Burn The Quran? What are they Thinking?

You have certainly read or head the news reports of this 50 member church in Flordia who plans on marking September 11 with a publicity stunt by burning copies of the Quran. It is supposed to be a symbolic gesture of something.

The Pastor and his plans have been condemned by the armed forces, the heads of state and leaders around the world. I guess this Pastor has gotten publicity.

I am concerned about the backlash that may be leveled against Americans overseas. I am concerned about pouring gasoline on terrorist fires. What I am most concered about however is the way such actions distort the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I cannot in my wildest dreams imagine Jesus, the disciples or the Apostle Paul treating people in such a way. The tactic of Jesus seemed to be to speak the truth but to do so in a loving and embracing way. Christians are seeing Muslim friends come to faith because these Muslim friends witness the love of Christ in the believers themselves.

Like I said, I don't know what this Pastor and his congregation is trying to symbolize in their publicity stunt. What I do know is that it is not the message of Christ.

Faulty Statements

I think it is fun to listen to what people say. For example, there are those who say, "I don't believe there is a standard of right and wrong". If you ask them, "Do you think it is wrong for someone to impose their standard on you?" They will undoubtedly say, "Yes, that is wrong!" You've won the argument. That person obviously DOES believe there is a standard of right and wrong . . .they just don't want to do what is right!

Here are some statements you hear Christians say a good deal but if you think about them they are foolish.

1. The Statement: Family must come first (when it is given as a reason for not being involved in the church). The problem: if your family is first then you are an idolater. We are to put God first in all things. Second, if your family really was that important to you you would be concerned about their spiritual and eternal well-being you would be working diligently to teach their family to give God priority over all.
2. The Statement: the church is full of hypocrites. The problem: it is true that the church is filled with people who are not very consistent. But . . . isn't that the vere place we all need, since we are hypocrites too.
3. The statement: you don't have to go to church to be a Christian. Problem: God commands us to "forsake not the assembling together". We are told that we are to be a healthy and contributing member of the body of Christ. So, even though no one can earn salvation by going to church . . . a true follower of Christ will worship with the faithful. I suppose the statement should say, "you don't have to go to church to call yourself a Christian."
4. The statement: I don't want to impose my faith on my kids. I want them to decide for themselves. The Problem: the world has no trouble imposing their values on your kids through friends, television, movies, music, magazines, the Internet. If you really want your children to make an "informed decision" you had better get to work balancing the message they are getting from the world.
5. The statement: I preach with my life rather than my words. The problem: The Bible tells us that "faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God." We need to both proclaim AND demonstrate our faith.
6. The statement: God will forgive me. The Problem: God will forgive us if we will entrust ourselves to Christ and repent of our sin. We are told, "If we confess our sin (agree with God about the hateful nature of that sin) He will be faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness". God hates the sin in our lives. If we hate that sin also and want to move in a new direction He will indeed forgive us. That's a grace we don't deserve.
7. The statement: I received Christ at an evangelistic meeting so I know I'm going to Heaven. The problem: This is a great statement if you actually became a follower of Christ at that meeting. Unfortunately, many people merely respond to a stimulus, have an emotional moment but don't really follow Jesus. If you are making this statement to excuse the lack of fruit in your life....it's possible that you are going to be one of those who say, "Lord, Lord" only to have the Lord say, "Depart from me for I have not known you."

If you have other statements send them to me at bruce@unionchurch.com

Losing the Battle with Culture

I was listening to a conference discussion and one of the speakers made an acute observation. He was asked why there was so little concern for holiness in the church and in our culture. He pointed out that the one led to the other.

The job of the church is to have a sanctifying effect on the community. We are supposed to rub off on those around us. Unfortunately, said the speaker, it is working the other way around.

He gave one example: our observance of the Sabbath (one of God's big Ten). 30 years ago businesses were closed on the Sabbath. It was understood that this was the day God's people went to church to sit under the teaching of the Scriptures. Even some major sports didn't play on Sunday (some golf tournaments ended on Saturday instead of Sunday). That of course is no longer the case.

