Boot Camp

Dear Lord, will you do to me today and everyday what needs to be done in order to make me the man you want me to be?

Not everyone recruited to be a Marine becomes a Marine. Some of those recruits who want the glory are not willing to pay the price. Nobody is born to be a Marine. Even the best of the best must die to their need for comfort, and die to their need to go it alone, in order to become a Marine. Quite often, the High School football star washes out while the High School misfit finds a way to endure through the training in order to get to the end of boot camp and become a Marine.

Marriage is a boot camp for the Kingdom of Heaven. Most everyone wants the bliss of a good marriage, but not everyone is willing to pay the price. Committing to another person of the opposite sex for the rest of our lives would be so much easier if the commitment wasn’t to a person of the opposite sex. Raising children to be responsible adults and mature Christians would be so much easier if our children were not our own offspring and so much like ourselves.

We may have a hormone induced attraction to the opposite sex, but we have nothing but our will and our values to sustain us during the times we desire more comfort, more self, and less commitment. Rarely do second, third, or fourth marriages work any better than first marriages. The ex-married tend to blame their partner instead of the institution; when it is really the institution more than the partner that makes marriage difficult. Each partner must die to themselves in order to become the person God wants them to be. Dieing to ourselves is much easier when our partner has something to offer in return, but dieing to ourselves is much more important when our partner is irritating and difficult and has nothing to offer in return.

My children have been a mirror into my heart and my soul. They have allowed me to see myself as others see me and it’s not always pretty. Since my girls exhibit some of my behavior, I can now see how my temper and focus, and my drive for perfection, that I have always considered positive attributes also have a very dark side and are a cause of difficulty in my marriage and my other relationships.

I probably still have a long way to go before my boot camp ends, but I am committed to endure until the end and become the man God wants me to be in HIS Kingdom.

Contrarian View From the Pew: The Parable of the Lazy Farmer

In the “Parable of the Sower”, Jesus describes how a farmer scattered some seed. Some of the seed fell along a path, some of the seed fell on rocky soil, some of the seed fell among thorns, and finally, some of the seed fell in good soil. The seed that fell on the path was trampled and eaten by birds, the seed that fell on rocky soil died quickly because of a lack of moisture, and the seed that grew along with the thorns was choked; only the seed that fell on the good soil yielded a crop much more than what was sowed.

After being questioned about the meaning of the parable by his disciples, Jesus explained how the seed was his words and the different descriptions of the types of soil were those who were listening to his words. He told them: the seed that fell on the path were those who hear his word but never believe; the seed that fell on rocky soil were those who believe him at first, but their belief doesn’t last; the seed that fell among the thorns were those who believe, but do not mature; and the seed that fell on good soil were those who believe what he taught, retain his teachings, and then through perseverance, produce other disciples.

Clearly, Jesus meant this parable primarily for those who were listening to him then and also those who would hear his words as told by his followers and recorded in the Gospels for us today. If we are to call ourselves disciples, we must believe, retain, persevere, and pass it on.

However, there is also another way to look at this parable, which Jesus may or may not have intended. When we look at the parable from the perspective of the farmer instead of viewing it from the perspective of the soil, we could call it, “The Parable of the Lazy Farmer”, or from the perspective of today’s Christians, we could call it, “The Parable of the Evangelical”.

Notice how the farmer didn’t do anything except toss the seed. He didn’t prepare the soil, he wasn’t careful with the seed, and he didn’t remove any of the thorns after his seed had sprouted. He could have removed the rocks and the thorn bushes before tossing the seed, but he didn’t. He could have been more careful to keep the seed from falling on the path, but he didn’t. He could have also removed some of the thorns after the seed had sprouted, but he didn’t. If the farmer had prepared the soil, and if he had been more careful with the seed, and if he had nurtured his seedlings, he would have gotten much better results.

Do we make the effort to really get to know people; their desires, their heartaches, their disappointments or do we assume others want what we want? Just as importantly; do we let them know us, both the good and bad, before we start tossing bible verses and suggestions? Are we careful to only toss our words of wisdom to those who are ready, so we don’t end up wasting our seed and creating side effects, or even worse, starting a plant that quickly withers? Are we there to water and prune and remove some of the thorns and weeds, or do we walk away just when we are needed the most? Are we prepared to endure for the long haul, or are we the seed that fell amongst the thorns? Maybe it’s just too much to try to be, and do, all it takes to manage a farm. Maybe we could use a little help. Maybe evangelism really does take a team to prepare the soil, and nurture the plants, and bring in a harvest.

Rudy

Several years ago my eight-year-old daughter received her first bicycle from Santa Claus. For several weeks after Christmas, she loved riding it around the block. After that, it mostly just sat in the garage. Occasionally, I would try to get her to ride without training wheels. The episodes always ended up with her mad at me.

Last Christmas my five-year-old daughter received her first bicycle from Santa Claus. She pretty much duplicated the behavior of her older sister. It was great for a few weeks, and then it sat in the garage.

Sunday, my wife suggested that we walk over to the girl’s elementary school and ride bikes. My oldest daughter resisted at first, but she eventually agreed to go. When we got there, I took her training wheels off her bike, held her up by the seat, gave her a gentle push, and off she went; it was like she had been riding her whole life.

My five-year-old then demanded that I take the training wheels off of her bike and let her ride without them. I didn’t think she was ready to ride without them, but I agreed to let her try. For the next thirty minutes, I ran around the playground holding on to the seat of her bike and occasionally letting go. Just as soon as I let go, she would quit peddling and crash, then she would cry, then she would yell at me that I wasn’t doing it right. We finally decided that enough was enough and we went home.

On the way home, she complained to us that her ears were really hurting. She had been fighting a cold all week, so my wife took her to the urgent care center at our doctor. The doctor confirmed that both ears were infected and she needed to start taking antibiotics.

After getting back home she begged me to take her back to the school and try again. I was sure I was wasting my time, but how could I say no to my little girl right after she got back from the doctor.

The first several tries ended up like all of the ones earlier in the day. Time after time, I told her to keep pedaling and time after time she panicked and fell down. Just when I was ready to give up again, she finally kept pedaling, and off she went, head first into a water fountain. With her face covered with tears, snot flowing out of her nose, she got back on the bike and demanded to do it again. For most of the rest of the afternoon, she seemed to have an unnatural ability to hit the most unlikely obstacle. Once, she ran into the basketball goal pole so hard it sounded like a huge bell. Each time she would cry, wipe the snot from her nose, and get back on the bike to do it again. By the end of the day, she could stop and start by herself.

I think I need to make sure I keep her pointed in the right direction for the next few years. However, this week at least, I am one proud marine.

Eugene Peterson Interview

Hat tip to Steve for this interview in Christianity Today with Eugene Peterson.

Eugene Peterson answers questions about spirituality, the church, and even has a few things to say about evangelism. Here are some of my favorite parts:

"Now that you've got a life, I'm going to show you how to give it up." That's the whole spiritual life. It's learning how to die. And as you learn how to die, you start losing all your illusions, and you start being capable now of true intimacy and love.

It involves a kind of learned passivity, so that our primary mode of relationship is receiving, submitting, instead of giving and getting and doing. We don't do that very well. We're trained to be assertive, to get, to apply, or to consume and to perform.

...

I think people are fed up with consumer approaches, even though they're addicted to them. But if we cast the evangel in terms of benefits, we're setting people up for disappointment. We're telling them lies.

This is not the way our Scriptures are written. This is not the way Jesus came among us. It's not the way Paul preached. Where do we get all this stuff? We have a textbook. We have these Scriptures and most of the time they're saying, "You're going the wrong way. Turn around. The culture is poisoning."

...

But the minute we start advertising the faith in terms of benefits, we're just exacerbating the self problem. "With Christ, you're better, stronger, more likeable, you enjoy some ecstasy." But it's just more self. Instead, we want to get people bored with themselves so they can start looking at Jesus.

We've all met a certain type of spiritual person. She's a wonderful person. She loves the Lord. She prays and reads the Bible all the time. But all she thinks about is herself. She's not a selfish person. But she's always at the center of everything she's doing. "How can I witness better? How can I do this better? How can I take care of this person's problem better?" It's me, me, me disguised in a way that is difficult to see because her spiritual talk disarms us.

...

What other church is there besides institutional? There's nobody who doesn't have problems with the church, because there's sin in the church. But there's no other place to be a Christian except the church.

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I think the besetting sin of pastors, maybe especially evangelical pastors, is impatience. We have a goal. We have a mission. We're going to save the world. We're going to evangelize everybody, and we're going to do all this good stuff and fill our churches. This is wonderful. All the goals are right. But this is slow, slow work, this soul work, this bringing people into a life of obedience and love and joy before God.

And we get impatient and start taking shortcuts and use any means available. We talk about benefits. We manipulate people. We bully them. We use language that is just incredibly impersonal—bullying language, manipulative language.

...

Whenever guilt is used as a tool to get people to do anything—good, bad, indifferent—it's bullying. And then there's manipulative language—to talk people into programs, to get them involved, usually by promising them something.

...

One test I think is this: Am I working out of the Jesus story, the Jesus methods, the Jesus way? Am I sacrificing relationship, personal attention, personal relationship for a shortcut, a program so I can get stuff done? You can't do Jesus' work in a non-Jesus way and get by with it—although you can be very "successful."

