Life in the Slow Lane

I just saw ABC World News and another installment of their weeklong feature on time management called The Lifetime Crunch. They report that some businesses are embracing a slow-down at the office in order to boost employee productivity.

Thinking they are getting more done, many people trying to multitask tend to take twice as long or make twice as many errors! Google actually allows their employees to do whatever they want for 20 percent of their day! One employee says that it is a chance for your brain to breathe.

At home is no different. Another employee who is connected through e-mail, cell phone and Blackberry has decided to turn everything off one night a week! She says it is sort of like a re-engagement with the world and it renews her sense of how time passes… “that life just works better when you have time to think.”

So why write about this report? Think about how God has created this world and why he instituted his fourth commandment…six days you shall labor and on the seventh you shall rest. Certainly not a new phenomenon but today I see how it is thoughtfully incorporated into the modern day workplace, with amazing results! God does have a plan that works pretty good, if only we will allow it and seek ways to put it into practice.

 

I Finally Saw “I Am Legend”

A lot of great movies come out but I don’t usually see them until they come out on DVD, and Netflix told me from the start that I had a very long wait! To my surprise, the film came this week and I loved it.

 

Being a follower of Christ, I found in the film some amazing parallels to the mission and work of Christ… not sure that was the intent of the writers and producers, but I see it. The main character, Robert Neville, finds himself all alone in the world, immune to a disease that, if it did not kill you right off, turned you into humanoid-type beasts. This is a type of Christ, one who is sinless in our sea of humanity.

 

The beasts feared the light, so nighttime was pretty scary; (the Bible mentions men love darkness more than the light – John 3:19), but Neville was working on a serum that could cure the disease, and transform the beasts back into regular people.

 

He later finds out that he is not alone; there are other people who are immune to this disease, which he finds it hard to believe. The woman tells him that she was sent by God because he is going to save the world. Imagine that, a savior of mankind. Even though he prays out loud early in the film, a time comes when he is very doubtful that there even is a God, exclaiming loudly, “There is NO God!” A heavy scene but it is understandable since Neville has seen a lot of suffering over the past three years, (earlier he reminds us that “God did not do this, we did” referring to the “cure” for cancer mentioned at the beginning of the film, which turned out to be the cause of the disease).

 

After much experimentation, he finally appears to be successful. His latest captured beast is becoming more human, so the serum works. But the beasts are attacking his lab and are breaking through into the strong room. He pleads with them that he has found the cure, he can save them, but they refuse to understand or listen. He takes a vial of blood and sends the woman away. Then Neville sacrifices himself so she can get away from the beasts.

 

The woman arrives at her destination, which could represent heaven in a way. There are huge gates that need to be opened. She brings the vial of blood so it can save the human species. As the gates open the first thing one sees is a church at the end of the little road.

 

At the end, the narrator mentions that Robert Neville will become a legend, the one who gave his life for the salvation of mankind. If that is not our story, what is?

 

How can we help people to know and understand that there is a Savior who came to cure them, to set them free from sin? But men love their darkness more than the light and refuse to acknowledge the Savior. They want to try self-medication to find their own cure. The road to destruction is broad but the way to life is a narrow path (Matthew 7:13-14). Scripture promises that the seeker of truth will find God when they search for him with all of their heart (Jeremiah 29:13). As the old song goes, “there’s power in the blood.”

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Now for the parts where the parallel breaks down:

1.  Neville often looked at the beasts as less than human, (possibly, we too are less than human when we are enslaved to sin).

2.  Neville killed a lot of beasts throughout the movie, (whereas Jesus doing the same seems appauling).

3.  Neville seemed to seek a cure out of a sense of guilt, (more so than out of love).

4.  Neville took out several beasts when he sacrificed his life, (the very beasts he wanted to save).

5.  Neville is dead and became a legend, but he is not a resurrected Lord (unless they intend to make “I Am Legend 2″).

 

Earth Day or Creation Celebration?

Today is Earth Day, a commemoration of our global home. Without getting political, there seems to be a disconnection between conservation activism and climate alarmism. I’ve read that many Christians don’t like Earth Day because people around this globe are worshipping “mother earth” or because going green is an Al Gore thing (thinking, I didn’t support him in the election so I’m sure not going to do it now. Lest I digress, I’ve noticed activists have softened the language from Global Warming to Global Climate Change, but the alarmism issue is still here. I like what ABC investigative reporter John Stossel had to say in his book, Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity, pp. 201-205).  

