Denver Metro

We have completed our move to the Denver Metro area.  We are living in Brighton, CO which is a suburb on the North East side.  I will post further updates once I have regular internet service at our home, which will not be until this coming Thursday.  God bless!

Wonderful Day of Worship and Fellowship

I just wanted to share a couple of highlights about our worship this morning.  While we were partaking in the Lord’s Supper together, one of the members of the church attempted to read through Mark 15.  He was unable to finish the chapter without being overcome by his emotions.  It is great to see the gospel story of Jesus still stirring hearts. 

Secondly, I preached on being “salt” and “light” from Matthew 5.3-16.  I realy strove to challenge the congregation about what it means to be salt and light in an empirical age where the nation we live in seeks to protect its wealth and power by any menas necessary, including deadly violence.  As a way of presenting this, I reminded the church that passages in The Sermon on the Mount such as Matthew 5.43-44 (love enemies, pray for persecutors) and Matthew 6.24 (cannot serve both God and wealth) both challenge the way most Christians living in the U.S. baptize the nation’s wealth and power and subsequently serve to protect national interests rather than following the teachings of Jesus.  As you know, such a sermon is far from being politically correct (no pun intended).  The sermon was well received and several people told me that it was nice to hear someone challenging the way discipleship calls us to an alternative counter-culture way of life.

Last, we had a great potluck as we, the Kandiyohi Church of Christ, always do.  I suppose one of the reasons I enjoy our potlucks so much is because our congregation is so spread out geographically that our potlucks really create time and space for fellowship that is not always available.  Praise God for the fellowship we have with him and his people!

Idolatry, Then and Now: A Follow Up

            Back on April 30^th I posted a blog titled Idolatry, Then and Now in which I shared some insights regarding the subject of idolatry from Christopher J. Wright’s book The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative.  In the post I tried to avoid any mention of examples of how Christians (especially in our Western context) engage in idolatry today, asking instead for the readers wishing to make a comment to name some examples of what they believe are idols and forms of idolatry.  One thing the comments reveal is the wide array of forms which idolatry can take on which are very subtle, for we Christians would ever participate in anything that we believe to be idolatry.  Thus that which becomes an idol to us will almost always be something that appears as a good thing, perhaps even a biblical thing.

            So what are some forms of idolatry that people, even Christians, in our culture struggle with?  One of the comments in the original post provided a link to a lecture on by Tim Keller titled “The Grand Demythologizer: The Gospel and Idolatry” (click on the title to reach a link that will give you an audio or video option to listen to his lecture) based on Acts 19.21-41 which was delivered at the 2009 Gospel Coalition National Conference in which Keller seeks to help us discern and confront idolatry.  He defines idolatry as anything that takes us from the glory and grace of God.  You will appreciate the breadth, depth, and balance Keller employs when naming specific forms of idolatry and how people/Christians become enslaved to those idols.  His treatment of the topic is saturated with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Keller believes the main reason why North American Christianity is very indistinguishable from its surrounding culture is because the church has not confronted the idols people worship.

            I also want to mention one other example that my friend and colleague Wes Woodell mentioned on his blog.  This is the recent news that Thomas Nelson Publishers will be producing a New King James Version of the Bible titled The American Patriot’s Bible with both an American Flag and an American patriotic picture as the cover of the Bible.  I could easily just go off on a tangent about the problems and compromise of the gospel that occurs when honest patriotism becomes nationalism, which is taking place in the United States of America in the 21^st century and allows Christians to cloak God in the ethos of the American Nation.  I would be upset to see a Bible cloaked in the ethos of any nation.  God is bigger than all nations and tribes and above all nations and tribes.  All nations and tribes, along with every other person and institution, will bow to the knees of Jesus and acknowledge that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is Lord.  This does not mean that I hate the United States of America of which I am a citizen of.  It simply means that I refuse to make an image out of God, adorning God in the ethos of patriotic culture (or any culture) as depicted by the colors of red, white, and blue.  

            So enjoy Tim Keller’s lecture.  I believe this is the most pressing issue facing Christianity in the North American and Western culture – will we remain true to our Christian confession that Jesus Christ is Lord and Messiah?  We need to keep conversations like this going, for it is the only way we can help each other discern truth from the lies.

Libera – Be Still, My Soul

Be Still, My Soul is a classic hymn that I discovered one day in chapel at Harding University Graduate School of Religion.  When I first heard the words to this song, it had only been a year since my wife and I had lost our son Kenny.  The song brought tears to my eyes then and still does to this day, as it was this song that gave words to the broken faith I had while reminding me that somehow, through all the grief and pain, that God was still faithful and the hour of our Lord’s return was hastening on. 

This past week I have been praying for several people who are very ill and in a possible fight for their very lives.  They are young and in the prime of their life.  Yet brewing in their life is a storm that longs for the voice of the Lord to say once again “Be Still!”  I don’t know what that stillness looks like and neither do they.  And so we all long for the day when the Lord will return and that stillness will be the joyful end where “…change and tears are past, all safe and blessed, we shall meet at last.”

