Free Will & Falling Rain

"What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: 'I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.' Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden."

Romans 9:14-18

In recent weeks the thirsty soils of Indiana have been showered with much needed rain. As the Autumn weather systems finally set in cold fronts slowly began to descend from the Rocky Mountains and from Canada. As they collided with the warm air masses blowing up from Texas and the Gulf of Mexico rain began to fall. One front after another began to sweep into Indiana.

As the rain fell it fell on all: fields from Brookston to Versailles, Evansville to Angola, and Ligoiner to Logootee all felt the cool showers descend. Yet, predictably, the rain did not offer the same effect to all.

The normally wet soils around Marion remain dry, a cause for much concern as we approach a winter that is predicted to be mild at best. Will moisture arrive in time for spring? Quite differently the fields around Terra Haute are nearly waterlogged. Sure, they too have had less rain than normal this season, but the fields today are wet. The fields of Logootee suffer a different problem even yet: much of the rain came too quick to soak in: it simply ran down the sloping hillsides, destined to drain back to where it came from: the Gulf of Mexico. True, the rain fell on all, but the effects of the rain were diverse.

It is through the lens of this illustration of the rain that an early Church Father, Origen, explains the passage from Romans above. Often, modern Christians (Baptists, Presbyterians, and the Reformed especially) interpret this passage to mean that God determines the status of our hearts. To be fair, it does sound that way at first glance. Yet, Origen, one of the brightest minds in Church history explains the passage differently.

In essence Origen argues that the grace of God falls on the hearts of all. Every heart has experienced the gentle or perhaps torrential shower of God's grace (of course, by grace we mean that power of God delivered by the Holy Spirit which saves, sustains, persuades, and guides us). Yet, Origen adds, that it is the condition of the soil of the heart that determines how the person responds.

Some hearts respond positively to the rain of God's grace. These hearts, as in Jesus's parable of the sower, produce good fruit. Yet other hearts spurn the grace of God. These hearts harden and become crusty so to speak as they become resistant to God's further grace.

Origen then goes on to point, as Paul does in the passage at hand, to the story of Moses and Pharaoh. Even Pharaoh's heart had experienced God's grace. Yet, Pharaoh rejected, instead choosing to attempt to preserve his kingdom and dignity. His heart hardened as the showers of grace descended. In a manner that would make John Wesley proud we are able to see that it is the condition of the heart (the soil) that really matters.

So, in the end, God does harden who he will and have mercy on who he will. To be sure, man's will plays a subordinate role. Yet, how man has responded to God before does determine the state of his heart. If someone has spent their life ignoring God's grace it will become increasingly difficult for that person to experience it at all. On the opposite end, the heart that has come to salvation, sanctification, and is continually allowing God's grace to lead and guide them, will bear much fruit.

Can God slow our hardening and increase our fruit bearing? Certainly he is God. But Origen is quick to quote Jesus Christ himself when he said. "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." The righteous, being good soil, according to their own choices in the past, bloom and grow abundant fruit. The unrighteous simply spurn the grace again, as they have in the past, and further develop a hard crusty shell on their heart. What kind of soil are you?

I Read Hymnals... And You Should Too

That's right. I read hymnals. I don't read them for class. I don't read them for ministry. I read them for pure joy. I read them as devotionals. In my library at home I have nearly ten hymnals. They hail from far diverse backgrounds. Among the collection you will find an old Methodist Episcopal hymnal, an old Brethren hymnal, the old Nazarene hymnal (used in many Wesleyan churches prior to 1980), an old Presbyterian hymnal, and a number of new hymnals including the most recent hymnal published by Bill Gaither.

You can tell a lot about a church by the hymnal it uses. For example, you might find it interesting that most hymnals published before 1970 have few to no patriotic songs. In fact, the Star Spangled Banner appears in none of them. You might also find it interesting that the hymnals published before 1960 often include no fewer than four or five songs about mothers. Nowadays, hymnals often hold only one song that makes reference to motherhood. (I don't quite understand that shift).

Some church's hymnals are theologically deep, such as the 1905 Methodist Episcopal hymnal or the Presbyterian hymnal. Other hymnals dedicate more page space to to more sentimental testimonial music (gospel), such as the Gaither hymnal. Yet other hymnals are notable for their overall style of music. For example the Nazarene and Brethren hymnal include songs which have much more swing and lilt to them. Yet others remain subdued in their tunes.

Sadly, the hymnal seems to be a dying breed. The newest hottest churches on the block don't use them. I have a feeling that they'll some day regret this. Will we remember songs like I Am A Friend of God or the new choruse style Blessed Be the Name of the Lord 50 years from now? Its not likely unless we record them somewhere in writing. Also, without hymnals, we fail to allow sacred music to permeate our home life. Sure, Chris Tomlin may be playing on the radio, but that will not have the lasting effect that we might hope for unless the young mother is singing his songs to her child. Of course, she can do this from memory, but we often do not carry an entire block of songs in our memory for ready access. Consider yourself. You probably have fewer than 30 songs at ready access that you know by heart. Yet, if you had the words to guide you you would probably know 300 or more.

Of course, the hymnal's use is dying out for other reasons. The greatest among these reasons may very well be that many people simply can't read music anymore. This is caused by what is perhaps the greatest cause for the death of the hymnal: Christian radio. The radio, after all, allows us to hear contemporary Christian music over and over again all week long. There is no need to have the songs written down, because we memorize them for the short time they're on the air. What happens, though, when the station quits playing that song and moves on to another?

In the end, however, I read old hymnals because they speak to my soul. Perhaps this is because the older hymanls especially take pains to be accurate in what they say theologically. Or perhaps it is simply because I admire the faith of those who went before. During my personal prayer time nothing short of scripture can impact me in the same way. I'll leave you with this old hymn from the Methodist Episcopal hymnal written by Charles Wesley.

With glorious clouds encompassed round,
Whom angels dimly see,
Will the Unsearchable be found,
Or God appear to me?

Will He forsake His throne above,
Himself to men impart?
Answer, thou man of grief and love,
And speak it to my heart.

Didst Thou not in our flesh appear,
And live and die below,
That I may now percieve Thee near,
And my Redeemer know?

Come then and to my soul reveal
The heights and depths of grace,
Those wounds which all my sorrows heal,
Which all my sins efface.

Then I shall see in His own light,
Whom angels dimly see;
And gaze transported at the sight,
To all eternity.

Amen

Whats in a name?

What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

--William Shakespeare

The famous writer of sonnets had it right when he penned those words. After all, what is in a name? Wouldn't the rose smell the same no matter what we called it? Wouldn't a rose, if we called it skunk weed still smell just as beautiful? Maybe, maybe not. As a parent to be I am beginning to ask these questions as I consider the name of my child to be.

