Quote of the Week

This week's quote: "Never apologize. Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe you anyway."

Of course this quote is not advocating the abolishing of apologies. Its origin stems from the idea that under some circumstances the offender and the offended know that an infraction has occurred and internally both sides know that either an apology isn't needed, or it won't matter.

The Bible says that "love covers a multitude of sins." When two people love each other their actions and behaviors are not meant to offend. There is an understanding that weariness, or perhaps a lapse in judgment may have been the reason for the offense. Under those conditions the apology doesn't have to come in words because it can be sensed by the persons feeling of remorse or a corresponding action attempting to rectify the wrong.

On the other hand, some people are prone to wanting to exact revenge when they are offended. No amount of apologizing or acts of restitution seem to be good enough for them. You might as well save your words and watch your back. Settling the score, in their mind, is the only way to fix the wrong.

Pay attention to your relationships. Build strong loving ones and you won't have to do a lot of apologizing. Your love or theirs will cover the wrong. And when you identify your enemies, do your best to not to offend them and when you do, don't waste your words, do your best to right the situation and get a good nights sleep.

Too Much Contact in Public?

Most of us have been there at one time or another, the uncomfortable environment where two people are engaging in personal displays of affection or PDA. You can read this article that attempts to define what is appropriate or inappropriate.

It seems that some of the displays are more exaggerated than ever. What is it about people who think they need an audience to show their affection or attraction? Is it just plain lust?

I remember as a parent having to shield the eyes of my children from some of the more blatant displays. On some occasions I have even asked the offending party if they would be a bit more respectful to the people around them. That approach usually was met with a glare or some words that were ruder than the behavior.

What do you do when you see people in public groping and grabbing? What have some of you parents done to instruct your children about public displays of affection? What kinds of public displays, if any, would the Bible condone or encourage?

Who's Your Favorite Candidate for Prez

Take this simple quiz, some might even say simplistic, and find out which presidential candidates agree with you on the issues most pundits feel define the presidential campaign.

These kinds of quizzes are quite black and white and fail to factor in nuances of the issues, but at least you can look at the candidates websites, provided by the quiz answer page, and compare your views more in-depth.

I was somewhat surprised at who agreed with me most. If I get at least 5 responses to this post I'll put my neck on the line and reveal who I am most in line with. Better yet, why not take a guess and I'll reveal the answer after 5 guesses.

Quote of the Week

It's Friday, and here is today's quote.:

"Remember, potential means you ain't done nothing yet."

You've heard the phrase a thousand times. It is used of up and coming athletes, young school children, and musical prodigies. These are people who are highly gifted, skilled, and talented. They often wow the socks off of you. They leave you envious of their obvious abilities and yet ten or twenty years from now you never see them or hear from them. They never reached their "potential."

Potential is often wasted through lack of opportunity, sloth or an inability to be disciplined. In order to achieve the fulfillment of potential it must be developed and applied. My father used to say, "The gutters are full of potential." I remember the first time he said it. We were in a car heading to an electronics parts store. We had to pass through an area of town known as skid row. Building after building of flop houses (as they were called in those days), and the streets were littered with alcoholics passed out on the streets. My dad looked at me with the most serious look a father can give a boy. He said, "Everyone of those men started out with potential. They all got distracted by alcohol or drugs and they never lived up to their potential. The gutters are full of potential."

After I became a Christian I read the parable of the talents. The talents are potential. Two of the recipients doubled their talents. The third one buried it. Jesus was telling us that each of us is given potential. Until we do something with this potential, it doesn't mean much, if anything at all.

Just as those words from my father impressed me as a boy, the Scriptures reinforce the truth that potential can be realized by applying ones self. Until then, potential simply means that "you ain't done nothing yet."

Last Words

Let's say you knew when your number was going to be called. Let's also say that you would be given a megaphone big enough for the world to hear you. What would you say as your last words to the world.

The Wall Street Journal has a fascinating article about a young professor, who as a part of a lecture series on last words, addresses a packed audience of friends, students, family and colleagues. The clincher in this particular speech is that the professor really has a short time to live and what he has to say are carefully chosen last words.

After reading the article, pause for a moment and ponder. What words would you like to leave with your family, friends, and colleagues?

Are You Ready for Some Bible Study!

It is no secret that men are in the minority in most churches. For decades the split has been about the same. 60% women, 40% men. Even the men who are church members rarely engage in in-depth Bible study, service ministries (beyond ushers and board members), and spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, worship etc.

One church has found a creative way to engage their men. They bundle MNF (Monday Night Football) with a topical, timely study. It combines, fellowship with Bible study. It is similar to what some parents are doing to get their children to eat their vegetables. One mom put some butternut squash in a blender, mixed it into some mac and cheese and her children didn't know, but loved the concoction. She has taken to finding other creative ways to sneak some vegetables in other dishes thereby helping her children eat more healthily.

