There is so much blah, blah, blah, blah about Christians being relevant in today’s culture.  The desire to be cool, liked, etc. among some in the Christian universe sometimes gets very silly.  I want to make a few distinctions that may help those wanting to connect the gospel of Jesus with others…so we are not weird cultural aliens from the 1920s nor are we turn coat punks denying the faith in order to be “with it”

First, one needs to look at the word “relevant.”

Relevance

By relevance, usually what one means is being able to connect with the world around you in a way that as culturally and socially acceptable.  However, what sometimes happens is that people become trend followers, jumping from the new, to the hip, to the new hip-hip new.  

We need to be more like the world around us so people will want to “come in” – so they would be attracted to what is going on with the Christians.  Problem is it can all be pretty inauthentic – and to be honest it can get quite weird.   Many times if relevance becomes the only all encompassing goal, syncretism and worldliness usually are following the parade.  The spirit or soul of the world around us can capture the hearts of people so much that we really do not long for the realization of the Kingdom of God.  

Simon Weil rightly said “He who marries himself to the spirit of the age soon becomes a widower.”  The Scriptures also warn us from getting too much in bed with the world.  When we get married to the world – we quickly realize we have married a whore, a union which can turn out to be enmity, hatred towards God.

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

James 4:4 (ESV)

So what should we do?  First, we have to realize that culture matters.  The language of the people, the forms of a people, the art, entertainment, literature, technology, relationships, patterns of family, of a people really matter.  There are no people who do not live in culture.  Jesus himself became incarnate into a culture – that was Jewish, in a Hellenized world, under the rule of the Roman Empire…

So rather than a people trying to be “relevant to” a culture – we seek a more excellent way.  We desire to bring a gospel driven, kingdom culture to bear within and through the cultures of the world.  This leads us to a slightly different idea than sprinting on the tread mill running after the gods of relevance. A principle long discussed with those in cross cultural mission - that of contextualizaton…

Contextualization

Culture is simply the learned design or pattern of living for a particular group of folks.  It is learned, it is the air we breathe, and the water we swim in…it is the life we live.  We all live in culture…and we need to realize that most of culture is not antithetical to the theological truths and ethical implications of the gospel.  As much as we may not like it God is not absolutely opposed to NASCAR or Football (or Soccer her in America).  As much as we may not like it…biblically, it really doesn’t matter if you use chop sticks to eat rice, or a knife and fork to eat Spam.   Blue grass music or hip hop (yes, both can have eeeevil lyrics, but they also can sing to sweet Jesus as well), wear blue jeans or saris to church.

So the goal is not to create goofy Christian subculture, but to embrace aspects of culture and live modestly there.   In fact, Christians should not ask converts to leave nonsinful aspects of culture to “come out” into whatever sub culture they have created (like a culture where wine at communion will make people “stumble”).  Many times we create culture that is not at all biblical and call people to that rather than to Jesus.  Thou shalt not dance? Uh, I’m still looking for verses on that one.

I recently listened to a message by Ed Stetzer about viewing culture as a follower of Jesus.   Quoting Robert McQuilkin, three paths were highlighted which I will paraphrase the best I can:

• Much of culture we can receive – there is a good thing to the old saying “when in Rome” – not the sinful stuff of Rome, but living in that world.  The apostle said he wanted to “become all things to all men so by all possible means we might save same…I do this for the sake of the gospel (1 Cor 9).  For the sake of the gospel missionaries in China eat with Chinese people in a chinese way…this is not controversial, but it makes some a bit nervous.  Thinking if you have an electric guitar in church, or don’t wear a Western European inspired suit and tie in church, it is somehow worldly.
• Some of culture should be redeemed.  For example, our culture may be a perverted culture in relationship to sexuality.  But that does not mean sex is bad – sex in our culture needs redemption, not rejection.  It needs the context of covenant not “with whoever consents.”  The same might be said for good, dark, beer – it needs the redemption of moderation not the excess of drunkenness.
• Finally, some things of culture must be absolutely rejected.  There are some aspects of culture that are sinful and evil and cannot be adapted or redeemed.  We repent of this and change.  This is true in cross cultural missions, where missionaries rightly opposed such cultural practices as sati, or child sacrifice.  It is true for the church in culture today.  We simply do not have “current hookers reaching hookers for Jesus” or “Misogynist Wife Beaters for Christ” or "Crack dealers dealing so they can witness to drug addicts" – it is on issues of sin where Christians have to hold the lines of biblical truth and not waver – even where there is extreme cultural pressure to punt.  “We’re queer, we’re here, get used to it” – no, we love you, but we can not applaud.  We weep with you and love you – but we cannot go the distance to be welcoming and "affirming".  We will welcome, but we cannot celebrate.  Certain elements in culture are challenged, rebuked, and must be changed in the light of the gospel.  We all need to repent of our cultural junk…including Christian cultural junk that is neither Christian, nor in the Scriptures.  
  

