Dueling with Words

"Because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to vomit you out of my mouth." - Revelation 3:16

Because of my last post (see Something More than Life, below), I became involved in a debate on Facebook with a self-described atheist/agnostic. This individual and I have been friends for a decade, and though we haven't really seen each other in a few years, our conversations always avoid the polite chit-chat or typical fluff about the weather, sports, or the past, and we engage in serious conversation about real ideas. In this latest debate, my friend once again displayed his razor-sharp intellect and quick wit. His weighty comments required of me more than the usual "pat answers" that Christians often give to skeptics; it was a genuine meeting of the minds, and I sensed a mutual respect even in the midst of our fervent disagreements.

This reminded me of a novel written nearly 100 years ago by G. K. Chesterton. Entitled The Ball and the Cross and set in Victorian England, it is the story of a fervent Christian Theist who challenges an equally fervent Modern Atheist to an illegal duel. They meet to fight to the death, but keep getting interrupted and end up dueling with words. Word of their saber fight gets out and they begin to be chased by interested commoners as well as the police. Over the course of their interaction, they begin to develop a liking for one another, and they slowly come to realize that they are not enemies. In fact, they are fighting the same battle: a battle against a world in which people no longer believe in anything enough to stand up and defend it no matter what the cost. I won't give away the ending, but let's just say that eventually, their swords do cross!

Not much has changed in the past century. We see few Christian Theists like the one in Chesterton's novel (or like Paul at Mars Hill and Bonhoeffer in Nazi Germany). Most Christians prefer to believe in a bland, moralistic, therapeutic Deism (to steal the phrase originally coined by Christian Smith) in which religion is a matter of personal feelings and individual preferences, rather than a total devotion to a systematic worldview. Likewise, many modern atheists/agnostics hold views that are rooted in rebellious, nihilistic cynicism, rather than ones based on a rational appraisal of the facts of existence. They do not have the intellectual integrity of the atheist in the novel, or some modern unbelievers like Ayn Rand and others.

The majority of people today seem to be motivated by a desire to not say anything offensive, or to avoid being pinned down to any firm truth commitment. Even in churches, and (I'm sorry to say) in far too many pulpits, the motive to be popular and relevant seems to have eclipsed the motive to speak truth with conviction. Many Christians today are seeking after leaders with the look of a GQ model and the rhetorical flourish of a late-night talk show host, regardless of their intellectual seriousness or integrity. And what's worse, many Christians today seem to be getting what little theology they have from Christian rock music (which is annoyingly inferior to its secular counterparts) rather than from a serious wrestling with the truths of the faith. I'm not saying that every Christian ought to have the brain of a philosopher...but I do think that God is asking every Christian to use the brain he or she has to "support his or her faith with knowledge," to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," and to "always be prepared to give an answer for the hope we have within us."

If this comes off a bit judgmental, so be it. But I firmly believe that this is a telling symptom of the state of our culture, which has become so "lukewarm" about truth that it is literally making God hurl. I thank God for the many unbelievers He has led into my life, for whom I continue to pray and with whom I hope to continue to dialogue. They always engage me in honorable duels, sharpen my intellect...and we somehow manage to have fun in the process! En garde!

Something More Than Life

Since we are in the middle of Holy Week, I've been thinking a lot about the concept of resurrection, which is what we Christians celebrate at Easter. It's a bit farfetched these days to believe in anything like a literal resurrection and all that it entails: that death is not the final chapter of our lives; that we were made to live forever; indeed, that all of existence (which seems to show nothing but death and decay) will be remade according to its original glorious design. It's truly irrational and unbelievable.


In spite of this, it seems to be a universal hope.


Three of my favorite writers--G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, and J. R. R. Tolkien (why do they insist on being known by their initials??)--all made the same fascinating observation:


Throughout human history, almost every culture and religion has taught something akin to resurrection. Almost every ancient pagan religion has some myth about a god who is killed and then comes back to life. In Norse mythology, it was the god Balder. For the ancient Egyptians, it was Osiris. For the Celtic peoples of Britain, it was the god Lugh who was killed by being hung on a tree and then comes back in victory.


But then let's look at modern philosophies and worldviews: All of them, even the most atheistic and materialistic, do not merely tell you that life is good exactly the way it is. They all say that life will only be good in some unknown, ideal future when all the injustices and human failures are eradicated and the goodness of life is renewed. This is true of the socialism of Karl Marx, the Objectivism of Ayn Rand, and even the American Progressivism of Barack Obama and his allies. Eastern philosophies and religions do this as well.


Not one philosophy or religion of life has taught us that we must be satisfied with the world as it is. Every single human teaching avers that there is something more than life that is just beyond our grasp, something that gives our lives meaning and hope and renewal, and it exists either in some mythical past of gods and goddesses or in some undefined future that we have yet to see.


There is only one religion that teaches that the something more than life, for which we all hope, actually became a tangible, datable fact of history. That fact is that Jesus Christ lived and was crucified "under Pontius Pilate" (which even Greek, Roman, and Jewish historians attest) and that He rose to new life. The early Christians insisted on the historicity of the resurrection to the point that Saint Paul proclaimed, "If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith" (I Corinthians 15:14). He was willing to stake the entire Christian faith on the fact of Christ's resurrection as a historical event.


Christians do not believe that they are better than anyone else. What they do believe is that they have found a concrete answer to the deep desire that animates every human heart -- or rather, they believe that the concrete Answer has found them. Because of that, they are able to enjoy the something more than life even here on earth, and on their best days, they live their lives in a way that makes that something more than life visible to others.


If you are a Christian, take a moment to recognize that what you celebrate this Sunday is not merely a nice tradition or an orthodox theological dogma: it is the deepest truth that every human being desires, even if they can't admit it to themselves. May that recognition give added meaning to this season for you.


If you are not a Christian, I still challenge you to take a moment and celebrate this Easter. Celebrate the fact that deep down, you know that life as we know it is not enough for you. You want something more. Something that you may not be able to define. But something that you hope is real.


Have a blessed Easter!


(For more insights on this, I highly recommend G. K. Chesterton's The Everlasting Man, J. R. R. Tolkien's essay "On Fairy Stories," and C. S. Lewis' book Miracles or his essay "Myth Become Fact." Great reading!)

Recommended Reading

Well, as of January 1, I broke my ritual fast of all theology- or church-related books, and I jumped right into the sometimes-inspiring, sometimes-frustrating, always-challenging world of Christian reflection.

I highly recommend that you look at the first two books that I read, both recent releases:

The first is Colin Marshall and Tony Payne's The Trellis and the Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift That Changes Everything (Kingsford, NSW, Australia: Matthias Media, 2009).

What I love about the book is that the authors take seriously the valid frustrations, raised by the Emergent and the House Church movements, regarding the tendency of both traditional and seeker-sensitive churches to focus too much energy and resources into corporate structures and institutions. They are in total agreement with the Emergents and the House Church people that Christianity ought primarily to be about freely investing in relational ministry, and that traditional and seeker-sensitive church models both have the tendency to create "spiritual consumers" rather than authentic disciples of Jesus.

However, Marshall and Payne avoid the truly unbiblical aspects of the Emergents like Spencer Burke (who shy away from making absolute truth statements concerning Christ and who believe that one can be a Christian apart from any connection to a church) and the House Church people like Frank Viola (who extrapolate their own frustrations about "institutional Christianity" into a rallying call to do away with any institutional framework, even that which is biblically mandated).