Yesterday we learned that the child within Amy is a girl. Of course, if you know us you can imagine that this was quite a shock. We had been nearly certain that the baby would be a boy. We had a name. We knew what colors we wanted. Amy even had a pattern (tractors and cows) picked out for the crib fabrics. Then, the bomb was dropped. Its a girl, or at least that is what the doctor thinks (and he has a good record behind him on this).

Now we are left in the wake of this explosion in our lives. We are planners, but we are now without a plan. We are dreamers, but now our dreams have to be reworked. Before I go too much farther I should note that we are by no means disappointed. We are excited that we have a healthy baby on the way. We just simply didn't expect it to be a girl. Now, the difficult task of choosing a name lays before us. The names nearest the top of the list are: Lydia Jean, Amarah Jean, and Sadie Lynne (all names are in some form borrowed from current or former family members). You might be interested in how we came to these. Here is our logic:

1) We want a family name: I guess we're pretty traditional in this regard. We would really prefer to adopt a family name for our child. This, for the child, we feel gives them a stronger sense of who they are and where they come from. These are things we are proud of.

2) A Biblical name is great: This further adds to the identity issue. We want our child to be reminded the rest of his or her life (whether he or she likes it or not) that we are Christians, called by the name of Jesus Christ. A biblical name underscores this fact.

3) We have to really like the namesake: The namesake has to have one or several outstanding personality characteristics that we would admire. I wont say too much more about this since I know some namesakes will be reading (we don't want them to get a big head, do we?)

4) We want something normal: We don't want a name that sounds like it could be a Crayola crayon color. We also don't want a name that is too reminiscent of a piece of fruit or other inanimate object (such as Apple or Chair). We would also prefer to steer clear of very infrequently used names.

5) We don't want something too normal: We don't want a name that three or four other kids in the class will have. Again, if you know us, you know that we're none too interested in being trendy. We also don't want to be too boring with a name.


So, here is our criteria for selecting a name. Different people use different methods, but this is ours. Can you think of any other names using our formula?

It was easier for Mary. After all, she had an angel tell her what to do.

Existentialism and Christianity V

The Eschatological Fulfillment of Communal Existentialism

The greatest threat posed by a gospel message that is communicated through individualistic existential terms is to be found in the eschatology (beliefs relating to the end times or end of all things) that logically results from such a mode of belief. Look again to the average Western Christian today. He or she has set out to discover the meaning of his or her own existence. The Church has offered itself and the gospel of Jesus Christ as an answer to the questions asked by this individual existential search. Yet, all to often, the discovery of faith in Jesus as an answer to the existential questions of life is displayed to be the end all and be the entire search for a meaning to our individual existences. For many a believer discovering Jesus leads to the end of their existential search. The saving faith of Jesus Christ deals more in knowledge to be gained to unlock life’s little existential secrets than it has to do with all of humanity being reconciled unto God, redeemed, and liberated from sin by the acts of Jesus Christ in his crucifixion and resurrection. The faith of these people is basically a selfish and individual one. The individual search for God is one focused on how God best explains my life to me. The focus of such a faith is on the here and now. It is about what knowledge and blessing I need to make myself feel satisfied with my own wretched existence.

Conversely, a communal existentialism, a system rooted in the basic community oriented principles of the Trinity and founded in the doctrine of the communion of saints, does not look to the present moment as the fulfillment of the existential search. Bear in mind that a communal existential search is about discovering the meaning of existence for humanity as a community. Furthermore, according to the doctrine of the communion of saints, this community is not a fully realized one until it is a community united in triumph at the final Resurrection. Therefore, the communal existential search is one that remains ongoing in hope until the final Resurrection. A communal existential search is not one that finds its truth in the moment, but in the future.
Without a doubt, much of scripture looks to realities that are present here in the moment, but much of the faith of scriptures looks forward in hope to the fulfillment of promises made by God. Scripture is both a theological and historical record of mankind and God’s interaction. It is recorded as a record of humanity’s basic collective existential search (to use modern language). Many promises of God are made to both individuals and communities and many promises are fulfilled. By the time of Christ, however, a new set of promises is delivered and the entire community of those who are united in him expectantly awaits their fulfillment.

Finally, we see that the fulfillment of all things, as promised in scripture occurs in a way that brings about the complete and uninhibited communion of God and his people and God’s people with God’s people. The final chapters of the New Testament itself reveal the finality of the “New Jerusalem.” It is a place in which we are told that “the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God”(Revelation 21:3). Thus the final fulfillment of the search for the meaning of humanity’s existence is found in the reality of the promise that one day we shall be one together and one in him, completely and without exception; the communal existential search will be complete. Without the great communion of believers in progress together it could never be.

Existentialism and Christianity IV

Practical Implications

Salvation in Community

Existential discovery (salvation) and sanctification can only occur within the context of community. It is as a communion of saints that we experience salvation and sanctification, not as individuals. However, it when we spurn the grace of God made manifest in Jesus, and thus choose to seek our own individual existence that we are condemned on an individual basis. (For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-17)
We see from John’s gospel that the call is issued to all; a world dying and in need of communion with God. Our individual salvation remains a matter of individual choice. Yet, our choice, be it to accept God’s grace or to reject it, contains implications for the entire body of believers.

Sanctification in Community

Sanctification is an act of God’s grace that occurs in our lives to more nearly unite us in communion with other believers and with himself and thus come more near the complete discovery of our existential reality by the complete submission of our will to God and his kingdom.

Our individual holiness and sanctification remains a matter of individual choice. Yet, our choice, be it to accept God’s grace or to reject it, contains implications for the entire body of believers. Our individual sanctification is also a sanctification brought about by God’s grace working through the body of believers. Indeed, we become holy as we labor with one another toward seeking the full reality of our existence. In the same way, the community of believers is sanctified by its growing relationship to God. In the end, entire sanctification is really about becoming perfect in relationship with our fellow human beings and with God (at least as far as we are able / we no longer willfully violate the will of God in either respect). Upon the final Resurrection those final impediments to perfect love and community will be removed and the true meaning of our existence, to exist in perfect communion with God and each other, will be revealed.

Sacraments in Community

It is in the sacraments that one great aspect of a communal existentialism is enjoyed. Salvation, of course, occurs when one exercises a sincere and saving belief/faith/trust that Jesus Christ is Lord. Yet, the communal existential search begins when one submits to baptism; a public confession of that faith, a spiritual “death” of the “old man” and spiritual resurrection of the “new man”, and the official doorway to membership in the Church of Christ.
Hence, it is in baptism that the individual, who has first independently exercised faith in Christ, becomes a part of the communal existential search for true existence and the true meaning of the existence of humanity. 1 Corinthians 12:13 and 14 sharpens to a fine point our communal understanding of baptism when it states, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.”