Our goal should be living in our culture, contextual and faithful.  Not punting sound doctrine or the truth of Scripture.  Nor do we marry the world and become an offense to God.  Mark Driscoll’s book Radical Reformission does a good job describing these two extremes with the following equations…



The equation which is a difficult balance would be:

Gospel + Church + Culture = Reformission (missional and faithful, reaching out without selling out)

Another author, Os Guinness echoes a similar call in his book Prophetic Untimeliness – which is to seek relevance with faithfulness – sound easy?  It is not.  Not for sinful human beings at least.  There will always be a great need for wisdom and the leading of the Spirit and the Word.

In that book Guinness recommends a great course for our age.  We must be prophetic to be able to call people to a different life, a different Kingdom, and a different God.  If we become captured by the world we loose our voice to call people to repentance and faith – to follow Jesus rather than the gods of our making.   We need to be untimely in that though we live in culture now, we speak a message from the eternal God.  The Word of God speaks from outside human experience, into our lives in culture and confronts us, shakes us, challenges and redeems us by grace.  We then love differently, we care differently, and we suffer for others for the sake of Jesus.   

This sort of path keeps us on mission in culture, yet faithful to God and the Scriptures.  Sometimes we need a course correction either side.  We are too worldly and are loosing faithfulness or we are too inflexible in things which are cultural that we become dead people who hold right beliefs but are not on mission…

Some of us are joyfully "Not of the world" but need to "get into life with people" for the gospel.  Some of us are too "in the world" and need to be called out. 

It is my prayer that I can be utterly faithful and utterly faithful to reach out to people in a way that connects.  This ain’t easy – in fact we need wisdom to walk this path.

There is an interesting review of the book The Omnivore's Dilemna by Michael Pollan over at Books and Culture.

Like any other people in the enlightened western crowd, Christians too are concerned with being green, organic, and having justice for creation (no comment).

This article is interesting in that it discusses the struggle to eat well as we take "steps back to wholeness." This is very common today as many Christians are seeing salvation as redemption of creation and human beings finding wholeness (not oneness, though some do seem to go that far) in this world. If the Kingdom is NOW and NOT yet, this crowd certainly believes in the NOW part. Salvation comes through creation care, reconciling ourselves with the natural world, all things to God.

Now, I do see clearly in Scripture that God is reconciling "all things to himself" in Christ. Yet, I see a bit of a pendulum swing away from the Christian's hope being in a new creation, and the age to come. I also see a huge place for Christian environmental concern. Not just because it is trendy to be green, but due to the nature of human calling as stewards and vice regents with our Creator in this world. But it seems like our concerns for everything granola and pure is a new form of godliness for some. Granted, I don't want my kids running around in air that remembles a long toke on an exhaust pipe, but I think some can be overly freakish and worried about so many things that they can forget that God is also concerned with souls, concerned with sinners and sin, concerned to redeem our lives to be people who are his possession, eager to do what is good.

Does this include environmental concern? Again, Absolutely! But can we get sidetracked and replace the gospel and the work of the Kingdom with creation care and worrying about whether Chicken nuggest are 13 part corn or 14 parts corn? Again, Absolutely

One thing that we spoiled western people can forget is that we not only get to eat whole foods, or organically grown crops, or a double cheeseburger, or an ice cold Mountain Dew (which chemically is nothing like dew from a mountain - but oh, it is a sweet yellow beverage). We forget the grace that we get to eat at all. In some parts of the world, folks would be overjoyed to eat some hormonally jacked up beef. Overjoyed to eat corn feed animals, and chicken nuggets that have a composition only known to freaky, nerdy, chemist types.

Have a conscience about what we consume in the world...YES. But forget not that it is grace that we have air and food and water at all.

All the environmental, vegan, orgo superstars out there - praise God for you. Just don't hate everyone who likes a bit of red meat from time to time. And all of us, don't forget to say a word of thanks for whatever you cram down your throat tonight. But don't eat too much - that is a sin...one we easily forget.

 

Younan, Munib and Fred Strickert, Witnessing for Peace – In Jerusalem and the World. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2003. 169 pp.

 

 
Introduction

Witnessing for Peace – In Jerusalem and the World is an interesting recent volume from the Lutheran Fortress press. The author is perhaps in a most unique position to speak to the issue of peace in the world as he lives in a state of constant war and tension. You see Munib Younan is a Palestinian Christian, serving as the bishop of the Lutheran Church in the Old City of Jerusalem. He is a minority among the world of Islam and a minority living under the state of Israel. He is a small voice within the city of the Temple Mount, of Haram al-Sharif, in the city of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Younan is seeking to be a servant of the prince of peace in the Holy City – seeking to be a witness for peace in a land of war. I found the topic to be of great interest and hoped to gain deeper understanding into the history and reality of the city venerated by the great monotheistic religions of the world. In this review I will first summarize the book’s three main sections, offer some analysis of the work, and then close with some concluding remarks.