The image of a trellis and a vine illustrates the third alternative offered in this book, and I believe it will be helpful to others like myself who see the immense problems with the institutional church as it currently exists, but who are also deeply concerned with where the Emergent Church and House Church movements seem to be headed, both theologically and practically. I give the book my highest recommendation. It is available online at http://www.matthiasmedia.com/index.php/.




My second recommendation is James K. A. Smith's The Devil Reads Derrida: And Other Essays on the University, the Church, Politics, and the Arts (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009). Smith is a professor of theology and philosophy at Calvin College here in Grand Rapids. His goal in this book is to interpret current cultural realities through the lens of a broadly Calvinist perspective.



His reflection on the role of Christians in the universities is very insightful. In a world in which many institutions of higher education view their students as little more than "consumers," Smith proposes that Christians must heed the high, counter-cultural call to be disciple-makers of college students.


His theological interpretations of various recent movies, including The Devil Wears Prada, American Beauty, and Little Miss Sunshine, are incredibly helpful and challenge all Christians to enter into the culture with discerning eyes and elicit the biblical messages that are already there.


And he is ruthlessly critical of the political Right and the political Left, articulating his hope that Christians will stop dividing themselves over political agendas and instead focus on the high call of Christian formation through dynamic worship.


Although I fervently disagree with a great deal of Smith's analysis and conclusions, I am grateful for the challenge that the book afforded me, and I think Christians of all backgrounds will find his work both meaningful and helpful in their own discipleship.

Light in the Darkness

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned."

- Isaiah 9:2

This is a classic Christmas verse that we hear every year at some point during the Advent season. It has become one of those sentimental texts that hits our ears and somehow provokes a nice reaction in our hearts, without being absorbed fully in our brains. Darkness becomes light. A nice positive message over which we should rejoice, right?

Or is it?

Have you ever been in a situation of darkness for a long time, when your eyes have become totally adjusted to it and you're actually able to make your way around? What would be your initial reaction if someone immediately shined a light in your eyes? Would you welcome the light?

No! Whether you've just been awakened by someone turning on your bedroom light, or you're seeing approaching headlights while driving on a lonely, unillumined road in the dark... Your eyes are used to the darkness, and your first reaction is not to welcome it but to shield yourself from it, fearing its penetrating brightness. You must make a choice to allow your eyes to adjust to the light, in order that you might see the things the light reveals.

John's Gospel tells us that "Light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. All those who do evil hate the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed" (John 3:19-20). All humans live in a state of willful rebellion against their Creator. Until recently this was generally accepted as the doctrine of Original Sin. To such rebelliousness, the Divine light of truth is not something that is initially welcome, for it will expose those things which made darkness so appealing.

In American culture the Christmas story has become so "sanitized" that it no longer makes the impact that should be made by a bright light shining in darkness. It has become a cutesy children's tale, enmeshed in elements of paganism and commercialism, that does nothing to penetrate beneath the surface of our lives and shock us with a prophetic indictment that should accompany the proclamation of God's Word.

Can we reclaim the message of Luke 1, which tells us that the cultural, political, and religious establishment generally fails to grasp what God is really all about, and that we must be receptive to messages of Divine truth from unexpected places, from the fringe of life?

Are we willing to view Mary and Joseph in a different light...not as iconic, perfect saints but as a scared young couple willing to put everything on the line for the sake of the call God placed on their lives? Are Christ-followers willing to be more like that second option, instead of unfairly holding themselves and others to the standard of the first?

Can we discern a deeper meaning in the story of the Magi, whose faith in pagan religious practices and in their own wisdom led them to the evil dictator Herod, while it was the Word of God alone that led them to Baby of Bethlehem?

Is there a political message in the story of King Herod, who ruled with lies and fear rather than with truth and justice? Will the "Herods" of our day (of all political affiliations) learn to bend their knees before the true King of Kings and be willing to expose all their deeds to the light of Christ's truth?

Most importantly, are we willing to acknowledge that so much of what we define as Christmas today...commercialism, entertainment, obligatory gifts, and wanton busyness...that these things have nothing to do with the One whose birth we celebrate and whose life we claim as our standard of everything that is true and good.

May the light of Christmas break through the darkness of sin, injustice, and apathy, that we may truly sing, "Joy to the world! The Lord is come!"

Reflections on "The Sing-Off"

This past week my wife and I became engrossed in NBC's new talent competition, "The Sing-Off." What an incredible display of vocal talent by very diverse groups of singers! You don't have to be a musician to appreciate how tough it is for a group to sing a cappella music well, and these groups have nailed it each night!

My two favorite groups are "Nota" (who have given a distinctively urban grit to a cappella music) and "The Beelzebubs" (who combine off-the-wall college-boy antics with superior vocal stylings, and they project the simple fact that music is just plain fun). Going with my gut, I'll predict that "The Beelzebubs" will take the grand prize, but I think "Nota" will give them a tough fight till the end.

Even though I am staying away from theology books until January 1, I've been reminded through my reading of secular books that anything can provoke theological reflection, for God has saturated every inch of His creation with clues to His character and truth. One only needs to seek, and he will find. (I think I read that somewhere...)

With that in mind, here is a nugget of theological wisdom that "The Sing-Off" has helped me to clarify:

The human voice is the only musical instrument that God made without any help from human beings, and it is without a doubt the most beautiful instrument of all. As my wife and I watched "The Sing-Off," we marveled at what those human voices were able to do musically, without any help from man-made pianos, guitars, or drums. And yet it is not so marvelous, when one considers that God specifically designed the human voice for the high and holy purpose of worshipping Him.

Our voices also have more power than any other instrument--for good or evil--to touch us on the deepest levels of our being. But therein lies a profound tragedy, for I believe that part of our rebellion against God is the misuse of our voices. In today's culture, so much of our speech and our singing is focused downward, towards the basest and most sinful elements of life. Ben Folds is one of the judges on "The Sing-Off," a very talented composer, pianist, and singer...and yet his songs are replete with gratuitous profanity, sexuality, and hedonism which make it difficult to respect the serious ideas that his lyrics (sometimes) contain.

Unfortunately, even Christians (including myself) have a way of misusing our voices: communicating anger rather than joy and peace, speaking words of judgment and hostility rather than words of grace and reconciliation. We raise our voices in these improper ways, and yet on Sunday mornings we do not raise our voices with the same level of intensity in our worship to God. That is, in my opinion, sinful, and it reveals the fallenness of the human voice and its need for redemption. If every Christian congregation sang with the same fervency and joy as "Nota" or "The Beelzebubs," I believe the world would be converted in no time.

Indeed, what Christian churches might learn from "Nota," "The Beelzebubs," and the other groups on "The Sing-Off" is how to incarnate an ensemble that resounds with the sonorous harmonies of the Gospel. For I believe if you asked any of those a cappella groups how they got to where they are, they would answer the following (in substance, if not exactly in form):

1 - Ensembles work only when each individual brings forth the best of who he or she is. Slackers, in the long run, will do more harm than good.

2 - Ensembles do not come into existence overnight. When you join a new ensemble, do not be too quick to judge if it does not perform exactly the way you think it should. Perhaps it is you who needs to alter your expectations.

3 - Becoming an ensemble is hard work: you must get to know and appreciate each others' voices, you must commit to learning your part of the score, and you must find a way to blend all the parts harmoniously, knowing when to hold back your own part and when to stand out.