As I thought about what the speaker said I knew he was right. When any group of Pastors gets together there is a common complaint . . . the worship and service of God is too low on the priority list of most parishoners. We are to have no other God's before Him yet we put: sleep, sports, yard work, shopping, day trips, family reunions all before the Lord when it comes to Sunday.

Understand the clear message that is being sent to the world: "Christians don't take God's Word seriously . . . . so there is no reason for us to do so either."

I can't imagine anyone concluding that we are better off now than we were 30 years ago. We are more profane, more selfish, and more self-absorbed. We are running more fervently after the material things of the world than ever. We are more distant from God even though mega-churches continue to flourish.

When you look around and wonder: "What happened?" Remind yourself that these things come as a result of Christians feeling they can negotiate with Scripture. God's standards haven't changed. Our response to those standards has changed. It is time for "Christians" to once again actually follow Christ.

The Erosion of Freedom

Chuck Colson in one of his "Two Minute Warnings" warns that there is a movement going on to change the meaning of "Freedom of Religion" to "Freedom of Worship". Colson (who used to do this kind of re-defining in the Nixon White House) points out that these redefinitions (in this case by the Secretary of State) are designed to limit the church in its ability to point out behavior the Bible calls sin (in this case homosexuality). The idea is: you are free to worship wherever and however you want... but you cannot impose that religious belief on your children (by telling them that there is right and wrong) not can you express your convictions publicly if it means someone else's actions are considered wrong.

This re-definition aims at any belief that the Bible is the timeless Word of God. When we recognize the Bible as the inspired revelation from God then there are some things that are indeed black and white (the value of life, marriage is between a man and a woman, stealing from others is wrong, Jesus is the only way to Heaven, lying is wrong, the Bible is the inspired Word of God and much more).

We have redefined marriage, we have redefined parental discipline, we have redefined authority (especially in the schools), we have redefined truth (what works for you); we have redefined life (a baby in the womb is now a "blob of tissue" we evaluate the elderly by their "quality of life"), redefined the family, and we have redefined morality. Obedience to the law now means don't get caught. Telling the truth is now a matter of telling whatever truth you have to tell to get what you want.

Every Christian has a choice: do we negotiate truth or do we stand on it. The Bible tells us that those who stand on the truth are the ones who will be standing in the end. I believe Scripture; I hope you do too.

Let the madness stop already!

Enough already! The hype surrounding the the decision of Lebron James shows the empty-headedness of our society.

All this hoopla about a guy who can play a game well . . . even very well. Here we see a guy who has no sense of loyalty to his home town and to those who supported him. James is the picture of what is wrong with sports today. It is all about who has the most money to buy the best players that will hopefully translate into a championship. What happened to athletes that were hungry, that loved the game, that believed they were privleged to be able to actually make money by playing a game?

I'm sick of the whole thing. The Miani Heat will probably be a good team next year. But I must say, I hope they never win a championship with this trio of overpaid stars.

I'd much rather see someone like Albert Pujols (who still makes an obscene amount of money) but who is loyal to his hometown fans. One of the things that made Michael Jordan great was that he was a Chicago Bull. He was there when the team was bad and he was there leading that same team when they were great. Too bad Lebron James did not learn the real lessons of Michael Jordan's greatness.

Time to say something

I was told that Pastor's should have a blog. It is a good way to teach and keep people informed. The arguments were persuasive enough to lead me to set up this blog.

I've found that after I have written a weekly sermon, a "thought" for our electronic weekly newsletter, an article for the monthly newsletter, and have responded to scores of emails . . . I often don' t have a great deal more to say.

I am often reminded (I think by the Holy Spirit) of the words of Ecclesiastes 5: "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your mouth to utter anything before God." There is also the Proverb that says, "when words are many sin is not absent."

When news shows went to 24 hour coverage we saw that stories had to be sensationalized in order to fill up the time. Little things became big things; nothing became something. The quality of news coverage and reporting has gone down because we are oversaturated with news.