Summary of the Book

    The book is sectioned into three parts. Part I, Contexts, focuses on the history of the Christian faith among the Arabs of Palestine and Jerusalem as well as the personal story of Mr. Younan and his family. Part II, Martyria and Nonviolence, sets forth a philosophy of Martyria or Witness, the path of Christian ministry taken by the bishop in his efforts to promote justice through nonviolent means. The final section focuses on practical applications of living a witness for Jesus Christ in a land of high tensions both religious and political. In summarizing the book I will treat each section of the book in turn.

Part I – Contexts

    I found the first part of the book to be the most helpful. The first chapter is a great reminder of the long history of the gospel in the Jerusalem. Much of this information is quite unknown to Protestant Christians who unfortunately spend very little time studying pre-reformation church history. The Christian church indeed has a rich history in Palestine with many leading early thinkers belonging to the Caesarian school and many early church leaders were Christians of Arab descent. To read that one fourth of the bishops at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 were of Arab descent was a great reminder about the ethnic and cultural composition of early Christianity. With the Latin fathers, particularly Augustine, weighing so heavily in the Protestant mind, unfortunately it can easy to over look the Eastern, Egyptian, and Arab leaders of early Christianity. The time of Constantine and the building of the great churches in the Holy land were discussed as well as the peaceful and collegial relationship between Islamic leaders and Christians throughout the early middle ages. The “Crusader Period” was discussed with its many atrocities, even highlighting Crusader against Christian violence. The Rule under the Ottoman Empire and the corresponding millet system[1] was treated along with the formalization of Muslim-Christian relations in the Holy Land; many of these arrangements existing until this day. The chapter closes with a treatment of the events of the 21st century, a century described as “a century of European intervention and Palestinian devastation” (Younan, 15). The chapter details the events which took place surrounding the formation of the state of Israel – know simply as the catastrophe, to the Palestinians, both Christian and Muslim. The second chapter moves from a general history of Jerusalem to the specific and recent history of Younan’s own family, a family’s experience as refugees from the Israeli occupation. Additionally this chapter focuses on Younan’s call to the Christian ministry and his subsequent theological training in Finland. The first section of the book was extremely valuable as it colors Younan’s history and experience before hearing his own positions. This background helped me understand quite literally “where he was coming from” as the book unfolded.

Part II – Martyria and Nonviolence

The mid section of the book dealt with two main concepts. First, Younan’s understanding of what it means to be a witness (martyria in Greek) and secondly, the method of being such a witness in the midst of the violent and conflict ridden city of Jerusalem. Younan rightly describes a witness as one who in word and deed points others to the person of Jesus Christ. His emphasis is on word and deed, though it becomes quickly apparent that deeds will prove more important in his view. An emphasis on suffering, the way of the cross, on behalf of others is also elaborated on in this section. Nonviolent means of resisting injustice and oppression takes center stage in the section and continues throughout the book and it is clear to Younan that the Israelis are illegitimate occupiers of the land they posses. This unjust occupation must be opposed by nonviolent, prophetic calls for justice in the lands. Without justice there will be no peace; without an end to the occupation, without a right of return to the land for the refugees, there can be no just peace. This is Younan’s view—and it aligns with that of a Palestinian living under occupation.

Part III – Applications

    The final section of the book demonstrates several practical applications which Younan has applied in being a martyria peace. First his identification with both Israeli and American victims of terrorism is a witness to those affected acts of by violence. Second, a touching story of his love and commitment to a convicted Palestinian terrorist living abroad shows the depth of forgiveness and the possibility for life change. Third, his call and example of participation in Theological Trialogue between Christians, Muslims and Jews is offered as a way to solve problems through moderation and understanding. Finally the book closes with his witness to both Muslims and Jews described. The book ends much like the situation in Jerusalem, with the reality of conflict unresolved. Yet there is resolve to be seen; the resolve of the bishop, to go forward in the way of Christ as he sees it; to witness for peace, nonviolently, from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

Critical Analysis

    In looking at the message of the book critically, one pauses before commenting on the words of a man who lives amidst such strife and who has endured great suffering. In no way am I the man that Bishop Younan is; I have not faced the realities that are everyday life in his world. Yet I did find much to comment upon in his writing. I will first commend what I found helpful in the work and then conclude the analysis with some things I found to be of deep concern.

    There is much to be commended in the views expressed in this book. First, the bishop’s desire for justice is a wonderful voice which is often missing in evangelical circles. Second, he is very strong in saying that Christian witness should be in word and deed – proclamation and exemplary lives. More will be said on this in the critique, but his point of word and deed witness is stately strongly in the book. Third, he is rightly critical of certain fundamentalist strains of conservative Christian theology. Namely, the hyper dispensational premillinialism which causes some people to want to create carnage and chaos surrounding the temple mount to somehow compel a reluctant Jesus to return once “prophecy is fulfilled.” Such aggressive work to fulfill known prophecy seems absent in the Scripture; the Son comes back at the will of the Father, not due to the premeditated actions of men. Fourth, Younan’s focus on nonviolence and love as the path for Christian communities is a welcome voice in a world of war.[2] The focus on justice, witness in word an deed, critique of theological quackery, and a emphasis on personal nonviolence are what I found to be refreshing strengths of the book. However, Younan’s views had several tremendous shortcomings in representing the Christian gospel. To these we now turn.