4 - Becoming a good ensemble requires both task-oriented work (learning the music, perfecting the vocals, etc...) and relationship work (encouraging each other, learning to work together in a positive, affirming manner, etc...), and the leadership must be diligent in intuiting which type of work is called for.

5 - Coming together for rehearsal should never be seen as an end in itself. The purpose is always to go out and share the ensembles' gifts with others. If our music is only being heard by our own ensemble, why the heck are we bothering?

Happy Thanksgiving!

For the Christian, and even for the Jew, this day is kind of unnecessary.

Seriously, those of us who claim the Biblical story as our own should not need to set aside one day of the year for giving thanks. Thankfulness ought to be the consistent emotion of our hearts, given what we believe about who God is and who we are.

The Biblical account avers that each individual is a sinner who stands (deservingly) under God's judgment. Ironically, however, the Bible also affirms the incredible reality that God Himself continuously takes the initiative in reaching out to us in reconciliation and love.

In fact, Scripture's unique message is that true religion never consists of human beings trying to take the initiative with God. True religion is always a humble response to what God already has graciously done on our behalf.

God took the initiative in creating us in His Divine image and charging us with the holy responsibility of being stewards of creation. He took the initiative in seeking us out when we fell short of His standards. He took the initiative in creating a community of people - the Jews - who were called to live out His will in the world that all nations might be blessed. And he took the initiative to dwell among us in the Person of Jesus Christ, bringing the definitive revelation of God's character and purposes, and the definitive act of redemption in the scandalous beauty of the Cross.

And what is our part in this? Simply to respond...to repent, believe, and live a life worthy of the love that God has so freely given to us. We do not come closer to God by doing anything, certainly not be taking any initiative with God.

In fact, the Bible reveals with total honesty the horrors that result when we humans come before God with a grasping ambition. We need only think of Adam and Eve going for the fruit of the tree, the building of the Tower of Babel, Abraham's attempt to "force" God to give him the heir He promised, etc... In the long run, anything we do apart from God's grace will give us little reason for thankfulness.

So enjoy today: The parades, the football, the time with family, the food, and the shopping (well, maybe not the shopping...). But in your prayers ask God to cultivate within your soul a consistent "attitude of gratitude" that transcends this national holiday. Certainly the Pilgrims - those whom we commemorate on this day - would agree with me.

Inklings and Emergents

I have made no apology about my obsession with The Inklings, whose writings have shaped my thinking more than any others (except--hopefully--for the Bible). I also attempt to keep up on what is current in Christian thinking and practice, not because I'm particularly interested in being "relevant" or "with it" but because we must follow Christ's command to read the signs of the times. For that reason, I also am interested in listening to the leaders of the Emerging Church like Brian McClaren, Dan Kimball, Spencer Burke, and Tony Jones.

I recently brought these two stands of thought together and came up with a remarkable observation: the two groups of Christian thinkers have some interesting commonalities, as well as some telling divergences.

Here's what I think:

COMMONALITIES:

1 - Both groups regarded themselves as an "informal conversation" rather than a formal, structured church ministry. Their conversation generally occurred outside the framework of institutional religion - in fact, more often than not, it occurs in pubs with pints of beer in abundance.

2 - Both groups are "trans-denominational," drawing from all backgrounds and theological perspectives.

3 - Both groups were critical of modern rationalism which confines all truth to scientific categories and all religious belief into a shallow, respectable "churchianity."

4 - Likewise, both groups were critical of the modernist view of God (almost Deism) and sought to reclaim the free, wild, sovereign Christ who shatters all of our pretentions and dares us to follow Him.

5 - Both groups prefered to use the arts (rather than systematic treatises) to communicate the Christian faith, seeking to engage the "intuitive imagination" (rather than just reason) of their audiences.

6 - Both groups had severe criticism for the institutional churches of their age for being more interested in self-preservation than in communicating Christian truth to people in contemporary language and in practical ways.

7 - Interestingly (but perhaps superficially), both groups were composed of white males. This is not a criticism of either group. It does, however, point to an irony in the Emergent movement, a movement which claims to represent a more diverse Christianity than that of the modern church.

DIVERGENCES:

1 - While the Inklings were made up almost exclusively of laymen, most of the Emerging Christians are either pastors or have served in some official capacity in a local church.

2 - The Inklings may have been deeply critical of the open heresy and sin in various Christian communions, but they were entirely supportive of (and indeed, loved) The Church as an institutional reality. On the contrary, most Emerging Christians are (at the very least) critical of The Church as an institutional reality, some of them opting to leave the church entirely. They stress the relational aspect of the Gospel almost to the point that they believe that the Institution is more of a hindrance than a means of furthering the relationship.

3 - The Inklings believed that their role was to bring the Church back to its basic faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and to fight against a watered-down, relativistic gospel that seemed prevalent in many denominations. Emergents, on the other hand, seem to believe that their role is to bring the Church into a greater engagement with American Culture, even as they present a very watered-down, relativistic gospel...even to the point of denying the exclusivity of Jesus Christ or His substitutionary atonement on the Cross.

4 - The Inklings followed the wisdom of the ancient and medievals writers who believed that, while our knowledge may not be 100% perfect, our minds are capable of reasoning, making judgments, and knowing the difference between truth and falsehood, right and wrong. Conversely, Emergent Christians are deeply suspicious of any truth claims and seem offended by any inference that a person must choose either/or.

5 - The Inklings, by and large, held a high view of the Bible and of the historic confessions of the Church. For them, these are not "living documents" to be updated in different cultural realities, but truth statements that confront all cultures and challenge people to repent and believe. Obviously, the Emergents have a much more watered-down view of Scripture and the Creeds, believing that nothing in Scripture is above culture. Therefore, cultural realities become the standard by which to interpret Scripture and the Creeds (rather than the other way around).

Well, that's what I think. What do you think?

The Practical Significance of the Trinity

Tomorrow is Trinity Sunday, in which we acknowledge and celebrate one of the most distinctive theological tenets of the Christian faith.

Our confession that the Divine actually exists, and that we can know objectively true information about the Divine, distinguishes us from atheism and agnosticism. We distinguish ourselves from deism (as well as much of ancient pagan philosophy) by affirming that the Divine is a personal Being who continues to interact with the world He has created through revelation and miraculous acts.

However, we also classify ourselves differently from the pantheistic (or panentheistic) tendencies of Hinduism, Buddhism, and many current spiritual fads by affirming that the Divine is a transcendent Being who confronts all nature with His sovereign holiness. Finally, the Christian belief about God is at odds with Judaism and Islam in that, while we affirm God's unity, it is a unity that is expressed mysteriously in three distinct Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

As a theological doctrine, the Trinity has been grappled with for centuries. Specifically, we owe a debt of gratitude to the great Cappadocian Fathers of the Eastern Church (Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianus) and Saint Augustine of the Western Church for their masterful attempts of expressing the life of the Trinity. Today we are seeing a remarkable renewal of trinitarian thought among both Protestant and Catholic theologians.

However, in honor of Trinity Sunday, I would just like to share a few brief thoughts I've been thinking about this doctrine's practical significance in the everyday life of the individual believer, and in the life of the Church:

First of all, the Doctrine of the Trinity reminds us that Ultimate Reality is relational in nature. The highest Truth in existence is not a static, bare fact to be analyzed or reasoned about: Ultimate Truth is the creative, dynamic interaction—the perichoresis—among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who exist in intimate communion with one another.