Likewise, it is by partaking in the Table, or Lord’s Supper, that believers are continually united by spiritual presence of Christ present in the bread and wine. It is in sacrament of the Eucharist that we are reminded that we are in fact one body, united by the cross and empty tomb of Christ. It is in his supper that we are encouraged to recall that we are not many individual believers, but one body, seeking one great existence, in one great communion with our Triune God. As 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 states, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.” Again, it is by the practice of the sacraments that we remember that our existential ponderings cannot alone be the wonderings of an individual, but must instead be the exodus of God’s people as one Church heading towards the Promised Land with Jesus Christ as pillar of fire and cloud leading the way.

Compassion in Community

If we seek our existence: if we seek the answers to the questions at the very root of the meaning of our collective existence as a community, then it only follows that we should exercise great concern for one another. Yet, in the Church these concerns must be exhibited in manifold ways. Of course, the greatest of these is via intercession. In his epistle to the Thessalonians the Apostle Paul exhorts the believers receiving his communication to “pray without ceasing” (5:17). Indeed, this is the call issued to all believers. Especially, if we consider ourselves to be of one great body seeking together our true existence which may only be found in the communion of our fellow believers and under the Lordship and headship of Jesus Christ it becomes all the more important to constantly be interceding for one another. Make no mistake. This is necessary both on the local and the global level. The point is proclaimed continually by the Apostle Paul who charges the Ephesians to be “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:17).

Also, of great importance is for the individual members and communities of the Church to support one another in compassionate ministry. As the Apostle John stated in 1 John 3:17, “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” Indeed, how can the love of God which binds us in one communion, under one Lord, Jesus Christ be present if we see the brothers and sisters of our existential journey in crisis and aid them not? Surely, if we ignore them we must be forgetting that our full meaning for existence is not met without them. Again, we seek the answers to the questions relating to the meaning of our existences as one body; it is one communal existential search.

The welfare of other Christians is not a personal matter for them since we seek the key to our existence within a community. The struggles of one or a few bear fruit for all.
Similarly, the victories of other Christians or of myself are not personal victories. The victories of one bring glory to all. All are one in Jesus Christ our Lord. We all seek to answer the basic existential questions of life as one. We seek the meaning of out existence as one. We face death as one. We face abandonment as one. We face the future as one. (There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28)

*artwork is found at www.gardenstreetbaptist.org

Existentialism and Christianity III

The Communal Existential Question

It is important to note from the outset of our argument for a “communal existentialism” that the very foundation of this argument rests with our Triune God. Not even God exists solely individually. Even God, apart from all creation, remains eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hence, everything that follows, including the creation of God (and especially that creation which is “formed in his image”) has need to be in communion as well. Not only do fish have need to associate with other fish, but also all creation bears the need to be sewn unto the Almighty hem of God. Creation out of communion with the creator is a creation in crisis.
Furthermore, a theological foundation has been laid since the earliest days of the Church that argues for our “communal existential search” as well. In fact the following belief nearly completely lays out a guide as to the formula of a communal existentialism. It is to be found in the dogma of the communion of saints. The formula, first stated in the Apostle’s Creed, is as essential to Christian theology as is the “holy catholic Church” mentioned immediately after it. Yet, it seldom receives its due recognition.

The belief in a communion of saints (that all believers both dead and alive are united spiritually by Jesus Christ) finds a comfortable home in scripture from the start. The most textbook scripture often referenced in regard to the communion of saints is 1 Corinthians 12:12-26, which states,

“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it”.

Other scriptures commonly references in regard to the doctrine are Romans 8:32, 1 Corinthians 6:17, and 1 John 1:3.* Yet the arguments for such a belief is not only manifest in scripture as well but are especially to be found from the Tradition of the Church. St. Irenaeus spoke of Christ as reassembling “in himself all the nations who have been scattered since Adam, all languages, all races, and Adam too.”
As can be seen, the point that the doctrine of the communion of saints most clearly addresses is the importance of Christian unity in Jesus Christ himself. Yet this is not a unity that only leads us to live generously to one another. It is, in fact, a true and genuine unity. We are one in him, as Jesus prayed us to be someday in John 17. Just as what the Son does affects the Father and the Spirit, so to what we do affects our brothers and sisters and the greater communion of the saints. As Pope Pius XII stated, “there is no good or just work done by one of the members that does not, through the communion of saints, also influence the salvation of all.*” It was the same Pope who wrote further on the topic of Credo sanctorum communionem as follows:

“I believe in the communion of saints, that is, membership of the Church of Christ, one, holy and catholic, that city where all are equally free men; one faith which makes all its members closely and sublimely one; one holy table that above the mountains and beyond the seas that unites all the members of the Church of Christ; one Holy Spirit whose temple is built by all through the power of sanctifying grace…”

In the end the doctrinal groundwork for a communal search for the meaning of our existence in the face of death and alienation has already been laid in the beautiful concepts conveyed by the communion of saints. Nonetheless, there is still need to recapture this powerful doctrine. It has suffered long at the hands of Western individualistic existentialism. Yet, again, by seeking to retool how we think of existentialism and our search for meaning and truth itself, we may be able to reclaim the once mighty doctrine in all its glory, and thus truly be enrapt in the experience of being one body, as he intended. At its most basic level, communal existentialism is about returning the preaching, teaching, worship, and search for knowledge within the Church to the same basic communal framework the earliest Christians knew and practiced. It is about seeking the meaning of our existence as one in Christ. It is one body, one search.

* All Scriptures are from the KJV
*The Communion of Saints. Emilien Lamirande, O.M.I.

Christianity and Existentialism II

Existential Individualization of the Gospel Message

As we have begun to view salvation and all of the theology therein as a key to understanding our individual authentic existences inevitably we have also begun to understand our salvation in far more individualistic terms. Existentialism seldom takes the blame for this, but for the sake of argument we’ll explore how it has likely affected our views of salvation and even holiness.
Look no further than the modern day woman. She is free to forge out her fortunes in the furnace of our modern society. It is a forge that no woman before her has had such open access to. Accordingly, she attends college, gets a job, and perhaps even marries. Eventually she finds herself in crisis. Being another cog in the machinery of modern society no longer satisfies her. Her own materialism and that of her neighbors disgusts her. Even her previously clung to religious notions begin to fade away. To her they now seem too formulaic and stale. She is officially in the midst of a classic “existential crisis.”
For nearly a generation the Church has responded to her situation by informing her that she may find all she needs to understand her existence by looking to Jesus Christ and the scriptures which point to Him. (Thus far they are right.) Yet, as the spiritual guides of the Church begin to lead our young friend they continue to lead her in a manner that only feeds her individual existential crisis. In worship she sings songs about how she feels about God. In the reading of scripture she is encouraged to and often does interpret passages as if they were written to her personally, regardless of context. Not to mention that when she visits her local Christian bookstore she finds an overflowing fountain of literature about how she should engineer and understand her “personal faith journey.” When she finds a sale or gets a parking space she rejoices and thanks God, yet her hunger for spiritual things begins to dull, as God becomes her genie, her pocket Jesus, her best-friend-forever. Her basic existential crisis is not met precisely because the Church has all too often marketed the Christian faith as a service or prescription for her angst rather than the end all and be all of everything’s existence.