    The critique I would offer comes in two basic categories. First is that of inconsistency in the application of some of the some aforementioned strengths. The second area of concern deals with his understanding of the gospel and an overemphasis of a perspectivalist hermeneutic which seems to elevate the historical situation above the proclamation of the gospel. I will cover each critique in turn.

    The first critique is that the author seems a bit inconsistent in three areas; his view of violence, his view of justice, and his view of Christian witness as coming in word and deed. One of the contentions of the book is that the principle of justice pursued through non-violent means should be pursued. Several times I felt he was a bit inconsistent with his stated principles. First, he gives a disclosure that “violence on either side is intolerable” (Younan, 79) yet this comes at the end of a paragraph where he seems to state that Palestinian violence is understandable. He states the following:

There is a popular Arabic saying: ‘When you push the cat into the corner, it scratches.’ This is what occupation does to Palestinian people. Yes, it is true, there is violence among the Palestinians. Some people turn to violence because they are desperate, and they see no way out. Some people turn to violence because this is what they have learned from the occupiers. (Younan, 79 emphasis added).

If we are not going to justify violence on either side, then we should not present such justification. Second, the concept of justice is left a bit vague in the book with one wondering if the only “just solution” is that offered by the Palestinian. The author seemed to be rather one sided in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, I suppose this is to be expected with the author a Palestinian, but I did not expect such a one sided view in looking for a “just” solution. Finally, while the author rightly asserts that Christian witness should be word and deed, it seems most of the witness Younan offers is devoid of a verbal proclamation of the gospel. Jesus’ death for sinners, that people need to repent and believe; these are a bit absent. It seems to me that his witness is mainly deed and words of conversation. The words “repent and believe the gospel” are not found in his witness. As this is related to the second weakness I see in the book, we will turn to the issue of the gospel.

    The second critique has to do with the nature of the gospel itself. It seems that Younan is primarily concerned with reconciling horizontal human relationships and a liberation theology which focuses only on sociopolitical concerns. I think these issues are very important to the gospel, but what is missing is of essence. Namely that Christ died for us, according the Scriptures, and was raised on the third day. Lost sinners must repent and believe in order to be saved. This is just absent in the book.

    Additionally, Younan denies that God is in any way angry with sinners, that God will have vengeance (contrast with Rom 12:19-21). His hermeneutic leads him to reject wholesale the conquest narratives of the Old Testament, because “God would never” command Caleb and Joshua to conquer the lands and drive out the people (Younan, 94). He is a God only of “love” and would never be angry or command judgment upon a people. He even compares Joshua and Caleb to the Crusaders of the middle ages:

The Crusader movement was a perverted pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and they perverted the cross. They were colonialists who had no intention of bringing religion to this country. They are no different than Caleb and Joshua. God never told the Israelites to go and kill the women and children and chickens. They used religion to achieve political goals (Younan, 89)

I find this to be a strange understanding of the conquest narratives. It is understandable only if one is interpreting the conquest narratives as later additions by Israeli political leaders seeking to justify their actions by showing God’s judgment on others. We see this perspectival reinterpretation of the Old Testament seems to be devised to take away any divine claim to the land by the Israelis. God simply did not give the land to Israel or order the conquest under Joshua; those who took the land invented these stories to present God as having justified their political actions.

    Finally, he never mentions the problem of personal sin or the solution of the cross as being in any way necessary for people. In fact, he seems to present a view where “conversion” is unnecessary and counterproductive to witnessing for peace. Overall, I found the Christian faith and witness of Younan to be courageous and compassionate. He is a man in whose shoes I have not walked so I do not want to appear too harsh in my critique. But the faith he describes is one of universalism, where Jesus and the cross are only exemplary of suffering, but not necessary for salvation, and conversion and the need for repentance and faith are conspicuously absent. I suppose that he is a peace activist with his motivation being suffering for others for the sake of Jesus. I concur that this is a good thing – I would only desire the gospel to be shared so the hearts of people might be forgiven and changed. I like his word and deed philosophy of martyria, I only wish he would preach the Biblical gospel with his words.

Conclusion

    Shortcomings of the book aside, I would recommend this book to others for the value of seeing the historical view of a Palestinian Christian refugee. This alone is well worth the read. Additionally, seeing the situation in the Middle East through the eyes of a Palestinian is perhaps easier for those in the West when seen through the eyes of a bishop of a Christian church rather than a Muslim Imam. However, the injury which is done to the gospel and the disregard of the Scriptures, was a bit of a disappointment. Younan’s nonviolent witness is a good example for all Christians; I just wish he would share the gospel of Luther along with his passion for social justice. All that seems to be of concern for Younan is of this world; he ignores the Kingdom which is not of this age. I would like to see a witness truly in word and deed as Younan describes early in the book; a witness that not only suffers for others and speaks prophetically for justice, but a witness who also proclaims the good news of the Triune God. God the Father sent the Son who joyfully and obediently died to pay for the sins of the world. This then applied by the Holy Spirit to all who believe and who in turn witness to this saving work of God. Of course this would be unacceptable to both Muslim and Israeli in contemporary Jerusalem and would not lead to the sort of peace Younan seeks. But perhaps there is a different peace which is also to be sought, a peace with God through Christ. I shudder to even write these words, but it seems that we can forget that Jesus did not only come to bring an earthly peace (Matthew 10:34, Luke 12:51), but rather to call a people to be his own possession—eager to do what is good. This sometimes will divide, yet there is much more at stake for us all if Jesus indeed told us the truth.