 

Oops, I’m back now… Years ago I was a Boy Scout and we participated in a conservation program called, SOAR (Save Our American Resources). It was a great awareness idea to get people thinking about how to reduce, reuse and recycle; something we all need to do. After all, the planet’s resources are not unlimited! That is what Christian stewardship is all about; a steward takes care of something while the real owner is away.

 

Christians need to get away from the idea that Earth Day is about worshipping the earth, and realize that we are all called to be good stewards of the planet that we share. Just because the Bible says that man has dominion over the earth, does not mean we get to waste it or abuse it! Celebrating the greatness of our unique home among the planets should prompt us to celebrate God and His creation! Contemplating the wonder of creation should remind us that we are merely “the people of His pasture” (Ps. 95:7), and we must worship “our Maker” (v.6). The creation was flung into space to point to God and His greatness, power, and majesty. He alone deserves our praise and worship (Ps. 148:5).

 

I like the FOX network’s emphasis for the week, “Green It, Mean It.” Let’s conserve our resources, but let’s not forget to celebrate our Creator.

 

Who Decides Proper Christian Theology?

This YouTube video (the Church of Oprah Exposed) is tremendously disturbing. Is this video representative of what happens when the group or community gets together and decides proper theology? Rex Miller indicates we should trust our people to be on a hero’s journey searching for truth and significance in life (my interpretation of what I heard at a recent conference), but what happens when influential people like Oprah with her “experts” and credibility redefines who Jesus is? Is there no standard anymore within the Christian community?

I see this like Dan Brown and his Da Vinci Code confirming in the minds of skeptics that Jesus really is the charlatan they always thought he was; because “now we have proof – Dan Brown’s research claims its truthfulness right on page one.” When is the print media of the Bible a true standard in this generation? Or is proper theology lost and we just have to keep diversifying the church (liberal vs. conservative, infant baptism vs. believers’ baptism, health and wealth gospel vs. theology of the cross, cheap grace vs. costly discipleship, gay bishops vs. homosexuality is a sin, etc.). While denominationalism divides the church (often times for good reason regarding non-essentials or preferences) we still can agree on who Jesus is in our foundational beliefs.

In Beauty and the Beast, the village is storming the castle in order to kill the beast. The cartoon musical has a great line, “a hundred Frenchmen can’t be wrong, so kill the beast!” Just because a larger group gets together and says Jesus is NOT only one way to get to God, doesn’t make it proper or acceptable Christian theology.

I read this article this morning in Our Daily Bread:

In his book Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, Neil Postman warns us of the danger of a world of information overload. He reminds us of a chilling futuristic vision—Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, which describes a world thoroughly flooded with information. But that data is manipulated so that none of it has any significance.

A glance at the Internet or a magazine rack hints that we are living in just such a culture. We’re drowning in a sea of information often marketed by the unscrupulous. We need discernment to choose wisely whom we will listen to.

In John 6, Jesus delivered His “I am the bread of life” message (v.35). It was a sermon so controversial that, at its conclusion, many of His followers went away and stopped following Him (v.66). They chose to stop listening to the voice of Christ. When Jesus challenged His disciples as to whether they would also walk away, Peter wisely responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (v.68).

In a world swamped with confusing and contradictory information, we can, like Peter, turn to Christ for wisdom. He cuts through the words of confusion with words of life.  — Bill Crowder

So, here we are in the information age, so much information we often find ourselves in information overload (24 hour news, thousands of magazine choices, more web pages than Google can count, non-stop commercials telling us what we need in order to live a satisfying life). I wonder if the church needs to be more in the business of helping people make sense of the world around them; we need interpretation more than additional information. Read what my friend Chuck Warnock has written on the topic.

 

What is a Christian?

I read a Homelife Magazine article this week by and about Tullian Tchivijian (Billy Graham’s prodigal grandson who admits defeat) called a magnificent defeat at the hand of God. He discusses that as a teenager he rebelled against all he knew to be right and was sucked into sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll… now jump to the present, he is currently founding pastor of New City Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

As I read, my first question was… “What?” Did this guy know who his grandfather was? Did this not influence him at all? Billy Graham was/is God’s ambassador to sitting presidents, heads of state as well as the common people all over the world, who preached the message of the resurrection to more people than the apostle Paul could ever had hoped for. Yes, he knew; and that’s why his life went awry.  

A great quote from the article: 

“The problem between knowing about God and knowing God is as massive as the Grand Canyon. That distance, that separateness, is something that must be resolved.” 