Within the framework of her existential understanding that has been now crafted by firstly by the prevailing culture at large and later by the Church, her faith is her own path, sold to her at a price. Hence, as she seeks what the gospel speaks to her own personal existence she feels free to discard doctrines and beliefs that she fails to identify with.

In the end, however, the problem of how the Church has addressed her existential crisis is that it has done so on the culture’s individualistic terms. The prevailing winds of the day that all too often infect the Church would have us believe that every person’s authentic existence is individual and that the answers to every person’s existential questions are unique. As has already been stated, the problem with the evangelism of the Church in recent times has been that it has accepted both of these premises.
The gospel of Jesus Christ, however, does not contain answers specifically for individuals, though there are certainly implications for all individuals. The gospel of Jesus Christ is about stating an answer once and for all for a group (first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles as well).
Hence, when we thunder from our pulpits about “the searching in our society for something to live for” we should rather speak of “the searching of our society for something to live for.”

Did you catch the difference?

Basically existentialism is the search for the meaning to our existence. This has often, both within and outside of the Church, been interpreted as an individual search. Yet, we ought not interpret it as such within the Church any longer. Instead, from now on let us understand the existential search as a collective one. We are one society, one world in search of the meaning to our existence. We are not simply one person sitting in a café mourning the miserable status of our life and its inadequacy. We, rather, are all members of a world that is in the process of responding to the grace of God the Father made evident in Jesus Christ. Some will choose to reject this grace and to choose their own individual path. Make no mistake, however, those who respond obediently to the grace God provides are all discovering an existence that is one and the same for everyone. A communal existential search is about discovering the meaning of existence for humanity as a community.
It is the existence as one body, in one communion, which God intended.
Any thoughts?

Existentialism and Christianity: A Meager Introduction

What follows here is an ankle deep discussion of existentialism, its effects on Christianity, and the implications of a communal response to individual existential issues from a basis of Biblical teaching and Church Tradition. Following is the tenative projected post dates for this.

I. Existentialism and Christianity: A Meager Introduction (Aug 18)
II. Existential Individualization of the Gospel Message (Aug 25)
III. The Communal Existential Question (Sept 1)
IV. Practical Implications (Sept 8)
V. The Eschatological Fulfillment of Communal Existentialism
(Sept 15)

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The New World Dictionary of American English, states that existentialism is: “ a philosophical and literary movement, variously religious and atheistic, stemming from Kierkegaard… based in the doctrine that the concrete existence takes precedence over the abstract.”

Unfortunately for us a dictionary definition of existentialism is as useless as a definition of Christianity would be. A movement, a set of beliefs, such as existentialism has too much depth, breadth, and life to be described in a few sentences. Authors ranging from Hemmingway to Kafka, and philosophers as diverse as Sartre and Tillich, have all been lumped into the camp of thinkers who probed the meaning of man's existence. What is it all about? At its most basic it is about the search for the meaning of our individual existence. It is a movement all about asking the questions most related to the meaning of our existence. Perhaps the questions themselves best describe in a nutshell what existentialism is really about: Why am I here? Who am I? What is life about? What am I supposed to be doing? Is all of this pointless? How am I not myself? How do I become myself? How do I seek a more authentic existence?

It has been nearly a half-century since Western popular culture began to fully adopt the tenets, practices, and questions of existentialism into its mainstream. By the 1960’s the system of thought that had once only been exercised by European philosophers was adopted by the broad counter cultural movement and nearly every college campus in the country. Existentialism it seemed had triumphed, and indeed, it had. A quick survey of today’s world finds a landscape in which nearly every facet of life bears the mark of the early existentialist thinkers and writers. Nowhere is this truer than in the Church.
At first existentialism was basically atheistic. Thinkers such as Sartre openly touted the death or non-existence of God as the essential key to man understanding his own existence. For many of these earlier atheistic thinkers man could only be free to understand his own existence once he had dispensed with the materialistic and pacifying gods of the complacent middle class.* Soon, theistic existentialists picked up on these themes and “baptized” them so to speak. Much of this was the result of theologians who were thinking in the same vein as Martin Heidigger (who rejected the existentialist label) and Rudolf Bultmann. It was in Bultmann’s theological system that the existential terminology we are well acquainted with today took form. Central to most contemporary Christian views of existentialism (and much of contemporary Christianity at large) Bultmann understood Jesus Christ as mattering “decisively for each individual transition from inauthentic to authentic existence.”**

Within no time many more Christians where speaking of the gospel of Christ as “the key to understanding our essence or existence”. The order of salvation slowly shifted from being a plan and formula in the 1950’s and 60’s to being a journey or experience in the 1990’s. As the emergent church grows in strength these attitudes only seem to grow. Now it is utterly uncool to present the way to salvation as a plan displayed on a gospel tract. Rather, it is far more common to understand salvation as “self-discovery” or as “a way to find meaning in life.” All of this is neither inherently good nor ill, it just is, but the influence of existentialism on the Church and the culture in general has had a great impact on where the Church has gone and where it will go in the future. We simply need be aware of why we are heading in the direction we are and how to best speak to the situation. We also need be aware of the extreme dangers posed by evangelistic and theological systems, which rest upon an “individual and existential” framework.

*A Casebook on Existentialism - William V. Spanos
** Companion to Christian Thought

Posting Status

Okay, I can't wait. My first post of the new school year will go up next week. It will be the first in a five part series on existentialism and Christianity.

The History of the farm will be finished once I get the resources I need. Until then, it has its own link on the side of the page.

Hezekiah's Family Tree

“Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did...He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.”

1 Kings 18:1-7

For a few weeks now I have been captivated by the above passage. Here we find Hezekiah, a son of one of the most wicked kings of Judah. Despite the wickedness of his father he has turned to the Lord and held fast. Dr. Wilbur Williams speculates that the cause for Hezekiah’s righteousness was embedded in the scarring childhood experience of likely having witnessed a brother being sacrificed to the gods. While this is more than possible we just do not know what or who made Hezekiah so sensitive to the tender whispers of God.

Perhaps what interests me more than why Hezekiah turned to the Lord is that he did and that this was a highly important fact in the eyes of the historians recording the book of Kings. It was not anything that Hezekiah built or did that elevated his status to one of greatness among the pantheon of kings. Rather, it was who he was in his relationship to God that claimed his rightful place near the top of the list of great kings.

All of this began to cause the wheels of my mind to begin to slowly begin to turn. In our own family histories we all too often lift up the Solomons and even the Ahabs as examples of virtue. Consider Solomon. Do you have a Solomon in your family? You may very well. He was a wise king. He was a wildly wealthy king. In his earliest years he was a quite faithful king. Yet as he aged he drifted form the Lord. He married many times poorly and his wives eventually led him from the Lord. Solomon had money and wisdom but ultimately forfeited his legacy for women (in a manner of speaking). Certainly there is someone in your family tree of whom you may say the same thing. Too often when we recount family histories to our children we emphasize he relative who was wealthy while ignoring the more important consideration of their faithfulness to God.