Pepperdine Lectures Highlights

Here are my highlights from the Pepperdine Lectures (in no order):

• Great teaching:  All of the keynotes were wonderful, challenging, and inpsiring.  I really appreciated Rick Atchley and Rich Little’s key note sermon (but that does not take away from the rest).  The expository classes by Paul Pollard and Ron Cox were awsome.  Hearing Randy Harris share insight from some of the world’s most influential philosophers of the modern era and how a Christian might respond was well worth the time (especially for those of us who have ever tried to read Western Philosophy).
• Great Worship:  From the gatherings at the Firestone Fieldhouse to joining Mike Cope and Zoe Worship, it was awesome.  When we sang “We Shall Assemble”, “How I Love the Great Redeemer” and “The Lord Bless You and Keep You”, I had chills running down my spine. 
• Great Fellowship:  I ran into some old familiar faces, while meeting new faces including some faces of people I know through the blogosphere.  Also seeing the elders (and their wives) from the Townwest Church of Christ in Taylor, Texas and their new Preacher and his wife (thanks for inviting me too dinner with y’all). 
• Great honors:  It was nice seeing some people who have served God around the world be recognized for their years of faithful service.  Missionaries are our unsung heros.  Also of importance and blessing was attending the honorary dinner for Evertt and Ileene Huffard (Dr. E. Huffard is a former professor of mine), both of whom have been a godly blessing to so many over the years.
• Great Food:  The Pepperdine Lectureship kept us well fed with eggs, ham, and sausage for breakfast and healthy lunches.  Evening Dinner was open and so I tagged along with the Townwest gang, which included a trip to the Marmalade Grill for some awsome Blackened Ahi Tacos (I get hungry thinking about them).
• Great beauty:  Just imagine standing on the mountain side in 70 degree weather underneath a coupld of palm trees and blue skies as you stare out across the Pacific ocean into the horizon…nothing more needs to be said.  “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skied proclaim the work of his hands” (Ps 19.1, TNIV). 

I cannot wait for next year.

Pepperdine Lectures & Amazing Grace

I am headed of to the Pepperdine Lectures tomorrow in sunny Mailbu, California.  I know…it is a real hard life but someone must live it…so I will and enjoy every moment of it.  It will be a great time of worship, fellowship, and good teaching from some great Christian thinkers and leaders.  If you happen to be there also and you see me, please stop me and introduce yourself.  I would love to meet some of the faces to the people I interact with in the blog world.

 

Also, I wanted to share a video of a very beautiful rendition of the classic hymn ”Amazing Grace” performed by the quartet Il Divo.  Watch, listen and be encouraged, for God’s grace is truly amazing. 

Idolatry, Then and Now

          Lately I have been trudging my way through The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative by Christopher J. H. Wright (which is also listed under “Books I’m Reading”).  Even though I am only a third of the way through the book, I would highly recommend it just on the basis of what I have read thus far.  On nearly every page there will be something that sparks the thinking for preaching and teaching.  As the author develops his thought, his approach might be best described as “biblical theology” meaning that he is trying to let the flow of the biblical narrative in its historical and theological context speak for itself.

          I have really appreciated his treatment of idolatry and how the biblical writers understood this phenomenon.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I am offering a feeble attempt at sharing it with you ☺.  Wright suggests that by eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve sought moral autonomy which meant “not just the ability to recognize the difference between good and evil… but the right to define for oneself good and evil” (p. 164).  The result is a rejection of what makes God to be God and a rejection of his authority.  Thus idolatry finds its origin in the first sin.  From this aspect, Wright offers a very thoughtful and thorough definition of idolatry (pp. 164-165):

Idolatry dethrones God and enthrones creation.  Idolatry is the attempt to limit, reduce and control God by refusing his authority, constraining or manipulating his power to act, having him available to serve our interests.  At the same time, paradoxically, idolatry exalts things within the created order (whether natural objects in the heavens or on earth, or created spirits, or the products of our own hands or imaginations).  Creation is then credited with a potency that belongs only to God; it is sacralized, worshiped and treated as that from which ultimate meaning can be derived.

Readers will appreciate the many biblical texts where Wright shows such idolatry playing out both on the part of Israel as well as the gentile nations. 

          Asking the question of what sort of things we create our gods (idols) from, the author answers this question by turning again to the biblical text to show how such idolatry stems from three factors: 1) things that entice us; 2) things we fear; 3) things we trust (pp. 166-169).  In a humorous sort of fashion, Wright reassures us that the only truth for which we can depend from such gods/idols is their consistency to “never fail to fail” (p. 169).

          So let me take a minute to think about this in a missional way.  I once heard Randy Harris say that we Christians (presumably in North America) are way too sophisticated to bow down and worship a wooden statue, animal, or something of the like.  I think he is right.  We are, or at least I am, too intelligent for such form of idolatry.  But does that mean we are free from falling into idolatry?  If Israel could not keep from falling back into idolatrous worship, then why should any Christian think he or she and all the other Christians could never become idolatrous? 

