Initial Response to SATF Report for the SBC

Yesterday, the report from Guidepost Solutions was released. This was a report that was called for by the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention in June 2021 (of whom I was one). This report was intended to look into how allegations of sexual abuse within local churches were handled when reported to the Executive Committee of the SBC from January 2000 to June 2021.

I knew that this report would be a tough one to read. With our sinful natures, you are going to find “skeletons” in the closet when you go looking. As I’ve been reading through this report, I am heartbroken over what I have read thus far (the report is close to 300 pages). The way in which survivors of abuse have been treated by some in the SBC is sickening. From what I gather from the report, the main reason for not dealing with these things in a more head-on manner was the fear of lawsuits. The fear of a lawsuit??? Are you kidding me??? Some leaders in the SBC that I had looked up to have conducted themselves in anything but a Christ-honoring manner.

The thing that keeps turning my stomach is that as messengers were told that creating and maintaining a database of offenders to warn churches about was difficult to do and possibly a liability, this very database was being kept behind closed doors. Sickening.

I am still working through this report so that I can make an informed decision as to what I, my family, and the church that I lead are to do. I will be in Anaheim, CA this coming June as a part of the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. With all of the items that were on the agenda to deal with, how the SBC moves forward concerning this report and its recommendations sets at the top of the priority list. Certain leaders of the SBC dropped the ball big time, but that doesn’t mean that we cannot do what is right now. I truly believe that the next steps taken will determine the effectiveness and lifespan of the SBC.

I would encourage all SBC churches to send messengers to the annual meeting. I know that it is not cheap to make this trip and time is precious, but some of the changes that need to happen come from those messengers who show up to the annual meeting and vote – this is how this report got done last year. I would encourage all members of SBC churches to take the time to read through this report from Guidepost Solutions. See the reality of what has been and the urgency of what needs to change. I would also encourage everyone to pray for three specific things:

• the survivors of abuse who have had to fight a needless battle
• those who have been involved in abusing or covering up – that they would confess and repent
• the current leadership of the SBC – that they would have the courage to do what is right

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Book Review: The Wisdom Pyramid

Book Title: The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World

Author: Brett McCracken

Publisher: Crossway Publishers

It is no secret that we are living in a time when information is at an all-time high. When we need to know about something, all we have to do is pull out our phones or laptops and “Google it.” It seems so long ago that if a person wanted to know about something, then they would ask someone or pick up a book to find out the answer. Today, we have an ocean of information at our fingertips in the blink of an eye.

With all of this information bombarding us at every turn, are we any wiser than those who went before us? Just because we have more information at our fingertips does not mean that we know how to use it or work our way through it. We need a tool that can help us to take all the information that comes our way and put it into a manner that works to turn information into true wisdom. It is for this reason that Brett McCracken wrote The Wisdom Pyramid. 

The Wisdom Pyramid plays off of the well-known Food Pyramid that was introduced in the twentieth century. Both of these tools were invented to help people learn how to have a healthy, well-balanced diet of sorts. McCracken shows the reader how to deal with the information overload that comes our way constantly by setting up a structure to help with “consumption.” 

McCracken’s Wisdom Pyramid comes in six levels. He does a great job of explaining what each level is and how they build on one another. He begins with the base (the foundation and most important element) and works up towards the tip (maybe not the most important but still important). 

I really enjoyed reading through this book. It is truly filled with many great insights. McCracken has got his finger on the pulse of the information tidal wave that each of us lives in today. He has put together a great and needed tool to help guide us through these waters. 

One of the parts of this book that I liked the most is that McCracken takes a very honest and open stance on information. With all of the “junk” that is out there on the internet, McCracken does not see the internet or social media as something that should be avoided. Rather, he urges the reader to help redeem this tool that has been given to us. I agree wholeheartedly with statements that McCracken makes about while we may want to run to an analog world, we must come to grips that we live in the digital age. We must learn to use it for the glory of God. 

Recommendation

I would strongly recommend that each person who can go get a copy of The Wisdom Pyramid. This is one of the most insightful reads that I’ve had in a long while. It is not a long read at all (about 176 pages in total), but it is filled with some great insight and helps for the reader to know how to navigate these heavy information waves that continuously come our way. You will not be disappointed by getting this book and putting it to use.

***I received a copy of The Wisdom Pyramid from Crossway Publishers in exchange for an honest review of the material.***

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Silent Saturday

This post was first published in 2017.