This all was driven home to me powerfully over the last Easter weekend. We had gone back home and were staying in the home of my grandparents. While looking through the library I found a book I had flipped through before; a history of the county issued in 1988. It was a history that had been compiled from the various biographies of local residents. Of course, in time I ran across the biographies of my grandparents and various other relatives, but it was the biography of a particular grandfather that struck me. Many of the other biographies highlighted personal achievements, the churches and clubs of which the person was a member, the names of their parents and children, and normally a few notes about them as a person. My grandfather’s biography, however, was different. The last sentence of his biography, submitted then by my grandmother, read something like this: “Any one who knows him knows that he loves his God and strives for perfection in all he undertakes.”

Well, we need more biographies like that (and like Hezekiah's). Most people were so concerned with listing their rotary club memberships and county fair awards that they had let a statement like this one go unmentioned. Too bad. In the end the whole situation has me considering writing a “spiritual” history for my family. I have no doubt that such a situation is likely to be complicated. How do you ask a relative about their spiritual state and experiences when you know they are not where they perhaps should be? Anyway, I’m thinking about it. If I do undertake it, it will be my summer project and will require a lot of work and encouragement and some help from grandparents in recording the spiritual biographies of those who have gone on before. I wonder which I uncover more of, Hezekiahs or Ahabs…What do you think?

A Return to Medieval Christianity

For a little while now I have been advocating a return to medieval Christianity. No, in calling for this I am not seeking to return to the days of the Inquisition, forced baptisms, burning of heretics, and communion once a year. Rather, I suggest that we borrow at least one aspect of Medieval Christianities methods for teaching scripture.

It should come as a surprise to no one that Biblical literacy in the United States has reached pathetically low levels. One need go no farther than the nearest Sunday School (likely empty classrooms) to discover that. Entire organizations and movements have even grown up in recent years to promote Biblical literacy in a society that now seems far more interested in the latest celebrity feud than it does in the tension between Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey. The most obvious solution, that people read their Bibles, seems unworkable. Sure, many believers who have grown in grace and settled into the pews for quite some time read their Bibles regularly. The sad fact remains, however, that for a majority of Christians daily or even weekly Bible reading is simply not a priority. To make matters worse now that people attend Sunday School and other Church meetings with increasing irregularity the only Biblical teaching they may get will be during worship on Sunday Morning. How then does the Church educate those who will not pick up the Book? By a return to Medieval methods of education, in a day when people were unable to read the Bible.
MY SUGGESTIONS:
1) We must reincorporate art into the life of the Church- During the dark ages the most common method of teaching Biblical truth was through art. Stained class, murals, and mosaics all began as devices intended to communicate fact, truth, or other Biblical teaching. Nowadays the incorporation of art has become most predominant in the area of Children's ministry. A well done mural in the fellowship hall might do much to remind adults of the truths and incidents in scripture. If nothing else it would serve to reinforce the knowledge hopefully coming from the pulpit.

2) We must observe the Church calender more faithfully- Many protestants, especially within my own denomination, have long rejected a close the adherence to the Church calender. However, Advent, Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost, to name the staples of the calender, all serve powerful theological and educational purposes.

3) We should not fear the use of liturgical colors, etc.- The use of color and symbol in worship serves as an educational reinforcement, especially in a visually obsessed society, of Biblical and Theological truth. The liturgical colors can be easily incorporated whether it be a piece of cloth on the altar in a small country church or the colors of the lighting in a suburban mega-church.

4) We must hold fast to expositional preaching of Biblical narratives- Topical preaching definitely has its place, but in a day a vast Biblical illiteracy we must be certain that we take advantage of every opportunity to preach the stories of the Bible in narrative fashion, while underlining the chief spiritual truths that lie within them.

5) Worship itself must be a reenactment of Scripture- Nowhere is this more true than in reference to the life of Christ. From December to April worship should be about reliving and thus bringing to life the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ. The rest of the year should be steeped in the remembrance of his Resurrection and ascension and other Biblical themes. People must learn of the eternal Son from his preexistence, to his first breath as baby Jesus, to his Passion, and especially his resurrection. And, hymns need not be used to do this. True, the occasional hymn is necessary, especially during certain times of the year, but there is also a wealth of praise music that can be used. Of course, no one would ever want the worship of God to take a back seat to education, but edification and thus education are key secondary elements to the glorification of God that need to be found in worship. Drama, etc. should also regularly be incorporated, especially if it reenacts a Biblical situation. Also, don't forget the value of communion and baptism moments as tools to drive home theological and scriptural points.

What do you think?

The Sanctifying Spouse

In his mercy the God the Father directs our paths and makes us holy continually. Through moments of his grace, if we respond, we may indeed be brought closer to him. For some people these moments of grace and sanctification come when listening to sacred songs. They are moved deep within and accept the call of the still small voice they hear singing through the tones to which they listen. For others the preaching of others may prick their hearts in a special way. God seems to speak to all through his word and the labor, worship, and sacraments of the Church of his Son, Jesus Christ. Yet, God sanctifies us, or makes us more holy, through the relationships in which we are engaged as well. To be sure, the friendships and acquaintances we find ourselves enveloped in through the years have profound effect on us. Yet few relationships carry the power for God to work through than does the bond of marriage.

Relatively few examples of a truly balanced husband and wife relationship are to be found in scripture. All too often, as a result of the cultural norms of the day women were left unnamed in the annals of Biblical history. But there are a few examples of which to take note: 1) Abraham and Sarah- They seem to get each other into trouble more than anything, yet Peter pays tribute to Sarah's example of a holy wife in 1 Peter 3. 2) Manoah and Wife- Found in Judges 13, the parents of Samson: Set forth a good example of a couple working together to determine God's will and intent. 3) Elkhanah and Hanna- Found in 1 Samuel. Okay, there was a second wife Peninah too. But the story centers on the relationship of Elkhanah and Hannah and the conception of Samuel. Again a husband and wife team works together to discern God's will. (As you may be noticing all of these instances involve a woman whose womb is barren.) Of course, there are many others: Aquila and Priscilla, Hosea and Wife, Zachariah and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, Ruth and Boaz; all glimpses of Biblical married life.

In almost all of the above cases this is true: God works through one or both spouses to change either how they view each other or how they view God. Truly, again and again, marriage is proven to be a powerful means of grace.
Have you surrendered yourself to your spouse and to God? Are you allowing God to use your spouse or significant other to change you? Are you allowing God to use the difficulties and trials of married life to bring you closer to his heart, to sanctify you? If not consider the doors you have shut to God's grace working in your life. Take Abraham and Sarah for example. More than once they came to a pivotal point in their life and were divided over what was best to do. When in danger in Egypt Abraham instructed Sarah to pretend to be his sister. When Sarah was barren she led Abraham to Hagar. They were listening to each other all right, just at the worst possible times!