That’s why his life was bankrupt. Now back to my original question, “What is a Christian?” We have all heard various definitions: 

• One who believes in the resurrection of Christ
• One who trusts in Christ for his salvation
• One who believes a certain set of propositional truth
• One who participates in an organized church
• One who follows the teachings of Jesus or the Bible
• One who tries to live by the Ten Commandments
• The list goes on…

Another amazing quote from the article: 

When my kids ask me, “Dad, what’s a Christian?” I always answer, “A Christian is one who can say, ‘As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, 0 God. My soul thirsts for God”‘ (Ps. 42:1-2, NIV). A Christian is someone who hungers for God more than anything else; more than health, wealth, status, good looks, or a spouse. Make no mistake: What we love is a surer test of who we are than what we say. Actions are much easier to fabricate than affections. 

That’s the point of HeartQuest 101, to love God more than anything else; to find that pearl of great price and risk everything to get it; to risk getting out of our comfort zones; to step out of our boats of mediocrity and experience water-walking with Jesus (a story from Matthew 14).  

This lifelong journey is a quest of the heart, to actively search for God in order to bring a sense of meaning and purpose to this life, then to bring honor and glory to our Creator and Sustainer of this world. So, how does your life reveal the love of your life? If we claim Christ has that number one spot, how does life lived out back up our affections?

 

Cross-Generational Chords of Discontent

I’m fascinated by a book by Gary L. McIntosh called, One Church Four Generations. I am a part of a congregation full of Builders, often called The Greatest Generation that built this country into what it is today. But as I think about the future of the church, how will we reach the younger generation of Boomers, Busters and Bridgers? 

McIntosh writes about the conflict over worship styles: 

While not every member of each generation sees things the same way, essentially the areas of difficulty are as follows: 

• Pace of the service. Builders like worship services to move along slowly and predictably. Boomers like worship to move at a fast clip, while Busters and Bridgers want it to move even quicker. Both Busters and Bridgers look for variety and spontaneity.
• Brightness of the lighting. Builders prefer softer lighting as it gives more of a worshipful feeling. Boomers look for a brighter lighting so they can see people well. Most Busters and Bridgers also like brighter lighting, but some prefer a darker setting, perhaps with candles or other subdued lighting.
• Loudness of sound. Builders appreciate being able to hear well but dislike sound that blasts. Boomers and Busters want the music loud enough that they can feel it. Some Bridgers also appreciate louder sound and in some situations are comfortable with lots of interactive noise from videos, music, and talking.
• Length of service. Builders have a longer attention span and thus are willing to sit through longer services. The attention span of Boomers, Busters, and Bridgers has been increasingly shorter.
• Formality of service. Builders expect a certain level of formality and decorum, whereas Boomers prefer somewhat of a dressy casual. Busters and Bridgers like things to be flexible and casual. Builders equate reverence with formality of dress. They experience great frustration with Bridgers who may wear baseball caps in the church, perhaps even while in the worship service.
• Feel of the service. Builders look for a worship service that is quiet and reverent. Boomers and Busters desire an upbeat celebration time. Bridgers, however, appear to appreciate worship that is real and honest regardless of the style.
• Participation in the service. Builders tend to watch and enjoy while Boomers and older Busters who grew up in church like to participate with clapping and similar forms of involvement. Bridgers like a highly interactive worship service that allows for multiple forms of involvement. Unchurched Boomers, Busters, and Bridgers want to be entertained to some extent.
• Type of music. Builders love the hymnal and the familiar songs of the faith. They like their music to be slowly paced and reverent. Boomers appreciate the praise music of the ’70s and ’80s, while Busters and Bridgers like to “sing a new song” to the Lord using a variety of music styles.
• Quality. Builders associate quality with the effort that is extended. Thus a person may sing off-key, but Builders appreciate the quality of his or her effort. Boomers see quality as being mistake free. They expect the music, sound, announcements, and message to be well done. Busters and Bridgers tend to view quality as equal to authenticity. To them a Boomer worship service comes across as too slick and contrived. A few mistakes in the worship service are fine with them, as it is more authentic and real.

So how do you work through these issues? What about a blended service trying to be all things to all men? What about starting a contemporary service to reach the younger generation? Would it meet on Sunday morning or maybe Saturday evening? What about meeting in a different venue than the church property? Is it OK to have two separate congregations in one church, each service meeting the needs of their “target” audience?

 

The Historic St. Patrick

Today, we are all supposed to be Irish, wearing green, displaying the shamrock, looking for leprechauns or pots of gold at the end of rainbows, drinking green beer and eating Lucky Charms… it all appears to be just another excuse to party, and we don’t have to wait for the weekend. So, what’s it all really about? Who was this Patrick fellow anyway?  