Everybody knows vegetables are good for you, but cheeseburgers taste better. Pastors and Christians know that Bible study is good for you, but watching MNF is more fun. By blending the two churches are helping their men become healthier.

A funny thing happened to my children who hated broccoli when they were young. When they got older, they developed a taste for it. Now they eat it all the time. Hopefully the men in our churches will mature beyond just football and develop a taste for God's Word.

Back in the Saddle

Finally! It's been some time since I've been in the classroom but I got my first chance in awhile today. The professor for our Christology class was out of town and he asked me to substitute. I was treated to 19 hungry young people who are part of a mentoring and Bible college campus offered by Logos through the Celebration Church here in Jacksonville.

"Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry" is the charge given to the five-fold ministry ordained by Christ. There is an increasing emphasis in churches throughout the country to raise up their own ministers through mentoring, discipling and church based Bible institutes. No longer do people have to leave their homes and churches to go to traditional ministry training centers as distance education and church-based Bible institutes are becoming the norm rather than the exception. The advantages are many. The most attractive benefit is that the local church can keep many of their best minds and bodies while offering practical application for theological and ministry principles that are taught. Many of these students end up being offered staff positions in their own churches.

I am excited to be a part of this movement. Soon I will be able to teach classes of my own. In the meantime I will finish my initial project which is to analyze and evaluate all things Logos and make recommendations on how to make us more effective and efficient. So far it's been quite a challenge but very fulfilling.

From 1978-1999 I was in the classroom as a student or professor each semester. It's good to be back. There is very little that is more fulfilling to me than to meet former students who are active and effective in ministry. I am hoping that more churches will adopt this model of church-based Bible institutes to equip, not only future staff members, but also their general membership.

There is a tremendous need for in-depth Biblical and theological teaching in our churches. Too many churches resemble more of a community center or country club environment. They expend the bulk of their energies and resources trying to make church members more comfortable or their programs more enjoyable. In the meantime hordes are lost and in danger of spending eternity separated from God because too many Christians are not effectively sharing their faith. I am glad that the next generation is taking training for ministry very seriously and are enrolling in discipleship programs through their local churches all over the country.

It has been a deep conviction of mine since I entered the ministry that every Christian should have at least one solid year of Bible college under their belts. In the past that would have meant having to leave job, home and church and relocating. Now this is possible like never before through distance learning and church based Bible institutes.

Feel Free to Comment

I have lifted the comment moderation feature for the time being. In the past this was the only way to insure that comments made weren't personal or offensive. I will continue to personally moderate the blog, but without the restriction of having to wait for your comment to be cleared before it appears.

I have enjoyed most of the comments left in the past, but would like to hear from more of you and more often. You can leave a comment anonymously, but let me encourage you to pick an anonymous name to distinguish your comments from someone else's. No one will know who you are, but someone else may want to comment on your comment.

If you have a topic, or news item that you would like me to comment on, just email me and I'll look into it. For my faithful readers who have been following the blog since its inception, thanks for your support. For those of you who are new, welcome aboard. This blog is meant to be a forum for civil Christian discussion.

Quote of the Week

"If at first you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer."

Don't you wish everything you did went smoothly? I have found that many things in life that have to be done come about as a result of overcoming obstacles. Chances are, if it is worth doing, it won't come easy. Some people are talented and their talents make things look easy. The rest of us have to plow our way to success.

At times you may have to look for a different way around, under or over an obstacle. Sometimes you just have to use a bigger hammer. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." When the enemy attempts to hinder you, use the weapons and tools that are necessary to move the kingdom agenda forward. And the tool just might be a bigger hammer.

Missionary Dating

What do you say to a believer who is contemplating dating an unbeliever? This article will certainly put a few things in perspective. It starts out with this funny (but tragic) skit from Seinfeld.

"In an episode of "Seinfeld" that lays bare the characters' secular sensibilities, Elaine is shocked to learn that her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Puddy, is a believing Christian. "So is it a problem that I'm not really religious?" she asks him upon realizing their differing worldviews. "Not for me," he answers. "I'm not the one going to hell." Though Elaine herself acknowledges that she doesn't believe in an afterlife, she becomes increasingly angry with Puddy for not caring more about her eternal damnation. Finally, she explodes: "You should be trying to save me!"

When the Scriptures warn of certain behavior and actions our human nature kicks in overtime to look for a loophole. It's as old as the Garden of Eden experience of Adam and Eve. They were told they could eat from every tree except one. The serpent emphasized the "every tree" and tried to disavow the importance of the exception to the rule. The result was a plunging of the human race into the spiral of sinful behavior and its subsequent effects.