Now consider Hosea who married a woman of the culture of his day. It was a culture obsessed with sex and prostitution. Yet, though she strayed again and again Hosea remained loyal to her and would bring her home, wash her wounds and nurse her back to health. Through him Gomer, that was her name, was eventually redeemed. You can be certain that Hosea's sacrifice for her brought him closer to God as well. This is the Biblical hope for marriage. As Christ loved us, husbands are to love their wives (Ephesians 5:25). Out of reverence to Christ (and certainly to the benefit of our relationship with him) we are to also submit ourselves to one another (Ephesians 5:21).

From time to time we may joke about marriage. We may tire of the effort it takes. We may grow weary of the never ending change it demands. Yet, we must realize that it is through a Christ centered marriage that God makes grace available. Thank God for your spouse this evening and thank your spouse for being themselves. The next time trials come cling to them and submit to them. After all, God may be trying to tell you something.

A Lenten Prayer

We thank you Lord Jesus for your life of which we are reminded in this season.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your love which has marked our souls and sealed our hearts.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your benevolence which has supplied our every need and want.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your charity, so great that you gave even yourself.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your tenderness, for you have heard your people's cry.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your affection for us; it was because of this that you did leave your throne.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your mystery; that you were conceived of the Holy Spirit by you blessed mother, Mary.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your humility; so great that you emptied yourself of omnipotence and power to be born a man.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your lowliness; that you were born in manger, attended by shepherds.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your meekness; that you grew into manhood in wisdom and favor with both God, your true Father, and man.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your glory, which was revealed unto us at your baptism.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your wisdom, which was displayed to us in your teaching.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your prophecy, which called a corrupt and sinful world to repentance.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your healing touch, which opened the eyes of the blind, caused the lame to walk, and soothed the sores of the lepers.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your word, committed to record by your disciples and the followers of your disciples.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your temptation, which displayed unto us the power of the Spirit over the enemy and his sirens.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your vision, which saw ahead the road to Calvary, yet did not waver or quake.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your redemption, which was everywhere left in your wake.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your touch; the woman at the well, the leper, the harlot, the tax collector, and the thief knew it well.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your breath; inhaled and exhaled among us.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your teaching stamped upon our minds and souls.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your passion, from which you prayed in the garden for your disciples and we who would yet believe because of their witness.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your conviction that no sword be raised in your defense.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your exploitation. An mock trial and miscarried justice declared your guilt in error.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your humiliation. That cross, those scars, the pain of the spear: these were ours to bear.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your suffering, which redeemed suffering for all mankind.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your sacred frame, wounded and crushed to atone for the sin of Adam and of each man and woman.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your death, which broke the bonds of the tyranny of sin.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your sleep in the tomb, for you would turn a sepulchre of sorrow into a vessel of victory.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your descent, to the lowest you descended and preached your gospel, that none might be beyond the grace of your Father.
And We thank you Lord Jesus for he who did beget you and who did raise you from the dead in power.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your Resurrection, which speaks of the hope of all mankind.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your life, because you do live!
We thank you Lord Jesus for your ascension; that we may anticipate your return.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your majesty in which you now reign.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your holiness which is your robe and mantle.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your righteousness which shines forth to light the hearts of men.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your salvation; atoning, sanctifying, delivering, and emancipating.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your Kingdom which shall never end.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your peace which has been imparted to our hearts.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your promise that you will return on that glad day from the eastern sky to the trumpets' blast.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your governance which is without error.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your reign which will be in the New Jerusalem.
We thank you Lord Jesus for your covenant that we too shall join you in the streets of that city.
We thank you Lord Jesus and on that day we shall proclaim, "Worthy is the Lamb!"
To you, oh Lord, be all glory, honor, and praise for ever and ever.
May our entire being be bound unto your will, wed unto your heart, conformed unto your image, transformed into your new creation, sanctified unto your way, submitted to your plan, and enslaved unto your service.
We thank you Lord Jesus for you will hear our prayer. Amen.

The Road To Rural Revival #2

How sweet on a clear Sabbath morning,

To list'n to the clear ringing bells;

It's tones are so sweetly calling,

Oh come to the church in the vale.

Come to the church in the wildwood,

Oh come to the church in the vale,

No spot is so dear to my childhood,

As the little brown church in the vale

The Church in the Wildwood has always been a favorite song of mine. Perhaps this is because it harkens back to what many eulogize as a simpler time. Perhaps it is because the second verse speaking of the clear ringing bells reminds me of my own home church. Yet, let us not be in delusion, the days of the church in the Wildwood are far gone. Rural churches are no longer able to press on in seclusion or stale tradition as they were in eras past. Today, the rural church is in the midst of a half century decline of both numbers and spiritual vitality. Where does the restoration begin? Consider my broad but flexible suggestions...

1) Rural Church revival must be coupled with rural economic revival.

This is a task that is certainly easier said than done. Yet, churches in small towns or rural areas should not be afraid to be thoughtful voices in the community for economic growth. Smart zoning and rural development, small farm subsidies, conservation, tax concerns, and rural education are all areas that require advocacy and attention. (Maybe not from the pastor directly, but rural church members should be heartily encouraged on these issues.)http://www.pcusa.org/rural/ is a good website to visit for more on this.

2)The rural church must embrace the best of its identity.

a) This means utilizing the highly relational nature of rural congregations. The small country church is much more likely to have the feel of a large family. Church's should nurture this strength and use it to the best of the ability. In rural society church is one of the few places you can "belong".

b) The rural church cannot be afraid of traditional worship or even worship with a more "country" or "gospel" twist. As long as worship is theologically Triunely centered and balanced and edifies the believers it is a plus. On occasion the praise choruses of megachurchdom can be fairly innefective especially in conservative areas or in areas were there are a large number of unchurched people. (ex. rural areas)

c) The rural church must also seek to intentionally develop its community voice and presence by fearlessly speaking out on community issues or beginning a community mission of some sort.

3) The rural church must readily reject the worst of its identity.

a) The rural church must seek intentional diversity with new or isolated people groups. In much of the midwest this means having a Hispanic outreach ministry or begining a Spanish-language worship service. (Of course, this implies the willingness and resources to bring a Latino(a) pastor on staff.) At any rate, many of the cities, towns, and rural areas of the upper Wabash Valley have Hispanic populations ranging from 8%-30% and all are rising.

b) The rural church must discard its closed nature. One of the pitfalls of being a family is exclusivity. This is a cloak the rural church must shed or it is doomed.

c) The rural church must be Bible based. Too often the devil sneaks in under the guise of "common sense", cultural wisdom, and "how we've always done things".

