What's wrong with this world & how to fix it

Power and authority should not be confused with each other (The corollary to these ideas are submission and obedience).  Power, the ability or resource for action, and authority, having the right to enforce or exercise the power.  Our understanding, or better yet our misunderstanding of these ideas are at the root of much of what's wrong with this world.  This leaves us in perpetual tension.  Why?  Everyone wants to be the one in charge wielding their power while no one seems to appreciate the need to obey or be submissive.  

Families all across the land are divided and they are being ripped apart over arguing about who is to blame for our Nation’s problems and how do we as a people unite and move forward.  We don’t just segregate our communities by skin color, we separate by political affiliations, social status, occupations and economic diversities.  

With a culture that is obsessed with competition, from tee ball to professional Sports, campaigners trying to beat their Political opponents, to your kid’s dance or debate team -- is it any wonder we have such a division at every level in our country?  This isn’t new.  All the way back to Cain & Able we’ve had rivalries.  

The process of College entrance is competitive, applying for a job is competitive, getting your parent’s attention is competitive, keeping your attention here on this page or when you sit in a pew competes with technology and social media/the entertainment industry.  You know who doesn't compete?  God.

It’s clear to nearly everyone we need change.  Whatever it is we’ve been doing, it isn’t working.  Change is incredibly difficult, and we can see this playing out in our culture right now.  Think of how many churches fizzle out by fighting over change.  How can we call people to action?

Maybe we just need a “better pitch” to energize people?  Clever slogans like Nancy Reagan’s “just say no” campaign (drug abuse has risen exponentially since her plea) or the “WWJD” bracelets we wore in the 1990’s seem ineffective to spark real change.  Slogans rarely mobilize people, instead they seemingly initiate fads that fade from memory quickly.  

Perhaps we need stricter criminal & civil laws, ones regulating speech, gatherings, and actions that make people fairer.  If the laws don’t work, let’s break those laws or similar ones and make sure our voices are heard.  Well.  It’s hard to legislate morality.  And fairness & equality are moral issues -- matters of the heart.  

Laws will not change the heart or the attitude of divisive people.  Neither protests nor riots will change the hearts or culture that they infiltrate either.  

We’re now seeing a different competition for the direction or the focus of our national conversation.  As long as we compete and see this as an “Us versus them” issue, we will lose ground.  We need to mutually support each other as much as possible.  Support has to be authentic and genuine.  Not everyone will feel the same as you or share your approach to bridging the gaps that exist in our nation, and instead of resisting or resenting, we need to learn to cooperate.  

How do we cooperate towards a common good?  We must see others as allies instead of demonizing them as enemies and we must obediently submit to the right authority, yes, we need to yield to God’s will -- especially in how we treat each other.

Consider what Paul wrote in Romans 13:8-10, “8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”  And ultimately, it’s time for us to take the words of Jesus seriously, especially what He says in Matthew 7:12, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

 

Facts matter when history is inconvenient

(Hopefully we can...)

Upset over racism, riots, police brutality, and the current crisis America is facing?
Here are some facts that seemingly are being overlooked:

Before we became the United States, we were part of the British Colonies.  We inherited the evil practice of slavery from the Brits.  Yes slavery is in our horrible heritage, just like the way we decimated the American Indians.  We are also the same nation that ended our practice of slavery and then one day, we rebuilt Europe after defeating Hitler, so yes we are a mixed-bag of imperfections and amazing potential.

What no one is asking is, what perpetuated slavery and what are the implications for us today.  Before I get to that, lets rewind the tape even further. 

Can we hold the Mongolians responsible for Genghis Khan's savagery?  He had the largest empire territory-wise of anyone, and he amassed his land-mass by brutally murdering civilians in ever tribe and village he came across.  Of course we can't expect the Mongolians to repay anyone for this. 

Should we call for the destruction of the Egyptian Pyramids?  Boycott tourism there too?  The great pyramids were built on the backs of slaves, slaves that were treated as property, and discarded after they were worn out.  Doubtful anyone cares anywhere on the planet about the enslavement that allowed building the pyramids. 

You say -- Ancient history, probably no longer applies.  When will American slavery no longer apply?  I have no idea, but I do have an idea why slavery survived so long in America.  Greed, and greed is about more than money, it's about power. 

BTW: You can't go back in time, we can only, hopefully, move forward.  We can't erase our history by removing monuments, and if we ignore our history, we remain ignorant to its lessons. 

