I was listening to Sara Groves‘ album, Add to the Beauty last night while driving, and her song “To the Moon” came on.  I’ve had this album for a while now and I had forgotten how good it is.  It’s definitely one of albums I file under the “Christian music that doesn’t suck” category.  Here’s a video someone put together for this short song:

Here are the lyrics:

It was there in the bulletin
We’re leaving soon
After the bake sale to raise funds for fuel
The rocket is ready and we’re going to
Take our church to the moon

There’ll be no one there to tell us we’re odd
No one to change our opinions of God
Just lots of rocks and this dusty sod
Here at our church on the moon

We know our liberties we know our rights
We know how to fight a very good fight
Just get that last bag there and turn out the light
We’re taking our church to the moon
We’re taking our church to the moon
We’ll be leaving soon

Mark Driscoll recently praised Rick Warren regarding his invocation at President Obama’s inauguration.  As part of his writing about that, Driscoll stated that Warren was following the commands of 1 Timothy 2:1-3.  Seeing as how Driscoll and Warren together (in any form) represented a 2-fer for the ADMs, this couldn’t go unnoted.  After a paragraph of gross exaggeration and dead-horse-beating about Driscoll, Ingrid whipped out this gem:

To use Scriptural precedent for publicly praying God’s blessing on a leader who is an enemy of God is an abomination.

This is quite possibly one of the most brilliant things ever written.  Because of the opening phrase, Ingrid has (allegedly) silenced any critics of this sentence.  If you use “Scriptural precedent” to show how ludicrous this idea is, then it’s “an abomination”.  And if you don’t use “Scriptural precedent”, then you open yourself to criticism for not abiding by sola scriptura.

At least she was consistent by not using any Scripture herself to back up this statement.

Well, I’m not ready to be silent.  So get ready for more abomination, because I’m going to reference that nasty Bible thing.

In Luke 6:28, Jesus commanded us to

bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Now I have to wonder.  Ya think any “enemy of God” has ever cursed a Christian?  I’m thinking there’s a pretty good chance. (I’m also thinking that Tolstoy wrote a few words in his lifetime.)  So, according to Jesus, we’re supposed to bless that person.  But according to Ingrid, we’re not supposed to ask God to bless that person.  So, in short, we’re supposed to act one way, and God another way.  Even shorter, we’re not supposed to be like God.

“Enemy of God” is an interesting phrase.  It’s even very Biblical (at least when applied correctly).  Romans 5 and Colossians 1 both tell us that all people are enemies of God before salvation.  Every Christian was blessed with the faith to accept Christ.  Every Christian was blessed by the fact that Christ died before anyone reading this was born.

Let’s go broader:  Ya think there were any non-Christians (and therefore, enemies of God) on board Flight 1549 (the flight that ditched in the Hudson River)?  I’m thinking there’s a pretty good chance. (I’m also thinking that it may, occasionally, get a bit brisk in Antartica.)  God certainly blessed those people by sparing their lives.

But according to Ingrid, God’s not supposed to bless His enemies.  What an absolute screw-up this God character is.  My only comfort is that, most likely in her mind, I don’t follow Him anyway.

OK, I openly admit that I have not been a huge fan of Rick Warren.  A few years ago, I participated in a 40 Days of Purpose Bible Study, and at many times, I was underwhelmed.  It wasn’t that I thought that things were outright wrong as much I just thought it was very surface-level stuff.  That being said, one thing that does stick out in m memory is Warren’s assertion on the very first page of The Purpose Driven Life that “life isn’t about you”.  Apparently, that assertion flies over some people’s heads.

When I see an article like this, complaining about the video here, it honestly saddens me.  When I read this statement:

Can you imagine calling on this individual at 3am when your loved one is dying or seriously ill? Can you imagine Mr. T-shirt holding the hand of an elderly saint as she passes into eternity?

a few things come to mind.  First, I wonder how often it is really necessary to call someone at 3am.  I’m not saying it should never happen, but this makes it sound like a reoccurring event.  Secondly, I wouldn’t really care what someone was wearing when they came to visit me.  But, hey, that’s just me…

Now there’s nothing about either of those things that’s inherently bad, but in a large church is it really realistic to expect the lead pastor to perform these functions?  To me, the thing that’s amazing is that these aren’t just expected, but they’re demanded.  It’s the attitude that says the pastor is there is serve me, and I expect him to meet all of my expectations.  It’s ironic that the piece is referring to Perry Noble as a “hireling”, because, in reality, the kind of pastor Ingrid is describing seems more like a hireling – a person hired by the church members to meet their needs.

Now, I don’t deny that a big part of being a pastor involves caring for people and being involved in their lives.  But I will also say that as a church body, we are to minister to one another’s needs and there are many things that can be done by the average church member to help the pastor.  Have the critics volunteered their time to visit the sick and help other members?  Have they spent time and energy to be a blessing to their pastor?  If not, then they really have no room to complain.  Coming from a pastor’s family, perhaps I am more sensitive to these complaints, because I know that there are some people who will take and take but never give anything.  And these people most of the time simply need to grow up.  I think these are the type people the author of Hebrews had in mind when he wrote:

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

So perhaps, the fact that Warren’s book starts with the basic premise, “it’s not about me” is a good thing.  It seems that some of us need reminded of that fact.