Paul warned that believers are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, and for good reason. Nowhere is this more important than in the area of romantic relationships. Some have tried to get around this principle by the concept of "missionary dating." An attempt is made by the believer to justify the relationship by trying to bring the unbeliever to faith. The tragic result, more often than not, is that the believer waters down his faith and often is drawn away from practicing his faith with heartbreaking results.

Kathy Griffin Has It Wrong: Jesus Has Everything to Do With Her Award

Respected columnist and journalist Lauren Green has something to say about Kathy Griffin's remarks. It's worth reading.

Comedienne Kathy Griffin took it upon herself to insult the bulk of Christians in America, even the non-practicing ones. You can read an excellent rebuttal to her comments after she won an award telling Jesus to "Suck it." I'm only repeating what she had to say to show just how offensive her remarks were.

You can be sure if these word were used about Buddha, Mohammed or any other religious figure, they would evoke an immediate and maybe violent reaction. Jesus is fair game, but don't touch the others.

The good news is that reaction from Christians is on par with the teachings of Jesus. For the most part we are turning the other cheek. We are stating our case without blood in the streets. It's what Jesus would want.

On Second Thought . . .

A few days ago I stated an opinion about what people may be looking for when they visit a new church. Apparently there is more than one valid point of view. Imagine that! Not everyone sees things my way:) It may pay to get a second opinion. I was sitting in a meeting as one of my colleagues was sharing his experiences in South America. As part of the requirements for a course he was teaching, he had his students visit 4 churches outside of their normal circle of churches. He asked them to evaluate the use of technology in the churches and their relative effectiveness in creating a good environment for worship and Body life.

To my surprise, the younger generation reported that they would rather go to a church where the technology was up to date than one where everything was shared through personal word of mouth, or more traditional ways of communicating. They revealed that their use of email, text messaging, cell phones and other media gave them the sense of community that kept them connected to their church. Apparently, the next generation experiences intimacy in fellowship totally different than what I may be accustomed to.

I guess it goes to show that pastors and other church leaders must evaluate the needs of their churches and develop unique ways for developing community within their congregations whether it is high tech or high touch.

The lesson to learn? Don't take anything anybody says at face value. You can profit from a second opinion.

Yet Another Post on Women in the Pulpit

Talk about a debated issue. There are few issues that can stir it up like the issue of "women in the ministry." Over the years I have spent a lot of time researching the topic. I have some personal convictions on the subject, but I am always intrigued, sometimes befuddled or amused, and always interested in what fellow believers, especially theologians, have to say on the topic.

Some denominations or fellowships have recognized and allowed women to be ordained since their inception. Others have debated the issue to a compromise, while others strongly object to the concept. They all use scripture to justify their conclusions, but obviously they can't all be right . . . or wrong.

Obviously God created men and women with the capacity to minister. How, when and where women minister is what the debate is all about. Women ministry very effectively as child care providers in our churches, choir members, ladies bible study leaders etc. But there is a glass ceiling that has been put over their heads in many churches and fellowships. I've never understood the logic, for example, of groups who don't allow women to pastor or preach, while allowing female missionaries to do so in foreign lands. I also think it is somewhat demeaning to suggest that if you can't find a man to do it, then it is OK for a woman to do so. I believe this delegates a woman's ministry to a second class status.

But I also can't escape that the biblical context is very patriarchal. Male and female roles were much more clearly defined when the Text was written. As society and history have evolved, how do we revisit issues that seem so cut and dried in one generation and oh so gray in the next? For example, when was the last time tattoos were declared a sin? (Leviticus 19:28) They are much more mainstream now and there is even a Christian Tattooing website. But we must always be careful when relegating a biblical topic to "culture" or "the times" just because societal norms have become more accommodating.

I suppose this will be an issue for debate in some circles for some time to come. In the meantime, it's fun reading and mind expanding to see how other brothers and sisters are interpreting the Scriptures and trying to find the best way to integrate their findings in ministry.

Best TV Shows Ever

TIME magazine has issued a list of the 100 best TV shows ever. With today's preachers having a penchant for video sermon illustrations, many of the past shows had great moral and sometimes immoral lesson as preaching fodder.

Television has changed dramatically in my lifetime. Much of what was edited or censored even a few years ago has become normal and even predictable. How do you feel about TIME's list? Were any of the programs listed a surprise? Were you disappointed that some of your favorites weren't listed.

Welcome to Our Friendly Church

I was a pastor for 30 years and I always wondered what visitors thought about our church. Well now the shoe is on the other foot. I have relocated to Jacksonville, Florida and I am no longer in pastoral ministry having taken a new ministry assignment at a Christian college and graduate school. I now find myself as a church visitor looking for a church home for my wife and I.

In the past 4 weeks, we have visited 3 churches, one of them twice. Our observations were mixed as we found that all three churches had much to be commended. The ushers and greeters were friendly, the worship services were orderly and well developed, the preachers were well prepared and delivered their messages with passion, and their church ministry programs were plentiful and practical. But all three churches had one thing in common.