[1] The millet system was a system of self government in civil and religious matters for the various sects and religious groups in the Holy Land.

[2] Whether the state has a just right to the use of force to maintain order and a just society is not the point here. Only that Christians ought to reject revenge and personal vigilantism and not force the issue of justice through personal violent reprisal.

 

Today in my Missiology Class at the seminary, I was exposed to some culture.  Not growing up around church sometimes I get a little confused by some of the conversations I am privy to.  Today the prof began to talk about handbells.  At first I wasn't sure if he said "handbills" but obviously these had something to do with worship.  I sheepishly asked the question: What exactly are we talking about? Apparently hand bells are a big deal in Southern Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches.  Heck, it sounds like they were once, and still are a staple in the Christian World. 

Well, I then realized that I had heard such bells on some Christmas commercial on TV - ding, ding, ding-ding, ding, ding, ding-ding...

From this Wiki, I seem to be out of touch, this handbell thing is big:

Handbell performance

A handbell choir or handbell ensemble is typically armed with a fuller set of bells, as it aims to ring recognizable music with melodies and harmony, as opposed to the mathematical permutations used in change ringing. (There is some ambiguity regarding the phrase "handbell ensemble," as some in the handbell world use "ensemble" in reference to smaller groups than a typical handbell choir — four ringers playing three octaves of bells, for example.) The bells generally include all notes of the chromatic scale within the range of the bell set used. While a smaller group uses only 25 bells (two octaves), the sets are often larger, ranging up to the eight-octave set used by Westminster Choir College. The bells are typically arranged chromatically on foam-covered tables; these tables protect the bronze surface of the bell, as well as keep the bells from rolling when placed on their sides. Unlike an orchestra or choir in which each musician is responsible for one line of the texture, in a bell ensemble each musician is responsible for particular notes, sounding his or her assigned bells whenever that note appears in the music.

Handbell techniques have changed very much over the years. Donald Allured, founding director of Westminster Concert Bell Choir, is credited with fully realizing an American "off the table" style of ringing that includes many non-ringing sound effects including stopped techniques such as plucking the clapper with the bell on the table. He is also credited for promoting precise damping or stopping of the bell sound by touching the bell casting to a soft surface, in the service of more musical results.

In the United States, handbell choirs have become more popular over the last thirty years. They are often associated with churches, although the past decade has seen a dramatic rise in the number of community groups. Most community groups use larger sets of handbells than an average church handbell choir. Twelve to fifteen members is a common size for a four- or five-octave choir.

Well-known U.S. handbell choirs include the aforementioned

Westminster Concert Bell Choir in Princeton, N.J.; Sonos in the San Francisco area; The Raleigh Ringers in North Carolina; Cast of Bronze in Dallas, Texas; The Agape Ringers in the Chicago area; and Los Angeles' Campanile, which is no longer regularly performing.

I keep an idea file for stuff I want to think about implementing in the local church.  I think it would be cool to have a church meeting in an urban night warehouse with a church bell outside the door...I just couldn't bring myself to add "Handbells" to the file.

But those who love the white gloves and can ring those bells to the glory of God.  All power to you.  I hear it is a beautiful sound to take in...maybe I'll see them live some day soon.  Who knew?

When I read the sermon of the new leader of the American Episcopal Church, I thought "Oh Brother" but then again I guess I should say "Oh Mother"

The Episcopal Church seems to be seated before a big hot bowl of confusion. First, it has consecrated an openly gay bishop who left his family for a man. Now, the new female leader of the denomination, Katharine Jefferts-Schori, seems like she has been to a few too many milk and honey ceremonies.

I always thought Mary was the holy Mother - not Jesus. Who knew?  Here is an exerpt from Jefferts-Schori's homily:

That bloody cross brings new life into this world. Colossians calls Jesus the firstborn of all creation, the firstborn from the dead. That sweaty, bloody, tear-stained labor of the cross bears new life. Our mother Jesus gives birth to a new creation -- and you and I are His children. If we're going to keep on growing into Christ-images for the world around us, we're going to have to give up fear.

The entire context of the homily is available here: Episcopal News Service

Al Mohler had a great comment on the sermon:

This idea of a "Mother Jesus" giving birth to creation is precisely the kind of gynecological theology that biblical Christianity opposes. Creation is not birthed from a divine womb --- it is spoken into being by a divine Word.