Saturdays are days that I have looked forward to for most of my life. Getting to sleep in late… no school… laid back schedule… Looney Tunes in the morning (where did they go?)… ball games … on and on…

I still love Saturdays to this day. I may not sleep in like I once did, but Saturdays are days where you can do what you want to do easier. I especially like Saturdays from September to January with college football going on.

This week, I have been reflecting on events that took place during the first Passion or Holy Week leading up to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We come to one of the hardest, if not the hardest day of the week. I call it “Silent Saturday.”  This includes much of the time between the cross and the empty tomb. 

The only thing really mentioned about this time period in the Bible is found in Matthew’s gospel. 

“The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come, steal him, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” “You have a guard of soldiers,” Pilate told them. “Go and make it as secure as you know how.” They went and secured the tomb by setting a seal on the stone and placing the guard.”

Matthew 27:62-66 CSB

Those who had pleaded for Jesus’ death wanted to make sure that He stayed there. They had shut this rogue Rabbi up, and they wanted to make sure things went back to the way they were when they were calling the shots. 

What strikes me more than the paranoid (yet rightful) worry of the religious leaders of that day was the silence that is found in the Bible. The is not much at all mentioned about that day. 

I can understand that though, too. If the One that you had put all your hope and dreams in was suddenly gone, would you really feel like doing much? I can imagine the remain disciples hiding out wondering if there would be a knock at their door from those who had Jesus killed wanting to do the same to them. 

Some of the most difficult times in our journey of faith with God are those of silence.  It seems that God doesn’t say or do anything. One can easily think that God has either been bested/stumped, doesn’t care, or left the scene and we are all alone in the situation. 

The truth is that Saturday was silent because God wanted it so. I’ve come across some material that leans on the thought that Jesus was taking a Sabbath from His work on this Saturday. I could see that in one sense. I think it is more about what was said in the prophet Isaiah: 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

Isaiah 55:8-11 CSB

What looks like apathy or abandonment to us was very different to God. Jesus had already said that He would be raised on the third day (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17:22‬). This was all part of the plan. A day of letting all of what had already taken place sink in was in play, but the silence wouldn’t last forever. 

You may be in a period of silence. I would encourage you to take this time of silence to remember what God has done for you, already taught you, already done in you. Then, lean on His understanding and trust His timing. God is always right on time… not too early, never too late. 

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Providing Relief

During this time of social-distancing, it can be easy to just be ready for it all to end. I know that I am. I am one who likes to go. I like to be in contact with people. At this time, that is not the best course of action for those around me nor me.

In times like these, some may wonder how can they use their gifts, talents, abilities, etc for the good. Some of my main gifts involve preaching and teaching God’s word to people. It is not the easiest of things to do at this time. We are prerecording our worship services where I find myself preaching to a camera and two other guys in the room who are recording and doing slides. It’s not exactly my idea of fun.

I was reading this morning from 1 Samuel about how David, even as a young guy, was chosen to lead God’s people. Though it would be a little bit before he would take the throne, David could be found doing what he could with what he had. One verse in particular stood out to me…

Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

1 Samuel 16:23 CSB

If you are not familiar with this passage, Saul was the first king of Israel. He had chosen to not listen and wait upon the LORD. Rather, he decided to take matters into his own hands (1 Samuel 15). This cost him the throne.

As God was preparing the next king, the Bible tells about how an evil spirit would torment Saul. The only thing that seemed to appease this evil spirit was the sound of music played. It just so happened that young David was fond of strumming the lyre (similar to a guitar or harp).

As I read the verse mentioned above, it stood out like never before. As I read it, something came to mind: When God’s people use God’s gifts that He has given to them to help those around them, relief comes to those who need it.

David wasn’t the biggest nor the best, but what he could do is use his lyre-playing skills to help Saul find relief from the torment. That is exactly what he did. I really believe that would be a good path to follow.

We may not think that we can do something for everyone that is being impacted by this COVID-19. The truth is that very few of us could. It is affecting people all around the world. While we may not be able to do something for everyone, why don’t we do something for one person.

God has given each Christian at least one spiritual gift. These gifts are given to build up the Body (the Church) and to help accomplish the task of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). While we may not be able to meet together in a building, we can still use those gifts in our daily lives — hint: that’s kinda the intent anyways!