Do you know who has the highest rates of drug addiction, is the weakest, most illiterate, impoverished, oppressed group of people in America?  Appalachia is.   White, redneck, hillbilly folk are.  Where are their riots?  Do yourself a huge favor and research how bleak, desperate & depressing this region is and then go read Night comes to the Cumberlands

What we are facing currently isn't merely racism, oppression, or police brutality.  Most of us are asking the wrong questions and we are looking in the wrong places.   Ask yourself, who is leveraging this crisis for political gain, for monetary gain, and for a stronger hold over others.  And ask, why would anyone call for abolishing the police in America?  Talk about ushering in anarchy and inviting the biggest thugs to rule... 

The issue of racism is a smokescreen, distracting most people who think this is about racism.   Black looters have destroyed black business in these riots, does this mean they are racists?  If you haven't read or seen the story of the angry elderly black woman in NY, watch this!

Where were the riots for the white woman recently (2017) killed by police in Minnesota?  click here for the story most people have no clue about  "Say her name" never became a hashtag, you have to ask why not?  Or don't ask. 

Our problems aren't as black & white as they seem.  There are people who are stirring up division for their own gain and to ensure their own interests, and sadly the people being hurt the most are being re-victimized all over again. 

Ask better questions, look deeper into this, and don't simply settle for the answers that enrage you or agree with your political leanings.   Go beyond the emotions.  Our nation is possibly on the brink, and I can tell you, the people most dependent on technology, who've given up their guns, freedoms and most of their rights to the government already, they will have a harder time in any upcoming revolution, whatever form it takes. 

This all might pass over, or might get even uglier.  If we unite we stand, if whoever is behind this can continue to divide us, we fall.  All of us, we are all better than this.  See the good in everyone and be the Good Samaritans you are called to be, and reject any pointless strife that will not bring healing. 

Talking about the taboo topic the church is silent on: Suicide

I didn’t sulk under my own broom tree until my late-30’s, the idea of taking my own life hadn’t ever occurred to me before then -- life gets hard when some of the people you minister to work against you. It wasn’t that I was ignorant regarding the topic, when I was in the 5th grade a neighbor-dad left his car running in the garage with the door closed, a casualty of a painful divorce.

I think suicide is like the Covid-19, in that we are tired of hearing about both; we’ve become callous and numb to the topics. I felt led to address suicide here, earlier this month, the day I heard about the news of  Darrin Patrick's suicide -- I cried and spent the rest of that day in a funk, emotionally drained. Even though we are victors in Christ and God will ultimately win the war, we don’t win every battle. Darrin is another tragic example of pastors who end their own life.

There are countless celebrities who have done so too, and don’t forget our military veterans either. We have numerous suicide attempts daily -- the next time you scour the obits, read between the lines, you’ll see local people who succeed as well. By the way, the patriarch of Kingsport George Eastman himself ended his own life.

And while it’s not healthy to obsess over suicide, it’s not healthy to ignore it either. Worst of all, churches are mostly silent on the topic -- when was the last time your church offered a sermon or seminar about it? It’s sad that shows on Netflix like “13 Reasons” or “After Life” can be more open about a disturbing subject than we are.

Suicide might seem strange to you, it’s counter-intuitive to most people, I think about doing it myself from time to time. At times life can feel pointless, the pressure to succeed in ministry is always there, and sadness and despair can descend like a stormcloud -- but there are a thousand tentacles and webs that keep me from the brink of oblivion. I think about how it would affect my wife, children and grandchildren, and the handful of reasons I have for ending this life seem different then.

People who think about killing themselves aren’t being morbid or romanticizing the great beyond, they simply find it hard to go on living, whether it is pain, pressure, feelings of failure, regrets, chemical imbalances, debt, or conflict. My mom was rather melancholy, and we have a loved one who battles depression, so perhaps the darkness I periodically struggle with is genetic. No matter what the reasons may be, if suicide is foreign to you, you probably don’t understand the shame and guilt people who consider suicide carry with them either.

When it comes to finding help in our region, it is a hell-hole for people who struggle with opioid addiction, meth, or mental health. For all that is good here, we have pitiful resources in our region for people who are overwhelmed and stressed out. You’ll wait several months for an evaluation or to get in to see a qualified professional here. That needs to change!

Nationwide suicide rates have been rising dramatically for years now, and with the massive unemployment our country is presently experiencing decimating our economy, experts tell us we can expect a spike in suicide. Maybe you’ll never understand something that seems so irrational, but hopefully you’ll be empathetic and thoughtful, considerate of those who do struggle with this. I believe Jesus would want us to restrict our judgment and release a little more grace when it comes to a taboo topic, because really, people who think about killing themselves need a safe place and safe people to talk to.

When you or a loved one is hospitalized:

A couple of days ago I was in the driveway talking “over the fence” with our next door neighbor. He’s trained as a medical professional, and myself being in ministry, we naturally discussed the current state of hospitalizations. We were talking about the complexity of navigating the medical world when a loved one is hospitalized -- we agreed, it isn’t easy for the average person who has no real experience in the otherworldly space of organized hospitals.