...

Read the whole interview, if you have the time.

Contrarian View From the Pew: Prophets and Home Towns

Chapter four in the Gospel of Luke records how Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit and led by the Holy Spirit to teach in Galilee, the region around Galilee, and then in Nazareth. According to the account, Jesus became recognized and praised and honored by all of the people of the region of Galilee. However, the response to Jesus and his teachings in Nazareth was completely different. Those who heard him marveled at his words, not because of what he said, but because of who he was; after all, he was the son of Joseph; one of their own. After he was finished speaking, the Nazarene crowd tried to kill him because he made it clear that he was not one of them, but he was the ONE who was the fulfillment of Scripture; He was the Son of God. Before he was run out of town, Jesus made the statement that a prophet is never welcome or accepted in his own home town.

As a contrarian, I love this account in the life of Jesus. It affirms to me, that I don’t need acceptance in order to express a valid point or proclaim a true idea. In fact, it has been my experience over the years that truth has nothing to do with popular opinion. Sometimes the majority gets it right and sometimes the majority gets it wrong. As a contrarian, I am encouraged that it is acceptable to not be accepted.

As a believer who is committed to the spread of Christianity, I also love this account in the life of Jesus. It affirms to me that there will be times when the truth is rejected by the people who look at who I am instead of who HE is. As a believer, I am encouraged that the results I produce are not always a reflection of the validity of my message, but sometimes rejection is part of the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Also, as a believer who is passionate about doing things right the first time, designing and refining the best methods, measuring results, and avoiding side effects, there is a cautionary note to this account. If the Son of God could not even place a small crack in the hearts of the community he knew and was a part of up until he started his ministry, then maybe sending new believers right back to their family and friends to proclaim the Gospel may not be the best or most effective way for them to use their gifts and talents for the Kingdom of Heaven. Maybe in order to avoid and prevent the side effects, new believers need to be encouraged to take a little time before proclaiming the Gospel instead of jumping head first into a shark infested pool.

Contrarian View From the Pew: First Impressions and Figuring it Out

It has been said, “We never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” While this statement is not always true or absolutely true, it is mostly true. We don’t eat at a restaurant a second time when we had a bad experience the first time, we don’t usually watch a television program a second time when we weren’t impressed with the first episode we saw, and we rarely give a church a second chance to get it right if our first experience didn’t meet our expectations. Like it or not; people do judge based on first impressions.

I have a testimony that I am ready, willing, and able to give each and every time I am asked why I believe what I believe. I expect the blogsphere to become an excellent medium for delivering and understanding personal testimonies. It is off to a good start and I plan to play a part. However, I no longer force my testimony on anyone who doesn’t ask, and I no longer feel obligated to ever share my testimony except on the rare occasion when I have an interested listener and I feel I have the right message to deliver. I trust the Holy Spirit to make such arrangements. Manipulation is no longer part of my repertoire no matter how good or how sacred the cause.

It doesn’t happen very often, but I do occasionally get asked about my faith by non-believers. However, I have never been asked by an evangelical to give my testimony as a non-believer, either before or after I crossed over from non-belief to belief. So to answer the challenge posed by blue fish, in this comment, I do have a testimony for non-believers, but I also have a strong testimony for evangelicals, if they would only care, hear, listen, and understand.

Evangelicals need to get over the arrogant and misguided belief that their individual life is attractive to non-believers. They also need to get over the false and misguided notion that their words are persuasive to non-believers. In most cases, my life is not attractive and my testimony is not persuasive to a non-believer and neither is anyone else’s. It is our relationship with God and our relationship with other believers that can be attractive when we occasionally get it right. However, when we start trying to convince others how great we are, we stop being attractive. Non-believers are smart enough to figure it out without us shoving our theology down their throat. When are we going to become smart enough to start figuring non-believers out?

For decades, we have developed and nurtured a Church culture that is always ready to tell others what to believe, when we should have been developing and nurturing a Church culture that is always ready to listen and welcome and only occasionally ready to tell. We need to quit believing non-believers are stupid and even more importantly, we need to stop treating non-believers like they are stupid. A little humility on our part will go a long way towards helping us to make a better first impression. After all, we spend way too much effort undoing bad first impressions because we never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

Responding to Comments

Hammer asks:

“Can we agree that the statement "Jesus never meant for evangelism to be an individual pursuit" should be changed to "Jesus never meant for evangelism to be exclusively an individual pursuit."

Absolutely, "exclusively" is exactly what I mean. Each of us have individual talents (spiritual gifts) we can use for the cause. Some of us should be on the front line and some of us should be in the rear. We need everyone to contribute to the cause by doing what they do best. We will have more success if everyone is doing what they are gifted to do and we will have more success when leaders stop coercing believers to do what the leaders want instead of what God wants. There is no reason for anyone to feel guilty when their family and friends don’t respond to their gospel invitation. There is no reason for any believer to open their mouth out of a false sense of obligation. Instead of most everyone feeling defeated, we will become energized when we start viewing evangelism as a team pursuit.

blue fish challenged:

But... you also talk about how your family was faithful in praying for you... for several years. That is a strong witness. It is a demonstration of their love for you and their faith in God. I do not know your history, but I'd assume that you had some knowledge that they were praying for you and that they loved you. While you may have chosen to ignore it at the time, I find it difficult to believe that it played no part in your decision to turn to Christ.

As a believer now, I listed everything that could have been a factor that led to the point in time when I accepted Christ. I am thankful for all of their prayers. However, as a non-believer then, my family, friends, and acquaintances where hindrances to my being able to make a decision for Christ. I had a lot of effort and time invested in disagreeing with them. The more they approached me about Jesus, the more reasons I found to NOT believe. The more they prayed, the more foolish I thought they were. This may not make sense to some readers, but it is the truth. It may not be true for all believers, but my guess it is true for many non-believers who are as head-strong as me. The way we approach non-believers is very important and it takes more than good intentions. It takes a little talent and it takes the Holy Spirit. I’m not sure everyone who is told to witness has what it takes.

Buz repeated:

“I will be pleasantly surprized if you find something which will work more effectively and produce better enduring results than one person living a committed life and telling his friend what peace and joy Jesus has brought.”

There are probably some people who can see Christ in individuals. I never have and I don’t think I ever will. I see attributes of Christ in some believers now, after I have crossed the line and after I have joined the ranks. As a non-believer, and even as a new believer, I thought Christians were icky. As a non-believer, the only time I saw Christ was in a community of believers (Church). As a new believer, I didn’t experience Christ until I attended Church. Individual Christians who think they are most responsible for people coming to Christ may be much more of a problem than a solution.

Contrarian View From the Pew: Salvation Factors

It is impossible for any of us to know all of the factors or combination of factors that led to the point in time when we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior. We all have our theories, though.

My family was very faithful in praying for my salvation, but all of their prayers took years before any of the results were apparent. I was also lucky enough to observe and experience a community of believers who loved and cared about each other in a noticeably different way than other communities I had observed. I can now look back and I can guess that observing their love for each other played a part in my salvation, but it was years after I observed their behavior, before I finally ended up on my knees.

In my early 30’s my life had unraveled to a point where I realized I had lost control. My craziness could have been God calling me back, or it could have been God punishing me for my sin, or it could have been God abandoning me; like I had abandoned him so many years before (and like my dear brother had been praying to happen to me). Sure, I had to make a decision to get down on my knees, but to be honest, I did it as a last resort, and I didn’t want to be on my knees even when I knew I was unable to solve the problems with my heart on my own. There never was a Christian, not a single one, whose witness effected my decision. If anything, individual Christians made it harder for me to get down on my knees and come to Christ.

Other believers have different experiences, different testimonies, and different theories about why they are saved. Some Christians don’t even remember a time in their life when they came to Christ. They just always believed. Other Christians had a good friend who exhibited a type of love that was contagious. Some Christians come to the Lord through an intellectual epiphany. Some believers insist they were called by God, while others insist they had to choose God.

Prayers seem to be a fairly consistent factor, but not every believer had someone praying for them. I would never say prayer doesn’t always work, but it does seem that there are people who die without accepting Christ who did have Christians praying for them. Personal relationships and testimonies sometimes work, but often don’t. Witnessing sometimes works, but it comes with side effects that drive some people further from God.

When I observe the community of believers, I see many different shapes, sizes, attitudes, and personalities. I love the diversity in Christ’s church. Some of us have a need for many relationships, while others of us can only tolerate a few good relationships. Some of us live mostly in our brain, while others of us live mostly in our heart. Some of us are artists, while others of us are technicians. And guess what; non-believers are just as diverse and just as different.

The Christian who is most able to form and maintain a relationship with a non-believer is often the Christian who is least able to explain the implications of the Gospel. The Christian who is most able to appeal to the mind of a non-believer is very often the person least capable of capturing the heart of the non-believer. There are some Christians who are capable of appealing to the hearts and to the minds of non-believers, but not many. Jesus never intended for evangelism to be an individual pursuit. Jesus established the Church for evangelism because evangelism is a team game. Isn’t it time to start building strong teams, and start doing what is best for the team? Isn’t it time we quit trying to do evangelism on our own unless we are capable of appealing to both the heart and the mind of the non-believer?

