Sure, just keep politicizing Jesus, it's the holidays after all

With the holidays in full swing, our focus should be on Jesus, not on polarizing our families by politicizing Him. It’s hard to avoid talking about politics with the folks you are related to, especially when you feel compelled to convince them of the errors of their ways and enlighten them with your clarity. But please, avoid the mistake of thinking Jesus is always aligned with your political party’s positions.

For most of my adult life, I’ve tried to improve my station in life. Who wouldn’t want to provide well for their family? It think it is noble and admirable to take care of your family as best as you can.

Before I went to college, I worked for good concrete contractors who paid better than the companies I previously worked for. After college, I went on to earn two Master's degrees; yes to improve my skills in ministry, but also with the hope I could provide better for my family. So I say all of that to say, I do not begrudge anyone from anywhere who wants to make a better life for themselves or their family -- which is the root issue for the folks trying to immigrate to America.

You literally would have to live under a rock if you haven't heard about the caravan at the border. I can appreciate the efforts thousands of people have made, traveling thousands of miles towards the “Land of opportunity.” What I don’t appreciate are the incorrect comparisons to the immigrants traveling here to the birth narrative of Jesus.

For example, perhaps you’re familiar with the Indiana Church making headlines. Attempting to make a political statement, they have the Holy Family incarcerated/detained by I.C.E. -- they have an outdoor nativity scene surrounded by a chain-link fence, topped with barbed wire. There’s only one slight problem with this display, it’s grossly inaccurate.

Again, I understand the appeal of coming to America. And, you know if someone would work as hard at reaching our borders as these people have, they would work hard at any job they might land once they are here. Still, these people are not refugees, not in the sense that they come from famine or war-torn battlefields. And for the love of all that is holy, let’s not say their plight compares to Jesus’ earliest childhood years.

You might have heard the quote that’s making its rounds on the social media circuit, it goes something like this, “How can we worship a refuge on Sunday and ignore refugees on Monday?” It is supposed to shame everyone into thinking the folks trying to cross our southern border are in the same camp as Jesus. The problem with this line of thinking is, it’s mistaken and it is emotionally manipulative. Jesus’ parents weren’t seeking gainful employment when they temporarily went to Bethlehem (where there was “no room” at the Inn -- we should ask why none of Joseph's extended family took them in in his hometown), they were obeying their government's census decree. And similarly when they fled to Egypt temporarily, it was by God’s direction to avoid Herod’s attempts to kill the prophesied coming of the Jewish messiah, not to make a better living.

Neither trip for Mary and Joseph was for a permanent residency, and neither trip was financially motivated. Also, Jesus never referred to Himself as a childhood immigrant-refugee either.

If you are like me, you are exhausted when it comes to the topic of immigration. But we can’t seem to get away from it. It’s completely natural that people in impoverished nations would be attracted to what we have here in America. While I don’t know what the right answer is to our immigration situation, I do know a lot of people are not making things better by trying to exploit Jesus’ childhood or deceptively insert His childhood experiences into the context of the American immigration crisis.

I also know, sadly, we tend to gravitate towards the opinion of our favored political party without thinking issues like this all the way through. When politics doesn’t work to sway others, sometimes we employ the Bible to make our points... Does the Bible have precepts on how to deal with displaced people who are homeless wanderers? Sure. Are the people who willingly left their native South American lands and have traveled through Mexico to come here in the same category as the sojourners the Bible describes? You decide.

Whatever you do this Christmas season, please stop and think about the fact that our southern neighbors are not in and have not experienced the same situations Jesus did. It’s a bad comparison to make and it dishonors both Jesus and the folks trying to get here.

Why would experts want you to distrust your memory...?

Presently, the results of the recent Midterm elections are dominating the news cycle -- shining a spotlight on the polarized state of our Nation. Don’t worry, you’ll forget all about these midterms soon enough.

You know there are other stories circulating as well, even though politics usually roars the loudest. While we are being distracted by arguments over the economy, immigration, and the future of healthcare, one subject keeps slipping under the radar. There is a subtle yet insidious small stream of information trickling throughout the media: Your memory, or more to the point, your undependable memory.

Sly efforts to undermine the confidence in our memory are slowly chipping away our confidence in our ability to recall the truth. If you haven’t heard the reports of how poorly we remember the facts yet, a simple internet search will surely leave you discouraged. Study after study reports how “notoriously unreliable” our memory is. Experts claim we generate details which are outright false, but “feel” correct.

Reach back in time and try to remember a period of time when our minds weren’t celebrated and considered trustworthy. I’d say from the 1700’s to the early 1990’s, the human mind was considered the most powerful and capable entity in the universe. Sure, the age of enlightenment had its faults, but the capacity for the mind was unquestioned. No longer is this the case in our “postmodern” milieu.

The recent Kavanaugh hearings are just one example of how “unreliable” our memory is. People on both sides of the “aisle” used faulty mental facilities to their advantage, after all these events were 35 years ago..., so the actual events would be fuzzy and hard to remember. Then, there are news reports and studies constantly being released detailing how we misremember our childhoods. Consider how parents and children remember tragic events differently in a family crisis. Therefore, the experts insist, we can’t trust our fickle minds to much of a degree of accuracy.

With the radical rise of relativism in the past few decades (that being the idea that there is no such things as absolute truth and what’s true for you isn’t true for me) the latest fatality to a Biblical Worldview is our mind. I’m guessing if you noticed this, you might not have stopped to ask what is the motivation to discredit our mental recall and the ability to trust our memory. There are similar attacks on the veracity of recorded history too. These biased perspectives have an agenda, not to uncover Truth, but to create disequilibrium, doubt, and disillusionment.

I’m of the opinion that certain people will seek to convince us we can’t trust our memory or history for the sole purpose of destroying the integrity of the Bible, and especially the reliability of the Gospel accounts. As you may recall, the Gospels weren’t written within months of the ministry of Jesus, but were recorded in written form decades afterwards.

I predict the onslaught attacking our memory and its reliability will increase rapidly over time. More and more people will become convinced that their memories are unreliable, and over time, this will erode their trust in the Scriptures. Is there an legitimacy to this attack?