I wonder if the same thing is happening with our "networking". We blog, tweet, make posts on walls, get on discussion boards, send instant messages, and endless texts. Do we really have that much to say? Why do we think that every thought in our head is worth publishing? Where do we get the idea that the daily events of our lives are of great interest to those around us? Why should I care what Farm Animals you need in our farm simulation game? We are talking more but saying less.

This post is a case in point.

Do Clothes Matter?

I have been reading in the early chapters of the Old Testament. I've noticed that God was very specific as to the attire of priests. They were to were special clothes and even bath in certain ways.

I started to think about why God gave such directives. Why was He so specific about the surroundings of worship? I think the answer is that these things pointed to God's holiness and splendor.

When we have a meeting with someone we respect or who is in a position over us we tend to dress in our best. Why? We understand that it is a sign of respect. If we had a job interview we would look our best (if we wanted to get the job). If we had a meeting with the President of the United States we would not head to the White House in blue jeans. People who work in the White House or Congress don't wear blue jeans to work. In our heart we do understand why God told the priests to represent Him well.

So I admit that I am troubled with the idea of dressing down for worship. Few Pastors wear suits and ties anymore. The idea is that they will relate better to the congregation if they are more casual.

I think the dress codes in the church should be more relaxed. People should be able to come into God's house and not feel they have to go out and buy a new wardrobe before they can enter. I think it is a good thing that people can come in from chores and be welcomed into the fellowship of the faithful. We can dress comfortable and casual and still show respect in the way we dress.

I'm more concerned about those on the platform. When I see a Pastor in a Hawaiian shirt and blue jeans I tend to think that the message is also casual. It's not. I'm concerned that our attire still sends a message . . . the wrong one. It says worship is consumer driven rather than God-driven. It says worship is about the people rather than about the Lord. It says we can approach God casually rather than reverently. I don't think any of those messages are good messages.

I'm OK with Pastors dressing like everyone else during the week (whether that is jeans or suits). It is good for people to see and know that we are fellow pilgrims. I think it does open doors of communication.

However, when we stand on the platform our role is different. At that time we approach the King. At that time we represent the Lord. In worship God is to be the focus, not man. We should be desiring to connect with Him more than we are each other. We should show respect for the Creator. It seems to me that one of the ways of doing this is in the way we dress. [bruce]

"Green" Religion

I recently read a blog post by Albert Mohler, the president of a seminary in Louisville, KY. In it, he made the case that the phenomenon of "thinking green" is really a religious movement. As I read his post, I think he's right.

I'll be honest, something about the whole "green" movement has rubbed me the wrong way from the start. I am certainly in support of being environmentally conscious (after all, we were created as stewards of Creation), but I've been annoyed by the relative importance that this idea has achieved. Mohler makes the point that the reason the green movement has become so popular is that it serves as a religion for many people.

Think about it. Many people in our country claim that there is no standard of right and wrong. Each person can do whatever it is that they feel is right. This is an attractive position to hold, because it frees people up from having to deal with their own sin. When we deceive ourselves into thinking the Bible isn't true or that God doesn't care how we live, we can then claim that it doesn't matter if we are sexually promiscuous, if we cheat others, or if we are rude. It frees us up to think about ourselves to the exclusion of everything else. The problem is that such a system of belief doesn't work in practical application. We have to have a basis for what is right and wrong--and we also recognize that the universe doesn't revolve around us.

"Green" thought provides a way for people to have a basis for right and wrong without having to worry about what God thinks about it. It allows us to still have a religious element to our lives (which we desire) without God. Mohler quoted a man named Stephen Asma, author of Green Guilt. Asma makes the point clearly,

Instead of religious sins plaguing our conscience, we now have the transgressions of leaving the water running, leaving the lights on, failing to recycle, and using plastic grocery bags instead of paper. In addition, the righteous pleasures of being more orthodox than your neighbor (in this case being more green) can still be had—the new heresies include failure to compost, or refusal to go organic. Vitriol that used to be reserved for Satan can now be discharged against evil corporate chief executives and drivers of gas-guzzling vehicles. Apocalyptic fear-mongering previously took the shape of repent or burn in hell, but now it is recycle or burn in the ozone hole. In fact, it is interesting the way environmentalism takes on the apocalyptic aspects of the traditional religious narrative. The idea that the end is nigh is quite central to traditional Christianity—it is a jolting wake-up call to get on the righteous path. And we find many environmentalists in a similarly earnest panic about climate change and global warming.