Perhaps this should give us a clue as to how we should “package” the truths of our faith. While systematic theologies and rational apologetics serve an indispensable purpose as part of the package, Christians must understand that living out the truths of faith in intimate communion with others, and in a dynamic and creative way, is perhaps the best way to communicate truthfully the nature of the God we represent, worship, and serve.

Secondly, the Doctrine of the Trinity implies that unity and diversity need not be contradictory terms, but that they together give us a deep insight into the nature of truth and reality. The three Persons of the Trinity are clearly distinct; there is, therefore, diversity within the Godhead. At the same time, the Godhead is inseparably unified in essence and in purpose; thus, there is also unity.

This extraordinary fact of the Divine relationship may have something unique to say about human relationships as well, especially in the church. There are those Christian denominations that call for a unity that is almost “uniformity”—a situation that allows for no originality or creativity in communicating and living out our faith. At the other side of the spectrum are those who champion diversity at all costs, to the extent it is nearly impossible to acknowledge or articulate what truly unites us (the Gospel) without being labeled “offensive” or “doctrinaire.” Our Trinitarian God can be a model for us as we strive to acknowledge and celebrate the rich diversity that exists within the Christian community, while also unapologetically confessing a greater unity because of the reconciling work of Jesus Christ.

Finally, individual human beings (both male and female) are created in the Image of God (Genesis 1:27). As an individual I am a multi-faceted creature, and my identity cannot be reduced merely to my body, or my mind, or my emotions. All three constitute distinct parts of one being: me. As the Trinity is three distinct Persons in one God, I must strive to harmonize the distinct aspects of my personality into the single purpose of loving God and loving others (Mark 12:28-31).

Loving others, I must show respect for these different facets of personality in every person I meet. I can never view another human being as merely a body to be exploited, emotions to be manipulated, or a mind to be debated. I must view each human being as a whole person…as my neighbor…and as C. S. Lewis once aptly remarked, “Next to the blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses” (C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory). May God daily grant me the ability to see His Trinitarian Image in my wife, my friends, my congregation members, and every person I meet, and may He give me the grace to love them as He loves them.

"Engaged With God" - A Biblical Look at Worship

WARNING: Before reading this blog entry, read Psalm 96. This is an adaptation of a sermon I preached a while back.


As is true with many terms among Christians, the word “worship” can become a cliché without any significant content if we don’t stop to consider its true meaning.
- Jerry Solomon, pastor

I take that quote seriously, because I think that there is a lot of confusion in the Body of Christ regarding what worship really is. Each of us defines it differently and has differing expectations, but we don’t often ask ourselves how God defines worship and what He expects from us.

And I know this is going to sound a little weird, but in order to get into that, I’d like to tell you about I proposed to my wife Cherith. Guys, when you proposed to your wives, how many of you got down on one knee?

I didn’t get down on one knee. I thought that it was sort of old-fashioned. But here’s what I did: I cooked dinner for her, I had a fire blazing in the fireplace, I had roses for her, and then I took her to the top of Mt. Washington in Pittsburgh. We just sat down on a park bench there, and I took out the ring and proposed. By the way, it was late November and about 20 degrees outside, so when I said, “Will you marry me?” her response was “y-e-e-s-s-s.”

Cherith told me that I did everything perfect that night. But in retrospect, I wish I had gotten down on one knee.

Since then I learned what that symbol really means. It’s from the days when warriors were knighted. They would get down on one knee before the rulers of the land, and it was basically a sign of unconditional faithfulness, a sign of their willingness to fight and even to die for their beloved country. And when this symbol was transferred to marriage proposals, it was the man saying the same thing to his beloved: I pledge my unconditional faithfulness to you, and I am willing to fight and even die for you.

Now, the reason I’m starting out with this is because I see a parallel with the Bible. In my opinion, the entire Old Testament is kind of like God’s courtship with His chosen beloved, His people. It’s God and Israel coming into a deeper and fuller understanding of each other, Israel coming to a greater awareness of what God’s heart is all about. And then in an incredibly dramatic act, God kind of got down on one knee. Like a medieval knight...or like a man in love...He humbled Himself and showed the depth of His commitment to us His beloved by affirming that He is willing to fight for us and to die for us — in fact, that He did die for us. In spite of our sin and rebellion, He is committed and wants to be united with us for all eternity.

Some people say that the Bible is God’s love letter to humanity. I would challenge that by saying that Scripture is God’s proposal of marriage to His Church. We are the “Bride-to-be” - that’s one of the major biblical images of the church. We are engaged to God. The wedding date is set some time in the future. And in the meantime, how we respond to God’s proposal is worship.

I told you how I proposed. Now I’m going to tell you 4 things that Cherith did in response to my proposal — and I think these 4 things are common to most young ladies in love. And I want to suggest that these 4 things can help us to interpret what Scripture says about worship.

The first thing Cherith did after accepting my proposal was she got emotional and she told me how much she loved me. And in the months of our engagement, she very creatively expressed how much I meant to her. She made me some home-made greeting cards for every holiday known to man, as well as a few holidays that she made up just for an excuse to give me a card. She wrote me an “old fashioned love letter” on three pages of notebook paper. Nowadays you can just whip out your cell phone and text "I luv u,” but she took the time to do it right. She expressed genuine and heartfelt gratitude to me just for being who I am. You might think it gave me a big head...maybe it did alittle, but on the whole it was quite humbling. As a man who had been a bachelor until age 32, I can’t tell you how much it meant to hear who I am in the eyes of the person I love.

And if that’s any indication of how God wants us to respond to His proposal, then a huge part of worship is simply expressing to God who He is in our eyes...what He means to us. This is the sense of the first words of Psalm 96: “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise His name.” I think the first aspect of a biblical idea of worship is PRAISE.

Our culture has, in many ways, reduced worship to having music that I feel comfortable with, getting a sermon that addresses my felt needs, and that holds my attention for an hour or so. But if you look at Scripture, worship has very little to do with me...with us. We shouldn’t come to worship expecting to get anything for us; we should come to worship prepared to rejoice in God for all that He has already blessed us with. That is the biblical concept of worship.

But I’m afraid that America has become a place where it is easier to complain about what we don’t have or to act like a victim, rather than to take an honest look at the magnitude of what God has given to us. In preparing to write this, I did a little exercise. I sat at my computer desk with a blank page of Microsoft Word in front of me, and I challenged myself to take 20 minutes and list as many personal blessings from God to me. The result was an 8-page list with 30 blessings per page.

And that’s just what I was able to come up with in 20 minutes!

To praise someone is to recognize something that they are or something that they have done. That’s what we should be doing with God. Yet today, we look at everything we have and we see it as a deserved entitlement rather than as a gracious gift. We even see heaven itself as the rightful destination of everybody after they die, rather than a costly gift given only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. When we fail to see magnitude of what God has done on our behalf, what He has given to us, our worship will be inadequate regardless of the musical style, the technology, or anything else.

As a challenge to anybody who feels like taking it up: Next Sunday morning, before you come to church, take just 10 minutes, and make a list like I did, of all the blessings that you recognize in your life. And after church, see if your experience of worship was any different.