On this day when the 44th President is sworn into office I have many thoughts and prayers.  Kendall Payne sums up my thoughts best in her song “Pray”. BTW I also love the pastors words at the end.

On this day may you shine forth brightly His light. I will pray for you my friends.

Well, I have recently become a big fan of Mark Driscoll because he preached a sermon from 1 Timothy that was timely and helped me a lot, but today I became a bigger fan of Ingrid Schlueter. Thanks to Ingrid, I now have a couple of very important links to VERY important web pages. (Sex.) Since I don’t read Mr Driscoll’s sex stuff, I would have never known about these links if not for you! Thanks! (Sex.)

On the other hand, I have to sort of chastise Mark Driscoll today. You see, I have steadfastly avoided his ’sex’ talk (sex) because, in my humble opinion, I don’t think there is a place for it in the pulpit. I know, I know. That runs against the grain of many people in my generation, but sex in the pulpit is to me like sex in the oval office: There should be more respect. That’s my opinion and I’m not trying to foist it upon anyone else. (Sex.) Like I said, the best person to ask about sex within a marriage is your spouse. As a preacher, I won’t talk about it; as a parishioner, I don’t want to hear it. But that’s me and it doesn’t have to be anyone else. I don’t preach in Seattle. (Sex.)

That said, Driscoll really let me down today with this post: Spiritual Disciplines: Chastity. Man, Mark, are you nuts? Here’s what Driscoll wrote:

Chastity is the fasting from all sexual activity for the purpose of holiness. The best example of chastity in all of Scripture is Jesus Christ, who never married and never committed any sin, including sexual sin (Hebrews 4:15). As an unmarried man, Jesus is the perfect example of appropriate male-female loving friendships that do not violate propriety or holiness in any way. The Scriptures command God’s people in numerous different verses to remain chaste in both their actions and appearances [...]

I was starting lose confidence in Driscoll, now he goes and writes something like this. I’m wondering if there will be any blog posts from certain bloggers today praising Driscoll for this post? No one even uses the word ‘chas…’…what was it again?…chas…’ oh, nevermind. (Sex.)

Attention Mark Driscoll: Boring! (Sex.)

I’ll let ‘the remnant’ have the last word:

God help you, Mr. Driscoll, and God help the so called Christian leaders who support him in it. You’re no longer going to do it in a corner, because the remnant is blowing the whistle. [My emphasis.]

Mr Driscoll, be afraid. Be very afraid. (Sex) It appears that now, God help you, you have been handed over to the satan. (Sex.)

I’m done.  I’m going home. All this talk about sex is making me anxious. 

Tags: Mark Driscoll, Sex, Slice of Laodicea

I’ve been reading Asphalt Jesus by Eric Elnes recently, and though I cannot necessarily endorse all of it, it raises some good points.  In one chapter dealing with the issue of homosexuality, he offers the following quote by William Sloane Coffin taken from an open letter to the Conference of Catholic Bishops.  The quote is the following:

“For Christians, the problem is not how to reconcile homosexuality with scriptural passages that condemn it, but how to reconcile the rejection and punishment of homosexuals with the love of Christ.”

I was immediately challenged when I read that.  I’m interested in what others’ reactions are to it.  I was also wondering how well the quote would work if we replaced the words “homosexuality” and “homosexuals” with something like, “drug addiction” and “drug addicts”.  It seems to me that we don’t have a problem accepting the fact that we need to show the love of Christ to drug addicts a lot of the time, but for some reason the specific issue of homosexuality gets special treatment.

It seems that controversy has entered all spheres of Christendom lately, and the last standout of American Evangelical culture, the Christian bookstore isn’t immune to it.  Now, it’s true that through the years there have been many “Christian” books that aren’t worth the paper their printed on, but for the most part, these books sold or didn’t sell based on the old maxim that the customer is always right, and that customers are smart enough to inform themselves about products they purchase.  Apparently, LifeWay Christian Stores has started to doubt the ability of it’s customer base to decide what they like and don’t, and started offering its own opinion.

That’s right folks, just like those CDs you hid in your room with the “Parental Advisory” sticker, some books in LifeWay bookstores may be dangerous, and are labeled with a red sticker that warns “Read With Discernment” (as opposed to what I ask – coffee, beer, painkillers?).  Now, it’s pretty clear to me that LifeWay is bowing to pressure from some of the more ADM-minded people who either shop at their stores or have influence about company policy, and being the libertarian minded guy that I am, I would agree that they are completely within their rights to do this.  It’s their business, and they need to decide how to run it.  (I will note, though, that it does seem somewhat hypocritical to continue to sell a product you think dangerous enough to require a warning label).