Atheism in decline worldwide?

This is a very interesting story on the decline of atheism worldwide. I think it would be wise to be just a little skeptical of most of the claims made in the story. Atheism is a only a subset of non-believers.

World Tribune.com -- Crisis for the Godless: Atheism in decline worldwide

"Atheism as a theoretical position is in decline worldwide," Munich theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg told United Press International Tuesday.

Contrarian View From the Pew: The Passage of Time

There was a time in America when most vacuum cleaners were sold door to door. The most effective method for selling the vacuums was for the salesman to throw a little dirt on the carpet of the house he had just entered in order to show how much better his product was than the vacuum the home owner was currently using.

30 years ago, Amway had made so much money selling home cleaning products through multi-level marketing that a full time teacher and part time insurance salesman in Georgia found a better way to sell life insurance. He found that the most effective method for selling life insurance policies was to recruit new part-time life insurance salespeople.

Walking door to door with a hand full of dirt was not the goal of the vacuum cleaner salesman. Selling the vacuum cleaner was the goal. Throwing down the dirt was the method. Recruiting part-time salespeople was not the goal of the Georgia salesman. Selling insurance policies was the goal. Recruiting part-time salespeople was the method.

Nowadays, vacuum cleaners are sold in department stores right along with other home products because door to door vacuum cleaner sales declined when home owners quit opening their doors and letting salespeople in with a hand full of dirt. Insurance sales are again made mostly by professionals because people found out how hard it was for amateurs to sell life insurance and they were less willing to buy a policy from someone offering them a chance to earn a second income.

As believers, we need to be committed to the cause of spreading Christianity throughout the world until our Lord returns. However, we should not be committed or married to any one method. The multi-level marketing method of evangelism has run its course. It is no longer as effective as it once was. Jesus is still as important now as he has been to believers for the last 2005 years. We need to modernize our methods and let the world know.

Contrarian View From the Pew: Side Effects

Drugs.com lists the possible side effects of vioxx as: abdominal pain, tenderness, or discomfort; nausea; blood in your vomit; bloody, black, or tarry stools; unexplained weight gain; swelling or water retention; fatigue or lethargy; a skin rash; itching; yellowing of your skin or eyes; "flu-like" symptoms; or unusual bruising or bleeding. The side effects for other prescription drugs are very similar. In fact, most drugs come with a complete list of miserable sounding side effects.

I sometimes wonder if Pastors should be required to affix a warning label of side effects on all of the new believers they send out in to the world to convert the lost. I sometimes wonder how many non-believers are missing from the kingdom of God because of something stupid a well intentioned, but ignorant convert said in the name of Jesus. I sometimes wonder how much crap has to be unlearned before any new non-believer can be converted.

While it is certainly true, Jesus is the best medicine available, there are many who have bought the generic substitute and there are many more non-believers who have decided they want nothing to do with the cure. I’m not claiming my theology is pristine and everyone else’s is rancid, but I have talked to enough non-believers to know, Christ is nowhere near the hurdle to a belief in our Savior that Christians themselves have become. Most people who I have questioned about their beliefs want to believe in God, but they don’t want to have anything to do with Christians; especially Christians who won’t stop pestering them about Jesus.

Another side effect of sending new believers into the world to proclaim the Gospel is the effect it is having on the new believers themselves. Most of us have known plenty of new believers, including some we have led to Christ, who were on fire for the Lord, only to find failure and disappointment when they approached others about their new beliefs. Their fire is always dimmed and in some cases, it is extinguished altogether.

If we continue to do evangelism the way we have done evangelism for the last 50 years, we won’t get better results. As time goes by we are getting fewer results. Blaming disobedient believers for the lack of success will only make the problem worse. Leaders who send new believers into the world to proclaim the Gospel are the ones who need to be shamed, not the new believers who are doing their best.

Well meaning Christians have done an admirable job spreading the Gospel for the last 50 years. But it is time to change the paradigm if we want to accomplish more in spreading Christianity. Individually, we don’t represent Christ and we never will because we never can. At best, we can represent a single attribute of Christ. The Church, all of us working together, is what Christ left to do his work. All of us together represent our Lord. In order for non-believers to see and experience Christ, they need to start seeing more of Christ in our Churches. Our Lord is an easy sell when we start becoming the Church he intended us to be; not the multi-level marketing organization we have become.

Contrarian View From the Pew: Status Quo?

I still have more to say about evangelism, but before I continue with any additional posts, I think I need to back up a little and hopefully clarify my perspective by addressing a few of the comments I have received.

I have no idea when the concept or belief that we are all evangelists started, because it is not a part of the epistles, but it is a belief that dominates practically every Church I have ever observed. For years followers have been taught, and most Christians believe, something similar to what Teresa believes when she wrote, “I am NOT and evangelist, but because of my relationship with Christ, I am compelled (by my heart)to share the gospel whenever the opportunity arises. I am not "gifted at house-cleaning, but I have a responsibility to do it.” Jennifer, who believes something slightly different wrote, “I think we have ALL been given the gift, and the mandate, of evangelism via the Great Commission. If you have accepted Christ as Savior, you have everything you need to be an evangelist.”

When I wrote about the “Bring a Friend to Church” Sundays I realized after I had posted most of what I had to say that I needed to make sure I didn’t give the impression I was against inviting friends to Church. Now, I need to also make sure I don’t give the impression that I am against friend to friend, neighbor to neighbor, and door to door evangelism because I am definetely for evangelims in all of its forms. However, I think there is a better way to conduct evangelism that is more Biblical and will also be more effective.

Ever since I can remember, I have always wanted to make the things that are important to me better. Sometimes, when I try to make things better, I make them worse for a while, but eventually I get it right. I have never made anything better by continuing to do anything the way I have always done it. I have always needed to make a change in order to make an improvement.

There was a time in America when most Americans did all of their home maitenance. As our society evolved, most people found that they could better use their time by hiring a specialist to work on their home maintenance while they concentrated on their own specialty. I like doing my own home repairs, but I am not under any illusion that I can do any of it as well as a professional.

As a believer, I want Christians to set the standards, not follow the standards set by society as a whole. I am not satisfied with the results of modern evangelism. I think we can do better. I think the way to do better is for the members of our Churches to start specializing in what they love doing and what they have been gifted to do.

More on Evangelism to come…

Contrarian View From the Pew: The Closer

Between August 28th, 2002 and July 5th, 2004, Eric Gagne of the Los Angeles Dodgers was chosen by his manager Jim Tracy to close 84 baseball games. [The technical definition of as save can be found here.] In 84 consecutive save opportunities, Eric Gagne recorded the save. The Los Angeles Dodgers had other players on the team, including Kevin Brown and Kaz Iishi, both all star pitchers in 2002, who Manager Tracy could have asked to pitch the last inning. However, every time the Dodgers were leading in the final inning, Tracy called on his specialist, Eric Gagne, to close the game.

Last week I asked my readers to imagine what would happen if a football coach told every player on his team to pass the ball or what would happen if a baseball manager made every player on his team defend the mound. Now, imagine today what would happen if Joe Torre and the New York Yankees didn’t have Mariano Rivera to pitch the final inning of so many games between 1996 and 2000 when the Yankees won four World Series Championships. Also, imagine how successful the 1985 Chicago Bears would have been without Jim McMahon at quarterback.

Mariano Rivera was so special as a closer, it is doubtful the Yankees would have won four championships without him closing the important games. The Chicago Bears, on the other hand, probably would have still won the Super Bowl with any number of other quarterbacks in the NFL, but at least they had a quarterback running the plays and making the passes. Coach Ditka didn’t throw the passes and neither did the Hall of Fame players Mike Singletary or Dan Hampton.

What happens in our Churches and in the lives of our families and friends when it comes time to make a decision for Christ? I’ve never visited a Church or even been in a Church where I was introduced to the Evangelist. I’ve never read a Sunday Bulletin where a staff member was identified as an Evangelist. Quite frankly, I’ve never even met an Evangelist. I know they exist, I just haven’t met one.

Shouldn’t we be praying for more Christians to receive the Spiritual gift of Evangelism? Shouldn’t our Churches be recruiting Christians who are gifted in evangelism? Shouldn’t we have a paid staff position of Evangelist in our Churches? Shouldn’t we start training, encouraging, supporting and helping those who have been given this special Spiritual gift?

If winning baseball games is important enough to have a closer on the team and if winning football games is important enough to have a quarterback on the team, isn’t winning souls important enough to have an Evangelist in our Church and on our team?

Contrarian View From the Pew: Gay Gradations

I have more posts planned regarding evangelism, but I have also been planning to write about homosexuality and as I was reading A Detente in the Culture War by Rob Asghar on Saturday, I decided to tagalong with some of my own thoughts now.

For some reason, I like to start with questions.

Is a Pastor who studies, practices, writes, and rewrites a sermon, but who has trouble delivering an effective sermon the same as a Pastor who is content with being an ineffective speaker, but continues to preach anyway? Is a Catholic who participates in "Right to Life" marches the same a vigilante who kills an abortion doctor? Is Pat Robertson the same as Tony Campolo?