God also grants to each person (even those who have not placed their faith in Jesus yet) abilities and talents that can be put to use to bring help and relief to those who need it. If there is a time to do that, this would be it. May we take the example of the young David and simply take what God has given us and use it to bring some help, relief, and hope to those around us during this time.

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Prosperity Crumbling?

Recently, a stunning announcement has come across the waves of media: Benny Hinn is apparently refuting and recanting from the message of the “prosperity gospel.”

On the show, Your Loveworld, Hinn announced that “I’m correcting my own theology, and you need to all know it.”

https://youtu.be/4TQQirZI9Eo

I would be lying if I said that this announcement did not take me by complete surprise. I have heard of Benny Hinn for many years and have been sickened to the core of my being at the false teachings that have come from his lips. To hear from his own lips, that he was wrong in teaching that you can buy the blessings of God causes me to raise my hands in praise to the Lord.

The “prosperity gospel” has done great damage around the world. The Gospel Coalition put out an article that gives a good overview of the “prosperity gospel” and why it is so dangerous. You can check it out by clicking here.

I sincerely hope that this confession is true and will be backed up by a life of repentance. I also hope that others who buy into the false teachings of the “prosperity gospel” will errors of it and follow suit with their own times of confession and repentance. Time will tell…

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Book Review: “Gay Girl, Good God”

There are few things that draw as much attention in our culture today as the issue of sexual identity. In the past, one could look to the church to see what the moral stance on a topic should be. That is not the case anymore… at least when it comes to this topic. We have seen denominations of the Christian faith splitting over the issue of homosexuality in recent times.

I have to admit that I come from a more “traditional” stance of sexual identity. I do not believe that same-sex marriage is God’s design, nor His plan. I believe that the Bible teaches that homosexuality (along with other things) are sins that separate us from a loving Creator.

I do realize that while same-sex attraction is not something I deal with, it is something that is very present and real in our world today. I would be able to point a person to certain verses of the Bible that could speak to the issue, but I would come up very short in the empathy category because I’ve not personally dealt with these desires.

It is for this reason that I was eager to read Jackie Hill Perry’s latest book Gay Girl, Good God. In this book, Perry shares about her sexual identity journey. She is one that has been there, faced that, and come through that. This book is a fresh look into a subculture that one can only fully understand if they have been there.

Perry is a poet and hip-hop artist from St. Louis. Throughout this book, the reader can see the artist’s pen stroke at work. She has a great way of using words to paint a vivid picture that illustrates a vibrant story.

In Gay Girl, Good God, the reader is taken on a journey through the eyes of someone who came out of the homosexual lifestyle at the call of her Creator. You see the temptations and struggles that comes with the breaking free from sin by the power of Christ and submitting to His plan. Even if you have never dealt with these issues, this book is very helpful in seeing things form a different point of view.

One of the best parts of this books is the last section. After Perry shares her life journey with the reader, she uses the final chapters as a practical resource to help the reader in dealing with same-sex attraction. In these final chapters, Perry deals with identity, endurance, and “the heterosexual gospel”. Perry carefully uses the Word of God to speak life and encouragement to those who are struggling in sin of this nature.

Recommendation

I would highly recommend getting a copy of Gay Girl, Good God. The honesty that is shared trough this book is refreshing and encouraging. Even if you’re oblivious to the struggles of same-see attraction, Perry does an amazing job of bringing the reader into that world and seeing what it is like. Perry’s use of the Bible is spot-on and very helpful. This work is one that is a great tool for the Church to help understand what some people are going through and how to properly share the love of Jesus with them.

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A Sad Revelation

I will try not to spoil anything about Star Wars: The Last Jedi with this post.

Our family went on an impromptu adventure last Thursday as we went and seen Star Wars: The Last Jedi as it opened in a local theater… in 3D (oh yeah!). It was truly a great night as our family has been waiting for this movie to release along with many other people.

One thing that has surprised me is the static that has been filling the internet about this movie. There is no middle ground apparently with moviegoers. Either they loved it, or they hated it. I would have to say that my opinion would fall in line with the former. I thought it was pretty good myself.

What I see from most people that did not like this movie goes a little something like this…

It did not answer the things that I thought it should.

Maybe it was one of the plot lines that have been talked about since the end of Star Wars: The Force Awakens… maybe it was something else. Whatever the case, there are a lot of people who are unhappy because this latest movie did not do what they wanted.

Maybe it’s just me, but do the writers/producers/directors have the freedom to make a movie of their choosing? When did “the customer is always right” take over as Emperor and make everyone bow down to its wishes?