Presently, most everyone is thinking about their health or the well-being of their families. There's a good possibility you or yours will need to visit a hospital in your lifetime. Are you prepared?

After decades of being in ministry, my wife and I have made countless visits to the bedside of hospital patients. Our family has learned a few valuable lessons over the years about interacting in the strange world of hospitals. I’d like to pass on a few ideas that might be helpful as you or your loved ones face the intimidating prospect of staying in the hospital.

Discover the names of those in charge like the head nurse at the nurse’s station, the hospitalist, and any attending physicians. Any of their phone numbers you can acquire, add them to your phone’s contacts ASAP. Also, find out which pharmacy your medical staff has the best working relationship with. I find that our “mom & pop’s” pharmacies work harder for local people than anyone else, and perhaps your doctors share this belief.

Keep a notebook by the hospital bedside. Have family members take turns keeping notes so that there’s always someone in the room. Ask the names of nurses and doctors who check in, ask the medicines that they administer and the amounts, then record the time & dates. It doesn’t matter whether you recognize the medicines or if you can even pronounce the words. This small step helps the medical professionals stay on their toes, they will double check their work, and it reminds them you care too.

You’d be surprised at how many people who need a knee replacement wake up to find out the wrong knee was operated on. Don’t be bashful, remind your medical team what you are in need of or why. You have to advocate for your loved ones, or in some cases yourself. Most nurses and doctors are caring people, otherwise they wouldn’t be the medical field in the first place. But. There is a lot of “compassion fatigue” they have to overcome and deal with. Never forget they are by and large on your side, but they are overwhelmed with too many cases and they work long hours. A little reminder or some extra gentle nudging on your part might go further than you realize.

Ask for prayers. Yes our health is personal, but the prayers of the righteous are effective. When you are sick it feels natural to pull away, but this is a time when you need your faith community more than ever.

Most people have no idea how long it takes to be processed, to get a room, or even what it means to be discharged when your time is over -- it often takes a few hours to be released once you are discharged. Being patient as a patient is extremely difficult. Bring books, magazines, crosswords, or other items to help pass the time. I’ve found some people enjoy listening to music while they recuperate but most hospital rooms aren’t equipped with radios, so download an app on your phone.

There are times when you or a loved one simply will not recover, and the next move is hospice. As fatal as this sounds, this is a time when you really need someone to talk to. There are hospice chaplains as well as nurses, ask them how hospice works, what your role is, and what you should expect. No, things won’t just fall into place and it often won’t make sense, this is why you need to ask how it works from those who have dedicated their lives to hospice.

In the end, when it comes to navigating the medical world, having a good attitude is one of your best tools. Yes this crisis might be the biggest challenge you or your family has ever faced, and yes we have incredible technology and advanced medicines, but nothing can compete with matters of the heart. Write this verse on a sticky note and post in your room next time you or a loved one is in need, and reflect on it often, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Prov 17:22)

May God renew your hope and may He bless you with healing whenever dark days descend on you or your loved ones. May God bless you with peace of mind, and may His Spirit bring you comfort always.

How is the Coronavirus impacting Christian Communion:

Are you missing the communion Table yet? I guess it depends on the frequency you celebrate communion in your church.  For us, we normally share the bread & cup weekly. 

You might miss communion, also, based on how you practice it.  One of our members bakes the bread fresh, each week.  I feel a little spoiled just thinking about how good we have it in our church...  We don't "pass the plate" where we worship either.  We have a table in the rear of the room in which we gather, and we walk back to the table to celebrate communion together.  We have some people who quietly stay in their seat and reflect, we have others who walk around and talk with others, others will hug or laugh together, basically we experience a lot of freedom in how we practice communion. 

BTW: Even though we are streaming our sermons live on Facebook each Sunday for the time being, I will say, how we share communion at New Song is what makes our experience on Sundays unique and memorable. 

In my over two and half decades of practicing Christianity, thanks to the coronavirus, this is the longest I've gone without participating in communion.  Which leads me to point out, if your tradition or heritage practices weekly communion, but you are sheltering in place, what should you do about taking communion? 

The simple answer is, follow your conscience, which hopefully is being led by the Spirit.  Whatever you decide, it shouldn't be led by guilt, shame, or fear. 

I believe that communion, celebrating the Body & the Blood of Jesus is best shared in a community setting.  I think we have to have a community present to share communion, kind of like how you can't baptize yourself.  I don't think experiencing the Table is the same if you are alone.  I would say it would be like ordering your steak to go, but with all of the restaurants being closed these days and only offering take out... 