Coming Soon... The Conclusion to the Road to Rural Revival series.

The Need for Rural Revival

For a long time now the need for a revival in the rural church has been a keenly felt need. For nearly a half century the small town churches and rural houses of worship have slid in a slow and steady decline. I can remember visiting the Romney, Indiana United Methodist Church on one occasion. 80 years earlier it had been built to hold 300 on Sunday morning. Now about 70 meet there. The building remains a beautiful and elegant monument to what once once. What Longfellow noted of Evaneline's village of Grand Pre' remains true in many small towns and agrarian areas, "Nought but tradition remains." Of course, the general decline of many small town economies and the Midwestern economy in general is to blame for sure. The low commodity prices of the last 75 years forced many off the land who might be sitting in those rural pews otherwise. Also to be blamed no doubt is the increased mobility of our society. In the 1950's a round trip to church of 50 miles would have been unthinkable. Today, however, many make the drive the nearest urban or suburban center to the sprawling grounds of the hottest church at the moment; leaving the country parson to beg for parishioners. To be sure, there are no shortage of reasons that our once vibrant rural churches have morphed into monuments of eras bygone.

Despite all of this there is definite reason to preserve the many small rural churches we currently maintain. Perhaps the greatest of these reasons is the simple fact that many of these churches, though they may be small, still exercise a sizable amount of influence and voice in their communities. These churches, whatever their effectiveness in measurable terms for the kingdom, remain places of meeting, community centers, and voices for the kingdom in communities that might otherwise lack such a voice. Of course, not all of the small rural churches currently operating take advantage of these benefits. Yet in every small rural church there is the potential to stand as a serious contender in the affairs of the community. A small church in a small town can have the unique ability to call the entire town to revival, reconciliation, and justice. In a small town the entire area is the parish of the church. People who have always lived near the church consider it their spiritual home even though they never attend.

To be sure, there is no shortage of need in small rural communities for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Glenmary Research Center in Atlanta, Georgia has found that as many as 40% of the rural population in the United States is unchurched. These numbers are born out even more significantly in Indiana and the general Midwest. A 1991 nationally operated survey of religious adherents county by county revealed that in many counties in rural Indiana the situation is far worse. Fulton County, Indiana, for example, claimed only 42% of its population to regularly attend a religious institution. The numbers were not much improved in many of the counties that comprise of the Wabash Valley, once a cradle for the Methodist and Wesleyan traditions in the Midwestern United States. Definitely, there is a need! There is a need for salvation in many of these rural communities. There is the need for a voice of the church in many of these communities. Quite simply, the battle is not yet won, nor is it looking like it will be won any time soon.

Why write about a topic that so few of my peers likely care about? Why set to word thoughts on a topic that District Superintendents are only forced to think of? Why raise a voice for the small town or rural church? Because we cannot forget them. Indeed they are small churches; not glamorous. Often they lack a projector screen or power point presentations for worship. They seldom sing the most recent songs blasted over Christian radio. Yet, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much..."

There is a fountain...

All I choose to say this week is summed up best by this favorite old hymn penned by William Cowper. I have only adjusted the last verse to suit better my own theological bent and tastes. If I had to post the same blog every week it would be this one. To know me, this is all you must really know.


There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die!
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die!

When on that yonder shore I stand, beyond the Jordan's waves,
Then in a nobler sweeter song, I'll sing Thy pow'r to save!
I'll sing Thy pow'r to save! I'll sing Thy power to save!
Then in a nobler, sweeter song I'll sing Thy pow'r to save!

Jesus Christ: Not the Family Values Candidate

The Bible I most often preach out of was my father's. It was the Bible he received upon high school graduation. It was the same Bible he carried throughout my childhood. If I imagine my father with a Bible in his hand it is that brown leathered covered Bible I see. Sure it may be the King James Version, but that is what the people of my church read so it works well for preaching there. There is just something special about that Bible. Perhaps its so special because to me it represents that faith of his which I was taught and eventually accepted, the faith of my family.
When most people yield their lives to Christ they seldom consider the impact this decision will have on their families. How could they? When we first step forward in faith to accept the offered cup of the sacrifice of Christ our spiritual eyes are still milky with the dew of ignorance and inexperience in the faith. As time wears on however most people begin to gain a sense of how disastrous Jesus Christ will be to their life and the world they once knew. To be sure, a true relationship with the living Jesus Christ demands that a life be turned upside down. How we play church, how we labor, how we govern, and how we relate to those closiest to us can never be the same.
Jesus himself predicted this course of events in Luke 12:49-53 when he said, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law" (NIV). In so many words, "I am not the Messiah of family values."
Many can testify to exactly what Jesus meant when he made this bold statement. When you follow Christ that sometimes means you will find yourself at odds with your parents or siblings, especially if they are non-believers. Jesus did not come to preach warm and fuzzy family values, but to preach justice, redemption, mercy, freedom,love, and the truth of God in eternal life. His yoke is light and his burden easy, but his teaching is hard to take. As a result, families cannot always be united in his service. As a result mother can sometimes be turned against daughter and father against son.
However, the challange of outright division is not the only one that faces the family. In Luke 9 (verses 57-62) Jesus describes what it takes to be fit for service to the Kingdom of God. He calls a man to follow him. The man seems willing but requests to first be allowed to bury his father. Jesus rejects this as an excuse responding, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." On occasion, Christ calls men and women to proclaim the gospel and leave their family behind. (Let me be clear, when I speak of the "family" I do not mean a spouse or children, but parents and siblings.)

Jesus even finds himself caught between family and the proclamation of the gospel. Luke writes of the incident: "Now Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, 'Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.'
He replied, 'My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice'" (Luke 8:19-21) Jesus eventually puts a sharp point on the whole issue when he declares in Luke 14:26, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple." To be sure, a committment to Jesus Christ must come first.

Anyone who has ever been involved in ministry knows that the choice to choose between family and Christ comes sooner or later. It normally comes first when a minister to be chooses a spouse. Their choice must be ready and willing to share the call to proclaim the message. The choice appears again as difficulty arises in planning holiday meetings. Christmas and Easter conjure up headaches not warm sentimentalities as the Church calander conflicts with family gatherings. Children challenge the call in a unique way. The only hope for a minister with children is that he or she be as good a minister at home as they are to the church. Again and again we must choose. However, for those of us who have been there the right choice is obvious, though it may be difficult to accept. Our love and service to Christ and his Kingdom must come first.

Luckily, thus far my family has understood and supported our ministry. Praise be to the Lord, I don't forsee that changing. I should mention that when a family proclaims the gospel together, carries the cross together, and yeilds all together, it flourishes. In the mean time my wife and I will continue to tell the story of the faith my family holds. All the while, I'll continue to preach out of the old rugged Bible that was once my Dad's.

I yield... I yield...