It is this idea that “if the public is not happy with something or if something doesn’t go just the way that I think it should, then it’s wrong/bad/false/rubbish” that is getting me all worked up. Maybe that is because I see it popping up in Christian churches across our land.

Have you seen it, too? There are those who will throw everything the Bible has to say out the window because it doesn’t line up with “their view of truth”. They follow the example of Thomas Jefferson and began removing what they do not like, and making a new “religion” that could not be further from the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When did we become the deciding element that dictates what is good/right/true? I know that in my flesh, there is nothing that could even begin to hold that position. I do not get to tell the writers/producers/directors what or what not to do with their movie… and I do not get to say what is Christianity. The latter is taken care of by God’s word (the Bible) which is inspired by the Holy Spirit Himself.

The Holy Spirit is trustworthy. You can build your life on what He says because it is truth. The whole of life belongs to God anyway (Colossians 1:16; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6). What reason do we really and justly have to come before God and say, “You didn’t do what I wanted so I’m going my way… You were wrong!”

May we come back to reality and realize that just because something doesn’t go our way, it does not mean that it is wrong. Maybe what is wrong is what is found in our hearts and minds. May we run to the Father who will share truth with us abundantly.

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Which Jesus?

I believe that it is no secret that we live in a time when people love the choices that are available to them. A person does not have to just take what is given to them in many situations, but rather they can make a choice that appeals to them personally.

While I like choices when it comes to lunch selections, clothes, and many other things, when it comes to the object of my worship, there cannot be a smorgasbord. I cannot give my attention and adoration to more than one being.

When it comes to the topic of Jesus, one might think that the issue is plain. I mean, how can a person be so drastically different? If a person were very different around various people or groups, then they would not be worth following. There is just something special about integrity.

The sad part is that people see Jesus in so many different ways. Some see Jesus as their “homeboy” – he is one that is fun to hang around and always has your back. Some see Jesus the Genie – he’s around to grant our wishes and get us out of trouble. Some see Jesus the Grandpa – he’s loving and has some old ways of thinking, but he’ll let you by with a lot more than your parents. These are just a couple of the many ways in which people see Jesus. None of these accurately describes the Son of God though.

I wonder how many people are following a ‘Jesus’, but it is not the Jesus of the Bible. This isn’t the first time it has happened. Exodus 32 shows a time when people were worshipping what they thought was the Lord, but they were actually worshipping their hand-made gods.

One can see that the people asked Aaron, Moses’ brother, to make “gods” for them (Exodus 32:1). Aaron asks for their gold and makes a calf idol for the people to worship (Exodus 32:2-4). It is interesting that the word ‘gods’ so far is the Hebrew word (elohim) for either plural gods or the name of the Lord God. One doesn’t quite know exactly who they are talking about.

Yet in verse 5 we see Aaron clearing it up… they see this golden calf as the one true God that has led them so far. He says, “There will be a festival to the LORD (yhwh – the covenant name of the Lord) tomorrow” (emphasis mine). They had clearly misunderstood the correct identity of who God was and were following that wrong perception towards destruction.

How many are following a ‘Jesus’ that is not from the Bible? Is the ‘Jesus’ that we are submitting our lives to the one that the Scriptures truly reveal, or is it one that we have created so that we can manage? That didn’t work out well for the Israelites in Exodus 32, and it won’t work well for us either. Pursue the Jesus that is shown to us in the entire Bible, not just in particular verses. Each chapter and verse of each of the 66 books/letters that make up the Bible work to reveal who Jesus truly is… the one that we should follow and submit our lives to.

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Book Review: "We Cannot Be Silent"

The world in which we find ourselves living is one that does not resemble what it was just a couple of decades ago at all.  Some might be inclined to think that if you were to hold up a picture of our 21st century world to a picture of what it was in the 20th century, one might be inclined to think that these are two different places.  While the world and culture is changing quickly around us, some of these changes are not so grand.

With the passing of legislation that has approved marriage for same-sex individuals in the United States of America recently, it has drawn attention to a culture change that has been moving for some time.  In We Cannot Be Silent, Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr. puts forth a call to those who say that they are followers of Jesus Christ to not be silent.

One of the reasons that culture has spun so quickly away from the Judeo-Christian principles that were so prevalent not too long ago is because the Church in certain areas took the approach that “nothing will really come of this.”  Well, they were wrong.  Dr. Mohler issues a challenge to followers of Jesus in this book to not make the same mistake again.