Robert Morgan writes (in Amazing Stories About Saints, Martyrs and Heroes) that Saint Patrick died March 17, 461, a day that has since borne his name. Patrick was born about 389 in Britain. His father was a deacon and his grandfather a priest. Roman protection of England had deteriorated, and bands of Irish invaders tormented coastal areas, pillaging farms, slaughtering villagers, kidnapping teens. Patrick was taken at age 16. The Irish farmer who bought him put him to tending sheep, and somehow through all this Patrick found Christ. “The Lord opened to me a sense of my unbelief, that I might be converted with all my heart unto the Lord.” 

Following a daring escape at age 22, Patrick returned home to joyous parents who prayed that he would never again leave. But Patrick’s heart burned for his captors, and one night he dreamt an Irishman was begging him to return and preach. After several years of Bible study, Patrick returned to Ireland as a missionary. The Irish were almost wholly unevangelized at the time, worshiping the elements, seeing evil spirits in trees and stones, and engaging in magic, even in human sacrifice, performed by the druids. “It very much becomes us,” he said, “to stretch our nets, that we may take for God a copious and crowded multitude.” And so he did, planting 200 churches and baptizing approximately 100,000 converts, despite a dozen attempts against his life and violent opposition from civil authorities. In his Confessions, he wrote, I am greatly a debtor to God, who has bestowed his grace so largely upon me, that multitudes were born again to God through me. The Irish, who had never had the knowledge of God and worshipped only idols and unclean things, have lately become the people of the Lord, and are called sons of God. 

Think of the love this man had for God and also for his captors. Patrick would sense the call of God to a foreign land to share the good news of Christ with those living in darkness. He thought of others more highly than himself. He was willing to get out of his comfort zone and step out into a risky future. So, on this day of Irish celebration, how is God leading you to get out of your comfort zone? How will you take a risk for God and allow Him to work through you? Peter was called to step out of the boat and walked on water for a while (Matthew 14). How is God leading you? Remember, Peter would never had experienced the thrill of walking on the water had he not stepped out of the boat!

What we experience here in America on March 17 is a far cry from what I read about the real St. Patrick.

 

Are You As Trustworthy As You Think?

I was reading Christian Single magazine and found an article written by a person named J.B. which certainly causes one to think!

When it comes to relationships, honesty is one of the char­acter traits we most appreciate. Almost all of us think of ourselves as trustworthy, and we are quick to be offended when others are proved dishonest. While big lies might be easy to spot, how truthful are we when it comes to the small things? 

• Keeping Promises: Have you ever promised to keep a secret, make a date, or help someone out and then failed to do exactly that? Sure, life gets in the way sometimes, and everyone’s entitled to a change of mind. But if your friends find themselves on the receiving end of a string of broken promises, it can mean only one thing: You’re unreliable. 
• Shirking Work: While most of us still find it hard to break a promise to a friend, it’s much easier to take advantage of a big company. Have you ever called in sick when the only thing mak­ing you ill is the daily grind? Guess what: Your pants are on fire. 
• Pilfering Post-Itst: An online survey by Reader’s Digest Canada found that 62 percent of its readers copped to stealing office supplies. Maybe you’re just pocketing small stuff like pens, paper, or envelopes to sock it to an impersonal industry. But if taking something that’s not yours isn’t dishonest, then what is? 
• Ignoring Checkout Mistakes: How do you react if you get undercharged at the supermarket or restaurant? What do you do if the cashier gives you too much change? Your response is more of a statement about your own trustworthiness than their accuracy. 
• Committing Victimless Crimes: Do you run stop signs way out in the country when you’re sure not to be seen? Do you edge over the speed limit on certain well-known roads? Do you ever pocket income you have no plans of reporting to the IRS? Don’t forget the classic definition of integrity: It’s who you are when no one’s looking. 

I am reminded of the young shepherd boy, David, in the classic story of his battle with the giant (1 Samuel 17). David approached King Saul and wanted to take on the one who was trash-talking the armies of the living God. Any king would have been concerned for such a young man to take on a huge warrior. But David’s comeback was a sign of his character. He was confident. He said he killed both the lion and the bear when they would come to steal his father’s flock, and he would do the same for this giant (vss. 34-36).

This tells me that David was a person of integrity; he had a responsibility to protect his father’s animals. Who would have ever known if one or two went missing? He risked his life when no one was looking! What kind of person are we when no one is looking? Or for the parents reading this; what kind of person are you when someone IS looking?