          It is so easy to recognize idolatry when it takes the form of animal worship, worship of a wooden image, etc…  It is much harder to discern the idols of our time that we can and do worship at times.  Given the above definition by Wright and the three factors out of which make such gods/idols, what has the potency to become our god/idol in our own day?  I am interested in hearing what others think before I formulate my own answer.

A Thought Regarding the Poor

I came accros this great quote from Herman Melville regarding criticism of the poor.  I struck me as a wise observation, so I thought I would share it with you all.  Here is what Melville said:

“Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed.”

Missing the Point of Being Church

          Some issues seem to die hard. Today, I received in the mail a letter from another church. Included in the letter was a booklet titled Innovations in the Church which contained a series of sermons addressing what one church believes to be the fundamental challenges facing the 21st century church. Here are the various sub-titles for the topics addressed: Instrumental Music in Worship; Bible Classes & Women Teachers; Following the Pattern; What is the Cup of the Lord?; Why Only One Cup?; Literal Until Proven a Figure; Is a Plurality of Communion Cups Scriptural?; Some Misconceptions.  You may understand where such issues come from because of some familiarity with Churches who have been enslaved by such issues. Yet most people would read that list and shake their head while silently saying “huh?”

          Another piece of mail came to me as well. This one was a bulletin like flier with several articles. One of the articles was titled Identifying the Church of the Lord. In this article, the author sets out by mining the New Testament to try and identify what he believes is the distinguishing marks of the church of Jesus Christ. Personally, I believe Jesus summed up pretty clearly how the world would identify his church (disciples) when he said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn 13.35, TNIV).

          I titled this blog post Missing the Point of Being Church for a reason. I believe both pieces of mail demonstrate how badly we can miss the point of being church. There are other examples that I am sure you are aware of. However, let me remind us where our world is: As we began our day, a young married man started his day wondering if the fight he had with his wife last night would be the final straw that ends their marriage; a single mother went to work today expecting to be laid off and having no idea where she will find new employment that provides for her and her child/children; a middle-aged parent is planning to attend a funeral for one of their children who died long before they ever had a chance to live life; a war veteran woke up today after spending the night on a city side-walk wondering where his life went so terribly wrong; a young college girl woke up this morning in bed next to a boy she does not even remember the name of because deep within her, she just is looking for the affirming love she never received from the father who left her and her mother when she was a baby; a family has immigrated from a foreign land thousands of miles away and is praying that they will one day find the truth and purpose of why they are here; another…

          If we were to sit next to Jesus and ask him what the purpose of being church is, I wonder what he would say. We do know this: when people came looking for Jesus to keep him in their neighborhood, this was Jesus’ reply, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent” (Lk 4.43, TNIV). There are so many issues we deal with in being church but I am not sure how most of those issues have anything to do with being conduits of good news. May we learn from Jesus what being church – the people of God – is all about!

A Reason to Worship God

I am sitting in LuLu Beans coffee house here in Willmar, MN.  There is still snow on the ground yet there are also patches of grass showing where the snow is melting.  I am starting to hear the sounds of birds chirping outside now.  Winter is passing as the dawn of spring is emerges before us.   After several months of cold temperatures (sometimes bitterly cold) and lots of snow, I am ready for spring to come. 

It should be an exciting time but for many, this year is not so exciting.  The economy is in a major slump, unemployment is rising, we continue to watch politicians on both sides of the spectrum make decisions that seem very questionable at best, and even the aura of a new President who has promised to be different is beginning to loose its lackluster. 

Yet, hope is not lost.  Around the world, God’s people gather together in worship to remember and celebrate the victory of God in Christ that we share in – no matter how dismal life seems to be.  We gather together because hope is alive and well.  We gather together because God has done something wonderful and marvelous.  We gather together because God, our God, the one true living God, is victorious.  Our God has made his presence among us as the Incarnate Son, suffered by being crucified unto death, and has been raised to life as the Lord and Savior.  Our God is victorious!  Our God reigns!

Do we need another reason to worship God? 

The book of Revelation is the declaration of God’s victorious reign.  Against the back drop of the Roman Empire, who thought it was in sovereign control of the world, our God is described as victorious by the chorus of praise from the living creatures in Revelation 4.8…

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”[1]

And as these living creatures laid their crowns at the throne of God, they cried out (v. 11)…

“You are worthy, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they were created

and have their being”

            The story tells is this victory of God’s that is shared with the people of God.  Even as the people of God suffered under the oppressive hand of a tyranny power that refused to recognize it is not God, our God still rules and still shares this victory with his people.  And so the multitudes of God’s people shout out in a chorus of worship (Rev 19.1-2)…

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

for true and just are his judgments.

He has condemned the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.

He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

            Even as the world around us shutters in despair over a slumping economy and a government whose actions seem to care little for the “common person,” we do not fret because we know our God victoriously reigns.  Let us continue to worship God as the victorious one who reigns, who is our hope!

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[1] All scripture is taken from Today’s New International Version.