At the conclusion of the service, everyone pretty much filed out the door with little or no interaction. There were a few small groups of people having conversations, but the vast majority of the people just made their way to the door and parking lots. It left me wondering about the depth or lack thereof in relationships within the church.

I am mindful of the fact that we only made one visit to two of the churches, but it was somewhat odd that people who are going to spend eternity with each other have so little interaction after having not seen each other for at least the better part of a week.

I left more convinced than ever that small groups are essential for intimacy and relationship development. I would even venture to say that unless church attenders participate in some sort of small group, there is very little in a typical church service that would warrant all of the preparation necessary to put a church service together.

Every week each of the churches we visited has hundreds of people who will set their alarms, take showers, dress appropriately and drive to a building for an hour or ninety minutes. They sit through some decent music, somewhat meaningful rituals and a message by their pastor that is meant to feed their souls. Then they file out. With the exception of those who hung around, or are involved in a small group the service could have been dispensed with by the majority of the crowd and be substituted by a longer night of sleep, singing along with a worship CD while taking your shower and tuning in to the radio or TV to one of our fabulous national preachers.

That almost sounds sacrilegious. I'm not saying that Sunday morning services should be eliminated. What I am suggesting is that all Christians engage in a small group. Doing life together is what being the church is all about. The large group celebration is wonderful, but the smaller group interaction will allow you to learn more about intimacy with God and His people than the church service allows for. As a matter of fact, I believe that the collective gathering of the saints on Sunday will be more meaningful because you will have the added dimension of the reunion of your small group, conversing, sharing stories of your week, praying for each other and reminding each other of the upcoming small group meeting that will be held later in the week.

I have a feeling it will make a greater impact on church visitors as they see a bigger part of the church attenders co-mingling after the service. Better yet, look for new people and invite them to join your group. It will make the church experience so much more meaningful.

Quote of the Week

This weeks quote: "This too shall pass."

From the perspective of over half a century, I have learned a valuable lesson - "this too shall pass." I have been on the mountain tops and in the valleys and many places in between. As stated in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." Times of grief have transitioned to joy, times of want to plenty, times in the desert to an oasis and then the cycle starts over again. Each has been a learning experience that has prepared me for the next round, but all have passed.

I have learned what Paul says in Philippians 4::6-7 is true, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Now when the valleys come, I turn them over to God and look forward to see how He will bring me back to the summit - and He always does.

I have learned to rest in Matthew 6:31-34, "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Much of what we worry about, if we trust in the Lord, never comes to pass and we've wasted time, energy and our health for nothing. I have learned that every time on the mountain top passes and every time in the valley passes, but this is good since without the valleys we wouldn't appreciate the mountain tops. So the next time you're in a valley, remember, "this too shall pass."

Hat tip to Nancy.

Law and Justice for Christians

Love him or hate him, but you may have to admit that biggest contribution that Pat Robertson has made to American culture is the founding and establishing of the American Center for Law and Justice. You can find an excellent article here about how influential this group has become in addressing first amendment rights issues affecting Christians.

In many cases, what couldn't be accomplished with peaceful protests, the voter's booth and letters to congressional representatives, is now being successfully addressed through the courts. This change in strategy is being noticed by liberal groups and they don't like being beaten at their own game.

But let's not forget, that it is "not by might or by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord." Our prayers must under gird those who are courageously fighting on the front lines of the legal battlefield. With excellent minds, passionate hearts and an under girding of prayer, we may yet be able to get God's ear and His healing of our land.

A Challenge to the Church to Be the Church

I came across this post while visiting one of my favorite blogs. what do you think?

In his book God in the Wasteland (pp. 214-215) David Wells writes:

I want the evangelical church to be the church. I want it to embody a vibrant spirituality. I want the church to be an alternative to post-modern culture, not a mere echo of it. I want a church that is bold to be different and unafraid to be faithful . . . a church that reflects an integral and undiminished confidence in the power of God’s Word, a church that can find in the midst of our present cultural breakdown the opportunity to be God’s people in a world that has abandoned God.

To be the church in this way, it is also going to have to find in the coming generation, leaders who exemplify this hope for its future and who will devote themselves to seeing it realized. To lead the church in the way that it needs to be led, they will have to rise above the internal politics of the evangelical world and refuse to accept the status quo where that no longer serves the vital interest of the kingdom of God. They will have to decline to spend themselves in the building of their own private kingdoms and refuse to be intimidated into giving the church less and other than what it needs. Instead, they will have to begin to build afresh, in cogently biblical ways, among the decaying structures that now clutter the evangelical landscape. To succeed, they will have to be people of large vision, people of courage, people who have learned again what it means to live by the Word of God, and, most importantly, what it means to live before the Holy God of that Word.

HT: New City Church Blog