Handbells...who knew

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?

Oh Mother...

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.

The Coming Future of Pride

11 The haughty looks of man shall be brought low,
and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled,
and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.

12 For the Lord of hosts has a day
against all that is proud and lofty,
against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;

Isaiah 2:11,12 

This morning I was reading the ancient words of the Hebrew prophet Isaiah.  I stopped and paused in chapter two when the day of the Lord, a day future where all the sins and evil of the world, will meet pristine justice.   

So often in our world we are told to make much of ourselves.  Have "self" esteem - think highly of yourself, love yourself etc.  It is a strange thing to read the Scriptures with such a self obsessed world in view.  In my own heart my self importance is overestimated and wrongly ascertained.  How will God act in the face of human pride and exaltation?  Of a human creature's silly obsession with the mirror and the creations of his own hands?

• His looks will be brought low - he will not strut cocky in the face of God
• His pride will be humbled - his self-glorification will come to utter ruin as quickly as MC Hammer's fame and fortune.
  
• He will see that God alone will be exalted - all the silly celebrities, heads of state, athletes, luminaries, will look as mice as the Lord will show forth his majesty.

In that day, the day of the Lord, those who long for justice, for the revelation of God, to see him and worship him in spirit and in truth...that day will be a day of rejoicing and marvel.

 

Yet in the time we have called today - we need to heed the final words of Isaiah 2 - especially in America - for we are a prideful, indulgent, self-centered people.

 

Stop regarding man
in whose nostrils is breath,
for of what account is he?

 

Isaiah 2:22 

 

Seek the Lord while he may be found, call on him while he is near...today is a good day to seek humility, to humble ourselves, to confess pride, to seek God's grace before that coming day.

 

 

Beer, Baptists and Rock and Roll

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?

Brian McLaren's Kingdom Come

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

Here Birdie, Birdie

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>

Interesting Read on Addiction...

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) 

On Idleness and Sin

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:

CJ, Lig and I had the honor to have dinner with RC & Vesta Sproul and John Piper.  It was the first night of the Together for the Gospel conference.  And we were being hosted very graciously by Al & Mary Mohler. 

At one point the conversation turned to our busy schedules.  One person exhorted another about the importance of rest.  It was then that John Piper quietly commented "I find productivity restful for my soul." 

"Restful for my soul." 

"Productivity." 

Bodily rest is important.  Rest for the soul is even more important. 

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.

Promises Made, Promises Kept

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

More on Suburbia

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 

God of the Latte

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

Resurrection All Stars

 

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

Wanna Fly?

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

Mandatory Reading for Pastors Today

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

This is just Gay

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)

Some Keen Insight from Young Brother

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

X-men 3 - The Last Stand

 

Last night my wife, brother-in-law, and I went to see X-Men: The Last Stand at the friendly movie theater.  As a childhood fan of the Marvel Unviverse, the X-men films have been quite interesting to me.  For one, I memorized all the powers and stories of the mutants when I was a kid, so it all comes back very quickly (by the way, Rogue is completely different in the movies than in the comics).  This third installment just opened with the fourth largest box office weekend of all time and after seeing it word of mouth looks to be good.  I have found the X-men story to be interesting for several reasons, and I think it is a continual hit for some of these reasons.  In a unique story, the X-men take us towards some transcendent realities that we all long for.  Some of these mega-themes I find to connect to the gospel of grace quite readily.  I know some of you may be saying that the X-men are burdened by a naturalistic worldview and an overemphasis on "evolution" and its magic mutations.  But I think much more is going on here.  In the saga of the men called X - I find the following themes openly explored

A Longing for Justic and Equality -  How is there to be equality on the earth amidst unequals?  Societies have struggled with this since the dawn of time.  Plato and the eastern philosophies recommend a striated caste system with those suited for ruling, those more highly gifted, are given the keys to a culture.  Unfortunately such systems end of unjustly distributing privilege and power to the neglect of the week and the untouchable.  Others have sought to endow humans with certain intrinsic value due to what they are.  People have different gifts, but the same transcendent value due to their nature.  Western culture has grounded this in the image of God - that uniquely, human beings are different from all other things and share the same image - this alone gives humans value rather than their functioning capacities.  In X3 there is an interesting question asked "How can there be democracy when one man can move a city with his mind?" - Good question.  We know that we must have equality under law, but where is such equality grounded in an naturalistic, evolutionary framework where beings are clearly not equal.  Only the view of man in the imago dei, carefully grounds the invalid and the elite with the same enduring value.