Dr. Mohler is a respected intellectual and theologian.  He serves as the President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.  I have respected the work of Dr. Mohler for some time as he has served as an intelligent voice for evangelical Christians around the world.  In We Cannot Be Silent, Dr. Mohler does an excellent job of showing how we got to this point in our culture by pointing out some key things that have happened through the years leading to this point.  Dr. Mohler does not leave it with just looking at how we got here, but he also shows ways in which we can stand and not remain silent.

I would highly encourage anyone who is a follower of Jesus and concerned with the state of our culture today to pick up a copy of this book and give it a read.  You will be educated, convicted, and (hopefully) inspired to make the stand that we should have been making all along.

Note: I received a copy of this book as part of the Booklook bloggers program.  I was given the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review: "We Cannot Be Silent"

The world in which we find ourselves living is one that does not resemble what it was just a couple of decades ago at all.  Some might be inclined to think that if you were to hold up a picture of our 21st century world to a picture of what it was in the 20th century, one might be inclined to think that these are two different places.  While the world and culture is changing quickly around us, some of these changes are not so grand.

With the passing of legislation that has approved marriage for same-sex individuals in the United States of America recently, it has drawn attention to a culture change that has been moving for some time.  In We Cannot Be Silent, Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr. puts forth a call to those who say that they are followers of Jesus Christ to not be silent.

One of the reasons that culture has spun so quickly away from the Judeo-Christian principles that were so prevalent not too long ago is because the Church in certain areas took the approach that "nothing will really come of this."  Well, they were wrong.  Dr. Mohler issues a challenge to followers of Jesus in this book to not make the same mistake again.

Dr. Mohler is a respected intellectual and theologian.  He serves as the President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.  I have respected the work of Dr. Mohler for some time as he has served as an intelligent voice for evangelical Christians around the world.  In We Cannot Be Silent, Dr. Mohler does an excellent job of showing how we got to this point in our culture by pointing out some key things that have happened through the years leading to this point.  Dr. Mohler does not leave it with just looking at how we got here, but he also shows ways in which we can stand and not remain silent.

I would highly encourage anyone who is a follower of Jesus and concerned with the state of our culture today to pick up a copy of this book and give it a read.  You will be educated, convicted, and (hopefully) inspired to make the stand that we should have been making all along.

Note: I received a copy of this book as part of the Booklook bloggers program.  I was given the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review: Onward

The church now has the opportunity to bear witness in a culture that often does not even pretend to share our “values.” That is not a tragedy since we were never given a mission to promote “values” in the first place, but to speak instead of sin and of righteousness and judgment, of Christ and his kingdom.  (Onward, p. 9)

Dr. Russell Moore has put together a strong work to help the Christian church (especially in North America) to think about how the gospel of Jesus Christ works in all facets of life. It is apparent that the culture that the Church finds itself in today is one that quickly running in the opposite direction of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The encouragement that Dr. Moore shares in Onward is a breath of fresh air.

In Onward, Dr. Moore seeks to show how the gospel is needed in various areas of our culture like human dignity, religious liberty, family stability, and more. Dr. Moore uses not only illustrations from everyday life but drives the reader back to the source of truth (the Bible).  Dr. Moore shares timeless truths in a fresh way by using references and wording that people of all walks of life can relate to as he points to the necessity of the Church living out the gospel in the sphere they find themselves.

I am grateful to Dr. Moore for this work. It is a faithful reminder of the call that every Christian has been called to: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20).

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to live out the gospel of Jesus Christ in this world. Dr. Moore has provided some great tools to help one stand boldly in a culture that just wants you to sit down and keep it to yourself.

 

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Remembering Mr. Cathy

I was saddened to hear the news that Chick-fil-a founder, S. Truett Cathy had passed away.  I have been a fan of Mr. Cathy and his work for a long time.  Who does not love those chicken sandwiches and that amazing sweet tea?

More than his food place though, I admired this man's integrity.  He never backed down from what he truly believed.  He set up his company to fall in the lines of his convictions, and the Lord blessed his efforts.  It was a great reminder that when we do things - even our jobs - the way that God desires, they seem to have a blessed touch to them.

I remember my first encounter with Mr. Cathy.  I was a student minister in the Huntsville, Alabama area.  I had received an invitation to the Mayor of Huntsville's annual prayer breakfast.  Mr. Cathy was the keynote speaker for the event.  He received a key to the city and asked if it would be good enough to get him out of the speeding ticket that he had gotten on the way to the event.