Most believers nowadays are frustrated by the way we are portrayed and broad brushed by the mainstream media. Their portrayal does not match our experience. We hear a wide spectrum of ideas and beliefs about God within our circle of friends, an even wider spectrum on the internet, and an even wider spectrum from all of the sources within the entire community of believers. The spectrum is so wide that almost all believers designate certain other believers as non-believers, because we believe others are practicing heretical theology if we don't agree with them on the essentials. As insiders, we know more about the nuances, and we have a better understanding of the gradations regarding Christian beliefs, than the outsiders who try to tell our story.

When I hear most Christians talk about homosexuals and homosexuality, I hear the same narrow band of stereotyping and condemnation as I hear when I listen to the mainstream media describe Christianity and Jerry Falwell. Just because most of us believe that the cause of homosexuality is irrelevant when deciding if it should be labeled sinful, does not mean that we should respond to all of the nuances and gradations of homosexuality in exactly the same way.

Is the homosexual who makes an effort to remain celibate, but who occasionally gives in to the desire for sex, the same as the homosexual who has multiple partners and has no desire for a lifestyle change? Is a believer who after years of struggle has been unable to change their orientation the same as a proponent and advocate of gay marriage? Is the homosexual who serves the needy the same as the homosexual who lives at gay bath houses? Is the homosexual who is in a committed long term relationship the same as the homosexual who sleeps with as many partners of the same sex as is humanly possible?

Should we continue to judge from the outside or is it time to listen to more of the insiders, and make more of an effort to understand? Is it time to remove a few planks from the eyes of our Churches before ridding the world of splinters? Should we keep condemning and not showing any grace to those struggling with the difficult sin of homosexuality, while we give Pastors who spend 45 minutes to deliver a 15 minute sermon a pass?

Contrarian View From the Pew: A team game

Imagine what would have happened in the 1986 Super Bowl if Mike Ditka, head coach of the Chicago Bears, grabbed William Perry by the face mask right in the middle of the game and said, “Fridge, I know you aren’t particularly gifted as a quarterback, but we have to win this game, so get in there and start throwing the ball”. Imagine also what would have happened if Coach Ditka then turned to Walter Peyton, Dan Hampton, Mike Singletary, Richard Dent, and the rest of the Bears and said, “I know none of you want to play quarterback, and most of you aren’t gifted enough to play quarterback, but we need to win this game, so I want all of you to start throwing the ball.”

How many World Series rings would the Yankees have won under Joe Torre if the skipper said to Derek Jeter before the start of the 1996 Series, “Derek, I know you aren’t really gifted as a pitcher, but we have to win the World Series, so I want you to go stand on the mound.” Imagine also, what would have happened, if Joe Torre then turned to Bernie Williams and the rest of the team and said, “Guys, I know most of your aren’t really very gifted at pitching, but we have to win this series, so I want all of you to go stand on the mound.”

Now, think about what DOES happen in Churches where the leaders tell the members, “It doesn’t really matter if you are gifted in evangelism, spreading the Gospel is so important, everyone has to be out sharing with their circle of friends.”

The goal in football is not to “pass the ball”. The goal in football is to score more points than the opponent. Passing the football well usually helps to achieve the goal, but it is not THE goal. Effective passing requires an effective plan, effective blocking, effective pass routes, and effective receivers; not just an effective quarterback. Winning the game usually requires a solid defense as well. The 1986 Super Bowl champions, and most other Super Bowl winners, have had at least 40 players with very specialized roles. Walter Peyton probably could have played quarterback, but if he did, we would have missed out on some of his spectacular runs, and the Bears would still be without a Super Bowl win. It was much more fun watching Mike Singletary chase down quarterbacks than it would have been for him to be quarterback.

The goal in baseball is not to stand on the mound and pitch the baseball. The goal in baseball is to score the most runs. Good pitching helps to win games, but I doubt even the New York Yankees could win a single game with Derek Jeter standing on the mound. Teams that win World Series rings have players that are specialists at playing their assigned position.

The goal of Christianity is to spread Christianity. Preaching the Gospel is not the goal of Christianity. Preaching the Gospel is a method used to achieve the goal of Christianity. Effective evangelism is an essential part of spreading Christianity and it is a big part of achieving our goal. However, “Evangelist” is not the only important position on our team and we do not need a whole team of Evangelists to accomplish our goal. Evangelism and Evangelists need a supporting infrastructure of other gifted Christians filling many different roles in order to spread Christianity.

As Christians, we should try to be everything God created us to be, we should model the same behavior Jesus modeled for us, and we should strive to become everything the Holy Spirit is preparing us to become; but we don’t all need to be quarterbacks or pitchers, nor should we be.

More to come next week on football, baseball, and evangelism…

Contrarian View From the Pew: Start with what's clear

Clearly, an important aspect of Christianity is for Christians to spread Christianity throughout the world. Jesus taught God’s principles and modeled Christian behavior for his disciples. Before ascending into heaven, he told them to do likewise. Even if Jesus hadn’t been specific about spreading his message, we could not just sit on our knowledge of eternity anymore than we could watch a child drown; our changed hearts compel us to serve others. A part of that service is the offering or sharing of all that we have with others including a clear understanding of the Gospel message.

Individually, we need to let our light shine. If we believe we are a new person as a result of a belief in our Savior, we won’t sit under a basket and keep it to ourselves. Even on our worst days we will have something to offer towards the kingdom of God.

It’s also quite clear from the Bible that individually we do not all have the same role. Jesus used a farm worker illustration when he said, “one for sowing and one for reaping.” Paul used an illustration of the Church as the body of Christ where different body parts are incapable of achieving their intended purpose without every other part contributing to the purpose and without all of the parts working together. Paul also said we are gifted by the Spirit for different roles; evangelism being one of the listed and specific spiritual gifts.

In future posts, I will examine the Churches methods, effects, and results of evangelism as well as suggestions for improvement.

Contrarian View From the Pew: Media bias

Those of us who lean a little to the right have no problem recognizing institutional bias in the MSM (Mainstream Media). I wonder how many of us also recognize the bias in "Christians tackle the eternal question through study series" which makes this claim:

"It now seems that "The Purpose Driven Life" will be a church guidepost for the 21st Century. "

Contrarian View From the Pew: A few questions

What percentage of Christian leaders believe that sharing the Gospel is an individual responsibility?

What percentage of Christian followers believe that sharing the Gospel is an individual responsibility?

What percentage of Christian leaders actually make it a part of their ministry to be out in the world making new friends who are not believers and then sharing the Gospel with them?

What percentage of Christian followers actually make it a part of their life to be out in the world making new friends who are not believers and then sharing the Gospel with them?

How effective are individuals at sharing the Gospel?

Is sharing the Gospel a numbers game like product marketing?

What are the obstacles that need to be overcome in order for a non-believer to accept the Gospel message?

Is there a downside or risk to sharing the Gospel with a non-believer?

Where do the ideas and beliefs about evangelism come from?

What does the Bible have to say about evangelism?

What does the Bible have to say about individual evangelism?

Is evangelism in America different from evangelism in less developed countries?

Do Evangelicals need a paradigm shift regarding evangelism?

VFTP: My promise to be more clear

My mind is racing today with all of the responses I need to make to the comments I have received regarding my “Bring a Friend to Church” posts. I will try to address some of these issues in future posts as I comment on Church trends, assumptions, behaviors, methods; and far too often, misguided actions and activities.

When I started blogging, blurb-blogging seemed like my best style. I wanted my posts to be short, to the point, and clear. After my first month, it has become quite obvious, I need to be as precise about what I am not saying as I am about what I am saying. Hopefully, everyone who is a regular reader will see an improvement in the way I frame my opinions in future posts. Please keep your comments and criticisms coming.

When I wrote the “Bring a Friend to Church” series, I should have been more careful to differentiate between the “Bring a Friend to Church Special Sundays” and just plain old inviting a friend to come worship at your Church on any Sunday or weekday service. I do believe that the Church is the body of Christ. I also believe that participating in Church worship and other activities is the best way for anyone to experience the body of Christ. If any of us has friends who are not a member of a Church, we should invite them to our Church. However, when inviting friends to Church becomes a Church program, and members are pressured to find and invite someone who may not even be a friend, and nothing really special is done for visitors besides sell the Church, or give an alter call, then the efforts are counterproductive.

I also should have been more careful to differentiate between the “Bring a Friend to Church” programs that do not work at all and the “Pack a Pew” programs that do work to increase attendance, but do nothing to edify the body of Christ. For the most part, it is better for people to be a Church regular than not be a Church regular. However, I am very concerned that non-believers and marginal believers are getting the wrong impression about Christ because of the way we do Church.

I am planning several posts in the future where I will address the topic of personal evangelism. I have a sacred cow to roast. I’m cleaning the grill right now. Stay tuned…

VFTP: Stained-Glass Preacher

I have a variety of methods I use to evaluate the character of the people I associate with. I like to observe how people treat strangers. I figure that if someone is honest, respectful, and kind, to someone they have never met or someone they don‘t need, then I can trust them to be the same with my family and others. I also listen [or read] to see if someone is critical of themselves and the organization they identify with the most. I know that people who criticize their own are trustworthy.