You see, to praise God requires that we adjust our attitude before we come to worship, rather than coming to worship hoping that God will adjust our attitude. As one of my seminary profs used to say, “We praise God not in the hope of receiving something from Him, but in the acknowledgment of what we have already received.”

But praise is only the first aspect of a biblical view of worship. And now I’ll go back to my illustration of Cherith’s response to my proposal.

After we returned home as an engaged couple, the first thing Cherith did was go to the phone and start calling people, telling them the good news: “He finally asked me!” She couldn’t wait to call her parents, my parents, her siblings, my siblings, and all of her girlfriends. And she didn’t just say, “Yeah I’m engaged.” She rehashed every single detail about it. And why? Because for Cherith, every time she told somebody about it, it was like she was reliving that moment for herself.

And I think that’s true not just of getting engaged, but of any meaningful experience in our lives...Marriages, family vacations, mission trips, births… When you talk about them with others, it adds a level of depth to your experience and somehow makes it more meaningful than it already was.

We look at the second part of Psalm 96, we see a similar theme: “Proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

If I can summarize this in one word, I would say PROCLAMATION.

Apparently worship isn’t just praising God and telling God how great He is, but it’s also telling other people how great He is too. It’s bearing witness to what you believe in the presence of others. Throughout the New Testament, one of the Greek words used for “worship” is aineo, and a real translation of that word is “to announce and to celebrate.”

We Americans have a “gentleman’s agreement” to kind of keep our religious commitments under wraps...mostly I think because we’re afraid of offending anyone or of looking like some “religious nuts.” But the truth of the matter is, if my relationship with God is just between Him and me...if I’m not testifying about that relationship to others...I’d say that relationship isn’t really all that important to me.

That would be like an engaged woman saying to her future husband, “Yes, we’re engaged, but I don’t want anyone else to know about it, and I don’t want to invite anyone to our wedding.” Does that sound like love? True worship isn’t just praising the beloved: it’s also proclaiming to others what the beloved means to us.

Some of the most moving worship services that I’ve attended included a time of personal testimony...when a someone, almost moved to tears, shares with the congregation the real experiences of God that they’ve had.

So worship includes both praise and proclamation.

But there’s a third element of our engagement with God, so let’s go back to my engagement to Cherith. After I proposed Cherith did what most engaged women do: she put on the ring that I gave her. And that was a sign to any other guy out there that might have been interested, that she put one above all the rest: that only one has the right to her total allegiance. So all those other guys would have to back off. I'm the man!!!!

Again, if we look at our Psalm for today, we see these words: “For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and glory are in His sanctuary.”

These are great words, but they say something that’s very challenging to us. They say that to worship is to put God above anything else in our lives that might claim to be a “god” to us. Anything else that demands our unquestioning allegiance must be put second. A biblical understanding of worship means that we show a PREFERENCE for God above anything else in creation.

And let’s be frank, folks. In America today there are many “false gods” that we worship without question. We worship the god of money; we let our money control us instead of us controlling it…and we think that if we just spend more and have more we’ll be happy.

We worship the god of sex. I recently heard a statistic that 35% of all Internet usage is pornographic in nature. That’s a sad statistic. And that’s just one statistic that proves that we as a culture are obsessed with sex and it controls us.

And those are just two of many false gods: I could mention the government, which people think is the solution to all of their problems. I could mention sports and technology. And this might shock some of you, but even religion is a false god for many people who spend more time worrying about the trappings of “church” than about nurturing a vibrant relationship with our Creator.

And what does Psalm 96 say? That all these other “gods” are idols (wimps, nothings) and that God himself is to be put above them in our lives. And so it is an act of worship when we say, “Yes, money is good, but because God is more important to me than money, I will order my finances in a way that is pleasing to Him.” It’s an act of worship when we say, “Even though our culture worships not just sex but deviant sex, I will practice it only according to God’s standard in Scripture.” In short, it is worship when we show a preference for God’s Lordship in our lives, and we say that all these other “false gods” are secondary and must be submitted to His authority. If we are engaged to the one true God, then we must put Him above everything else.

And now we come to the final point. After I proposed to Cherith, the 4th thing she did was to start planning for the wedding. She got a subscription to those Bridal magazines, she put together a huge binder with all her plans and details. You ladies know what I’m talking about. She had a vision of exactly what she wanted: the invitations, the flowers, the dresses, the photographers, the reception, the wedding cake. She was motivated by the desire to have everything beautiful and perfect on that day.

Let’s look at the last few verses of Psalm 96: “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.” The Psalmist is artistically imagining the beauty and the glory of that day when God returns to earth; he’s anticipating it and it’s moving him to worship, and to invite all creation to worship with him.

I’ve been saying all along that we, the Church on earth, are engaged with God. But the whole point of engagement is that it’s only a temporary state. Engagement is only a time of
PREPARATION.

I think the real reason there are so many "worship wars" in churches isn't because of the style of music, or because of the pastor's preaching abilities, or because of the technology utilized. It's because we as a culture have become so focused on the the here-and-now, that we are no longer able to envision the reality of the future in which we will stand before Jesus Christ as His bride, and enjoy intimate fellowship with God Himself.

This life, that we sometimes take entirely too seriously, is nothing but a preparation for the great wedding feast between God’s people and God Himself. So let’s just take a moment and envision that day.

Think about the greatest piece of music that you have ever heard, a piece moves you to tears. And then multiply that by ten million.

Think about the greatest sight that you’ve ever seen: maybe it’s a sunset or a landscape or a newborn baby or a work of art. And then multiply that by ten million.

Think about the most enjoyable and intimate moment you’ve shared with another human being. And then multiply that by ten million.

Think about one loved one who has already gone to be with God, who you would give anything just to have one more hug or one more laugh with.

You see, the real reason I worship is that I firmly believe the greatest joys that we can experience on this earth are infinitesimal compared to what is in store for us in eternity with God.

When God down on one knee, on that cross of Calvary, he was communicating to us very clearly that He wants to be with us for all eternity, and that everything that He is and everything that He has, He is going to share with us.

And that’s a promise beyond anything that we can ask or deserve. But when we keep our minds focused on that, and put all of this earthly stuff in its proper perspective, then we are preparing ourselves to truly receive everything that God wants to give us.

And that is the ultimate reason to worship!

What We're Made Of

If you believe the Genesis account of creation (and I do), then there are only two ingredients necessary to make a human being: The dust of the ground, and the Breath of Life. (See Genesis 2:7) Sounds pretty basic, doesn’t it?

The dust of the ground is the most common thing in creation. We can find it anywhere. Even in areas of the world where there is abject poverty and famine, you can find dust in abundance. I know that my wife finds dust all over our house...especially in my areas of the house!

The Breath of Life, on the other hand, can be found nowhere in creation. It is not common, it is holy. It comes to us only from God.

Without God breathing the Breath of Life into us, we would be almost nothing. But with God, we are the crown of all creation (see Psalm 8).

We are about to enter the Season of Lent, and it is a good time to reflect on the fact that we owe everything we have to God Who has breathed His own breath into us. It’s only because of Him that we live and move about, and enjoy all the blessings that we have.

I was raised in the Catholic Church, and I remember going to Ash Wednesday services every year, having ashes placed on my head and hearing the priest say, "Remember that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return."

As we eagerly wait for Easter to come, take a few minutes every day breathing in and out, and thanking God for that breath that has given you life. For without Him, you are nothing but the dust of the ground.

Hail Mary!