This sounds like a religious movement to me. The followers of this religion can point to certain behaviors as evil (or sinful), and can point to the fact that there will be consequences for these sins. But the fact is that they have exchanged the truth of God for a lie.

Now, don't get me wrong. I think it's good for us to be prudent in the way that we care for the environment. But I think there are far more pressing issues that we probably ought to focus on. Our society is dealing with sins that are far more serious than failure to compost. The world is indeed on a path that will lead to self-destruction, but it has very little to do with our failure to recycle...it has everything to do with our failure to glorify God in our lives. We have chosen to rebel against God, and He says that there is a punishment for that arrogance. That punishment is eternal separation from Him. There is only One who can save us--the Lord Jesus Christ. Unless we will yield to God and His will for our lives, there will be an eternal price to pay.

It seems that any time I watch TV I see public service announcements with celebrities serving as evangelists for the religion of "thinking green." As Christians, let me challenge you to buck the trend. Don't allow yourselves to be distracted by this current fad. We, of all people, must understand what is really at stake. Future generations might be destroyed by ozone depletion or global warming, but they will certainly be destroyed by our failure to point people to the Savior. Don't get distracted by the celebrities and news media. Go out and be an evangelist for the one thing that really matters.

Not So Funny Humor

I don't watch Saturday Night Live. Frankly, I'm almost always in bed already. Recently I saw a piece on YouTube that showed the guest of the night singing a Christmas Carol with cast members dressed up like Muppet Characters.

If you weren't really listening you would have thought it was a pretty funny piece. The guest sang some words and then various characters sang with funny sounding gibberish.

The song that was sung was "Hark the Herald Angels Sing". Interesting that the Muppet's sang every time there was any reference to Christ, the newborn King, or God being reconciled with man. In other words, they took a common and theologically profound Christmas Carol and made it into something that had lost all meaning.

It was a sad and disrespectful thing to do.

Bah and humbug and Shame on Saturday Night Live.
[b]

BOOK REVIEW: Counterfeit Gods

One of the books I read recently is the latest release from Tim Keller, a Pastor in New York. Keller's other books, THE REASON FOR GOD and THE PRODIGAL GOD were both excellent, thought-provoking and enlightening books. COUNTERFEIT GODS is all of those things and also very convicting.

Keller makes the point that our greatest passion in life is our God. It can be

• our family
• the success of our church or ministry
• financial security
• self-righteousness
• influence
• peace
• enjoyment

The point is that anything that becomes our passion that is not a relationship with the Lord of Creation is an idol.

By this definition (which I believe is certainly correct) we all are guilty. I can see in my own life I sometimes most passionately want to be a good Pastor, a faithful teacher, a good dad. Those things are not bad unless they become the thing that drives my life. Then those good things become my idol.

I commend the book highly.

[B]

The Value of Christian Radio

Some people would say Christian Radio is a thing of the past. In the day of iPods, Pandora, YouTube and satellite radio some feel Christian Radio stations have outlived their usefulness. I beg to disagree.

I like Christian music but I honestly don't need a station that always plays Christian music. I have an iPod that I can listen to with the music that I enjoy. I'm also not really interested in a Conservative talk radio station that masquerades as a Christian station. I don't listen to talk radio . . .period.

However, radio that teaches the expounds the Word of God, discusses moral and ethical issues from a Christian perspective, gives us new perspectives on the news and sprinkles in good doses of Christian music . . . . I see great value in such stations for several reasons.