Yesterday, I listened to a young Pastor give a very good sermon. He started the sermon by using his earlier life as a Christian as an illustration of how not to behave. Then he went on to criticize the behavior of some of the Churches and members of his own denomination. As he spoke, the Southern California storm broke, the sun came shining through the stain glass windows, and even more importantly, the Son came shining through his words. It was an important reminder for me, and I think others who have been around the block a few times, to get out of the way by minimizing our accomplishments and maximizing our Lords accomplishment.

PGA Maid

Just one more thing for me to like about John Daly.

I'll take him on with a vacuum - no handicap.

In Charitable Daly more mild thing than wild thing - Golf:

"He is also a clean freak. Sherrie, his fourth wife - of 3 years - said: 'He cleans everything. He does the laundry, he's a chronic vacuumer; it's hilarious.'"

VFTP: Judging Preachers

I often hear preachers misuse the words “Judge” and “Criticize” as synonyms. Different Bible translations and commentaries even interchange the two words. These words are not synonyms in the English language. Both words have many different meanings depending on the context. A person can and should judge before criticizing, and a person should be careful to judge ideas, concepts, and behaviors, not people; especially not people who are trying to do the will of God. However, the meanings of the two words are not the same.

“Judge”, “judged”, “judging”, and “judges”, are words that are used many times in all translations. “Criticize” is only referenced twice in the NIV. "Judge" appears multiple times just in the book of James which is a critique (criticism) of the behavior of the early Christians. Nowhere in the Bible are we told never to criticize. If we were, the Bible would be contradicting itself since much of what is written in the Bible, from Moses, to the Prophets, to Jesus, to the Apostles, is criticism.

When Jesus called the religious leaders of his day hypocrites, was he not criticizing them? When he called the generation of his time lazy and adulterous, was he not being critical? When he referred to his followers as hard hearted, was that not a criticism? Why then would preachers say that criticism doesn’t belong in the Church?

When a five-year-old criticizes her father, are her words sinful? I don’t think so. Criticism from my five-year-old is some of the sweetest words I ever hear. I never have to guess at what she is telling me. When she criticizes me, I know exactly what I need to change in my behavior, or I know exactly what I need to change in the way she views my behavior. I only wish the adults in my life were as willing to criticize me as my five-year-old.

I keep asking myself; as iron sharpens iron, how can one man sharpen another, without honest criticism and how can sin in our Churches be identified and corrected without criticism? In Proverbs chapter 27, along with the iron sharpens iron verse, there are some other interesting verses. Verse 5 says "Better is open rebuke than hidden love" and verse 6 says "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses". Both of these verses are references to the importance of honest and loving criticism. Verse 21 is also very interesting, "The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives". Together, these three verses indicate that "Praise" and "Kisses" are the true danger in the church. If I were a preacher, I would make the Biblical case that we need to be suspicious of "Praise" and we need to embrace and encourage "Criticism" and critical thinking.

It is a mystery to me why so many good Pastors and good men believe such a bad and wrong concept. The belief that people should not criticize is a concept from Communism, not a concept from the Bible or orthodox Christianity. It is the totalitarian and insecure leaders who want to avoid and not allow criticism. Great leaders surround themselves with others who are constantly challenging their beliefs and actions. It is the poor leaders who surround themselves with "yes men" who are not allowed to criticize.

It doesn’t seem to me like very many Churches are prepared for the challenges of the 21 century. I don’t see how these Churches will ever be prepared for the future until everyone has the freedom to criticize and correct what is wrong.

No easy answer

I wish there wasn’t such a thing as recreational drugs. I’ve never known anyone who used street drugs without having a decrease in their joy, attitude, and aptitude. I would hate to live in any society where the use of recreational drugs was considered acceptable. However, I place a very high value on personal liberty and I can see where drug laws are also having a very negative effect on our society.

It's an old debate that doesn't seem to ever change, but today Tony Plank at The Disenfranchised Curmudgeon presents a thoughtful, moral, and pragmatic argument for the legalization of drugs in homeland offense.

VFTP: Multi-Level Marketing?

Millions of people over the years have been influenced to find a church by Billy Graham and other gifted evangelists. Churches were packed with new seekers after the 2001 terrorist attacks only to find that church had nothing to offer them. Most likely, they attended a Sunday where they were told to “Bring a Friend to Church.”

Christianity is not a multi-level marketing scheme. Businesses can use schemes like multi-level marketing because they don’t need to be concerned about all of the people who say “no”. If a business gets enough “yeses” it will be successful. For way too long, Christian leaders have also been satisfied with getting a few “yeses” without being concerned about the negative impression they are making on all of those potential believers who look at their pesky neighbor and think to themselves, “I would never be a part of a group like that.”

After all of these years of bugging friends and neighbors, it has become more difficult for those gifted in evangelism to spread the Gospel because the ungifted have already hardened the resolve of non-believers. It has also become more difficult for those who want to belong to a church with thoughtful leadership to sit and listen to leaders continue to make the same mistakes. Isn’t it about time Christian leaders came up with a better idea than “Bring a Friend to Church” Sundays?

Time to Go?

Greg Koukl at Stand to Reason has some advice for Jerry Falwell in "Time for Falwell to Say Farewell".

I think Greg's advice is appropriate for anyone who believes it is possible to represent Christ and be persuasive without being Christ-like.

VFTP: Hurting Evangelism

Yesterday I presented what I think is the first main reason “Bring a Friend to Church” events usually fail to achieve the intended purpose for the event. Today, I am going to present what I think is the second main reason for the ineffectiveness of these special Sundays.

The other main reason “Bring a Friend to Church” events don’t work as intended is because most church members are not gifted in evangelism. Not only are most church members not gifted in evangelism, most church members are not even particularly outgoing. Many of the people who attend church regularly come to church to make friends and see friends; not bring friends. It is much more difficult for the typical believer to make friends and form meaningful relationships outside of church.

Since evangelism is a spiritual gift that most believers don’t receive, and since most people would rather make new friends at church, it is very misguided for church leaders to continue to send believers out attempting to make new friends and then invite them to church. The typical person who is not a church leader knows how manipulative and uncomfortable it feels to invite anyone other than a close friend or family member to their own church. Therefore, church leaders are actually discouraging members and hurting true evangelism by pressuring the members to bring someone new to church with them.

VFTP: Not Coming Back

There are two main reasons these “Bring a Friend to Church” events almost always fail to achieve their intended purpose.

The first main reason is because most churches are only attractive to their own members. [Sometimes, the members even know their Church is not attractive.] Since attractiveness is perceived differently by believers and non-believers; this one reason has two completely different perspectives.

The majority of people who end up attending a church on these special Sundays are already believers. Believers have very strong opinions about the type of Sunday service they like to attend. They are looking for a certain type of church. They want a church that appears a certain way, and a pastor who acts a certain way, and music that sounds a certain way, and members that are friendly in a certain way. If the church doesn’t meet a believer’s expectations for what a church should be that very first Sunday they attend, it is unlikely they will give the church a second chance.

Non-believers evaluate a church differently. They are not looking for a certain type of church. Most non-believers think all churches are alike. Non-believers have many of their own personal reasons for not wanting to go to church. Regardless of the exact reason, most non-believers don’t go to church because there is something at church they expect to happen they want to avoid. They want to avoid people who are too friendly, or they want to avoid a long and boring sermon, or they want to avoid feeling guilty, or they want to avoid an alter call, or they want to avoid giving any personal information, or they want to avoid the offering plate. The very thing non-believers want to avoid the most, almost always happens on these “Bring a Friend to Church” Sundays; especially people being so friendly, they seem needy. Therefore, non-believers also rarely give any church a second chance.

"Bring a Friend to Church" Sundays will never work until the Church Leaders start designing the service and activities specifically for the type of guests they want to attend the Sunday morning event.

Tomorrow, I will give a second reason “Bring a Friend to Church” Sundays almost never work.

A kinder, gentler evangelism

Bonnie at Off the top makes a great point about Anthony Flew's conversion change of heart in A kinder, gentler evangelism.

VIEW FROM THE PEW: Bring a Friend to Church

It is rare to visit a small church that is not having a “Bring a Friend to Church” event in the near future. The pastor will usually include a section in his sermon on personal evangelism and then finish his message by reminding the church about the upcoming event. He will also let everyone in attendance know how important it is for each of them to be out inviting people they know to come to church. Even though past events have had poor results, almost everyone in leadership acts like this is the one event that will actually start to grow their church.

Unfortunately, very few members of any church, often including the pastor, actually believe these upcoming events will change anything. They have all participated in enough “Bring a Friend to Church” Sundays to know that these events rarely have any long-lasting effect on church attendance. Quite frankly, these events may be the very reason the church is not growing. Rather than evaluate the success of their attitudes and methods concerning church growth, church leaders continue to place the blame on everything except their own wrong assumptions.

Later this week, I will be writing about why these events don't work.

VIEW FORM THE PEW: Purpose Driven Tragedy

My wife and I were members at Saddleback Church for almost a year. In many ways, Saddleback is my kind of Church. Every detail is considered and managed; practically nothing is left to chance. Rick Warren seems to me to be a true man of God, a good Pastor, and a genuine leader. I believe God has blessed Saddleback.

Now, having said that, I also believe the “Purpose Driven” movement, is a real tragedy for the Church. I don’t mean the "Purpose Driven” concepts; with only a few exceptions, the concepts are solid. I can’t tell if the movement is a symptom of the lack of leaders in our Churches, or if the movement is causing leaders to be insecure about their own programs, or if leaders are becoming lazy; choosing to copy instead of innovate.