As Christmas approaches, I engage in my yearly tradition of meditating on the Nativity narratives found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. For me, the compelling figure of Mary always jumps out of the text.

I was raised a Roman Catholic, a Christian tradition that uplifts the role of Mary to the point of idolatry. Some faithful Catholics argue that Mary is the "co-redemptrix." Utilizing what they call the Eve-Mary parallel, they argue that Mary's role in redemption is just as definitive as Eve's role in damnation. They draw the conclusion that Jesus and Mary participate together in effecting our salvation, that without Mary's crucial yes to God's will, we would have no Jesus and therefore no hope of salvation. With the help of allegorical exegesis, they also argue that Mary is now crowned Queen of Heaven, that she is worshipped along with the Trinity, and that sincere devotion to her is required of any faithful Catholic.

In my move towards Protestantism I shunned much of this dogma, but as I mature in my faith, I have come to realize that Protestants have an equally flawed view of Mary. If Catholics make too much of her, Protestants make far too little of her. They often see her as nothing more than a "vessel" through whom God worked, and they fail to uplift her as one of the greatest models of faith to emanate from the pages of Scripture.

I recently read an article by Scot McKnight, religion prof at North Park University. He examines Mary's wonderful prophetic hymn "The Magnificat" in Luke 1:46-55, and he asks the question: What kind of a woman would speak the words of The Magnificat when Herod the Great was on the throne?

It's an interesting observation: What kind of a woman would say that God will cast down corrupt, demonic rulers from their thrones like King Herod, and exalt a lowly peasant woman like herself? When the Roman empire oppressed the poor anawim (the lost and forgotten common people) with high taxes and struck fear into their hearts through terror, Mary had the boldness to assert that these proud rulers will be scattered by the strength of the almighty. When rich, pagan Greeks took control of their land and squandered the food and other resources, Mary knows that God will send them away empty while giving good things to those who are hungry. And while she is nothing but a teenaged girl, she has the chutzpah to believe that "all generations" will call her blessed.

Certainly Mary was not perfect and sinless, as some Catholics assert. She herself needed a Savior (see Lk 1:47). But Mary was a woman who understood that to be a follower of the one true God is to envision a radically different world, where service and humility are the marks of greatness rather than power and domination. She understood that God's will is not just that we accept His grace in our hearts and then wait patiently for the "sweet by and by," but that our calling is to activity in the world on behalf of the poor, oppressed, and marginalized people like Mary herself.

Even when told that she would be the mother of the Messiah, Mary did not merely sit back and contemplate her own blessing, but she immediately went out to be a blessing to someone else: her relative Elizabeth who was also pregnant. She understood that her calling was to live a life of radical discipleship, regardless of the cost to herself.

And in an age when many church leaders think that we must sell out to the culture in order to be "cool" and "popular," Mary understood that to be associated with Jesus is to endure shame and suffering (see, for example, Matthew 13:53-58), and to accept them as a part of one's earthly discipleship. Indeed, what shame and suffering must she she have endured to stand beneath the cross, witnessing her battered Son draw His final breaths, not for His own sins, but for ours! Much more shame and suffering than most of us would be willing to endure!

If you look at the whole span of Jesus' life, you see Mary at the beginning and at the end, and in both places she is faithful, courageous, and humble. If God truly rewards faithfulness and exalts those of low degree (Lk 1:52), then certainly Mary is exalted in Heaven, and we should exalt her on earth...not as a Savior, but as a model of everything that we should be in following her Son, Jesus Christ.

One Symphonic Voice

So I'm sitting in my office this morning, and the sound of one of my favorite orchestral compositions is emanating from my speakers: Symphony No. 3 by Aaron Copland (arguably the greatest American composer). What makes this piece so compelling for me is that Copland took a very simple musical theme--introduced right at the beginning--and then he weaved that theme intricately through four movements of a diverse cacophony of sounds. The symphony takes you through every expression of human emotion, with the voice of every instrument in the orchestra carrying the lead at different parts. There are moments of irritating dissonance, rhythmic complexity, and triumphant tonality. Yet the discerning listener will not fail to perceive the one voice that speaks through all this diversity. And that--I would argue--is the beauty of the best classical music.

I see the same compelling artistry in that wonderful book we call The Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, there is one redemptive theme clearly intended by the Author...one Voice that speaks. But from its pages leap a rich diversity of narrative, poetry, wisdom teaching, ethics, and doctrinal statements. Its Hero is presented in four distinct portraits (movements?), each with its own particular nuances, but all of which focus on the Cross and Resurrection as the central theme of His life.

Swiss Theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar once wrote that Truth is symphonic. I'm not quite sure how to interpret that statement. I mean...I'm not a relativist. I don't believe that there are multiple ways to Heaven, and I think a huge part of our calling as ministers of the Gospel is to draw a sharp distinction between truth and error.

At the same time, I can't help but think that part of what has made the Bible such a compelling book is that it is shaped with all the complexity of a great symphony...its Author is more like a storyteller, artist, or musician than a philosopher or a dogmatist. Is it possible that, out of the diversity of voices currently present in the Church, God may just be able to craft a beautiful work of art? Is it possible that when we all focus on Jesus Christ and His Cross, which is the theme of Scripture, then we will play in harmony? That even the dissonance that sometimes exists within the Church may be a part of the Composer's greater plan?

May we all play our parts in the Symphony of Triumph, trusting in the Composer's wisdom to make His One Voice heard through us.

Let Freedom Ring! (Another Ordination Question)

One of the distinctives of the Evangelical Covenant Church is our commitment to "Freedom in Christ." What is your understanding of that freedom? What are its limits and responsibilities?

First and foremost, a Christian is free from the power of sin and death, by which the Devil holds this world in bondage. This freedom allows the believer to say "yes" to the power of obedience and life in Christ, which requires that the believer not hold up any of the world's values as his or her ultimate goal. Any worldly pursuit, however good or noble it may be in and of itself, must be submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

The Christian is also free to acknowledge sin for what it is, in his or her own life and in the world. Because Christ has canceled the power of sin, His followers no longer need to ignore evil or cover it up with "fig leaves;" rather, we must expose it honestly in the hope that God might redeem it and ultimately use it for good.

Within the fellowship of the Church, Christ through His sacrifice gives us freedom from all the burdens of religious ritual and obligation. Instead of being held in bondage to any such institutional sacrifices, we are free to offer relational sacrifices: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). In other words, we are no longer in bondage to a self-serving religiosity, and we are free to serve God and others selflessly.

Finally, with receiving the gift of freedom comes the responsibility to extend freedom to others. This means that we must give individuals outside the Church the absolute freedom to disagree with us and to hold their own convictions, that we must never attempt to force our doctrines or moral precepts on unbelievers, even though we may respectfully disagree with them and challenge them in fair and open dialogue. Within the Fellowship of Believers, this means that in matters of secondary importance, we must humbly give others the right to disagree without breaking fellowship or causing unnecessary turmoil in the Body. We must follow St. Augustine's famous dictum: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

CREDO - "I Believe"

Okay, so I'm finally back to blogging. I'll make no excuses for my lack of posts in the past month and a half. But I'm back.