Mark Driscoll also makes a good observation about the tragic Episcopal situation:

Second, the far-left wing of the Episcopalian Church is, like Judas, in the process of hanging itself. The worldwide Episcopalian communion is widely diverse, with most Anglicans rejecting hard feminism and homosexuality. Additionally, membership in the American Episcopal Church, as in other mainline Protestant groups, has been declining for years and has remained predominantly white. More than a quarter of the 2.3 million parishioners are sixty-five or older.

When Christians punt the gospel, reject the Scriptures, and leave Jesus - well, he doesn't seem to hang around. And without Jesus, associations of people playing "church" do not last. People would just rather play golf than go to a church without beliefs, and unwilling to stand for the gospel.

It grieves the heart that many have historically departed from the gospel for bowls cultural faddage.

Pray for the American wing of the Anglican communion. Pray that the African Anglicans who love the Scriptures and the Gospel may convince their western sisters and gay brothers of their departures from the faith. Pray that the Bible believing Episcopalians in America would find homes to love and serve Jesus - God the Son - and be free of this Mother silliness and get back to the important work in the world for the Kingdom.

Not coming to faith in Christ until I was 19, I really don't get some of the stuff that seems to captivate people in some churches.  I guess as cultures shift and move some people just get all shook up.  Well, here are a couple of interesting reads:

First, is an artitcle about a non religious authors research into "Christian Rock" - You can find that here: The Kingdom of Rock Is at Hand

Second, is about the Baptists and Booze.  Note, I am not a Southern Baptist, but I do attend a Southern Baptist seminary as an extension student...and no, I would never drink on the campus! It is against the rules.

There are couple of relevant links you may want to check out. One from the Raleigh News and Observer entitled Baptist dogma: Avoid alcohol - Some Baptists find no biblical basis. Here are a few little ditties from the article:

At their annual meeting this week in Greensboro, Southern Baptists again took a stand against alcohol. A resolution talks of "total opposition to the manufacturing, advertising, distributing and consuming of alcoholic beverages.

Indeed, Southern Baptists have a tradition of reaffirming their opposition to alcohol. In the denomination's 161-year history, it has done so in 57 resolutions, most recently in 1991.

If that leads to buffudlement and head scratching, then check out Justin Taylors post on the SBC and Alcohol.   It sounds like one could get a cold one with Taylor. 

Is this Bud for you? Or not?

Here is a review of Brian McLaren's most recent book...I think he has punted to the gospel.

To the writer of the review I would only add: "Missional" is only a description of one "on a mission" - a word to describe the life lived by one who is a missionary. Missional Christianity is one who is sent in gospel mission into the world. It is not antithetical to preach the gospel of the salvation of sinners AND reach out to serve the least of these. One need not compromise the gospel to care about issues of justice. Preach the true saving work, death, ressurection of Jesus - to all. And that means in the cities, with the poor, in the suburbs, in all places and cultures that God sends his people. But I agree - I think McLaren has gone out to lunch long ago. His message is just neo-Liberalism with a gospel devoid of the saving power of the Cross. We preach Christ and him crucified...doctrine and mission are not at odds - they ought be forever married in the church.

Here is the review: The Secret Message of Jesus by Brian McLaren :: Book Reviews

This is a fun bird - lots of fun at parties.  Too funny - you have to watch this.

Lyrebird Unbeleivable Jungle Bird Mimics Bird and Human Sounds - Google Video

<HT - Challies>

There is an interesting article on addiction from the Wall Street Journal by Theodore Dalrymple - Article | Poppycock

I found the following quote to be quite witty...

And in China, millions of Chinese addicts gave up with only minimal help: Mao Tse-Tung's credible offer to shoot them if they did not. There is thus no question that Mao was the greatest drug-addiction therapist in history.

(HT - Al Mohler) 

I read a perculiar sentence a couple of days ago over at the Together for the Gospel Site.  It recounts a conversation involving John Piper and some others around a dinner table.  It read as follows:

Rest for the soul...many would assume that this would mean to be inactive, that one must be participating in modern activities that fit in a category known as leisure in order to find rest for your souls.  But here is a statement that "productivity" brings soul rest.  Now, the statement must be interpretted as from a certain person...one who is an author and scholar/pastor.  One counting beans as fast as one can perhaps would not find rest for the soul; but Piper is studying, preaching, praying, writing...is there rest in life by having more of these in our leisure time?

At times today we can forget one of the crucial exhortations in the New Testament regards idleness.  The early church leader, Paul, wrote to the Christians in the city of Thessolonica

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

1 Thess 5:12-14

Doing nothing, being idle is not a virtue in the Scriptures...in fact it is a pretty major problem. 

A few other biblical warnings about idleness:

• Ecclesiastes 10:18 - Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.
  
• Of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 it is said: She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

What happens when we are idle.  Quite evidently, important work does not get done.  People don't eat, stuff falls apart.  Additionally, if the soul is idle in its hunger and pursuit of God, the soul does not eat, and life falls apart.

Productivity - doing stuff to try to make your self seem worthy is an American invention.  Productivity - giving yourself fully to godly labors, study, and prayer - is a way of rest and life to the soul.