That kind of humor and genuineness is one of the qualities that I admired most in Mr. Cathy.  Though he had tasted success greatly, he was very much the same man he had always been.  He will definitely be missed, but his legacy will no doubt continue on in the many lives that he has touched.

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The Family That Prays Together Stays Together

By now, just about everyone has heard about the indefinite suspension of Phil Robertson - the Duck Commander - from the show Duck Dynasty over comments he made in an interview with GQ magazine. This news has taken the news world by storm. As a fan of the show, I have been keeping a watch on this story to see what would happen.

I thought that I'd share a couple of my thoughts on the whole deal here.

Family bonds. I was so glad to hear about the statement that was released last night. It stated that the family was sticking together and would not go forward without the patriarch. It is good to see this family sticking together even if that means a wrench is thrown into their program for a little while.

A wake-up call for the church. This seems to be yet another indication that a Biblical worldview is becoming more and more unpopular. The church needs to realize that as the day of Jesus' return draws closer, a Biblical worldview will become more and more unpopular. We must remember that "you will have suffering in this world" (John 16:33).

A call to action. Tolerance is the key word in our culture. Any and all viewpoints must be tolerated. That is except the point of view that finds its origins in the Bible. Our culture is pushing as strong as it can to silence the Biblical perspective. The citizens of the United States who are Christians are protected by the First Amendment for being free to share opinions just as much as those who are not Christians. If the church just sits back and doesn't get involved in protecting and fighting for our rights, we may just lose our voice in this country altogether.

What have you learned from this whole deal between the Duck Commander and A&E?

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Give Thanks Day 11

I would like to express my thanks to those amazing people being honored by our nation today: our nation's veterans.  With today being Veteran's Day, there are many places all around our country that are holding special programs or services honoring the men and women that have stood for our country through service.  Without these men and women taking their stand, the USA would not be as great as it is.  The countless men and women (and their families) who have sacrificed and dedicated a part of their lives to protect us and our freedoms, it is to you that I salute today.

Veterans, thank you for your service to our country.  Nothing can ever repay you for that service, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try.  May God bless you and your families for your unselfish service to our country.

 

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Thoughts on Wilson-Bell Debate Part 2

This debate between Andrew Wilson and Rob Bell has gotten me. I have watched the video of this debate a few times mainly hoping that what I heard was not reality. I was once a fan of Rob Bell. I had heard him at a youth pastor's conference a few years back. He gave one of the best presentations of God's name that I had heard.

It is amazing to me how far we have come. The thing that is on my mind today is the argument that Rob Bell puts forth as his basis of defense. Bell appeals to the state of the contemporary culture as the determining factor.

It is time for the church to acknowledge that we have brothers and sisters who are gay and want to share their life with someone. This is a part of life in the modern world. And that’s how it is. And cultural consciousness has shifted. This is how the world is.. ~ Rob Bell

If the modern world is the determining factor of how we should view situations, then where is the truth? The world is constantly changing its views on topics. At one point in time, homosexuality was seen as something morally wrong. It seems now that it is to be considered morally okay to practice homosexuality. It is even being celebrated now in our culture.

The views of modern culture are not qualified to determine if something is right or not. The main reason is that the mind of the culture can change at a moments notice. Something more solid is necessary to determine the "rightness" of something.

Enter the Word of God.

It is the Word of God - both Old Testament and New Testament - that Andrew Wilson uses in this debate to show his stance (and mine, too). Wilson asks Bell if he believes homosexuality is a sin, and Bell just answers

I am for monogamy, I am for fidelity, I am for commitment. I think the world needs more of that. I think that promiscuity is dangerous and destructive. Some people are gay and want to share their life with someone, and they should be able to. That’s how the world is, and we should affirm that. And we should affirm monogamy, fidelity, and commitment, both gay and straight.

What?!? Where is the answer? I know that it is hidden in there. Between the lines, Bell seems to be saying that contrary to what the Bible says, homosexuality is not a sinful behavior. If this position is "right" then why all the dancing around the issue?

The interesting thing is that when you depend on the Word of God as a basis for determining what is right and wrong (absolute truth), you do not have to dance around any issues. You can stand firmly on issues and know that you are on solid ground.

Lesson: Make sure that what you use to determine truth is capable of doing the job.