Since you’ve misplaced your keys and forgotten important appointments, you might be wondering if our memories are as bad as the experts say. But then again, you’ll be hard pressed to find any contemporary who was aware of JFK's assassination that day who can’t tell you where they were when they heard the news. Same thing for those who remember 9/11. Just like the way you remember your wedding day or the last moments spent with a loved one on the day they passed, certain moments are etched on our minds with precision. Sure, you don’t remember what you ate last Saturday, but you’ll never forget the time you had food poisoning while you were on vacation.

Again, my opinion is there is a concerted effort to undermine the confidence in our memory ultimately with the goal to discredit the Bible. Not only do I believe are our minds more reliable than the experts claim, there’s the overlooked fact that the Scriptures are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Yes, human hands wrote down the sacred text, but as fallible as the individuals might have been, they were guided by God. This, along with the massive amounts of internal consistency throughout the Bible, gives me great confidence in the trustworthiness of the Bible.

The conclusion of Grace

Dying can be scary. I’m not talking about the death of our physical body, or even of a spiritual death. I’m referring to the essential principle Jesus emphasized -- the denial of self, i.e., dying to yourself. To live for others at a personal cost, it’s more than noble, it’s at the heart of the Gospel.

This important christian practice could be perhaps the pinnacle of discipleship and the goal of Spiritual maturity. The ability to deny one’s self and to willingly serve others, it doesn’t come naturally, and sadly neither our culture nor our churches make it easy.

Culture, overtly, sends the message, “It’s all about you!” From advertisements to the unwritten “right” that you deserve “more & better” from this life. We are persistently being manipulated from several fronts to feed our wants & desires. The church isn’t innocent here either.

Churches foster a consumer-mentality, or we feed it, by catering to the idea that any church can/should meet everyone’s needs. When we idly sit by while self-centeredness increases in our masses, and we make promises to be a “one stop” spiritual shop, we are contributing to the decline of an authentic Christ-centered existence.

For example, leaders will snap to attention whenever anyone complains about a church service with phrases like, “I didn’t get anything out of...” you fill in the blank. Whether is was the music or the message or what have you, if it “didn’t move me” on a Sunday morning, then someone else dropped the ball, but it wasn’t my responsibility to participate. It’s as if the burden of pleasing everyone is the purpose of the church. But, then we see leaders go lax while members languish in an arrested development for decades, lapping up all kinds of energy from the church, asking what more can the church do for me? without ever considering that’s not the point.

Who knows? Was it out of fear, self-preservation, or savvy marketing? Somehow we’ve trained a generation to ask “What can I get out of church” instead of asking “how do I serve more?” Think JFK's, "Ask not..." and you'll get the gist.

Maybe this is why, nationally, “church” attendance seems to have atrophied. Church, shocking as this may seem, was never meant to meet all of your needs. Church, assembling as a body of believers, is meant to usher in God’s Kingdom presence in our lives as it transforms us into servants. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost sight of our purpose.

As Jesus washed the feet of the Twelve, He said, “Here’s your example!” Stinky. Demeaning. Bottom of the totem pole type work -- quite the opposite of glamorous, and Jesus just leaves it there for us, an object lesson in our true objective. No bells & whistles. Nothing too attractive for anyone with the wrong motives. Nothing that’ll impress the folks back home. No programs required either, just a, “Roll up your sleeves and do like I did.”

Ah, you got me, I must be selling you a salvation that we can work to earn? No. I’m not saying working harder or doing more is the way to heaven. An active faith won’t get you into the Kingdom, but when the Kingdom is is in you -- you’ll naturally imitate the Servant who washed the feet of His disciples.

Servanthood isn’t about earning your free salvation, or working harder to earn God’s unconditional love, and it certainly isn’t the opposite of Grace. You see, servanthood has nothing to do with the works of the Law.

Servanthood has nothing to do with religion or rituals, or doing religious acts or making sacrifices to appease an angry god. The works which the Bible condemn which contradict Grace and which violate trusting God’s sufficiency are the old works of the Law of Moses like circumcision and certain offerings for achieving atonement. You might want to re-read this paragraph before you move on.

I could say servanthood is a response to Grace, but from Eph 2:8-10, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” from this passage, I’d say a servanthood-lifestyle is the conclusion of Grace.

The Constitution, Kavanaugh, and Christian Hypocrisy

At one time, we as a country could rally together around a common good. Think of WWII and the Victory Gardens, the willingness to sacrifice, and the way we were able to prioritize our resources. Why was this possible? The energy and the will for achieving a common good slowly coalesced by acknowledging a common threat, identifying a true source of evil, by agreeing on what the real problem was.

This isn’t to say we’ve always had a stellar track record. Slavery, which was allowable constitutionally, was hotly contested; it was partially the reason for our Civil War. The Constitution isn’t perfect, it’s a guide, it’s important, but being written by fallible men, it will never be the end-all resolution.

Our great nation has had dark periods of wiping out Native Americans and banishing their tribes to the reservation long after they were no longer a threat or of placing Japanese Americans in internment camps, and then again, we are known for doing incredible good for all of humanity in other periods. We are a mixed bag of embarrassments and achievements.

We are living in the best country on this planet, and we have so much to offer the world, if only we could agree on what is good & true. But, therein lies the rub.

It’s hard to settle in on a common good if we disagree about or ignore the real threat. And, you can see where this discrepancy has gotten us as a nation. While it’s nothing new for us, we are so polarized, we can’t replace a Supreme Court Justice without politicizing the entire process. We can’t gain any traction on the Russian interaction in an election that should be far removed from the news-cycle, and we have lost the ability to be bipartisan on nearly every front.

We as a nation have lost our ability to be objective. Why? In part, everything is “left” or “right,” it’s “liberal” or “conservative,” and “We the People” are at odds with the very people we eat dinner with.

Perhaps there’s a solution to our strife. A simple answer to the anger, hatred, and division. I’d like to say Christianity is, but how can I when we have dozens of denominational roadblocks that have segregated even us as the Body of Christ. Have we who confidently sit in our pews and piously observe the Lord’s day, have we really set the example for world peace and cooperation..., or love?