As we shall soon see, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything have a major problem - they are lazy, full of sloth, idle - when we land here spiritually, our souls find neither rest or contentment.  Only in the discipline of the faith do we find rest and joy.  To that end - we ought give ourselves fully to the things of God. 

And when we are idle - repent and receive his grace...and don't become a legalist...then get to work.

Long ago, many would have rightly worn the titles of scholar and pastor, as two portions of the same baseball hat.  Today, that species is perhaps a bit more rare, but indeed alive and well in some corners of our land.  Mark Dever is one of those men.  He has a strong passion for thinking, living, and loving well under the lordship of Christ.  Many know him for his emphasis on "healthy churches": caring deeply about moving elders back into congregational life, loving discipline in the church, depth in the people, and training young pastors.  He is also a huge proponent of expository preaching through books of the Bible.  Did I say he was big on preaching through the Bible? 

His labors in this over the years have now produced a gem for the people who follow Jesus.  Two stocky volumes have been put out in the last year which feature his overview sermons and brief commentary on every book in the Bible.  These two works I recommend to any lay person, they are very accesible and with the content written for normal folk, not dudes with heads shaped like Marvin the Martian.  Quite frankly, I have only read several chapters in the books, and cannot recommend them enough.

If you are new to the Bible, get these books.  If you teach, dialogue, converse, meditate on the Bible, get these books.  Very approachable, practical, with wonderful clarity. 

Amazon has them both for sale together for like 45 bucks - the Old Testament Volume retails for 40, so this is a steal.   

Very often I like books, very rarely am I deeply thankful to God for certain volumes - these I am thankful to have on my bookshelves...I pray they lead to a well worn Bible...for indeed these books point you into, rather than beyond - the book we all need more of in our souls. 

You can get them here: 

	Promises Made: The Message of the Old Testament
	Promises Kept: The Message of the New Testament

Tim Dees over at Triumph of the Lackadaimonians makes some good comments about the two books for Christians in Suburbia.  A few quotes:

So that's the plan. 8 steps, buy the more expensive coffee at Starbucks, and all is well. What if Christ actually operated this way? It might have looked like this:

Jesus: "Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Disciples: "Jesus, we're really slammed, and this fishing thing is really taking off."

Jesus: "Ok, well how about this. Don't worry about following me, but at least use dolphin-safe tuna nets."

Disciples: "Done deal, Jesus!"

(high fives ensue)

That is, my friends, hilarious...and a bit of hyperbole.  I think that the book was saying "Follow me, byyyyyyyyyy using dolphin-safe tuna nets" - I think that may be funny (in a different way) as well. 

Christ did not die on the cross because he bought fair-trade coffee or shopped in locally-owned stores. I think sometimes we skip right over the verse where it says that God will not be mocked. Indeed, he won't. The call of Christ is the upending of our lives, or it is nothing.

Now my dear brother Dees, I agree with you.  But slow down a tad and admit it - it would be cool if a 2500 sq ft house was purchased rather than a 5000.  A 250K one rather than a 400K one...and the rest of the wealth given to the poor and the Kingdom.  But I feel you brother, but maybe there is helpful practical advice for those following Jesus as Lord in the burbs. It is at least hypothetically possible, no?

Afterall, for some strange and mysterious contours of divine Providence...he did ordain that the suburbs be.  Now, dear Jesus, Sovereign Lord, please help us to escape the burbs!!!

Appreciate you Tim 

 

Lauren Winner has an interesting essay for suburban folks over at Books and Culture. It reviews a couple of books, one by David Goetz, a former editor at Leadership Journal, and another by Albert Y. Hsu, an editor at InterVarsity Press, which desire to ponder what Christian faith and spirituality can might look like for faithful surbanites.

Some good warnings and exhortations are in this article. A few of my favorites:

Suburban life, if pursued unheedingly, "obscures the real Jesus," writes Goetz in Death by Suburb. "Too much of the good life ends up being toxic, deforming us spiritually." But if obscured, Jesus is there somewhere, and Goetz's book aims to help suburbanites find him in the ocean of lattes, in the aisles of Pottery Barn, and in the bleachers at the soccer field: "You don't have to hole up in a monastery to experience the fullness of God. Your cul-de-sac and subdivision are as good a place as any."

"My church is the problem." Goetz has no patience for Americans' pernicious church-hopping: "Only in relationships that permit no bailing out can certain forms of spiritual development occur." Rather than switch churches because your pastor said something you disliked or the new church plant down the street has a livelier youth group, practice the discipline of "staying put in your church." This manifestly countercultural advice cuts to the very heart of America's restless anomie.

A basic guideline for simple living, says Hsu, is "to live at a standard of living that is below others in your income bracket. It you can afford a $400,000 house, live in a $250,000 one instead. Or, if you can afford a $250,000 house, live in a $150,000 one."

Here is the link: God of the Latté - Faith in the suburbs.

Links to the books:

Death by Suburb : How to Keep the Suburbs from Killing Your Soul by Dave Goetz

The Suburban Christian: Finding Spiritual Vitality in the Land of Plenty by Albert Hsu

As a college student at the University of North Carolina I was exposed to two world class scholars on two different ends of the theological spectrum.  One was an evangelical Christian, the other a skeptical historian of ancient Christianity who taught New Testament studies at UNC.