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Debate on Homosexuality and Christianity

I came across this video through Churchleaders.com.  It was a "debate" on a radio show between Andrew Wilson and Rob Bell.  Over the next couple of days, I am going to blog a little about what I took away from this video.  I thought that I would start here by showing the video itself.  Feel free to post your comments.

*** Warning:  At about 16:46, an expletive seems to be dropped by one.  Just wanted to warn readers/viewers about this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF9uo_P0nNI

 

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Praying for Revival

Our church fellowship, New Life Fellowship, is looking to hold some special services at the end of this month with the hopes that God will move in a mighty way.  We have been praying about this for a while now and feel that God is up to something, and we want to be a part of it.

I would be the first to share with someone that no man, woman, boy or girl can make revival take place.  Revival is the work of God.  Only He can make it happen.  But there could be a reason that we are not experiencing the mighty works of God on our part.

James 4:2 says, "You desire and do not have.  You murder and covet and cannot obtain.  You fight and war.  You do not have because you do not ask."

Could it be that we are not seeing the mighty works of God in our midst because we simply are not asking?  We go through so many things on the checklist: planning, inviting, scheduling, reading up, studying the Word.  We can easily miss the most  important thing: to ask God to do what only He can do!

I would like to invite you to join me in praying an asking God to send His winds of revival to our land.  If you are in the Gilbertown, Alabama area on February 24-27, stop in and join us for some special services at New Life Fellowship.  We will have Ryan John leading worship and Chris Vowell will be preaching.  We start at 6:3opm each night.

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Stewardship on the Brain

Last night, I joined millions of people to watch the Super Bowl. It is no secret that I am a football fan. I thought it was one of the greatest Super Bowls that I had seen in a while.

One thing that is anticipated with the Super Bowl is the commercials that play during the breaks. Companies get their best ideas together and put their product forward.

It came to my attention that this year the average cost of a 30 second commercial slot during the Super Bowl was something like $4 million.

Did you catch that??? $4 million for 30 seconds??? Some companies should have spent more time in the idea room if it was costing that much.

This figure got me to thinking about something. I have mentioned before that we sponsor a child from Kenya through Compassion International. We send $38 each month to help make sure that he gets the medical attention, education, faith training and more that he needs.

If we were to take what was spent for one 30 second Super Bowl commercial, we could sponsor 8,771 children for a year.

Let that sink in for a moment.

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A Strong Statement

I was made aware of a speech that Rep. James Lankford of Oklahoma made on January 19, 2011.  This is a powerful speech that he made concerning the topic of abortion.  I would encourage you to check it out.  We need more guys like this guy in those positions.

Warning: one illustration that he shared is a little graphic, but it paints a clear picture of what is going on in our world today.

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11 Years Later

I can remember growing up and hearing the older adults in my family talk about remembering all the details of the day when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.  Many years had passed since that day.  Many new memories had logged a place in their minds.  The events of that day though were still crystal clear.

I always wondered if there would be something that would etch a picture in my mind and last for the rest of my life.  11 years ago today, it happened.  The day, as Alan Jackson sang about, "when the world stopped turning."



I can remember many of the details of that day.  I remember being woke up by a phone call from a friend who asked what I was doing.  I politely told him that I was sleeping because of the late night of work the night before.  I remember turning on the TV to see the second plane hit the World Trade Center towers. I remembered the puzzled and helpless feeling in that moment when I realized that our country had been attacked.

Today, I think about that day and some of the lessons I learned from it.

• Don't be caught asleep.  I can remember Jesus telling these words to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane just moments before He was betrayed.  When we are asleep at the wheel and feel like nothing can happen to us, that's when the bomb is dropped on us.


• Don't wait to tell your loved ones you love them.  How many on September 11, 2001 had wished that they had simply said those three little words to the ones that meant the most to them.  God gives us each day and we need to make the most of each one He gives us.  Tell your loved ones what they mean to you every chance you get, because when they're gone, you can't.


• People look to God in times of desperation.  I remember that Sunday, September 16, 2001 was a high attendance day in many churches across the USA.  People flocked to the one place they thought had answers.  When our world comes crashing down around us and everything we think was so stable crumbles, we are faced with the reality that the only sure, stable thing in the universe is the Sovereign God who loves us so.

Take a moment today to remember those who lost loved ones on this day 11 years ago.  Say a prayer for those families.  Never forget the lessons you've learned in life.

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