Morning Leadership Thought

A leader must be so committed to a project that he is willing to do it with or without someone else.  David did not become king until after he took on Goliath alone.  Don’t ask someone else to do something you’re not willing to do.

Saturday Morning Prayer

Lord, I pray you would give me a heart…

for those on the roadside of life,

for those who, for whatever reason, are not in the mainstream of life,

for those who lie crumpled and cast aside,

for those who are forgotten and ignored,

for those who are in some way blinded to the fullness of life.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Why the “Creationist Vs. Evolutionist” Battle is not necessarily Christians Vs. Scientists

Some Christians, in the name of defending Christianity and God, have attacked evolution.  Some rightly so.  But how you defend your view is as important as what your view is.  So, while trashing evolutionists as people who believe that humans evolved from random sludge, some Christians have actually hurt the cause of Christ.

The reality is that many Christians are evolutionists.  They just believe that God was part of the process.  And even more Christians while disagreeing with evolution, do not hold to a literal “6 days of creation.” 

There are basically 5 views of the origin of humans:

1. Naturalistic evolution: This is an attempt to account for all forms of life including humans by means of the processes of nature.  Supernaturalism is expressly excluded according to naturalistic evolution.
2. Fiat creationism: This is the idea that God, by a direct act, brought into being virtually instantaneously everything that is.  Both the direct action of God and the shortness of the time (literal 6 days) span of creation are stressed in this view.
3. Deistic evolution: This is the view that God planned the creative process and that He used evolution to accomplish His ends.  After God created the first form He removed Himself from the evolutionary process.
4. Theistic evolution: This view is similar to #3 above and yet there are important differences.  According to theistic evolution God is involved not only with the very beginning of the creative process, but also at key points thereafter.  God was directly and supernaturally responsible for creation (including that of humans).  God used a previously existing creature when He made a human being.  God created a human soul and infused it into a higher primate.
5. Progressive creationism: This sees the creative work of God as a combination of a series of creative acts (from the beginning) and a processive operation.  At various points in time God created new creatures without using previously existing life.  Between these special acts of creation evolutionary development took place.  Progressive creationists hold that God in a special act created man from the dust of the earth; He did not use a previously existing primate when He made the first man.  This view rejects macroevolution but accepts microevolution.

So where do you fall?  It seems to me that views 1 and 3 are incompatible with Scripture.  Sincere Bible-believing Christians have held views 2, 4, and 5.  I cautiously favor view 5.

At the same time, there are some great scientists and thinkers that are evolutionists and are claiming that “faith and science both lead to truth about God and creation.”  Rachel Held Evans’ blog from yesterday speaks to this very topic.  So CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT.

Come On Joel Osteen! Don’t be Silly!

I have always believed that it is unnecessary and counter-productive to attack or even point out the errors of other Christians and theologians.  Ultimately if we are proclaiming Christ as Lord, then we’re on the same team even if we do things differently.  But when I saw this video I laughed.  Then I almost cried.  Here is the pastor of the largest church in the United States who is preaching something that is false.  Sure, pork may not be good for you.  But is it a sin to eat pork?  Watch the video first so you can hear for yourself what he said.  What do you think?

Wouldn’t Hebrews 13:9 apply to the church today?  It says, “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them.”

Or what about Acts 11?

The purpose of those Old Testament dietary laws for Israel was to make them a peculiar people and to separate them from the world.

In Joel’s defense, this is over a year old and maybe he’s recanted…but somehow I doubt it.  And don’t get me wrong.  I’m not calling him a heretic or anything like that.  But when you have a public ministry that large, you are accountable to a larger audience.

Do they make a Microwave for “Change”?

There are so many things I want to improve about myself, about how FCC does church, about our community and world.  Of course, I need to start with myself.  That’s the one I have the most control over but it still seems slow.  Don’t they make a microwave or drive-through where I can just “CHANGE” over night?

I have to remember to take a day at a time.  It’s through “winning” each day that I can witness real LIFE-change.  And I have to remember that it ultimately comes through only by being plugged into God.  He’s the vine…I’m just the branches.  What else needs to be pruned? 

Always remember the long view of things like Jesus did, not the short view like Judas.

End Times

Recently I got this question from a friend: “My wife and I were discussing End Times and when the rapture would occur in reference to the coming of the anti-christ. I am nowhere’s close to having the bible memorized. Is there any scripture that tells us this. And what is your thinking on this issue?”

Here was my answer:

“There are 4 basic positions that theologians have taken on this issue. The American church starting in the 1800s really created the 4th camp in what’s commonly called “dispensationalism.” Don’t mean to bore you with the lingo. But I don’t fall into that camp. The idea of a “rapture” (from the Greek word “rapturo” can only be found in one verse (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). So I don’t believe in the Left Behind theology that believers get raptured and THEN there is a tribulation and then Jesus returns.”

“However, I do believe Jesus is returning. The difference is that we ARE LIVING in the tribulation and have been for some time. Jesus teaches on this in Mt. 24 and you’ll see that all the signs he gives of the end have been happening for a long time. he’s also clear that NO ONE knows when he will return. So we should stop guessing and live like it will be today. “

“Now the anti-Christ presents more dilemmas. Because that is only really discussed in Revelation. Again, the “4 theological views” all look at it differently. I try not to really worry about who the anti-Christ is because there’s not much I’ll be able to do about it. Step 1: Make sure it’s not me! Historically, just about every major world figure has thought to have been the anti-Christ including my hero, Ronald Reagan. (OK, not many people believed that but there was someone carrying a sign at the 76 convention). Of course Gorbachev was thought to be that figure too…and now I hear Obama’s name thrown out there. My only thought on that is that if Obama is the anti-Christ…why can’t he get his own party to pass health care legislation? I digress.”