The first, William Lane Craig hold two doctoral degrees.  One in philosophy from The University of Birmingham (England) and the other in theology from The University of Munich (Germany) where his dissertation was on teh resurrection of Jesus.  A few highlights from his Vita:

He has authored or edited over thirty books, including The Kalam Cosmological Argument; Assessing the New Testament Evidence for the Historicity of the Resurrection of Jesus; Divine Foreknowledge and Human Freedom; Theism, Atheism and Big Bang Cosmology; and God, Time and Eternity, as well as over a hundred articles in professional journals of philosophy and theology, including The Journal of Philosophy, New Testament Studies, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, American Philosophical Quarterly, Philosophical Studies, Philosophy, and British Journal for Philosophy of Science.

The second scholar, Bart D. Ehrman, is one of the preminent secular scholars of early Christianity in the world.  Dr. Ehrman did his Phd at Princeton University.  A few highlights from his Vita:

He has published extensively in the fields of New Testament and Early Christianity, having written or edited nineteen books, numerous articles, and dozens of book reviews. Among his most recent books are a college-level textbook on the New Testament, two anthologies of early Christian writings, a study of the historical Jesus as an apocalyptic prophet (Oxford Univesity Press), and a Greek-English Edition of the Apostolic Fathers for the Loeb Classical Library (Harvard University Press).

In short, these two guys are all stars in their circles, both scholars of immense capability and intellect.  

I heard Dr. Craig speak as a student at UNC and Dr. Ehrman was well known on campus to the Christians.  At this point Craig was an established debater but to my knowledge Ehrman was not engaging in public debates.  I always wanted to hear a guy like Ehrman debate a guy like Craig. 

For this reason I was so interested to find the following document: Is There Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus? A Debate between William Lane Craig and Bart D. Ehrman

This is two big time dudes from differing perspectives debating what, in my view, is the most important topic one can imagine.  Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead - the culminating miracle of all history - this truth validates God's action in the person of Christ and vindicates the truth of his identity of the Son of God.

The text of the debate is available at the above site and is well worth your time to read.  On last interesting fact.  Both these men had a saving faith experience as teenagers.  Both ended up attending Wheaton, an evangelical college.  However, one left faith in his doctoral studies, one became one of its most influential defenders in our day.  Where will your life land on the issue of Jesus - it is of utmost importance.   For he is the true All-Star and unique Savior of the world.

Reality

 

 

Well, there is more than one way to fly like a bird you know.  Check out the following weekend warrior over at Wired Magazine.  A quick quote:

There is no subtle way to say this: Brian Walker plans to shoot himself nearly 20 miles into the air aboard a homemade rocket launched from what could be the world’s largest crossbow. (Seriously.)

You can check out the link and a larger version of the picture at Wired 14.06: START

 

Nope, it is not even a wonderful theological piece...rather practical advice for men in ministry who want to make it long term...

Death by Ministry | TheResurgence

Do they feel the need to make everyone gay today? This is just sad.

How Will a Gay Icon Fly at the Box Office? - Orlando Sentinel : Movies

(HT - Greg Hardin)

A friend just recently wrote the following about the Christian way...I found it impassioned and strong...in a good way:

And furthermore, for the umpteenth time, Christianity is not some fluffy relationship with God.  I have a relationship with lots of people--including you, Stacey, Reid, my parents, my brother, and a million other people.  These are entirely different kinds of relationships.  I afford these people different courtesies and that is as it should be.  What makes Christianity special is that it is a specific type of relationship--that of lordship.  "If you confess with your mouth that JESUS IS LORD."  Thus Christianity is not some buddy-buddy, only-if-we-cuddle-afterwards relationship, it the narrow gate.  It is the road to Golgotha.  It is the pearl of great price.   God did not die on the cross to slant our worldview a bit, he died and claimed the right to rule our lives, and we will have him entirely, or we've missed him--just like the Pharisees, just like Felix, just like Herod, just like Nero, and I might add, just like Hitler, who once said that Christianity, "the basis of our full morality," would be under his "firm protection."

I saw a news story that is a great metaphor for the Christian life.  Not too long ago, a van carrying college students turned over.  On the van there were two girls, both blonde, about the same size and weight.  One of them was declared dead, and the other went into a long coma.  The other day (about two weeks after the accident), the comatose one started coming around.  Her family went to see her, only to realize that it was not their daughter.  Their daughter was dead, and another family's daughter, for whom they had already had a funeral, was alive.  This is the illusion we all live under.  In all appearances, the world is alive and kicking, and Christ appears to many is inactive and dead.  But one day the truth will be revealed that Christ is the victor and this current age and is dead on the table and will be both judged and redeemed by the blood of Jesus that covers all sin.  You can live in defiance of God, believing this world and this age to be reality, but it's simply not the case.

Paul said it this way…Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

2 Cor 4:17, 18

You are walking well, young padawan