Almost everyone, believers and non-believers alike, are looking for innovative leaders with compassionate hearts. Encouraging people to sit in front of a TV and watch a video of a leader from another Church is not my idea of leadership or compassion. Preachers don’t need to be leaders, evangelists don’t need to be leaders, servant disciples don’t need to be leaders. However, Pastors do need to be leaders and Churches need to be distinctive. Pastors who can’t do any better than sell video tapes, need to reconsider their chosen profession.

That’s one person’s view from the pew.

The Pie

Anyone who is a regular reader of my site without first reading Dime Store Guru is picking at the crust and missing the pie.

Rob Asghar is insightful, humorous, and humble. He takes his blogging serious without taking himself too serious. He is everything as a writer that I hope to be someday.

What are you waiting for; get on over there.

Valentines Day

All week long I've wanted to write something meaningful about Valentines Day. The words to describe how I feel about Valentines Day are turning out to be just as elusive as my feelings and my sense of inadequacy to properly honor my wife. I've always hoped that it would get easier as I got older. It hasn't.

However, Phil at Another Man's Meat gives me a new sense of hope with the way he honored his wife in Oops!

"As I sit here now I’m again seeing how right Paul was. I’m not married to an illusion; I’m married to Nancy Catron, a real living person who has ups and downs, hopes, dreams, moods, faith, doubt, anger, joy, sadness. She’s a complete person. And Nancy sees the same in me. Living life as an illusion would never have sustained us. That’s not the stuff love is made of. If it was all an illusion it would have broken long ago. But, thankfully, God put us together to shatter illusions and in so doing He strengthened the love between us.

Ah, yes…..Ain’t love grand! Beyond anything else, the flowers and the gifts, it’s the one thing that sustains us. I used to hear when I was young that love is for fools and that love doesn’t pay the bills. I sit here and realize how wrong those who said those things were. Love is indeed grand!"

Thanks Phil!

VIEW FROM THE PEW: Raising the Bar

Mike Russell at Eternal Perspectives wrote a thoughtful comment to my criticism of his The Vast Godblog Wasteland post and he elaborated even more with a new post on his blog called The Confessions of an Accused, Tried and Convicted Elitist.

I actually agree with most of what Mike wrote in both of his posts. It seems that his maim point was his effort to raise the bar regarding how the word of God is preached in the blogsphere, without limiting who does the preaching, as long as they establish a certain level of credibility. I applaud his efforts since I am also trying to raise the bar of understanding between those who lead churches and those who want to be active members of healthy Christian communities.

I still have an unanswered question and a few challenges for Mike and those others who supported his original post. I will try to word it a little differently this time:

At what point does someone become qualified to spread the Gospel? I’ve been in Churches for years where I have been told it is the responsibility of every Christian to spread the Gospel. Not once have I been given a test to determine if I was qualified. I’ve known many believers who I personally don’t consider qualified, but I’ve never heard a pastor teach that believers should wait until they are qualified before they start spreading the Gospel. In fact, it seems like most Pastors try to get new believers to go after all of their friends and family even before the new believer is baptized.

Is evangelism a unique Spiritual gift or is evangelism the responsibility of every believer or both?

If Mike wants to raise the bar in the blogsphere, maybe the place to start is in the local Churches. The blogsphere is more of a reflection of what is taught and believed in the local Churches than it is a place of original thought. For years I have been visiting Churches in order to compare the differences between Churches. It is appalling to me how much politics and personal opinion gets mixed in with the word of God in the typical Sunday sermon.

Mike is right that the bar needs to be raised. However, the bar needs to be raised everywhere, not just in the blogsphere.

VIEW FROM THE PEW: Where We Are At (Part 2) and What to do Now

Almost all Christian churches today either follow contemporary culture at a considerable distance or they staunchly oppose contemporary culture. It is difficult to lead and influence society by playing catch up or by opposing contemporary trends. It is impossible to lead and influence society when the church has fallen 50 years behind.

In order for the Christian church to return to the influence it had in 1950, it must abandon the methods it used in 1950 and develop new methods that are appropriate for the present time. Even better, churches should start developing methods that would be appropriate for ten years from now. In order for the Christian church to start to lead and influence again it must have a vision for where it is headed and a plan to get there. The willingness to change, and the determination to succeed, will determine how much influence the church has in the twenty-first century.

VIEW FROM THE PEW Breaking News: A blogsphere for the elite?

Over at Eternal Perspectives, Mike Russell makes a case for self policing the Christian blogsphere in “The Vast Godblog Wasteland”. You’re probably not a card carrying protestant if you don’t agree with Mike about the lack of biblical understanding in the blogsphere, since we all claim we have a better understanding of Scripture than anyone else.

For the most part, those men and women who have dedicated their life to the study of Scripture do have a better understanding of hermeneutics and biblical principles than those of us who have to get up and go to work everyday and only study the bible as a hobby. However, maybe those of us who get up and go to work everyday have a better understanding of the application of Scripture than those who only study under other scholars.

Mike may not have intended to sound like an elitist, but he does. Could a Christian Leader sound any more elitist than this?

“Lest you think I'm playing favorites, I don't agree doctrinally on many issues with any of these bloggers. But I do respect them: they have either paid their dues and sharpened their skills through seminary, intense personal study, or both. (Actually, seminary without intense personal study isn't worth much; indeed, it can be worse than no seminary at all.)”

And this:

“Or maybe we need another "exclusive" blogroll, one populated only by those who adhere to some yet-to-be-determined evangelical litmus test. A kind of doctrinal Shibboleth not unlike those required of professors by Christian colleges and seminaries. Nothing that would exclude solely on the basis of denominations, but one that would include only those in agreement with some foundational beliefs shared by most denominations.”

What about those who have paid their dues by actually living a life of submission; shouldn’t they also have a voice in illustrating biblical application?

Mike then goes on to say:

“But for every one blogger who is genuinely endeavoring to rightly divide the word of truth, there seems to be ten who are either careless in their study, with their words, or both. Fortunately, most of the above enjoy a wide audience; sadly, so do some of the less-than diligent bloggers.”

I haven’t been in a church in 15 years where the pastor didn’t claim that all Christians have a responsibility to spread the Gospel. I wonder if Mike could clarify because now I am confused; Is it our responsibility to spread the Gospel, or is the Gospel to complicated for us common folk?

Mike finishes his post with more elitism by declaring that he doesn’t want to have anything to do the common folk:

“Personally, I'd just like to have a good place to go to read good scholarship. No politics or other hobby horses allowed. Sort of like a theological reading room. A place for an irenic exchange of ideas. A place of mutual respect and grace. A place where it's OK to be wrong, but a willingness to re-think a position or statement is present. A safe place.

And, most of all, a place of love. No name calling, cheap shots, or hit-and-run comments. A marketplace of theological ideas.

Maybe - just maybe - I'm looking for a L'Abri blog. A shelter for serious people wanting to talk about serious things. I wish I knew how to make it happen.”

Of course the blogsphere is certainly big enough for Mike to have exactly what he wants without ever being bothered by the rest of us. However, the blogspere is also big enough for everyone else who believes ideas, and concepts, and beliefs, should be challenged and can be defended.

Domino Theory

Thomas Friedman has been a harsh critic of the way the Bush Administration has conducted the war in Iraq. In todays New Yok Times, he makes the case that winning in Iraq will make a big difference on the whole Middle East, especially Iran.

The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Calling All Democrats: "If we can help produce a representative government in Iraq - based on free and fair elections and with a Shiite leadership that accepts minority rights and limits on clerical involvement in politics - it will exert great pressure on the ayatollah-dictators running Iran. In Iran's sham 'Islamic democracy,' only the mullahs decide who can run. Over time, Iranian Shiites will demand to know why they can't have the same freedoms as their Iraqi cousins right next door. That will drive change in Iran. Just be patient."

Prevent a Massive Tax Increase

This is a good explanation of the Social Security Reality. I know NRO is considered by many to be on the far right. However, I don't see this as an opinion piece. It is just laying out the facts. If anyone has sources for different facts, please let me know.

Bruce Bartlett on Social Security Reform and Income Taxes on NRO Financial: "But the real reason to reform the program is to prevent a massive income-tax increase, not because anyone's benefits are threatened by inaction."

View From the Pew Challenge

Pete Porter made a comment that applied to all of my “VIEW FROM THE PEW” series of posts. He made such a good challenge that I should address his comment with a complete post instead of just a response to the the comment.

pete porter said...
David,In looking through your posts (which I enjoyed) I see a recuring theme, the making of observers out of the people of God. They are not to be pew warmers. The gifts of pastor, evangelist, teacher, prophet, and apostle, are for the maturing of the church for works of service to God. In other words, when they do there job, they do themselves out of a job. That I think is God's plan, and opens new fields of service to those ministrys. Ever expanding, to the whole world.

I believe Pete is absolutely right that each of us have been gifted by God to do the work of God through our local Church within our local Church and out in the world. “View from the pew” is not my way of saying that I am not getting what I want. “View from the pew” is my way of communicating to Church leaders about the ways their actions, methods, and programs are being viewed by at least one [me], and probably more, congregants who want to be a part of a healthy body of Christ.