As long as we practically hate other churches while we hide behind our traditions and hang names over the doors of our structures that identify our theological/doctrinal correctness, we are no better than the politicians we criticize & their circus in D.C. I believe in the autonomy of each congregation to follow the Scriptures wherever they think God is leading them, but I don’t believe any of us has the right to feel superior or to condemn one branch or the other.

If we can’t love other folks who do call on the name of the Lord but meet in a different sanctuary, we will never love those who vote differently or speak another language or have a different color skin or sing to the tune of a different anthem.

Until our separate and individual congregations embrace our universal unity in Christ, and until we stop labeling other churches, and until we stop judging other believers, we have nothing to offer to this world except our hypocrisy. May God have mercy on our souls and may we take seriously Jesus’ words which He delivered to a very diverse group, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (JN 13:34-35)

Come Home

It probably didn’t happen overnight. It’s doubtful you saw it coming. A decade ago, you’d have sworn it could never happen to you. But it did, perhaps. Some life changes can creep up on us, and we hardly notice, at first, the subtle change. After all, it’s not like people wake up one Sunday and randomly say to themselves, “Awe heck, let’s skip church today and for the rest of our lives.”

I get it, once you are out of the habit of worshiping with a congregation on a weekly basis, it’s hard, really hard to get back into it. Maybe for you, you dropped out of church after you went off to college. Perhaps you had a child or started a new job, or maybe you moved. Maybe a hypocrite jaded your perspective of church. Who knows, but after a lifetime of being active in church, you found yourself drifting further away, until, you simply quit.

I run into people (usually it’s at the store) who feel like they owe me some sort of an explanation on why they are too busy for church. “Sunday is my only day off” “I’m really busy with....” “I’m too busy” “I really want to, but” and I simply smile and respond in love, “Sounds like you’re busy going to hell...” NO, that’s not what I say OR think.

I do smile, and I do respond lovingly, “You don’t have explain it to me, I hope when you get a chance, we’ll see you some Sunday.” Then, I continue to talk with them, maybe about about family, mine and theirs, work, and whatever else we have in common. Why? Because I do genuinely care. I could try to make them feel bad, but a harsh response or a critical answer isn’t going to help anyone. I see no reason to pressure, guilt, judge, or shame people who have disconnected from a local church.

I know many people who discontinue their relationship with a local church rationalize their behavior, thinking they are “okay with the Big Man upstairs” because they do a lot of good in their community, serving in various civic clubs, volunteering at the local schools or food banks, or because they help out certain members of their family. There’s a term for that....

The term I have in mind is usually reserved for Religious fanatics. It’s called a “Works-driven salvation.” Bible Thumpers & Pharisees are accused of a works-driven salvation because they think God owes them something for all the good they do. But thinking you’ll end up in heaven because you are good person and you do a lot of good for others, well that’s nothing short of thinking you are working your way into heaven.

Going into a fast-food restaurant won’t make you a cheeseburger, standing in a garage won’t make you a car, and sitting on a pew won’t make you a Christian. Conversely, I don’t think any of us will grow spiritually on our own. I think life is exponentially more difficult, it’s much harder, when we tough the storms of life alone. We need people to encourage us when we face struggles as well as to encourage us to strive towards deeper heights, and we need people surrounding us who will help us walk the walk. That’s simply the way God made us.

I know a lot of people tell themselves that they will go to church again, once they get their life straightened back out. That’s kind of like saying, I’ll go to the Emergency Room once the bleeding stops or the broken bone heals. Some people think they won’t be welcome in a church because of their past. If a heinous/offensive past disqualifies someone from congregating with the gathered saints on Sunday, I’m the first person that needs to go...

These ideas of inadequacy or disqualification miss the point of faith in Jesus. Love covers a multitude of sins, love gets messy, and love changes everything. The Cross cancels out our past, even when we stumble along the path. Consider I JN 1:7-10, “7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

We can’t work our way to heaven, but neither can we ever drift so far away in this life to the point that God won’t accept us. Is “going to church” a requirement for getting into heaven? That’s probably a moot point, because the church isn't a building, we don’t “go” to church. We, the people, we are the church, a weekly gathering of weak, broken, fallible, vulnerable people who are striving to grow closer to the risen Savior, together.

Come home this Sunday. Someone special might cry when they see you, but I promise the ceiling won’t cave in and collapse.

When other churches...

There’s nothing wrong when another congregation gains some momentum or draws large numbers, but there’s nothing special about it either. There probably is something wrong with “church envy” though. We shouldn’t worry so much about the progress of other churches.

Unfortunately, many members of smaller congregations (the majority of churches in North America have around 75 members or less) harbor bitterness and resentment towards the churches that seem to grow. This is more dangerous for you than distracted driving.

If you are envious of the church down the street that is busting at the seams, please consider the following:

Most of the growth you think you are seeing isn’t necessarily an increase/net growth for the Kingdom. In other words, what you think you are seeing is most likely a reshuffling of the deck, so to say. To be clear, I’m certain souls are being reached/saved in the “popular” church, but most often what you are observing is merely a migration of the flock from one pen to another.

Dissatisfied people will leave one congregation and go to another based on a myriad of reason -- you’ll drive yourself crazy trying pinpoint why too... An attraction of bigger youth group, a younger more “exciting” Pastor, or an experience with church conflict or burnout back home can sway some. And to be honest, right or wrong, there’s something enticing about the scent of sawdust & fresh paint, and driving on new parking-lots too. Then of course there’s the “The padding is greener on the other side of the pew” syndrome. Also, never underestimate the appeal of a lifelong friend who after years of inviting you simply won’t take no for an answer.

That church you have your eye on that seems to be doing everything right while your congregation is languishing in the doldrums won’t be there forever, either. How do I know? How many of the churches which the Apostle Paul planted still exist? None. All churches go through a life-cycle. They are planted (or “splanted” in some cases) and they roll along for a period of time, and they eventually close their doors. Then again, sometimes a lamp-stand needs to be removed too.