 

Heisman Winner Has Priorities in Order

I found a great article about this year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow, having his priorities in order. He’s an MK (missionary kid), a committed follower of Jesus and a faithful member of First Baptist Church Jacksonville, Florida.

In a profile aired on ESPN during the Heisman award ceremony, Tebow said his priorities are: “number one, my faith in God; number two, my family and my relationships with my family; number three, academics; and number four is football.”

His mother, Pam Tebow, in the profile, said she declined the advice of a doctor to get an abortion after she became seriously ill and dehydrated when pregnant with Tim, her fifth child while living overseas. Bob Tebow said his son is a “miracle baby and so we have reminded him that hundreds of times.” He was homeschooled but allowed to play high school football thanks to a Florida law.

There are several quotes from his pastor, Mac Brunson, about the entire family’s commitment to Christ. 

“I think who he is is a great tribute to his mom and his dad, in fact the whole family,” Brunson said. “It’s a family that’s incredibly dedicated to the Lord, dedicated to missions. They walk the walk. They just don’t talk about it; they really walk the walk. It’s a close family, and you have to admire the family, not just Tim, but the entire family as well for their commitment to the Lord and the Lord’s work.

“They are really an example of what a family can be under Christ because all of them are so gifted in so many different ways,” Brunson continued. “He’s got a brother who is an incredible athlete. He has a sister who is an incredible teacher. His mother speaks, his dad preaches and has this mission effort in the Philippines. They’re all just talented, gifted. They’re close. They’re a great example of what a family can be when Christ is Lord of everyone’s life.”

Mac Brunson was a Tidewater area pastor several years ago, serving at South Norfolk Baptist Church.

I liked this article because Tebow sets an example for students today, standing up for what he believes in, as well as excelling in academics and athletics; a real role model. Not just a guy who crosses himself after a great play, but a young man who can be at the top of his game and still be faithful in his relationship with Christ. The world has plenty of people who talk a good game. Living it out can communicate to others that what we believe really is something significant.

[ Read the Full Article ]  

 

Reaching the Buster Generation

This is a continuation of my previous post on Ministering to the Buster Generation.

The stats are interesting. In 2001, 33% of those ages 18-29 attended church, (compared to 40% of those ages 30-64 and 52% of those ages 65-74). So how does today’s church design a strategy for reaching unchurched Busters? Gary McIntosh (One Church Four Generations) suggests five concepts the church must keep in mind, (the author elaborates but you can brainstorm the possibilities under each point).

1. Physically, nothing captivates Busters more than sports and fitness.
2. Relationally, nothing captivates Busters than friends and family.
3. Mentally, nothing captivates Busters more than entertainment and music.
4. Socially, nothing captivates Busters more than improving the environment.
5. Spiritually, nothing captivates Busters more than a search for serenity.

While one-size-fits-all does not fit the Buster generation, there are some keys to reaching them. Each church must determine if they are Buster-centered, Buster-friendly or Buster-hostile. Consider these ideas in becoming more Buster-centered (like saying, “welcome, we’ve prepared this experience just for you”).

• Play down titles and use first names.
• Eliminate churchy words like foyer, vestibule and sanctuary and replace them with platform, lobby and auditorium.
• Provide excellent child-care facilities.
• Explain everything you do, so they have some idea of what’s going on.
• Use a style of music that they would listen to on the radio.
• Dress casually.
• Remodel the church to reflect contemporary colors, rather than outdated.
• Install equipment that Busters expect: computer and multimedia projector.
• Don’t call attention to guests, but welcome visitors as a group and invite them to sit back and enjoy the service, directing them to a welcome center in the lobby.

Not only can the church value Busters, but other things can be done to reach this generation:

• Start a new worship experience designed for them.
• Make a good first impression.
• Keep things relaxed.
• Be positive: help Busters to see the joy in serving Christ.
• Use a response card rather than asking them to come forward after a service.
• Start a drama ministry or a video production team.
• Preach “how-to” messages.
• Establish new ministries.
• Teach life skills.
• Provide parafamily structures: small groups, sports teams, task oriented committees.
• Be involved in the community.
• Stress marriage and family.
• Communicate your vision with practical results of your ministries.
• Offer time and space since their pilgrimage may last longer than others: they are the first post-Christian generation who lack a Christian foundation; they carry hurts that need healing before they can move to another place in their lives; they learn by experimenting and they are predisposed to thinking that church is irrelevant.

The main thing for Busters is relationships, purpose in life and personal healing… wow, healing hurts and building bridges. What a great task for the church!