For the past months I have increasingly struggled with the ideas of sanctification. I understood them well, or so I thought. I liked where they point us theologically. I thought they were well rooted in scripture. I knew that I was partially sancitified, or wed unto Christ or circumcised of heart (whatever terminology you prefer), but I longed for a more complete more full sanctification unto the GOd I love so dearly. I began praying for this more and more. However, it seemed the more I prayed the more I felt distant from that goal. I tried to be holy, to pour more of myself out to my wife and my church, to serve more, to pray more. It didn't work.
During my Romans and Galatians class taught by Dr. Ken Schenck Romans 1:16-17 began to speak to me. So I decided I would preach on it. I did my word studies. I read three or four of the best commentaries. I spent time in prayer. I gave it all time to percolate. As I began to put all of the pieces of the message together I realized this: I don't get any closer to God on the basis of what I do. I don't always even gain ground on the basis of what I seek from him.
Romans 1:16-17 states roughly, "I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. First to the JEw and then to the Greek. For a righteousness of God is revealed from Heaven from faith to faith. For as it is written, 'The righteous will live by faith."
John Wesley would have argued that this "righteousness from God was given at first to us when we first believed and then that God goes on, in our faith, to make us actually righteous. PErfecting over time. (Forgive me if this is an elementary understanding of Wesley.) Anyway, what do I take from this? What did I get?
I got this: God makes me holy by my faith in Christ. I don't need to seek holiness as an end. I don't need to do things to become holy. I need to trust Christ to make me holy. Those things "holy people" do come as a biprduct of that trust and faith in Christ that grows deeper as the days role by. John Wesley summed it up this way in a brief hymn. (from www.ccel.org)

NOW, even now, I yield, I yield,
With all my sins to part;
Jesus, speak my pardon sealed,
And purify my heart;
Purge the love of sin away,
Then I into nothing fall;
Then I see the perfect day,
And Christ is all in all.

Jesus, now our hearts inspire
With that pure love of thine;
Kindle now the heavenly fire,
To brighten and refine;
Purify our faith like gold,
All the dross of sin remove;
Melt our spirits down,
and mouldInto thy perfect love.

I yield... I yield...

While I emphasize sanctification as a process of submission to Christ let me also not too emphatically assert that I believe it can take place in a single moment too. Although I think that this moment of which many testify is simply the moment they realized all they needed to do was to yield... to yield...

I'll admit that to some of you who might read this, this blog seems like pretty elementary stuff. I agree, it is. What I'm bloggin about is something I've known in my brain for a long time. It is something though, I confess, I am just now learning in my heart. and I yield... I yield...

Required Reading for Pastors and Leaders

I found myself amused recently during a class in which Rev. Paul Hontz (of Holland Central Wesleyan) was the guest speaker. Throughout the course of the class period he named at least two books which should be read by every pastor. One of them he noted was an absolute must read. (I agreed with him on this; it was In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen.) That got me thinking though of all of the books that pastors and other leaders should be reading. In light of that I have a suggestion.
The recent work of Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals, should be a required text for anyone planning to to lead anyone anywhere. Goodwin does a masterful job of showing what true leadership is through the historical lense of the life and experiences of Abraham Lincoln. What Goodwin highlights as Lincoln's most imoportant trait, however, is a trait that has only recently entered the American leadership lexicon and has yet to be integrated into church leadership: emotional intelligence.

"Exactly what is Emotional Intelligence? The term encompasses the following five characteristics and abilities:
Self-awareness--knowing your emotions, recognizing feelings as they occur, and discriminating between them
Mood management--handling feelings so they're relevant to the current situation and you react appropriately
Self-motivation--"gathering up" your feelings and directing yourself towards a goal, despite self-doubt, inertia, and impulsiveness
Empathy--recognizing feelings in others and tuning into their verbal and nonverbal cues
Managing relationships--handling interpersonal interaction, conflict resolution, and negotiations" (taken from http://www.funderstanding.com/eq.cfm)

Lincoln, according to Kearns Goodwin, was the master of these traits, especially in the areas of empathy and relationship management. Now I recognize fully that a book like this will never be required reading for a church leadership class, but the subject of emotional intelligence may not be a bad subject to touch on. I also recognize that Lincoln's leadership was not specificly a Christian style, though it was certainly rooted in the prevailing protestant culture of his day. No matter what I still reccommend the book as one of the very best I've read in a very long time. Read it.

Summer Reading List

I thought some might like to see my summer reading list. Note that this is only a partial list, and includes some already completed reading.

The Complete Works of Josephus Completed

Written by the 1st century Jewish history, this is considered the go to reference for anyone researching the Jewish antiquities or 1st century history. I mainly skimmed this; it is heavily recap of the Bible, and lacks the divine inspiration.

To Kill a Mockingbird Completed
A classic recommended by Amy. I thought it was good, but not as good as the cover promised. Also, for me, the ending was a let down.

Fahrenheit 451 Completed

A Ray Bradbury novel, and another Amy pick, this is fiction at its finest. Although the fiction at times seems a little to near to real life for comfort. The novel is about a futuristic man whose job it is to burn books so that they wont be read. The logic is that books are too offensive, and we just want everyone to be happy, so just keep them watching TV. My TV viewing has dropped drastically since reading this. An incredible book.

The Mighty and The Almighty Completed

The book I'm currently reading, written by former Sec. Of State Madeline Albright, is a conversation about the role of faith and religion in world politics. The purpose of the book is a bit muddy, and the only suggestion to any world conflict she seems to have is to "use religious leaders to facilitate and legitimacy diplomatic negotiations." It is still a good informative read, despite the sneaking suspicion I have that it was written by committee.

Being God's Friend Partially Complete
A book by Charles Spurgeon, and a gift from Papa. I can't wait to read it. I have already read the first chapter and it seems to me a book everyone should reread monthly. I have also read "Quiet Times with Charles Spurgeon", a devotional book, and it was chalked full of striking Spurgeon quotes on every page. Spurgeon, agree or not, makes you think, and does have a way with wording the gospel.

A Consistant Ethic of Life Complete

An assortment of speeches and addresses made by the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, who was at one time the Archbishop of Chicago. The book addresses how Christians must develope a consistent ethic of life in the political and personal arena. In other words if the abolition of abortion is important to us thatn the cesation of warfare, a moratorium on the death penalty, and caombating hunger and disease should also be key values, for they are woven together into the "seamless garment of human life"

The Promise of Peace Complete

Another Cardinal Bernardin book, this one about Christian oppostition to warfare. I'm very interested in Catholic writing right now. They are far and away ahead of us in the area of social justice, and we would be wise to look to their beliefs in the political arena.

The Gospels

Amy and I will be reading them together.

Anything relating to Romans & Galatians

I have a Dr. Schenck Class on this subject this fall, I just want to be ready.

Much Much more....

I'll probably read ten more books than this even. However, this is all I'm sure of for now. If you have any suggestions let me know.