1. There seems to be a real lack of solid Christian teaching. We live in the day of "pop psychology" preaching, of devotional thoughts, and of simple theological liberal undermining of the Christian foundations. In a good Christian radio station you can find truth that is consistent, deep, and life changing. Teachers such as Alistair Begg, Chuck Swindoll, James MacDonald, David Jeremiah, Erwin Lutzer, Steve Brown and many others feed the soul in what are often hungry times.
2. Christian radio introduces us to issues that need to be looked at from a Biblical perspective. What about same-sex unions? Is abortion really an issue? What about cloning, violence, welfare, healthcare and more? If you listen to only the secular media (and we all do even if we only watch regular television) you are receiving a distorted perspective. God's standards do not play a part in the secular media's reporting of moral and ethical issues. We need help in being more discerning.
3. Local Christian radio introduces you to people who share your values. This is not only in the speakers . . . you can also learn from the underwriting spots (sponsors) who are mentioned on the air. These people have invested in Christian radio because they share the values of the station.
4. Christian radio helps us worship the great Lord of the Universe. It takes us from the rush of life to the throne of Heaven.
5. Christian radio introduces us to music that enriches the soul. (I won't listen regularly to a station that plays only a "top 40" of Christian music on a loop over and over again but . . . .) such stations will introduce me to what is popular in Christian circles.
6. Christian radio provides strength for life's journey.
7. Local Christian radio lets you know what is going on in the surrounding area. In other words it enables us to broaden our resources.

Locally we have two good local stations: KAYP at 89.9 F.M. (http://www.kayp.afr.net/) in the Burlington, Mt. Pleasant, Ottumwa area and KMDY/WGNX (90.9 FM, 96.7 FM) (http://www.kmdy.org/) in the West Central Illinois area. Tune in and support them financially as you are able. It's still a very good investment.

Book Review: God in the Wasteland

A few weeks ago I read David Wells' book God in the Wasteland. In it, Wells issues a scathing critique of American Christianity and highlights what he views as many areas where we have gone astray. He argues that Christians and their churches have often neglected God--that God has become weightless in the lives of many people within the church today. Wells claims that many people like the idea of being part of a church and of salvation, but that they really give no weight to God in the way they live their daily lives. In many ways, I think that Wells is on to something. He emphasizes the importance of correct theology, but also emphasizes that the theology we claim is so important must also influence the way that we live our lives. If it does not, then we have missed the point.

Wells does not simply limit his critique to individuals though. He also makes a strong case that the Church has gone astray as well. As evidence of this he points to the movement common in American churches of applying the principles of marketing to the administration of the church. We have become very concerned about the desires of the people outside the church, and we seek to tailor our church services in such a way that they will fulfill the desires of non-Christians. Wells argues that essentially, we have made the gospel into a product to be sold rather than a divine imperative. I'm inclined to agree with his assessment.

While it is certainly important for us to be concerned with the way the non-Christian world views the Church, there is some degree to which non-Christians will never feel comfortable inside a church that is truly preaching the gospel. We do not need to be mean-spirited, but we do need to hold out the truth. If we find ourselves hesitant to preach what the Bible says for fear of the backlash of the world, we fail in doing what we are called to do.

I also think that much of the modern emphasis on "worship" experiences stems from this same mentality. I firmly believe that on Sunday mornings we should come together to worship God, but I fear that for many churches that is not what is happening. These church services really fall far short of worship, and are much closer to entertainment. The motivation behind them is not what will please our Heavenly Father, but what the people will enjoy. We need to ask, why do we do the things we do in our church services? Is the music we sing designed to bring glory to God and to draw us into His presence, or is it simply to help us to have a good time? Do we use multimedia in worship because it is an aid to understanding and building community, or do we use it because it's what we have to do to compete with the church down the road? Do we get rid of extended prayer times and Bible readings and shorten the preaching because they are boring and people enjoy other parts of the service more, or do we stand firm that these are essential parts of our worship of God? Do we greet people warmly because it is a way for us to demonstrate the kind of love that Jesus showed, or do we do it because people are more likely to come back if we do?