A Desire to Transcend our Limitations - Everywhere on the earth man aspires to be more than he is.  Either through the finely honed development of his body through physical training or the fine tuning of the human mind, people long to escape the limited condition they find themselves in.  We desire to escape death, disease, weakness, and aging.  We desire to find hope that somehow, someday, all we be better.  Different religions offer man a way to transcend his body into an infinite reality.  The Hindu does so by looking inward to a oneness with being in meditation, the Scientologist does so by lying to himself to make himself superior due to the unlocking of the potential of his mind.  What hope does the X-men narrative offer us?  Perhaps, someday there will be a quantum leap of evolution that will take some of us to the point of being super-humans.  We love to think that somehow we will become better - maybe be able to control the elements with our minds, heal our own bodies, or at least pick up and throw really heavy things.  Our desire to be "more" points to an important truth, but reminds us of our deepest enemy.  Some day, in God's timing, we will be made more, glorified in fact, in some way we will be partakers in the divine nature to rule and reign with a great King named Jesus.  Our sicknesses, our weaknesses, and our own deaths will some day come to defeat.  Yet here is the reality, we desire to create this world with our own hands, not waiting for the hand of God.  And here is what we find.  When man attempts to re-create himself to be as a god, he always destroys himself and his neighbor.  All the utopian schemes of our history show that whether by science or political force, the one who tries bring his utopian vision on the masses always brings oppression with his hands.  We are not worthy to be our own masters, but this lesson we are slow to learn.  A self-governing system, where we are suspicious of power residing in one and only one place (checks and balances), where people are governed by truth and morality, yes by God, seems to be the best system we have seen.  All others which are led by self proclaimed super-men always break the backs of the conquered while buckling under the pride and deception of its own regime.  We some day will be changed, with powers exceeding the X-men, but it will be at the revelation of the Sons of God, not at the hell unleashed by the minds of men.

A Clearly Defined Moral Universe -  In the X-men we see good and evil as the categories which separate.  These categories transcend mutant and human with good and evil on all sides of the DNA arrangement.   This goodness seems to transcend the stage upon which the X-men drama takes place.  Ethics are not found in DNA, they are found in the souls of human beings - the one's who watch these movies know that Magneto and his warring, power lustful, ways are not "good" and the self-sacrificing, peace seeking X-men are not "the evil guys."  How do we know these things?  Such is a great clue to the reality of our world.  There is a transcendent fountain of truth and goodness.  From his very character flow to us the categories of right and wrong - without ethics grounded in the very nature of God, we could not watch the X-men and know anything of the story.  For without this reality - we would not know right from wrong and could not sense the drama unfolding before us.   Though there is a scene in X3 where Xavier is teaching young minds "ethics" in a way that leans toward denying the transcendent reality, this quickly passes and the world of the movies is very much the real world.  One in which there is a real evil afoot, one which must be thwarted by those who love what is good.   We are drawn to the X-men's stories for no other reason - we see ourselves on both sides of the battles.  We are the ones who are greedy, power hungry, humans who will oppress the weak and kill our neighbor.  Yet we desire to be more like the good we see, yet we know not how to change ourselves or our world.  Who will deliver us from such a condition.  Superman?  Maybe, maybe a Super-man, one whose sandals we are unfit to tie.  One who died to forgive us for our sins and our demons and give us new hearts to be more like him.  The one in whom all goodness dwelt fully in bodily form.

Enjoy the X-men and take its evolutionary nonsense with an intelligent mind.  You know that a gene mutation does not make a man able to pick up a skyscraper.  But we also should know that the desires of the X-men are not fulfilled in a naturalistic, evolutionary worldview.  Only in the real world that God has made and rules will we be delivered.  For it is in the hands of God that we find transcendence, moral reality, and in the end of all things, there will be perfect justice and peace.

Trust Jesus - rather than the professor or Wolverine.  But enjoy the movie and worship the living God and desire not your children to be mutants.  This is never a good thing. 

US Men's Soccer

Over the years I have had several born again Soccer experiences.  Beginning "Dead in My Soccer Sins" I was raised by my Dad thinking that Soccer was for sissies and communists.  It just was not a manly, American sport in my eyes.  What a small closed minded American sportsmen I was!

My first conversion happened as a Freshman at UNC Chapel Hill.  First, the women's soccer team was so ridiculously good that you could not help but be a fan.  They were fun to watch, dominant, and many of them were smoking good looking (like my wife Kasey for instance - we met at UNC where she was on the soccer team).  So I became a rabind "women's" soccer fan.  At this point in my life soccer was good for "women, sissies, and communists."  I married that soccer player and became a big fan of hers for life.