I love churches of all sizes, but in a larger church even with all of the extra resources and capabilities, it’s too easy for people to fall through cracks. While on the other hand, in a smaller church there are more opportunities for you to use your gifts and you are noticeably missed when you aren’t around. Larger churches often can engage in more “big ticket” activities in their community, while people seem to grow more spiritually while serving in smaller churches. These dynamics aren’t evil or holy, they just are.

While we are considering this whole topic, this is probably a good time to reflect on what true “success” is. Are you basing your idea of your church’s success on a business model, or on something more substantial? We might think a hefty budget, well manicured lawns, big crowds and a large staff all indicate a church’s success. Hey, every once in a while hard work pays off, and sure the Spirit moves and we see a church “grow” as a result. Then again, Jesus never established a large campus and He barely kept a dozen followers together at any given time.

Did Jesus fail in your opinion or was He a success? Because based on the “mega-church” standard that most congregants establish for their church, Jesus wouldn’t score very high at His annual evaluation....

Actually, Jesus indicated success was about authentic transformation, i.e., when the disciple becomes like the teacher (Please read LK 6:40). That might happen in a large stadium, an auditorium..., although it could take place more than likely while drinking coffee and studying the Bible in your mentor’s livingroom.

Remember, some people who are looking for a church like all the bells & whistles while some people like church to be simple. Some folks love the KJV, others enjoy translations like the Message. Your church has a particular niche to fill, and you can’t appeal to everyone -- it’s just impossible to reach the engineer and the artist with the same slogan and the octogenarian isn't interested in pizza night or the whitewater rafting trip either.

The church across town or down the street isn’t your competition, quit judging them and be happy for them. Don’t question their motives or methods, and please don’t be jealous of whatever accomplishments they are experiencing. The bedrock reality is, we are all on the same team no matter what size church we attend. We should celebrate any healthy growth another congregation in our community experiences. So embrace your roll in the Kingdom, you have your own field to labor in, and God has you right where He planted you for a reason.

Can we debate issues without misusing the Bible?

Chances are, you’ve recently had a disagreement with someone over the border/immigration situation. My guess is, both of you were passionate about whichever stance either of you took. It’s good to have firm convictions, but can you share your convictions without condemnation? And more importantly, can we debate issues without misusing the Bible in the process?

You see, I’m not so much interested in your stance or even in sharing my position here regarding the border, as much as I am in a greater principle which is at stake: How most of us attempt to use the Bible to backup our views. Do you find it interesting how nearly everyone who is commenting on both sides of the border crisis, whether is about the families who were separated or how we should treat refugees, they are all referencing the Bible to convince others of their stance?

You might be asking, “But shouldn’t we backup our perspectives with the Bible?” It might sound heretical, but maybe not -- at least not in the way most people mean. For example, the question, “How do we know when the Bible actually supports what we think?” is more than likely the wrong question, and it’s that type of thinking that gets us in trouble. Instead, we need to ask, “Are our thoughts in line with the Scriptures?” not the other way around as in “Does the Bible support my stance...?”

Why is it tricky to “use” the Bible, for example, to backup our position on the border? For starters, as far as governments and nations go, the Bible was written in a different context and cultural situation than ours. Namely, the ancient world of Bible-times was governed by Theocratic governments and dictatorial empires. Those forms of government were very dissimilar to our modern day democracies, and lest we forget, America is a Republic.

So, if you say the Bible instructs us to obey our government, we are all in trouble in America since we rebelled against Great Britain during the Revolutionary War... And if you say, the Bible commands us to treat refugees a certain way since the children of God were wanders, that’s tough to support too since not many of us can trace our lineage to those who wandered through the desert for forty years.

It is extremely difficult to “use” the Bible to defend a political position on most of our current events. It’s nothing new for people to twist the Bible to say whatever they think is the most accurate point of view. The fact is, in America during our Civil War we had preachers on both sides of the Mason-Dixon who were guilty of cherry-picking passages of Scripture to support their views on slavery.

It requires humility to submit to God’s word, not a hostile heart that is aggressively trying the be the champion of truth. Please don’t misunderstand me, I believe in absolute truth, and I think relativism has done more harm than any other ideology, but most of the people who think they have a monopoly on the Truth are usually the most judgmental and mean-spirited people I’ve ever met.

To interpret the Bible and to apply it to our everyday life is a prayerful enterprise. We need to ask questions based on which genre we are reading because the Bible has many styles of literature: Narrative, Law, poetry, wisdom, apocalyptic, Gospels/parables, epistles. We need to also ask questions about the author and the audience, asking what did a passage mean to the original audience comes before asking what does it mean for us.

It’s healthy to acknowledge we could be mistaken about many of our opinions on a host of subjects. It’s healthier still to immerse ourselves in the Scriptures and study the Bible in such a way that it guides our thoughts, not the other way around. If you are opening up the Bible to find a verse that supports what you already believe, close your Bible and open your heart to the Spirit.

Sadly, our nation is presently divided and polarized into extreme ideological camps, both on the “Right” and “Left” over a multitude of issues; the border issue is merely the latest debate du jour. It may be unfortunate that these days we can’t even have a civil dialogue about our views with the “opposing” side, but actually, the real tragedy happens whenever we recklessly wield our Bibles like a hammer.

Why does enforcing/not enforcing the borders anger people?

I don't know anyone who has "all" the answers for how to handle our immigration situation, at least answers that match up with how they function in everyday life.  But if you want to impress me and convince me that you are serious about open boarders, start leaving your front door unlocked at night.  That would get my attention.

Until you teach your kids to leave the keys in the car, and until you give away your pin numbers and passwords, you can't authentically say you believe in open boarders.  That's okay, because most of us are inconsistent.

What you can say is, you believe in some open boarders, just not the ones that personally impact you too much.  The vast majority of the people whining about the boarders, live elsewhere.  This isn't to say immigration remains an issue only at the boarder.  Still, this debate seems like the latest hip bandwagon to jump on.