Don't get me wrong--I think it is ok to sing contemporary music and use multimedia in worship. I think we ought to be welcoming and kind to people who visit our churches. I also don't intend to talk for hours when I preach. But let's not forget the point of Sunday. The point of Sunday is to spend time in worship of God. Our goal should not be to come out of a church service saying, "Wasn't that a lot of fun?" (though worship can be fun!), but to come out saying that you felt like you encountered God--and that as a result, your life should be different.

I don't know that Wells' book would be something that everyone would find valuable or interesting (it's really written more for pastors and church leaders), but I think some of the insights he puts forth are right on target--that if we don't put God and His Word back in the place of prominence in our lives and in our churches, we are destined for trouble.

Trends in Youth Groups

A while ago during my prayer time I was praying for the children of our church and the children of our community. As I was praying, I began to think about my experiences with youth groups and Sunday School classes in the past—both groups that I’d led as well as groups in which I’d participated. I had a startling realization. In many of these groups, when kids who had previously been active and regular attendees of these groups stopped coming, it wasn’t long before those same kids started getting into trouble.

For example, I’ve seen many kids who have stopped participating who I discovered a short time later were involved in alcohol, drugs, and risky premarital sexual activities. Some of these kids have found themselves in jail, others with unintended pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases, and still others addicted to substances that now control their lives. I don’t know which came first, these dangerous and destructive behaviors or the decision to stop participating in the ministries of the church, but I do know that in my experience the two have often been closely related.

I don’t mean to be alarmist or to point fingers. I do, however, want to make parents aware of a trend that I have seen many times in the past. When we see kids who begin to pull away from the church we need to be asking some serious questions about what really lies behind that decision. We need to talk to them about the activities they are involved in, paying close attention to where they spend their time, with whom, and what they are doing. I continue to pray for the children in our community that they would be spared these kinds of temptations. I hope that you’ll do the same.

Designer God

I was on the Internet the other day looking up some information on someone I saw on television. Admittedly, it was a weak moment of pointless curiosity.

As I was reading the biography the person was quoted as saying, "I am a Christian but I need to say I am not like the kind of Christian you see on television. I don't believe God condemns homosexuality and he is not against Gay marriage . . . my God is not a God of judgment but a God of love."

There are times when I too want to distance myself from television preachers. I understand that concern. However, the statement....."My God is..." is troubling. It gives the impression that we are free to design a God that appeals to us. If you don't like the exclusivity of the Gospel, then you say, "My God would never send anyone to Hell". If you don't like the claims of Jesus you say, "My God reveals Himself through all religions and isn't confined to just one." I you don't like the Bible you say, "My God speaks to me through nature and through my own conscience, I don't need the Bible." Each of these statements sounds spiritual but they avoid the real issue.

The real issue is not how you have designed God, it is who God IS. People may prefer I be handsome, athletic, and able to visit anyone at a moment's notice. However, your preference does not change who I am. It is the same with God. We can imagine Him to be all kinds of things but that does not change who He is.

The Bible is God's Revelation of Himself to those whom He has created. In the Bible God tells us what He is like. He is indeed a God of love. However, because He is loving He is also a God of justice, and justice does require judgment. God has standards. There is a standard of right and wrong. Christian people do not have the option of designing God . . . but they do have the opportunity to know Him in intimate relationship through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The next time someone says to you "My God is . . . ." perhaps you can respond by saying, "I appreciate what you are saying, however I'm less interested in what your god is like and what my god is like. I want to know what the One True and Living God is like. How about if we open the Bible and examine what He has told us about Himself?"

Who "Failed"

Every so often you will hear people bemoan the fact that the church has failed them. In a time of need the church was absent. A family was a part of the church but it didn't help their children who still wandered from the faith. A person came to the church but found that worship did not "meet their needs". The list goes on and on.

Here is a list of my own titled, "Who failed?"