As a part of my orientation to the Evangelical Covenant Church, I had to do an extensive "Statement of Faith" paper, responding to questions on issues of theology and practice of ministry. The questions are very direct and probing, and I only get a half-page (typed, single-spaced) in which to answer. Apparently they're looking to see if I can articulate my faith candidly and succinctly. I'll share a couple of my answers over the next few weeks. Here's one for you to chew on now:

While the Evangelical Covenant Church is "non-creedal," we have historically cherished the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds as worthy summaries of Christian faith. Using these as a guideline, articulate your personal theology for life and ministry.

I believe that God is the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of the entire universe, and that He has eternally existed as Three Persons in intimate communion - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The purpose of all creation in general, and of humanity in particular, is to reflect the glory and goodness of God and ultimately to participate in intimate communion with Him. Throughout history, God's chosen people have anticipated and lived out this ultimate purpose through their worship, witness, sacraments, and stewardship.

I believe that in the Person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God came amongst His people, born of the Virgin Mary. His ministry on earth is a model for His followers, a ministry characterized by a bold and relevant communication of God's Word, empowered teamwork, a compassionate and holistic concern for persons of all walks of life, and a prophetic provocation against the status quo of institutional religion. His death on the cross reconciles a sinful humanity to God, and His bodily resurrection from the dead frees us from bondage to the evil powers of this world. His followers live in the reality of that reconciliation and freedom, witness to that reality for the benefit of others, and wait in joyful expectation for the day when He returns bringing God's justice.

I believe that the Holy Spirit continues God's presence throughout creation and that He is the prompter of every genuine desire for newness and hope. He is especially at work in the Church which is one yet diverse, holy yet imperfect, and universal yet present wherever saving faith in Jesus Christ is confessed. The Church is a place of intimate communion for all believers, where the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed and practiced. Although all people face the reality of death, the Church lives in the hope of life beyond the grave, and therefore it is eternal life and not death that ought to inform our values, choices, and attitudes in this life.

Praying our Theology

Austin Farrer (1904-1968) was Doctor of Divinity and fellow of Trinity College, Oxford. He was good friends with C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, and a member of their discussion group, "The Inklings." Although not nearly as famous as his friends, he was a published and highly respected theologian.

Recently I read a quote of his that deserves attention: "No doctrine deserves its place unless it is prayable, and no Christian deserves his doctrines if he does not pray them."

A remarkable insight, which reminded me of another quote by Saint Augustine: "The theologian is a person whose prayers are true."

Isn't it amazing how often in our personal lives, in our churches, and perhaps especially in seminary, we separate these two disciplines?

We often treat (and present) theology as a boring, cerebral enterprise in which only the "learned" can engage. We often use it as a means of confirming our own presuppositions, drawing distinct boundaries beyond which no "true believer" may go. And we certainly do not present it to our congregations as something that has any practical value for everyday life.

Conversely, how frequently are our prayers little more than sentimental "gift lists" offered up to a benign Deity Who (we think) should give us whatever we ask for? Does the language of our prayers ever represent a real recognition of Who it is we are talking to? Do our prayers express our hope in God's will, or are they mere expressions of our will?

After reading Farrer's quote and remembering Augustine's, I decided to share a couple examples of what my prayer life has included lately. I hope it'll inspire you to make your prayers good theology, and to make your theology a prayerful longing for intimacy with God.

INCARNATION: "Lord Jesus, at a specific moment in history, You poured Yourself out of the glorious heavenly realms and entered into the world of humans. Not just a generic humanity. You had a specific appointment among a specific people, with real hopes and aspirations, as well as real needs and hurts. You fully identified with those people, walking among the most desperately in need of help, You touched them, You visited them, You wept with them. I am Your disciple, Jesus, so help me to do what You did in this very specific appointment that I have among a very specific people. Take away my desire to remain in my comfort zones. May I so enter their world and identify with them that they may know, without me saying a word, that I love them unconditionally, and through me, may they come to know You as well."

THE TRINITY: "Almighty God, You who are not only One but Three, You have much to say to my culture that is so overcome with a mentality of individualism. If even You, the Ultimate Reality, exist in comunity, how much more important is it for us humans to exist in community? To draw strength and wisdom from our brothers and sisters? To exist in common purpose with others, even though we might have different personalities, functions, and distinctive gifts? Grant me the wisdom to know that in life, and in ministry especially, I can not pridefully act as a Lone Ranger, but must humbly recognize the need to depend on others."

Modern Day Fig Leaves

In his book "The Eternal Now," Paul Tillich (I hope Zilhaver reads this) spoke of four ways that human beings attempt to run away from God. Like the fig leaves that Adam and Eve used to cover their nakedness, these are four ways that modern man avoids the responsibility of merely standing in God's presence nakedly, aware of our fallenness and our inability to save ourselves.

First, humans often use WORK as a hiding place from God. By focusing on our own competence, discipline, and production, it's easy for us to ignore God's voice revealing our weaknesses, inadequacies, and our need to be utterly dependent on Him.

Second, people avoid God by seeking FUN, or the ABUNDANT LIFE. I see it among both teens and adults today...the thought that seeking pleasurable experiences for "me" is somehow what life is all about (rather than doing the difficult work of becoming godly men and women).

Third, people avoid God by their CYNICISM and DOUBT. They look at the misery, pain, poverty, and death throughout the world...and they look at the hypocrisy among the faithful...and find it easy to believe that a God who would allow this is not a God worth pursuing.

Finally, we avoid God through RELIGION. I'm sure we all see this form in our congregations: people who would rather settle for old duties, superficial relationships, and committees rather than nurturing a vibrant relationship with our Creator. This is probably the worst of the four, because in some ways, it's the most deceptive.

I confess that I fall captive to all of these from time to time. I go through periods where my prayer life and Scripture reading are at a bare minimum, and I try to go through my days on my own steam. Those are the times when all four of these things become crutches, and I probably am much less effective in ministering to the needs of others.

The great thing is, Tillich notes that God can transform ALL of these into positive things IF we live in relationship to Him first. Work can be a fulfillment of our divine calling in the world; fun and the abundant life can give us a foretaste of the fullness of God in Heaven; cynicism and doubt can lead us into the depths of God's love; and religion can be a channel of a relationship that is already there.

What are some of your "fig leaves"? How do you flee from a vibrant relationship with God and try to fill up that emptiness with something else?

Love--A Tool of Satan?

This past Christmas, my brother-in-law gave me what is undoubtedly one of my all-time favorite Christmas gifts: CD-recordings of C. S. Lewis!

For someone whose love for Lewis borders on idolatry, this was an incredible gift. The recording features his broadcast lectures that would later become his famous book, "The Four Loves." Hearing that very British, very professorial, very deep voice of Lewis literally brought tears to my eyes.

I had read "The Four Loves" in college, and learned much from its wisdom, but hearing Lewis actually speak these words...full of his insight, wisdom, and humor...reminded me why I admire him so much.

Lewis distinguishes between four types of love: three common to all humans (Affection, Friendship, and Romantic Love), and one uniquely valued among the Christians (Agape -- he pronounces it A-guh-pee).

Lewis makes a major point in this book: That human love, even the very best expressions of it, WILL in the end become demonic IF it is not surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. Our natural affections for our parents or children, for example, can end up doing more harm than good (eternally speaking) if we do not in some sense kill those natural urges in us and trust Christ to resurrect them into their proper place under His authority. Lewis gives an incredible illustration of this "unconverted affection" in another book, "The Great Divorce." It is a scene in which a woman's maniacal affection for her son was so great that she would rather keep her son with her in hell than submit that affection to God and allow them both to enjoy heaven. (A modern illustration of this would be the wonderful Doris Roberts character on "Everybody Loves Raymond," Marie Barone, who, though motivated by love for her sons, actually smothered them and turned them into faithful drones rather than confident, mature men.)