It is my hypothesis that many, if not most, Church leaders spend much more time communicating with each other than they do communicating with non-leader believers and non-believers. I only question the heart of a very few Church leaders that I have known. I have no doubt that most Church leaders love the Lord and are doing their very best to serve him. However, it seems to me that many of these leaders, with good hearts, are stuck doing what they think others want them to do, without actually having a plan for what they really should be doing.

I do not advocate that anyone should sit in the pew and just observe without getting involved. I do advocate that Church leaders take a fresh look at all of their methods, assumptions, and programs; but mostly start listening to non-leaders.

VIEW FROM THE PEW: Where We Are At

Today, churches have changed very little from 50 years ago, while life for most people is completely different. Most people work in offices or shopping centers interacting with other people all day long. They are also spending more time at social events during the middle of the week.

By the time Sunday rolls around, many people would rather spend time at home watching television with their own family and a few friends than at church with many other families that are more often acquaintances than true friends. Some people would rather be participating in a sporting event than sitting in a church listening to a sermon they have heard many times before. Others would rather attend a sporting event or an amusement park.

Television shows are scripted, directed, edited, and produced to appeal to a specific target audience. The Sunday morning service in most of the churches today consists primarily of live music and one pastor who talks for thirty to forty five minutes and who is rarely able to keep the attention of an audience that has become accustomed to targeted bullet point presentations.

There are books, and tapes, and movies, and television programs, and radio shows that effectively teach the word of God. Only the most gifted of pastors are able to craft a sermon anywhere near as interesting or as informative as these other mediums. Many of the people sitting in the church seats are as knowledgeable about most Bible topics as the pastor.

Super Bull Sunday

It turns out that the claim of increased domestic violence on Super Bowl Sunday is a myth.

Snopes has the details.

"The upshot? It turned out that Super Bowl Sunday was not a significantly different day for those who monitor domestic abuse hotlines and staff battered women's shelters:"

Ash Wednesday

Mark D. Roberts and Tod Bolsinger have both written about Ash Wednesday today.

Pastor Roberts: "It’s a day to remember the bad news of who we are apart from Christ so that we can begin to prepare for the great news of Good Friday and Easter."


Pastor Bolsinger: "You are not a mere soul or disembodied spirit. You are human, you are mortal, you are deeply dependent on the God who formed your body from the humus of the earth and breathed life into you with his kiss. God has come to you, in Jesus, O Creature, and called you to have life eternal with him."

VIEW FROM THE PEW: Where We Were

Seventy-five years ago most people worked on farms or in factories. These people had very little interaction with their community during the week. Church, on Sunday, was a place to spend time with friends. Fifty years ago, television was mostly live entertainment broadcast in black and white. Church was also live, but without the box, and in full color. There were no video or audio tapes. There were few religious books other than the Bible. Radio was interesting and entertaining, but filled with static.

The typical person attending church depended on the pastor for all of his or her religious instruction. Churches did not have to compete for the hearts and minds of people who had a need to visit friends and hear the word of God as preached by a Pastor who had a personal relationship with most of the people attending his church. Fifty years ago, the music and the sermon at most churches sounded as good or better than anything else anyone heard all week long. The Christian church led contemporary culture in most parts of the developed world during this period in the middle of the twentieth century.

Example Driven Discipleship

I have always believed that the best leaders lead by example. As a night crew manager at KFC, a Marine Corp Sergeant, an Operations Manager, and a Project Leader, I have always looked for opportunities to lead by example. Sometime leading by example is as simple as taking out someone else’s trash when they are busy with something else. Most of the time though, leading by example means working harder, working longer, and working smarter than anyone in your organizational sphere.

I don’t see very many leaders leading by example anymore. Managers seem to want to plan and direct, but not get their hands dirty. Politicians pass laws that exempt legislators. Pastors like preaching more than doing.

Brad Hightower, at 21st Century Reformation, has a few recent posts on what I would consider “Example Driven Discipleship.” I can’t link to a specific post since they have moved to archives, but look in his January Archives for ‘Come and Follow Me - Discipleship in the Footsteps of Jesus‘ and ‘Hospitality and Our Understanding of Church’.

The Heart of a U.S. Marine

I need to wipe a few tears. Here is the "message to all hands" that then-Major General Mattis issued to his troops as they prepared to enter Iraq in March 2003:

Mackubin Thomas Owens on James Mattis on National Review Online: "For decades, Saddam Hussein has tortured, imprisoned, raped and murdered the Iraqi people; invaded neighboring countries without provocation; and threatened the world with weapons of mass destruction. The time has come to end his reign of terror. On your young shoulders rest the hopes of mankind.

When I give you the word, together we will cross the Line of Departure, close with those forces that choose to fight, and destroy them. Our fight is not with the Iraqi people, nor is it with members of the Iraqi army who choose to surrender. While we will move swiftly and aggressively against those who resist, we will treat all others with decency, demonstrating chivalry and soldierly compassion for people who have endured a lifetime under Saddam's oppression. Chemical attacks, treachery, and the use of the innocent as human shields can be expected, as can unethical tactics. Take it all in stride. Be the hunter, not the hunted: never allow your unit to be caught with its guard down. Use good judgment and act in the best interest of our Nation. 'You are part of the world's most feared and trusted force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. Share your courage with each other as we enter the uncertain terrain north of the Line of Departure. Keep faith with your comrades on your left and right and Marine Air overhead. Fight with a happy heart and strong spirit.

For the mission's sake, our country's sake, and the sake of the men who carried the Division's colors in past battles - who fought for life and never lost their nerve - carry out you mission and keep your honor clean. Demonstrate to the world that there is 'No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy' than a U.S. Marine.

J.N. Mattis

Major General, US Marines

Commanding"

VIEW FROM THE PEW: The Cost of Staying the Same

Where are we at? Where are we going? How are we going to get there?

Almost all organizations, families, and individuals, have at one time asked themselves these three questions. Success in any endeavor requires an honest evaluation of present realities, a vision for what the future should be, and a plan for getting from the present to the future where goals are reached and dreams are realized. However, asking and answering these questions does not ensure success. Rethinking past assumptions, crafting a plan, diligently working the plan, and revising the plan when necessary, is what leads to success.

Churches, just like all organizations, should also be asking and answering these questions on an on-going basis if they want to successfully reach their goal of sharing the gospel with an unbelieving world. By asking these questions, and being honest with their answers, churches would have a vision for where they are headed and how they are going to get there.

Sadly, most churches today would have to answer the first question by saying they are basically at the same place they were at ten to fifty years ago. The strategy for most of these churches is to continue to do what they have always done. Ten more years of doing the same thing is not going to produce better results. Most likely, it will produce many more empty seats. The seats that are not empty will be filled with lots of gray hair and bald scalps.

The Learning Curve

I must have hit thousands of plastic golf balls as a youngster when I was growing up before I ever stepped foot on a real golf course. Actually, where I grew up, a real golf course was not a REAL golf course, but the pasture my friends and I ended up playing in did have tee boxes and green areas with holes and flags so it was kind of like a real golf course. The greens were a Bermuda, crab grass, & dandelion combination; not exactly Scott’s premium blend. I loved golf then and I love golf now. However, I never really learned how to play golf until I started playing with golfers who took the game serious. My love for golf wasn’t enough for me to learn the game, I needed to compete and play by all of the rules before I began to understand the swing mechanics and emotional control required to improve my score.

Blogging is my attempt to learn the game of inspiration and persuasion through written communication. For way too long I’ve had ideas swimming in my head that have not seen the light of day in order to be challenged and then improved. It’s not enough for me to love the blogsphere; I need to get beat around some in order to learn the word mechanics and emotional maturity required to improve my writing. All criticism offered to me on any of my posts is very much appreciated.

Reminder Notice [Social Security Trust Fund]

David Frum's Diary on National Review Online: "If Fred writes an IOU for $10 to Jim, Jim has an asset. But if Fred writes an IOU to Fred for $10, he has not created an asset for himself - he's created a reminder notice. "

The One Doing the Walking

Everyone receiving Social Security retirement benefits has had at least 40 years to prepare for the day when they decide to no longer work. They have had 40 years of decisions regarding their own personal finances. They have had 40 years of opportunities to decide whether to save and invest or whether to spend and enjoy. Those who mostly spend and enjoy end up with less savings at retirement than those who mostly save and invest. Arguments can be made as to which path is the best to follow, but I believe the path followed should be determined by the one doing the walking; not anyone else.

Where is the morality in requiring a 19-year-old, who is working the second shift in order to pay college expenses, to make payments to the retired millionaire? Where is the morality in requiring a single mother, who is working a second job in order to support her family, to make payments to the retiree who spent their working life spending and enjoying?

Parental Responsibility

My wife and I have two daughters who are eight and five years old. Our instincts, tendencies, and ideas towards the way we raise our children sometimes creates tension and conflict between the two of us.

My wife is a teacher. I think she has done an exceptional job of preparing our girls to be successful in school activities. Still, her basic instinct is to always want to protect our girls, while my basic instinct is to always want to prepare them for the skills and wisdom they will need as adults.

It occurs to me that if all we do as parents is prepare our children, our children will not receive the protection they need. However, if all we do as parents is protect our children, our children will not receive the preparation they also need.