• When a person has a genuine need and communicates that need and the church does nothing, the church has failed.
• When a church tries so hard to be relevant that it softens the message of the Gospel to make it more appealing, the church has failed.
• When all the church income is spent on the maintanence of property, the church has failed.
• When the church refuses to adapt its methods to changing preferences, the church has failed.
• When a church explicitly or implicitly excludes certain people from being welcomed into the church, the church has failed.
• When the church provides youth programs geared toward entertaining youth rather than discipling youth, the church has failed.

But often the church is not the one who has failed,

• When the church provides solid educational programs but people don't take advantage of those opportunities, the people have failed.
• When opportunities for youth are presented but parents choose to "let the kids decide whether or not they will go to Sunday School, youth etc." The parents have failed to lead their children in the way they should go.
• When the church presents a biblical and relevent worship services and the people come to worship distracted, the people have failed to prepare.
• When people agree to serve on committees but fail to show up for meetings, the people have failed the church.
• When people's devotion to the Lord consists only of what they do in church, the people have failed to be true disciples.
• When parents talk about the importance of the Lord but do not reflect that importance in their own priorities, the parents have failed because they are sending a mixed message.
• If people did not care for you in the time of need because they did not know of the need, the people have failed, not the church.
• If the church is willing to adapt to new styles but no one is willing to serve, the church has not failed, the people have failed to serve the Lord through the church.
• If friends and neighbors remain ininformed about the gospel, it is usually not because the church has failed, but because the people have failed.

It seems to me that if focused less on who is to blame for problems and focused more on what we should be doing to solve those problems we would be a much more effective vessel of God's grace.

Intrusion on the Lord's Day

A couple of weeks ago you may have noticed some letters to the editor that were written by Dad. In the course of a single week he and I had heard about several events in the community that were scheduled to be in direct competition with church services and programs on Sundays. We both decided that it was time to act, because the issue of remembering the Sabbath day and keeping it holy is obviously something that is a big deal to God (it's in the ten commandments, after all!) So, we began to write letters and talk to various leaders who were in charge of planning such events. The response, it seems, was that most people had no problem with us declaring that there should not be events scheduled on Sundays. The response that I heard quite often was, "Good for you! I'm glad you're standing up for this."

As I've had a chance to reflect on this issue a little bit more, I came to a realization. Ultimately, we as individual Christians are to blame for the fact that organizers are scheduling events on Sundays. Think about most of the things that are scheduled on Sundays--sports tournaments, fundraisers, practices for various community and school activities. What do all of these things have in common? They are all events that depend on getting a group of people together. Why do organizers schedule events on Sundays? Because it works! Our schedules have gotten incredibly busy, and trying to find a time when a group of people can all get together is difficult. What organizers are finding out is that people are willing to skip church or forgo youth programs in order to attend these events. They schedule events on Sundays because the competition for time is not nearly as fierce--and it's a competition they are often able to win.

Let me pose a question to you--what would happen if everyone who claimed to be a Christian vigorously adhered to the 5th Commandment? How many of the people who attend these events claim to be Christians or part of a church? If we all followed God's command to keep the Sabbath holy there would be very few people who attended these events! If all the Christians stayed home (or went to church), there would be no benefit to scheduling things on Sundays.

Lots of people are glad that Dad and I were willing to take a stand on this issue--but I suspect that most of those people also think it's a pretty self-serving stand. I hope that we all, as Christians, recognize this as a real problem in our society in general and in our community in particular. What we need to understand is that the problem is not just with the people scheduling the events--far too often we send the message that competing with church is not a big deal, because we support these events. So, if you recognize this as a problem let me challenge you to stop being part of the problem, and start being part of the solution. Take a stand, not just with your words, but with your time and your actions. Whether anyone else likes the stand you take or not, God will be pleased by your faithfulness to His commandment.

Speech on Healthcare

Last night the President spoke to the nation about healthcare reform. To be honest, I did not watch the speech. I seldom watch political speeches because I find them long on rhetoric and short on substance. I prefer to read the highlights in the paper.

Overshadowing anything the President had to saw last night was the outburst of "You lie" from one of the Republican congressman. It was a great breach of protocol. The congressman apologized for his lack of civility.