I don't remember any of the people who are presently criticizing how our government is dealing with our boarders, opening their homes to immigrants to live there for free until they can afford reasonable housing, or volunteering to teach an ESL class, or simply cooking a meal for a refugee family in need.  It's easy to gripe and moan about how bad we are in America, how terrible our president is, how we are repeating the Japanese Concentration camps all over again, while offering only one "solution" which is to just open the borders.  Again, please dismantle your locks and open all of your windows too.

I have several friends from south of the boarder, people who I deeply respect.  Some of the hardest working, morally-balanced, family-centered, good people I know speak Spanish as their native tongue.  Many of these folks followed a process that led to citizenship.  You should ask some of them what they think about this situation and how they feel about the folks who don't try to follow the rules.

But what about the families that are being ripped apart?  Many voices are crying out about justice and mercy, and fairness.  I get that, we all want what's fair.  But what's fair about millions of people who disregard the rules that have kept society together and civilization whole for thousands of years, knowingly putting their children in harms way when they chose to break the law?  Borders that aren't enforced, aren't borders.

Please, someone, anyone, please tell me why sanctuary cities lock up City Hall at night?  Why does the Mayor of a sanctuary city lock his office when he's out?  Why do they lock the janitor's closet?

Again, if you say let's jettison our borders, please feel free to take the front door off of your house.  Please don't protect any of your personal property if you think an open boarder or blind-amnesty is the solution to our present crisis.   It's our inconsistencies that have us upset, angry, and mad at each other. There are plenty of hypocrites on both sides of the fence on this issue, don't add to that list. 

What happens when you wait on the past to return

I’m sure you’ve been here too, so try to guess where I am. When I walked in the room I saw a large welcoming fireplace of to my left. On one wall, there’s a set of wooden golf clubs hung next to an old accordion with yellowed keys. The are sepia colored portraits scattered around the room. Most of the memorabilia hanging on these walls are like the metal advertising signs too, they are from a generation or two ago and refer to items which are no longer manufactured or sold. I see an old crosscut saw near an old washboard, all next to old vinyl albums recorded many years ago by artists who are long gone. I really like the tin potato chip container; I can remember those from my childhood. I take all of this in before the waitress even asks for my breakfast order.

We don’t live in Mayberry, Floyd isn’t our barber, and sadly, the world isn’t like Cracker Barrel. There’s nothing wrong with watching Andy Griffith or with sitting down to eat while you’re surrounded by old Seed signs and oil cans. Nostalgia is one of the most powerful emotional experiences known to us, so beware of its appeal.

The dangers of living in the past are legion. The old days we are so fond to remember, well they probably aren’t as well polished as we tend to think. And, even though we know we can’t go back in time, you might not know that walking into some of our sanctuaries. I’m not referring to our architecture as much as our nomenclature and methods.

The Gospel is eternal, but how we deliver it and how we meet each generation isn’t. The crippling shackles of legalism constricts us into a certain form, and soon that form becomes more important than the function. The results? Well, just like in biology, that which never changes dies.

Raising an awareness of the sway the past holds over our churches can be costly. For example, I knew a preacher back in the Midwest who wanted to demonstrate to his congregation they were “stuck in their ways.” One Sunday morning, to make his point, before communion, he switched the purple Welch's grape juice to white grape juice. Before anyone in that congregation ate their fried chicken that day, the Elders let him know it was time for a change in the pulpit and sent him packing.

Part of the “problem” people had with Jesus was His style. His content made people uncomfortable, but His style and His approach raised eyebrows everywhere He went. You can’t change the message of the Cross and save the world, but you have to change your methods and your language to reach different people. Sadly, some of us holding the life-preservers missed the boat on this one.

So to be clear, we need to quit living in the past, like Eccl 7:10 says, “Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.” Also, introduce a few new songs occasionally -- music is the heart-language for many young people, i.e., the next generation. You do realize even the oldest classics like Amazing Grace were once new songs. It wouldn’t hurt to switch up your Bible translation every once in a while too, there’s a good reason we have newer translations; words change their meaning over time. The Bible is inspired, not your translation. And finally, try seeing “church” from an outsider’s perspective. If we aren’t careful and purposeful, everything we do becomes about us and can seem dated, antiquated, and out of touch -- not because Jesus will ever lose His relevance but because you don’t find good news in a time-capsule.

Does your faith...?

For years, I noticed every congregation had its fringe members. People who would show up late only to leave early, those folks who sat in the back but rarely got involved. When I was a younger minister I thought these were just lazy “pew-packers.” Nowadays my guess is there’s a history I’m unaware of, like they’ve probably suffered from abuse or burnout -- I’d bet they are doing the best they can just to get by.

A hard reality for churches to face is the fact that 80% of our work is done by 20% of our people, and as long as this trend continues we can expect more and more of our burdened people to drift towards the backdoor. As churches we are partly to blame for the walking wounded, some of those folks left frayed by their faith are our responsibility.

Believe it or not serving can skew our focus, even distract us from knowing God. We need to be cautious about confusing self-importance with submission, so don’t ever confuse your participation with God’s presence. For example, “But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” (Luke 10:40) If you are amazed to hear that Jesus doesn’t congratulate Martha for her selfless dedication, you should read the rest of that story and examine Jesus’ surprising response.

While Ministerial staff members are at a high risk for burnout (it ravages the pastorate), if the truth be told, when it comes to balancing out serving and resting, we who preach and teach often set the worst examples for the flock. Burnout leads to fallout; for example just recall Boxer from Orwell’s “Animal Farm.” So much of this world/life drains us, but our faith shouldn’t. Churches will wear you out if you let them, regardless of which side of the lectern you’re standing on.

Sure, when it comes to church work some people are hardwired to serve like a Border Collie and they’re “all in.” We should be active, but we shouldn’t deceive ourselves either -- there are graveyards filled with congregants who thought their local church couldn’t continue without them.

How did we get so far off track? Well, for far too long we’ve underestimated the value of solitude and quiet meditation. While we’ve treated our faith like it was a sprint, we’re in a spiritual marathon for which we seem poorly trained. We’ve refused to acknowledge our need to rest, as if it were a weakness or some sort of sin. We've sabotaged the concept of a Sabbatical, and as a result, we’re exhausted too early and too often.