My next step in Soccer Sanctification happened in our first ministry assignment with Athletes in Action.  Kasey and I were sent to the University of Kentucky to work with athletes and complete a two year period of ministry training.  My first team to work with was...you guessed it "MEN's Soccer" - now at this time I thought these two words together formed an immediate contradiction...for their could be no "soccer" for "MEN" - boy was I wrong.  I had so much fun ministering with these young men.  We saw half the team come to Jesus and I ended up having about 12 dudes from this team in my house for Bible studies.  These guys were raw, not typical church boys.  Hungry to grow, with huge questions, all the rough edges you could imagine - just fun.  And I began to go to their games and realized how intense, athletic, and yes...well, yes...even tough these guys were.  Now, they could never whip wrestlers and they still look silly bouncing balls on their heads, but these were men, yes dudes, tough guys. 

The final and complete step of my growth as a soccer fan took place spending summers in the Czech Republic during major soccer competitions (namely the 2000 Euro Cup and the 2002 World Cup).  To watch beautiful play, with knowledgeable fans is a sure treat...which brings me to a quandry about last nights warm up game in Nashville between the US Men's side and the Moroccans.

• Short story - we lost...and Morocco is not good
• Longer story - we held out our best guys for much of the play and the game, from what I have read, was not pretty to watch.

I think these are great opportunities to showcase Soccer to the American public, good PR games, etc.  But when the stars are not playing full out, the game suffers, and we loose to lesser opponents.  What to do?  I know we must focus on the World Cup Games - but it would be good to see more of the best we offer on our soil.

Anyway, the US men are currently ranked 5th in the world, made it to the 2002 World Cup Quarterfinals loosing a close (we got ripped off) match to the Germans.  US Men's Soccer is on the rise.  Our women, well they have been good for a long time.

Chear for our American Footballers this year in the World Cup - they open next month agains the Czech Republic - the nation where my final roots as a football fan were sunk deep.   I pray we bring our A game as our initial pool is pretty tough.  We need to win the first one as the Italians will be next.

Long live the dudes that bounce the ball off of their heads.  But in honesty, I pray my two girls are All American Soccer players...but I hope my son puts on the Helmet and pads and grabs some pig skin.  Or even learns from his pop how to grab a hold of somebody, sling em down and pin em.  

For we know that real men are wrestlers...but soccer is for men as well...just perhaps softer, pretty boy men who like to use products in their hair.

Out

Top Weekends Openings...

 

Which films garnered the top two opening weekends at the box office for adult-geared motion pictures?

Yes, they both have Jesus as their subject matter.

1. Featuring an account of Jesus which follows a more faithful account - The Passion of the Christ
2. Featuring a distorted non-factual Christ story - Da Vinci Code

Is it not amazing that 2000 years after his life - Jesus is still the most interesting person who evered lived?   Have you ever wondered why this is so? The answer is more than amazing...

The following link is to an analysis of this weekend's box office results:

Box Office Mojo > News > 'Da Vinci' Almighty

Peru Update IV

 
One of the last events I spoke at in Peru was an open forum at San Marcos University, the oldest University in Latin America founded in 1551.  There is a great little Wiki on San Marcos here. 

When we arrived it was quite a scene - we walked past a political protest on to the venue where we would be sharing with students.  The room was packed to capacity and filled with anticipation.  I went out to use the rest room and found that there were lines of students around the building trying to get into the venue.  Students packed the chairs, the floor, the aisles, the back of the room and hung in the doorways where many listened in the packed hallway.

It was an unbelievable turn out – I estimate around 300-400 in a very small room.  We only had an hour – 40 min for talk/translation and 20 min for Q and A.  It was incredible – the questions tense, intelligent and poignant.  All were about the Bible, the identity of Jesus, textual transmission, the resurrection…but of course right when it started to get really good I was whisked out the door into a cab, for a 45 min drive across town to another church equipping event. 

The church event went well, but I just wished we could have stayed at the University longer.  Overall the trip was a great time to speak about the true and living Jesus to young people all over the Peruvian capital.  In future trips, I think University forums are a great way to share the gospel with the future young leaders of this nation.

Humbled as always by the faithfulness of our God to use the foolish things of the world (like me) in his eternally decreed plans.  For this I am thankful and give our glory to the crucified one who lived, died and rose for the salvation of his people.  To him I offer thanks and praise from a weary body and soul.