All of us, as parents, should feel the tension between the protection and preparation of our children. I'm glad my wife and I have each other to create the balance for our children.

Boys who are over-protected do not receive the preparation they need to function in society as adults. This may be another reason why so many fatherless boys end up in prison.

VIEW FROM THE PEW: Managing Change

As society evolves, churches must also evolve in order to meet the needs of new generations. A basic problem for all churches is to manage the rate of change. A church can become irrelevant if it changes too slowly or if it refuses to change at all. A church can become ineffective if it changes too rapidly.

Actively soliciting feedback, especially criticism, from members and non-members will help the church leadership better understand the problems it must solve in order to meet the needs of a changing society.

Our Real Sacred Obligation

I wrote earlier in this post that I don’t believe we have a sacred obligation as a society to pay all of the Social Security benefits that the retired and soon to retire expect.

Social Security may have been designed as a trust fund, but it has functioned as a revenue stream for other government programs. All future payments, every penny, has to come from future taxes, either to directly pay the retirees or to pay the government IOUs to the Social Security fund. There is no money in the trust fund; it is empty.

After giving some more thought to the morality of Social Security, I now feel even stronger that the fairest way to fix the future problem with Social Security is to start reducing benefits now. As a society founded on the principle of “no taxation without representation”, we do have a sacred obligation to pay our own way. It is unholy, and I believe un-American, to require anyone who is not of voting age to pay for our retirement.

Workers in my age bracket will be hurt the most by reducing benefits because we will have paid the most in to the system by the time we reach retirement age. Too bad, we need step up to the plate and set an example to do what is fair and right for everyone now and in the future.

Nuthin on But the Radio and Computer (KZLA and Bloggin)

20 years ago, I started listening to talk radio, instead of music radio. 15 years ago, I started listening to political talk radio, instead of regular talk radio. 10 years ago, I started browsing the internet for even more news and information. Sometimes, I feel like an information shark; I need fresh information flowing over my gills. I have a constant desire that never gets satiated for information. The price for succumbing to my information addiction has been fewer and shallower relationships.

Lately, I’ve been listening to 93.9 KZLA in Los Angeles more and more and I find myself smiling more and more. KZLA claims to be the worlds most listened to Country/Western radio station. After growing up in Arkansas, I’m a little sensitive to being labeled a hick, but I can’t believe what I’ve been missing. The breadth and depth of the lyrics really surprises me and the songs are quite a joy to hear. References to faith, and family, and goodness are quite common in many of the songs. There is also a seedy side to some of the songs, but even the naughty ones make me smile and seem to improve my attitude.

Lately, I’ve also had a little more time to roam the blogshere and post a comment or two. I’ve found that there are a few, and probably many more, like me. My roaming and country/western smiling has given me a new desire to worship God and honor God by being a less informed, but a better, husband, father, and friend.

God bless Nashville and God bless all of you who are participating in our electronic community. I pray that your family and friends are also rewarded.

VIEW FROM THE PEW: Empathize

The natural reaction to criticism for people in positions of authority is to defend their own actions. It is extremely difficult for anyone to understand a complaint or suggestion when they are reacting defensively. Church leaders need to be able to suppress their own natural reaction and then be able to empathize with complainers if they are ever going to handle complaints and suggestions effectively.

Listening to an entire complaint and then probing to get more details from the complainer helps the leader to clarify the complaint before they decide to defend their actions or suggest a solution. Just as importantly, it lets the complainer know that the leader cares about them and their opinion. Expressing care and concern towards the person making the complaint is almost as important to the complainer as actually resolving the complaint.

My graphic artist is still in training, but since she only charges a few chicken nuggets every now and then, I think I'll keep her!

Exorcising Demons

Fairways & Greens - Golf, Travel & Lifestyle News has A nice article on John Daly.

He's made a lot of mistakes in his life, but he keeps bouncing back. He also seems to have learned from all of his travails

Contrarians

I love contrarians. Contrarians are people who ask: “What if…?”, and “Why?”, and “Why not…?” Contrarians swim upstream. The last thing a contrarian desires is to be like everyone else. (Although, most contrarians do wish everyone else was more like them.) Contrarians know that when they agree with the majority, they need to rethink an idea.

Contrary to popular belief, contrarians don’t tear things down; contrarians actually hold things together. Contrarians are the tendons that stretch and allow the muscles to do their work while providing resistance to prevent the muscle from going too far and becoming destructive.

Spokespeople for minority organizations are not contrarians. They may lead a minority organization, but they are still expressing the majority view within their organization. The true contrarian expresses views that are different from the majority view within the organization they are a member.

Organizations without contrarians become radical organizations. The National Organization for Women, Focus on the Family, and the NAACP, among others, have wandered from their original purposes into radicalism because they lack the tendons to pull back the muscles.

My hope is that the Republican and Democrat parties both embrace good people and good ideas in the coming decades. However, I fear that they are both flexing their muscle and loosing their tendons.

VIEW FROM THE PEW: Encouraging Feedback

Everyone has an opinion. Some people never miss an opportunity to let everyone know what they think. However, most people don’t have the confidence to express an opinion that may be different or unpopular. This type of person would rather get along with the group than stand out from the group. Therefore, churches, just like most organizations, are dominated by the type of people who are most outspoken.

This is an area where churches should be different from other organizations. Churches should be organization’s where everyone’s opinion carries equal weight. Churches should also be organization’s where the opinions of people on the outside are as important as the opinion of those on the inside. Church leaders could encourage more feedback by making it a habit to ask the participants in their ministry about what they think of the ministry.

Is Social Security Sacred?

Most commentators and politicians have been keeping their powder dry regarding changes to Social Security. It seems to me that there are a lot of wet fingers being stuck in the air over the heads of some of the usual suspects. However, whenever someone does speak about changes to Social Security, they are quick to say we have a sacred contract with those Americans who are retired or about to retire and that we shouldn’t make any changes to the terms of their benefits. So I have to ask; why?

If voters have the right to elect politicians who legislate payments that come from those too young to vote, and go to those who elected the politicians; then voters also have the right, when they become old enough to vote, to elect politicians who change the legislation in a way that would reduce or eliminate those payments. There is no sacred contract to protect voters who have given themselves income that is derived from the hard work of a younger generation. Maybe the word sacred just doesn’t mean what I think it means.

VIEW FROM THE PEW: Opportunities to Improve

If a church wants to attract more non-believers and also wants to properly disciple its current members, church leaders need to know what the people attending their church think of their programs and methods. Since most feedback comes in the form of praise from others who are also involved in leadership, the true opinions of the majority may not actually be known. In order to measure the true effect of a program or method and then make the necessary adjustments, the people attending church need to be encouraged by the leadership to voice their opinion, no mater how critical or supportive it may be, and every opinion needs to be valued.

Complaints need to be viewed as opportunities to improve. It may seem radical, but by encouraging more people to express their opinions and complaints, more attendees will want to become members and more members will want to stay and contribute because they will know that the leaders care about them as individuals. Complainers can become some of the best contributors when their complaints and suggestions are handled effectively.

Attitude Principle When Discussing Truth

Pastor Mark D. Roberts in his "A Rolling Stone Gathers No . . . Bible?" series makes a great point in this post about how important it is for Christians to remain humble about our own understanding of "the truth" when discussing "Gods truth."

"Should Christians stop talking this way in order to stop putting people off? I don’t think so. As you may know, I wrote a whole book on the need for truthfulness: Dare to Be True. So I’m rather heavily invested in truth-telling. But, as I explain at length in the book, we Christians often shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to this conversation. We think that because there is absolute truth, we must ourselves have full grasp of this truth, and nobody else has any of it. Both of these claims are indefensible from Scripture. Moreover, sometimes we Christians back up our claim to have absolute truth with a fine display arrogance. In fact, as I explain in Dare to Be True, a strong belief in absolute truth actually calls forth just the opposite. It demands humility, not haughtiness."


I might add that it is just as important to remember this principle when discussing truths other than "Gods Truth"; like, maybe, politics!

It Takes A Christian Community

Tod Bolsinger, the Pastor at San Clemente Presbyterian Church in Southern California, has been blogging an excellent series on the Christian Church as a community first.

Back when I was an outspoken agnostic, I never was impressed with any Christian I met. In fact, I loved to ridicule them. Then I came across a community of believers who were unlike any group of people I had ever met. This group of believers really did care about each other and it was apparent in everything they did. I never did notice Christ in any one believer, but our Lord was present and evident in the group when they were together.

Check out Tod and his series here: It Takes A Church...: Christian Community

VIEW FROM THE PEW: Go Ahead and Criticize

Church leaders correctly see their role as changing hearts and changing lives. Perhaps their methods sometimes get in the way of achieving the desired results. Perhaps, formats, activities, and attitudes need to change. But how would the church leaders know?

While no church could possibly be all things to all people, most churches could be more things to more people if there were less members sitting on the sidelines and fewer people searching for a better church. In business, it is generally believed, for every customer who complains, seven customers will never complain and just quit doing business with a company that has not met their expectations. People attending church are very similar to customers. Even though complainers are perceived as a thorn in the side of church leaders, most dissatisfied people will just quit attending a church without ever complaining, and never give the leaders a chance to address their dissatisfaction.