Jesus clearly instructed His weary disciples to take a break, “And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” (Mark 6:31) And elsewhere Jesus also said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28) God values rest, it’s a necessary gift.

Psalm 127:1-2 firmly establishes a worthwhile, holistic perspective in all of this: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” In other words, if God isn’t the driving force then our efforts are pointless anyway. And at the end of the day, faith should leave us feeling rested.

We should feel excitement about our kingdom work and church involvement should energize us. We shouldn’t dread serving, it should be a priority not a problem. In the end, ask yourself: Does my faith refresh me or does it drain me? If your faith continually drains you, taking its toll on you, it’s not healthy or fulfilling and it’s not what David wrote about in Psalm 23:3 when he says of God, “He restores my soul...”

The power of a broken plate:

It's weird, but when this plate broke, it hit me rather hard, leaving me with an unexpected emotional reaction.  You see, if you've eaten a meal at our table in the last 20-plus years, you were served food off of one of these plates.  I have to admit, when Tammy bought the set I wasn't happy. 

We were passing through Springfield Missouri on our way home from Oklahoma, returning from the Tulsa Soul Winning Workshop when Tammy went into a store I was unfamiliar with at the time, Tuesday Morning.  She came out with the complete set of dishes, including saucers, coffee cups, soup bowls, the whole kit & caboodle.  The last thing I wanted to do was load these up in our minivan. 

But, Tammy knew, if were were going to practice hospitality properly, we needed something presentable like these.  Over time, I grew to appreciate the set and I can admit, I'm truly glad Tammy picked the set up. 

When this plate broke, it reminded me instantly of the many friends and dozens of guests we had served meals to on these plates over the years.  The laughter, the tears, the comings & goings of life, all passed over these plates like a change of seasons.  We've bonded with people and shared life around a number of tables and in many rooms in several houses, meeting new friends and saying good bye to others, but all in the presence of these plates. 

It's amazing how something so simple as a broken plate has the power to remind one of the depth of fellowship and its role in our life.  I imagine over time, each of these plates will finally find their way to the garbage, but not before they leave their mark. 

When what we want, seems to elude us

I'm not sure why life refuses to promise us security or why it withholds any assurances of success.  The only guarantees in life seem to be, if you lick a frozen flagpole your tongue will stick, if you put your hand on a hot stove-top you'll get burned, and if all of your friends jump off a cliff, well you get the idea.

Relationships fall apart, factories close down, unanticipated sickness can strike -- all without notice.  Which seems to leave us with two choices.  Fight the stream or get swept away.

The reality is, hard work, doing the right thing, or simply having good intentions are insufficient for reaching all of your goals -- unscathed.  Having an inner ability to persist, to never give up, to have the grit to face defeat undeterred by our setbacks, this is rare and it still doesn't insure you will win.

Life is a struggle.  Charisma, self-confidence, or a great skill-set won't carry the day.

You have to ask yourself which is worse, not achieving your dreams or not even trying.  Most people cave under the pressure of everyday life, they won't even try in the face of the odds that are stacked against them.  Do you pity them, respect them, or want to be like them?

Maintaining hope requires an active but mature imagination, developing a strong will, and an ability to accept that failures and obstacles always pave the path leading to the finish line.  The voices of your childhood telling you you could be anything or do anything you want must be balanced against the cold truth that nothing comes easy in this life.

Beware of simple answers that promise to reduce the risks, beware of employing underhanded or manipulative tactics, beware of slogans and platitudes that diminish the facts.  Sure, you could just adjust your expectations, all it takes is a motivational poster on the wall...

Can you be happy irregardless of the circumstances or does your satisfaction depend on externals that will mainly remain outside of your control?  Become the person that doesn't resort to justifying any means to reach their end, and who can experience peace in every situation, do this and you will have accomplished more than reaching any temporary goal/dream that has persistently evaded you.

Don't give up the fight.  But don't give into it either.  In the end, when what you seek eludes you, the important perspective centers on "who" you are, not on "what" you achieved/acquired.  Attitude and character trump everything else. 

Schools shootings are really a symptom of

Headaches are a symptom of high blood pressure -- don’t ask me how I know. Taking an aspirin might help the headache, but it won’t address the hypertension that is killing you. School shootings are getting a lot of focus, but I submit these shootings are a symptom of an even darker problem.

Some people have rightly pointed out that “studies” don’t tie school shootings to the violent video games that have consumed our Nation’s young people. Common sense tells me otherwise. Still, even so, the video games and actions movies that glorify killing are only a symptom, they’re not the actual disease.

There are two lightning rod issues that have our nation divided: Abortion and gun control. Second Amendment advocates are unwilling to relinquish assault weapons. Why not? Because if you can ban one type of firearm, the rest will soon be taken away. It’s the same thinking with partial-birth abortions. I don’t know anyone in their right mind that thinks terminating a baby once it enters the birth canal is OKAY. Yet, if that “procedure” is outlawed, then it’s only a matter of time until all abortions are eliminated.

When I was growing up, “gun control” was resting the barrel of your rifle across a branch or on a log to steady your aim. And, all life was sacred; pregnant women “glowed” and all babies were considered precious.

In case you are wondering where I stand, I’m pro-life, and while I grew up with guns and think we should all have the right to bear arms, I can’t really see the need for civilians to have military assault weapons. But again, people on both sides of the divide are unwilling to budge, because they think these are “all or nothing” issues and they fear losing their stance.

My favorite rifle is a .30-30, and I’d like to one day own a “Judge” handgun, it’s a .45 that also holds 410 shotgun shells. The way I grew up, guns were for sport, hunting, and home-protection. Guns were never for resolving petty conflicts. We were taught from a young age to have respect for life indirectly and gun safety overtly.

Guns and abortions aren’t even half of the equation. People don’t even respect their own health these days. Cigarettes probably kill more people than anything else. Forks kill more people than guns do -- we are an obese nation that loves fatty and high-sugar-content foods. Our lifestyles are killing us.