As a service to LifeWay, I propose that they don’t stop at printing labels for these books.  I say why not do their customer base a favor and add warning labels to their entire inventory?  Here are few suggestions to get them started:

• Christian Music under “Pop/Rock” heading – Warning: The music on these CDs is highly derivative and over-produced.  Listening to more than one hour straight will cause you to want to kick small animals.
• Thomas Kinkade prints – Warning: Displaying these paintings in your house may cause you to be ridiculed by friends and family.  Plus, they will clash with your couch.
• Test-a-Mints Breath Mints – Warning: These mints may help the stench coming from your mouth, but they can’t help the darkness in your heart.  Additionally, these are really just Certs with Christian packaging.
• The Holy Bible – Warning: Taking this book too seriously will seriously f*** up your life.  Seriously, you probably shouldn’t even try to understand this on your own.  Try asking your pastor, or better yet, buy one of the LifeWay approved commentaries on sale now!

HT: Brant Hansen

I have no idea who Paul Walker is, nor do I know anything about the church he shepherds other than it must be in the SBC. However, this post over at CR?N leads me to believe it must be an exceedingly mature and spiritual fellowship. While many pastors deal with conflicts over musical style, the ubiquitous need for more teachers in the children’s classes, finances, divorce, porn use among Christian men, real issues etc… Walker’s biggest concern within his church seems to be labyrinth walking.

Oh, that we all had such problems!

Basically Paul Walker is upset that a publication of the SBC for women endorsed both the Lectio Divina and labyrinth walking. What I found particularly fascinating was Walker’s urgency. “Red flags appeared” when he saw an article titled Reclaim Meditation. “Worse than [his] worst fears were realized” when Walker discovered that the article went straight to Lectio Divina and (horror of horrors) – “labyrinth-walking!” This is worse than his worst fears?  He can really think of nothing worse?

Walker takes the ADM Party line and follows the ADM SOP. He first belittles the practice – calling “contemplative prayer, silence or solitude” drivel. Never mind the fact that meditation is a biblical concept, never mind the fact that Jesus frequently got away from the crowds and even his own disciples for some solitude… that’s all drivel. Just the fact that an article on meditation would raise red flags is nearly comical – what next, red flags on reclaiming prayer? Probably, if said prayer is not “practiced” in the party sanctioned method.

Walker continues the ADM SOP by a) not bothering to describe the contents of the Lectio Divina, nor the steps in the labyrinth, b) failing to make a case for why either the Lectio Divina, or labyrinth walking should be repented of, and c) a condescending personal swipe at those who disagree.

I am fully aware of the standard objection of the labyrinth. Since when did our (or their) faith become so weak that anything first used by non-Christians cannot be employed by the faithful? Since when did our (or their) faith become so weak that even biblical concepts such as contemplation are now raise red flags base on some guilt by association?  Since when did we need to repent of following a set path and pondering the greatness of God?

I have no doubt that many new-agers use labyrinths in the pursuit of unbiblical spirituality… and probably some churches abuse them as well… but seriously, does this really mean that (because of their misuse) no Christian can walk a circular path and contemplate God’s greatness?

One the most fascinating facts I’ve learned in my studies of Old and New Testament theology has to be about the role Satan actually plays.  I think American Christians tend to focus on Satan as the originator of all evil, as he rightly is, but I think we tend to forget some of the more nefarious roles he plays.  In Hebrew, the word satan actually means something very close to the accuser.  It’s as if Satan is a spiritual prosecutor, accusing people of crimes and misdeeds they may have or may have not committed.  This role is probably best seen in the book of Job or in Revelation 12:9 & 10:

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
11They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.

So here, Satan is described as “the accuser of our brothers”.  As a being he spends his time pleading a case before God that we deserve to be condemned.  God, it seems, has little time to hear these accusations, though, as they are covered by the blood of the Lamb.

So it’s interesting to me that there seems to be a good number of Christians who seem to have the idea that taking on this accusatory role is a good thing.  I see a post like this or this which basically seem to serve no purpose but to throw an accusation out there demanding a defense.  It’s as if they have decided to take the role of prosecutor, judge, and jury upon themselves.  I wonder, whose work are they doing?

Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m not accusing these men and women of being instruments of the devil or anything like that.  I don’t even doubt that they have good motivations, really.  I just wonder, though, if they have been working under a wrong assumption about the justice and judgment of God and how it gets doled out.

I believe that God alone has reserved the right to judgment.  I think that a main reason this is the case is simply because of the great power that comes with it.  When Adam and Eve partook of the Tree of Knowledge, their eyes were opened to things that God never intended them to see.  It was as if they were given a “serpent’s eye” view of things.  So instead of trusting God and taking Him at His word, they began seeing things through the eyes of the accuser.  I think it’s very easy for us to fall into this original sin today.

So my encouragement would be this.  Instead of looking for ways to accuse our brothers and sisters, shouldn’t we look for ways to build them up?  Do we really need to play the Devil’s Advocate.  Do you we need to demand answers from people who we really have no connection to?  Can we not trust that God is the only true and righteous judge?

It’s my hope that we will learn to put our hope in the judgments of God rather than our own.

Grace and peace.

Season Gre…, er, a, Merry Christmas fellow Christmas warriors!

I proudly present this great anthem for the ongoing War on Christmas.  May it help you remember the true spirit of the season!

HT: BWIII