This may sound entirely theological with no practical relevance, but I think it's a very important thing for people to be aware of, especially pastors.

How often do we do things, motivated by what we believe are the highest feelings of love, friendship, or affection for someone else, but in which the actions themselves are antithetical to our commitment to Christ?

How often do I, out of "love" for a person, fail to rebuke them for some egregious error (or worse, outright sin) that they are committing and of which they are failing to repent?

How often do we, out of "compassion," fail to take a stand on the clear moral teachings of Scripture?

How often do we, out of love for our churches and denominations, try to stay positive and keep everyone happy, rather than speaking prophetically and addressing doctrinal laxity, ethical confusion, and declining membership?

We may be motivated by the noblest of loves, but in the end, if not submitted to the Lordship and Truth of Jesus Christ, isn't that love nothing more than a tool of Satan?

With All Your Mind...

Okay, I love serving God. I love working in the church. I spend 50+ hours a week, investing in the lives of youth, young adults, people of the community...I love giving practical lessons in adult Sunday school on living out the Christian life...I am excited about doing work projects in the neighborhood, mission trips, outreach events...and I am passionate about God-glorifying worship. All the practical, day-to-day grind of ministry and life---believe me, I'm all for it.

But ya know what? I'm also a bookworm. I get inspired and empowered by reading that dense theology of Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Barth, Bonhoeffer...and even Wesley. My wife laughs at me because I'd rather plow through a philosophy book by Etienne Gilson than watch American Idol (although I was relieved when they booted Sanjaya off). And the spiritual writings of guys like Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Richard Foster and Thomas Kelly have done more for my heart than any talk show, sitcom, or self-help book.

I was converted to the faith by a powerful sermon and a wonderful community of young Christians......but my faith was nurtured by the writings of C. S. Lewis and G. K. Chesterton, and when I was in the classes of atheist professors who tried to disprove everything about the Christian faith, it was Lewis and Chesterton who kept me anchored in the truth.

In "Mere Christianity," C. S. Lewis says that people warned him not to write a book on the doctrines of the Christian faith. "The ordinary reader does not want Theology; give him plain, practical religion." Yet Lewis' book is a classic defense of Christian truth that has maintained respect for over sixty years. Apparently plain, practical religion wasn't enough.

Even St. Paul, the apostle and pastor, gave much practical wisdom and ethical admonitions to his followers....yet his practical advice was always the logical conclusion of his theology. Why should we be humble servants? Because Jesus made Himself nothing and took upon the form of a servant. (Philippians 2:5-7) Why should we love others? Because Christ loved us and gave Himself as a sacrifice for us. (Ephesians 5:1-2) Why should we place Christ above all other authorities? Because He existed before God made anything else and is supreme over all creation. (Colossians 1:15).

Our world today has radically opposing worldviews (or metanarratives, or whatever), all competing for the minds of people....including the worldview that avers that there is no true worldview. In the intellectual confusion today---with multiple opinions, perspectives, and outright lies on the TV every night---how can we tell people to live out the Christian life without telling them Christian doctrine? So many pastors present doctrinal points in sermons in the most simplistic ways because they're afraid that people don't have the attention span, the intelligence, or the interest to grasp things like the Trinity or the Incarnation. If that's the case, why is the DaVinci Code (a book that has chapters full of dense historical and theological material) a bestseller? Why do I sometimes get 15-20 teenagers out for my in-depth bible study, where we really explore the text and look at doctrines like sin, grace, justification, and election? (Although I confess, for some reason I can't get them to enjoy supralapsarianism....)

One of my profs in seminary once said, "If Christian pastors do not engage the minds of their people, they will be at the mercy of those who do." Yes, a heartfelt relationship with God is important. Yes, obedience to God's will is important. And yes, we must preach in a way that our people can understand. But all of this stuff must be rooted in the reality of Who God is and what He has done on our behalf. That, for lack of a better word, is Theology. And we need it more than ever.

A History Lesson (the first of many!)

I recently finished a book by Robert L. Wilken entitled The Christians as the Romans Saw Them. It details the rise of the Christian Church from 100-400 C.E., from the perspective of the Romans who critiqued them. Not only was it just a good read for a history buff like myself, but it also was a very important reminder that we Christians should always be sensitive to how we are being perceived by the culture around us.

Interestingly though not surprisingly, I found many parallels between the situation of the early church and that of American Christians in the 21st Century: Christians being persecuted for their beliefs; intellectuals outside (and even inside) the church asserting that Jesus was not the very incarnation of God but merely a wise man or moral teacher; relativists proclaiming that Jesus is just one of many gods from which one may choose; and government officials trying to remove any trace of Christian truth and morals from the public systems of education.

It is very encouraging to know that 21st Century Christians are not the first to deal with a culture that seems hostile to our message. Indeed, the bitter sense of persecution is probably just what the Church needs right now. Christian Churches have been so concerned with "Power" for so long - whether at the national, denominational, or local level - that we sometimes forget about humility and service. We forget that it is not our calling to force our agenda onto the world, but merely be a loving witness to God's agenda of transforming human beings by the power of the Cross.

As human institutions go, the Roman Empire did very well...existing for well over a millenium, and several of its monuments still exist in Europe as testimonies to its greatness. Yet it fell. All human institutions are destined to one day crumble to the ground. Sooner or later, such will be the lot of the United States of America, the mainline denominations, even my own local church in Bakerstown. This should fill us with despair, but in my case, it doesn't.

Because while human institutions rise and fall, the Gospel of God's redemption has been steadfast and faithful from Noah and Abraham up to the present day. It has redeemed--and will continue to redeem--the only thing on this earth that is destined to live forever: the human soul. As C. S. Lewis reminds us in "The Weight of Glory," next to the sacrament of Communion, our neighbors are the holiest objects presented to our senses. If the Church of Jesus Christ wants to be involved in something that is truly eternal, it needs to be less concerned with maintaining its institutional polity and greatness, and more concerned with its original job description: Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Inklings of Faith

Back in the 1930's and 1940's in Oxford, England, a group of scholars got together at a local pub (The Eagle and Child), and their expressed purpose was to discuss the implications of living out their Christian faith in the world. This group contained both Catholics and Protestants, but their shared concern was communicating the essence of the Christian faith to a materialistic world...and challenging the ineffectiveness of the Church in doing the same. This group referred to themselves as "The Inklings," and its membership included C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, Owen Barfield, and Dorothy L. Sayers.

It is my conviction that what the American Church--especially its mainline denominations--needs today is a new group of Inklings willing to engage in theological conversation and find creative ways to transform the presentation of Christ's message, while maintaining its integrity and truthfulness. As it is, mainline leaders appear to be more interested in appeasing the various warring factions within their institutions. Regardless of what these leaders say about "our common bond as Christians," the various factions have NO shared epistemological foundations or like-minded vision of what the Church ought to be. In such a situation, those denominations have little chance of offering a united pastoral voice to a deeply troubled world.

So I'm opening this blog to post my thoughts on the future of Christianity, specifically on how we can communicate the message of Christ intelligently and compassionately, without selling out its substance, and without trying to limit the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit. If you share these concerns, please join me!