Life isn’t valued, that is the disease! Many of these violent tragedies we are so worried about are simply the symptoms of a culture that disrespects life. This problem didn’t spring up overnight and it won’t be resolved in a day. There are no easy ways to address this malignancy that is devouring us.

Similar to suicide, mass shootings are a last resort to fixing a problem. Kids don’t kill their classmates because they feel like they other tools to address their problems, they see it as the only way. Why? We have a generation of people who don’t, A: know how to resolve their conflicts/problems, and B: They have devalued life.

Whenever we politicize any issue (think gun control and abortions) society loses its bearings. Please stop thinking and believing politicians have the ability to solve our social woes or that they can fix our moral dilemmas. Start teaching the toddlers in your life to work out their own problems and teach them about the sanctity of all human life, and then maybe in a generation we’ll see less death and violence. If not, then pray, Lord Come Quickly.

Discovering God in chicken's milk...

What’s more important than asking the age-old question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Asking, “Why can’t we milk a chicken?” is more valuable, if you ask me. I know, the scientific reason we can’t milk a chicken is due to the fact that biologically, chickens are birds, they aren’t mammals. Still, why can’t I have it all?

What started this line of questioning, for me? It occurred to me while I was eating my cheese-covered scrambled eggs: If only we could milk chickens, they would be the perfect breakfast-producing-animal ever. This in turn got me thinking about the point some atheists make when they try to refute the existence of God, that being, this creation we inhabit isn’t perfect. Because as they assert, if a perfect God created the world, why are there imperfections all over the place?

That’s a fair question. Why isn’t this world a utopia? Why can’t I fly like a bird and breathe underwater like a fish, and then drive my car when flying or swimming is inconvenient? Why do we have unmet expectations, and why aren’t all of our desires fulfilled? Why do we have so many limitations and problems?

We could respond, the Garden of Eden was perfect before mankind sinned. But then people could ask, why were the first people allowed to sin and mess it all up? How did that slippery serpent sneak into the garden anyway? Still, even in the Garden of Eden, we couldn’t milk our chickens..., so Eden wasn’t quite a utopia.

But, doesn’t the Bible say everything was perfect when God finished creation? Not really. Several times at the conclusion of each day of creation we read, “it was good,” and on the last day of creation we read, “it was very good.” Yet nowhere do we read it was a “sublime heavenly perfection.” It’s the material universe, and it is very good, but this realm leaves plenty of room for the perfect.

Recognizing imperfections requires a standard of what perfection could be. This follows the same line of reasoning that the existence of evil and suffering points us eventually to a loving God. I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but think through the implications. To say there is evil is to recognize there is good. Yet, a material universe can’t solely account for this understanding or provide a standard of good/evil. Therefore, when we are offended by evil, injustice, or wrongdoing, it’s because there is a universal sense of good. Just what is the source of that good? It must be a supernatural source providing our standard.

Another way to look at this is to realize that asking why is this world so imperfect isn’t the right question. Asking “how” can we tell this world isn’t perfect reveals much more.

Around 200 years ago, atheistic philosophers tried in earnest to assert the existence of evil and suffering disproves God’s existence. Not anymore, they realize that doesn’t add up. Logically speaking, evil doesn’t disprove God or His goodness.

You might still be asking: Why isn’t this world better or perfect? What if there is an otherworldly perfection God wants us to long for, and this stage of our existence is like the appetizer but eternity is the actual main course? We all need to ask, what if this life is not all there is?

By this point, you might’ve wondered to yourself, why would I conceptualize a chicken we could milk over conjuring up in my mind a cow that laid eggs. That’s simple. Could you really find room in the fridge for eggs if they came from a cow...?

Antisocial media

Certainly we are not the first generation of people to disagree with each other.  I'm sure we are not the first to have strong opinions, and we are not the first to stoop down to name-calling with those who hold different views.  But it does seem with the advent of social media, the ease in which we condescendingly attack other people and the aggressive way we attack them personally, not just their ideas/views, has exploded. 

What doesn't make sense to me, lately, is how we jump to character assassination these days.  The force of the vitriolic and bombastic language across social media between people who are basically the same in most ways, save their views on certain topics, is deeply disturbing. 

Sadly, Social media has become an Antisocial outlet for mean-spirited and hateful people. 

Basically, what we're becoming is a culture of super-critical people who hide behind our keyboards or smartphone screens, practicing emotional drive-by-shootings.  I have no idea what people think they are accomplishing when they slam other people so harshly on social media? 

If you disagree strongly with someone on politics, religion, or what-have you, insulting them and attempting to degrade them on social media doesn't actually address the subject you disagree on.  Instead, it makes you look insecure, highly negative, less credible, and rather immature.  Trying to get your point across doesn't have to be a competition of who whines & cries the loudest, or who has the best put-downs. 

I have no problem with dialog or debate, and I'm not even proposing that people can't voice disagreements on social media, I'm not the Facebook Police...  The only way we become certain of what we believe and the best way to learn, is to compare and contrast our ideas.  I can get along with people who hold different views and I try hard not to base my friendships or my civility on the opinions of other people.  We don't have to see everything the same or agree on everything, but we should learn to agree to disagree with a little less mudslinging and a lot more honor and integrity. 

How can we help without hurting?

Daily, we observe listless transients, hoisting scraps of cardboard emblazoned with slogans like, “Anything will help -- God bless!” Kingsport’s ubiquitous homeless community migrates well beyond our downtown, so it’s not hard to bump into them, you’d have to purposely avoid them if anything. Considering that the homeless network regionally, have we attracted even more here because of our reputation?

What should you do about the plight of these poverty-stricken people and how responsible are you for their well being? Has our generosity proved ineffective at improving their plight? Moreover, can our efforts to help vagrants actually hinder their development?

What happens when we ignore the principle of Give a man a fish, feed him for a day? Similar to how rocking horses experience movement without ever going anywhere, have we unintentionally swapped progress for motion?

Such questions might sound counterintuitive, if not sacrilegious. Responding could prove more complicated than you think, considering how rapidly this dilemma is metastasizing.

