - and we tend to rapidly forget that the church is the messenger not the message!!  We have made it just the opposite to our dismay.  It is a wonderful display of the Kingdom of God in action but it was never meant to be the end all to be all.  Jesus stayed with his disciples 40 days after his resurrection - to talk about what?  The church? No.  He almost exclusively emphasized the Kingdom.  Unfortunately, they didn't get it.  They didn't outright reject it - - they did worse, they reduced it.  They tried in their day to make this magnificent and total/universal Kingdom of God into nationalism.

But I'm afraid we've reduced it as well.  Foster is feeling the same way. Depending on the different times and seasons in church history these last 2000 years, we have made it innocuous by reducing it to ecclesiasticism, where the church becomes the Kingdom, or the denomination becomes the Kingdom, or the nation becomes the Kingdom, or this or that particular type of spiritual experience is the Kingdom; and so on.  

I think there is renewal afoot - and it's exciting.  I certainly sense it in me as a local pastor of a local church.  And it's a renewal of the very thing that Christ came to once again unveil - the Kingdom of God.  It so much bigger and more encompassing - - it's so totalitarian than anything we can imagine.  It is the very thing that can and will change our world - the good news, the message of the Kingdom.  

This is why Peterson’s book is so timely in my thinking.  I can’t seem to put it down and am totally challenged by its premise.  Prayer is going to have to become the priority and lifestyle of every single Christian minister and leader in the days ahead.  If we are not drawing close to God to hear His voice, we can forget about ever speaking or operating in Kingdom terms (with a prophetic word in our mouths). 

I am drawn these days to the story of Daniel.  A young man taken out of his familiar surroundings and planted dead center in the middle of an anti-God environment (much like America today?).  He represented Kingdom at every opportunity – and he did so by establishing a life of prayer, fasting and other disciplines in order that he might be the ‘prophetic voice’ that the world was looking for. 

If old King Nebuchadnezzar represents our current world – then Daniel 2:3 lets me know that there are millions of people out there waiting and anxious to “know the dream.”  By spending time in prayer and fasting before God, we can have that dream revealed to us.  I say, “Let the church rise.”

I Predict This Will Encourage You!

HERE IS A WORD THAT WAS GIVEN DURING OUR STAFF PRAYER TIME THIS MORNING (From The Message Bible):

"Say this:  God you are my refuge.  I trust in you and am safe!  That's right - he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards.  His huge outstretched arms protect you and under them you are perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm.  Fear nothing!  Not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon.  Even though others succumb all around, and drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you.  You will stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses.  Yes, because God is your refuge, the High God your very own home, evil cannot get close to you, harm cannot get through the door.  He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go.  If you stumble they will catch you; their job is to keep you from falling.  You will walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.  And if you will hold on to me for dear life, says God, I'll get you out of any trouble.  I will give you the best of care if you'll only get to know and trust me.  Call me and I will answer, be at your side in bad times; I will rescue you, then throw you a party!

Pretty encouraging if you ask me!

How Much of Myself Must I Give?

I was reading an excerpt from C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity this week and that same question was poised by him in the book.  It sort of stopped me cold when I realized that I didn't actually know the answer.  Better put - not sure I was living the answer.

Lewis goes on to explain the answer to this question by reminding us that the way we typically think is that as long as I'm being "good" and not "bad" or doing "bad", then all the demands for the Christian life have been met.  This stance however leaves the old natural man still as the main ingredient and hopefully he will still have some chance, to get on with life and do what he likes!

In other words - - if we answer the above question with our natural self as the starting point, we haven't answered the question correctly.

The Christian life and Christian way is much different: it is both harder and easier.  Christ says, "Give me All."  Lewis explains it this way, with God saying, "I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money, and so much of your work:  I want You.  I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it.  No half-measures will do."

In other words - we're required to hand over the WHOLE natural self, all the desires you think are innocent as well as the ones you know are wicked - the whole package.  Then He gives you a new self.  In fact, He gives you Himself.

That's both harder and easier than what we are all trying to do.  Harder, because Christ said, "Take up your cross" - in other words, it is like going to be beaten to death in a concentration camp.  The next minute he says, "My yoke is easy and my burden light."

I think he says both because he means both.  The contrast between God's way of doing things and our way is never more acute than in the area of human change and transformation.  We focus on specific actions: God focuses on us.  We work from the outside in; God works from the inside out. We try; God transforms.

When I read this excerpt from Lewis at the beginning of the year, it brought me to my knee's, and I could hardly finish it.  I suddenly knew what was wrong: I had been using my "natural self" as the starting point.  I had been trying to keep my self and its desires intact.  Christ was merely an addition to my self.  After reading this passage, I have resolved to live this year consciously listening to the voice of Christ and letting the new self - the one that Christ gives me - to come to life.

My prayer is that God will do the same for you that he wants to do for me!

Entering 2010

Well, it's finally happened. My wife and others have been after me for some time to start 'blogging' and I've determined the start of a new year is probably the best time to do so. Additionally, I am taking a course this semester at Regent University that is called "Leading Spiritual Formation and Renewal" and this course requires me to write every week on something that is affecting my "spiritual formation."

So - here we go. Stay tuned for more. I will try to hit this at least once a week.