Then I mentioned that if he wanted my  notes on Revelation I would be glad to email them to him.  The same goes for you.  Let me know and I’ll email you my “Introduction to Revelation.” 

So again…no rapture…just Jesus returning and ushering in the new heaven and new earth…after a tribulation that will get worse and probably have some kind of “Anti-Christ” that masquerades as God or a Messiah and fools lots of people (but not genuine Christians) in false worship. That’s my opinion…but I’ve been wrong before!

“What Must I Do To Be Saved?”

Q: What must I do to be “saved”?

A: There is nothing we do that saves us.  God saves us by grace through faith.  So the only thing we do is believe, trust, have faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10).  This is born out in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), in the story of Zaccheus (Luke 19:1-10), in the Parables of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Lost Son (Matthew 25), and the Thief on the Cross (Luke 23:40-43).  We certainly can’t be saved through obedience to the Law (Galatians 3:1-14).  Romans 1:16 says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”

Q: So “salvation” is free? 

A: No.  It cost Jesus the pain and suffering of torture and crucifixion.  He was totally forsaken on the cross by the Father as He took on ALL the sin of the world (past, present, and future) and became that sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Q: No, I mean “salvation” is free for US? 

A: Yes, there is nothing that we can DO to earn it.  God did all the work.  We just have to accept that for our lives.

Q: So there’s no cost to following Jesus?

A: I didn’t say that!  Salvation is free.  But the journey of faith is difficult.  We don’t have to DO anything to “stay saved.”  But we should be want to follow this incredible Leader who loves us and blesses us.  Check out Luke 9:57-62, 14:25-34 to see the cost.  2 Corinthians 11:23-28 describes some of the costs Paul endured for the church (for us!).  There is a huge cost to follow Jesus.

Q: I’m confused.

A: What’s your question?

Q: I’m supposed to be asking the questions.
A: Then why aren’t you?

Q: OK, I will!  So salvation is free…I can’t earn it through works or obeying the law.  I just have to believe that Jesus is who He says He is and trust Him with my life and seek to follow Him?

A: Yes!

Q: That’s it? 

A: Of course not.  A good question to ask would be “What is the evidence of salvation in a person’s life?”

Q: Yeah, good question.  So what’s the answer?

A: Remember Ephesians 2 from the first question?  Read verse 10 in the context.  And also Eph. 4:11-13.  Remember Galatians 3:1-14?  Now read 5:16-26.  Remember Romans 1:16?  Now read Romans 12.  Remember Jesus’ parables on grace?  Now read Matthew 25, the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats and the Parable of the Talents.  If salvation doesn’t change us at all then there’s a problem!  Look at James 2:14-26.

Q: A-Ha!  James 2:24 contradicts what you’ve been saying!  We are justified by faith AND works it says.

A: No, it doesn’t say that.  It says that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone…that’s different.  Vs. 22 talks about how our faith is made complete (or mature) by what we do.  In other words, faith is not a MENTAL agreement with God and Jesus.  It’s a day by day dependence on Him and His plan for our lives.  We demonstrate our faith through our actions.  So if we have NO actions to back it up we must not have faith.  It does not say that we have to be perfect and do all the right things, just that we are compelled by our faith to do right.  Good deeds are the fruit of a life lived by trusting Jesus Christ.  Jesus didn’t say to the thief on the cross, “Uh…well…you can be in paradise today but you’ve got to do some feeding of the hungry.”  Of course not!  We don’t tell the newly repentant Christian, “Uh…you’re not in YET.  You’ve got to do some good first.”  Never! 

Any other questions or passages that seem to refute this line of reasoning?

What is a Christian?

Being a Christian does not mean merely believing with our head that Christ died for us.  It’s being persuaded that Christ died for me AND I died IN HIM!  That is, I am ready to die, that I might live in the power of His love and for the display of His Glory.

What needs to “die” in you, so that you can live for Him?

Have Christians Caused More Harm or Done More Good? (Part 2)

The question cannot be answered if Jesus, Himself, had never existed.  So maybe a corollary question would be, “Has the existence of Jesus Christ caused more harm or done more good?” 

If that be the case, then the answer is easy.  Besides the impact Jesus has made on individuals’ lives, their impact is widespread and more so for the good.

Despite its humble origins, the Church has made more changes on earth for the good than any other movement or force in history.  Here are a few highlights:

• Hospitals, which essentially began during the Middle Ages when Christians were the first to risk life to help others with the Plague.
• Universities, which also began during the Middle Ages.  Most of the world’s greatest universities were started by Christians for Christians purposes including Harvard and my alma mater Hillsdale College which was the first to allow both women and African-Americans in the United States.
• Literacy and education for the masses.
• Capitalism and free-enterprise.
• The abolition of slavery, both in antiquity and in more modern times.
• The Civil Rights Movement in this country was driven by the Church and its leaders.
• Modern science (almost all of the premier scientists from antiquity that we celebrate today were Christians, though sometimes were opposed by the church.)
• The elevation of women in culture. 
• Benevolence and charity; the good Samaritan ethic.
• High regard for human life.
• The codifying and setting to writing of many of the world’s languages.
• Greater development of art and music including the inspiration for the greatest works of art.
• The eternal salvation of countless souls!

What else am I missing?  What am I overstating?  Christ’s influence on the world is immeasurable.  And yeah, some have really screwed that up.  But they don’t speak for God or the Church.

Sunday Morning Thought

The main goal of the Christian is to reflect the life of Christ in our own life.  That’s how we give him glory.

Philippians 2:3-5, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.