Jesus’ response to this predicament didn’t promote laziness or inactivity (anymore than His sacrificial death promotes sin). He helped people and moved on. Jesus certainly wasn’t callous but He wasn’t fixated on poverty, nor was He ever hoodwinked. For example, when a certain crowd tracked Jesus down all the way from Galilee to Capernaum, He confronted their improper motivations, “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” (JN 6:26 ESV)

Sadly, swindlers fleece the hospitable without intending to improve, and opportunists will repeatedly take advantage of anyone’s generosity. If getting conned is the extent of our involvement with the homeless, are we guilty of “enabling” them through poor stewardship?

Am I saying we shouldn’t help out? Not at all. Read Matthew 25:31-46, it offers a vibrant reminder of the value Jesus places on having benevolent hearts. In this parable, Jesus separates the sheep from the goats based on their responses to real needs. One set of people inherits God’s eternal Kingdom, the other set is exiled into eternal fire.

The damned in this parable aren’t punished for hurting people, instead, a careful reading reveals Hell is the consequence of their apathy. Notice, those rewarded with eternal life didn’t “earn” their salvation by doing good works.

They all appeared clueless as Jesus described their activities, their consistent response to feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc. was, “When, when when... when did we/didn’t we do this?” Were they contradicting Jesus, did they have amnesia, or was there something so seamless about helping others/neglecting others that it was simply “second nature” for them?

How do we know if our motives to help are “second nature” --or are we merely trying to alleviate guilty feelings from living a more privileged life? Analyze how much distance we purposely keep between our lives and theirs the rest of the week. It takes authentic personal, in depth connections and purposeful interactions with the folks we are trying to help to transcend just “feeling good about ourselves.”

It comes down to rejecting compartmentalization, restoring their dignity, and focusing on equipping them. You see, it’s one thing to maintain a sterile distance from those who are less fortunate while helping them at arm’s length. It’s quite another to learn their names, to know their stories, while teaching them to read, get their GED, to write a resume, find a job, get sober, or to meet Jesus...

Remember, Jesus healed people, fed people, raised people from the dead, cast out their demons, and more, as proof of His divinity -- once people believe in Who He is, they can believe in Him. Ultimately, He focused on rescuing people from the darkness and bringing them into the light, i.e., incarnationally transforming lives.

It’s tough balancing good intentions with common sense, but whatever we do, let’s avoid perpetuating helplessness. Supporting people without nurturing a culture of handouts/panhandling honors the Mission Jesus established.

What now? Whenever it comes to helping anyone out, ask: What’s the difference between touching someone’s life (feels good) and personally transforming them (does good), how do we overcome apathy, make lasting changes, and collaborate with folks who know what they are doing?

Thankfully, Kingsport has a cornucopia of well organized food-pantries, clothing-closets, and soup-kitchens. Having volunteered with a few of these organizations, I’ll attest to their place in our community -- the consistent work of the Salvation Army, the kitchen of Hope, Shades of Grace, Second Harvest food bank, and Broad Street Methodist is impressive. They aren’t alone, but they are very capable, going the extra mile in serving “the least of these.” I appreciate the hard work they’re doing and I encourage you to consider helping them financially, or by rolling up your sleeves alongside them as well.

If you’re feel led to do more, don’t reinvent the wheel, partner with those who are already hard at work. I’m not advocating abdicating your personal responsibility -- instead, amplify your effectiveness by joining with the people who are already active on the scene!

Why people don't take you seriously and what you can do about it

Ever feel like the Surgeon General's warning label?  Gas pumps, cigarette packages, wine bottles, all carry warning labels that receive about as much attention as the stewardess who instructs us on how to buckle our lap-belt before takeoff.  Why, you might wonder, do our claims fall on deaf ears when we are so certain of the facts?

Have you ever felt like the boy who cried wolf?  Probably not.  At least, we wouldn't willingly compare ourselves to anyone who exaggerates or makes up a story just to be heard.  The reality is, most people when they hear you complain, disagree, take an opposing stance, or voice an unpopular view, they unknowingly attribute a degree of discrimination as they listen to your claims.

In other words, you lose credibility the moment you differ with most people.
Once you say what they don't want to hear, they don't take you seriously.

Why is it that people don't take us seriously?
For starters, no one wants to think their opinion is mistaken.  We don't enjoy being wrong.  We don't like it when others point out flaws in our thinking, and when they do, we get upset and begin to protect our point of view.  And the best way to protect ourselves is to subconsciously discredit the person who disagrees with us.

Another obstacle to communicating our ideas stems from our presentation.  The louder we yell, the more they will close their ears, metaphorically speaking.  Emotional outbursts are the quickest way to turn off our audience.  We like movies that make us cry, but we get really uncomfortable when the people around us lose control of their emotions.

And why are emotions detrimental if you want to be taken seriously?  Projecting your emotions, right or wrong, seems manipulative to most people.  We feel like we are being sold something we don't want when people are overly emotional.

Another reason people hesitate to take us seriously is when we parrot unoriginal perspectives.  If you mostly quote other people or stand behind the views of a Party stance, you lose credibility.  People want to know what you think, not what a faceless crowd stands for. 

What else gets in our way? When your message contradicts your methods, people will reject you and your perspective.  If you constantly eat fast food and yet complain about a society of unhealthy people, no one will listen to you.

What can we do to gain an open minded audience?
Whenever we try to influence others, passionately, our body-language gives off signals that others interpret as manipulation.  Therefore, quit trying so hard to convince people you are right and they are wrong.  Accept the fact that as you present your ideas, the other person might not agree with your ideas, which relaxes you, and when you are relaxed, people can let their guard down.

The moment a conversation moves from a dialog to a debate, it becomes adversarial, debates require winners & losers and no one likes to lose.  The less defensive another person is, the more likely they are to consider our point of view.  Simply put, the more pressure we apply, the more they will resist us. 

If you truly want people to take you seriously and be swayed by your ideas, it comes down to this: Be consistent, be genuine, be honest, be yourself, and be willing to be proved wrong.