I am leery about a government designed health care program (especially one that does not address tort reform which drives up costs). However, the Bible is clear that we are supposed to show honor to those in authority over us. I think part of this is showing respect for the person speaking, even if you disagree.

I long for the days when Capital hill was characterized by "statesmen". These were people who debated ideas rather than sought to push through agendas. The uncivil comments in the halls of congress reflect what we are seeing in classrooms, workplaces, and even homes: a lack of honor and respect.

As believers we must lead the way in "giving honor to whom honor is due". For any public debate to be beneficial it must first be civil.

Lutherans in trouble

If you have paid attention to the news recently you know that the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) has decided that those congregations that choose to have practicing homosexuals as Pastors may do so.

A couple of comments on this matter. First, it must be clarified that that are a variety of Lutheran Churches. The ELCA tends to be the most liberal (theologically...meaning they are shakey on what orthodox believers would consider 'essentials') of the Lutheran denominations. The Missouri Synod Lutherans did NOT adopt this decision.

Second, the nature of the decision, as I understand it, is that the ELCA concluded that though some believed the Bible speaks clearly of homosexuality as sin, others do not see it so clearly. So, in a baffling move, they decided that both sides should be embraced as lovers of the truth. Basically, each church is left to make it's own decision. One more step toward making homosexual relationships an accepted part of this denomination.

The reason this is so perplexing is that at its core the church is watering down its belief in the authority of the Word of God to rule our lives. Anyone who reads the Old Testament and New Testament passages on homosexuality will have no trouble understanding what is being taught. Such behavior is condemned as sinful. The church has basically said, "It is OK to change what the Bible teaches to fit your worldview".

This is one step further toward godlessness. When God's Word becomes subject to the whims of men then we have turned things around. God now serves us rather than we serving Him.

The church does not stand against homosexuality because we hate gays. We stand against this behavior and many others because we are FOR people coming into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Before that can happen we must turn from our sin. Whitewashing what is sinful is not better than painting over a moldy wall. It may look good for awhile but the problem is not taken care of.

Those who belong to the ELCA have some difficult decisions ahead of them.

Who's On First

Listen to the people around you. You will hear things like:

• Family First
• You have to put the team first
• The good of the country comes before everything
• You have to put the business first
• You have to put your health first
• Your spouse has to come first
• You have to put yourself first

When people say such things people who are standing near them will usually nod in approval at the wisdom of what the person has said. Even if they don't nod they certainly do not question such statements because they sound so noble.

In truth, every one of those statements, if sincere, is sinful. God alone should occupy first place and make first demand on our life. He is the only One who has earned that right. Our family, team, country, business, health, spouse and life will all pass away but the Lord will endure forever. If we have any hope of enduring with Him we must stop pushing Him to the side for trifles and start giving Him the honor He alone deserves.

Healthcare

Everyone is talking about healthcare reform. That in itself is not a bad thing. It seems to me that the high cost of insurance and the large number of people who are unable to afford any insurance (and thus tend to be disqualified from any kind of early detection or wellness care) should make us concerned.

However, rushing to change doesn't seem like such a good idea either. 15 years or so ago the government decided that they would make it easier for people to get home mortgages by mandating that many people who used to be disqualified from loans should now be given flexible rate loans. The current financial crisis can be traced back to the decision to move away from good financial sense.

It seems that the idea of forcing Insurance companies to take "bad risk" clients is going to do a couple of things: first, it will drive many out of the health insurance business. 2) It will drive premiums up for everyone else. We are lining things up for another Savinds and Loan mess.

Medical facilities spend hundreds and hundreds of thousands (or more) each year to defend themselves against nuisance lawsuits. This is not addressed in any of the bills I've heard talked about.

Millions is spent in Medical expenses just paying for people who do nothing other than address government regulations and compliance issues. Most hospitals and Drs offices are buried in government paperwork. All that cost gets passed on to the rest of us. Congress is proposing more red tape. That translates into more paperwork = more costs.

This is an issue that demands great wisdom. Pray for our lawmakers to come up with changes that will help us rather than hurt us in the future.