The legalistic voice in our heads might claim you "have" to observe communion no matter what, but is that really the heart of the matter?  If communion is about unity, about communing, about being the Body, then wouldn't that require a gathering of believers? 

But what if I'm "stuck" at home with my family, isn't that enough?  Sure, it certainly is, and I wouldn't take away from the value of a family devotional time.  I would ask though, are we taking communion in that context to follow the "letter of the Law" more so than taking it to celebrate the idea of community? 

I personally feel like when we travel out of town as a family and we aren't able to attend a church worship service, it feels more like legalism than Christianity to get some crackers and grape juice and "have" communion.  I feel the same way about our present "sheltering in place" situation.  Therefore, I'm waiting until we are back together as a church until I take communion.   

You'll have to make your own call, and I'm sure you will do what you think is right.  I do not think how you handle this temporary situation is a salvational issue, but I do think there are a lot of people who usually take communion weekly who are grieving over this issue.  I hope these rambling thoughts I've shared here are somewhat helpful.  I think we can all agree, when the virus clears up and we all are able to gather again, the next time we share communion, it will be special and very much appreciated. 

How casinos are a sure bet for your church!

Please tell me you aren’t one of those Christians protesting the incoming casinos like some sort of fundamentalist? Quit sulking and wake up; you'd have to be crazy to reject venturing on these casinos. Now that they are fortuitously proposing a casino near the Pinnacle, as well as in the old Bristol mall, it almost feels like an old TV commercial, “But wait, there's more! Order now and you get two for the low cost of...” 

What could possibly go wrong? After all, who’s to say gambling is a sin? You can’t point to a book chapter and verse in the Bible that says, “Thou shalt not gamble...” And it’s not like some of you don’t buy and sell stocks or invest your money in an IRA... retirement is a real crapshoot if you ask me! Let’s not be too hypocritical -- let’s stop and speculate the golden opportunity these casinos will bring all the churches in our community.

I’d wager this might be the best opportunity in a century for our churches to serve the Tri Cities. Why? Think about how many dads will blow their entire paycheck, bankrupting their households. Think of the chance for your benevolence team to pony up here since mom won’t have grocery money or rent money now that dad hits the casino every payday. Talk about an exciting time for church-goers to be living in, seeing family after family in our community devastated and ravaged by the lure of easy money, only to see their finances ruined.

Quick thought: Perhaps your church can raffle off seats for your next financial seminar? Talk about our good fortune -- may Dave Ramsey save us all!

After dad destroys the family finances, you know mom & dad will need some marriage counseling. Think how your once idle pastoral staff can get in on the action now! Of course counselling won’t fix their problems, and they will more than likely divorce, but that’s okay, because now your youth ministry can be there for Johnny and Sally as they spiral into a deep depression because their folks split up. I really hope those kids don’t self-medicate or play Russian-Roulette because of this dark horse!

Man, can it get any better? You bet it can (as long as your good tithers don’t get cold feet and move away)! I know it feels like winning the lottery being the “chosen” site for this, but as the studies show every casino brings in a certain element to the community they infiltrate: The underbelly of the crime-world.

Forget hating the scumbags that run the “legal” title loan industry you love to loathe, save your judgement for the true sinners because we’ll get some real loan sharks in the hood now! Talk about a golden opportunity for your church to serve this community, once the criminal community moves in like the mafia descending on little Italy, your police will be overwhelmed trying to keep up with their new challenges: More prostitution, car-thefts, break-ins, and if we are lucky, maybe the news can finally show us some good old fashioned gangland shootings too.

If you play your cards right, hopefully your Pastor can do a “ride-along” with the deputies and just think of the sermon illustrations he’ll generate for Sunday morning! No more boring sermons here, thank the Lord for the end of sleepy-sermon time! I wonder if the pastor will make a cameo on “Southern Justice” once the TV networks realize they aren’t done here yet?

By the way, it’s not too late to set up a support group for the bail-bondsmen in your churches who will be working overtime now. Also, make sure the youth pastor draws the short straw and is the one setting up the chairs for dad’s Gambling Anonymous meeting that loiters here, I mean gathers here, later on this week.

The odds are in our favor that we’ll never need to search for opportunities to serve the community again. Talk about a trifecta, I’d venture the Gospel will become front and center in our crime-ridden, decimated family-unit, poverty-stricken region once the casinos bleed us dry. Let’s welcome and embrace the chance to get into the action and let our light shine in what’s a sure bet to become an even darker time. This is the chance you’ve waited for, though your foreign mission committee might be at risk because of the fires you're putting out in your own backyard, but don’t sweat it, that’s the price we pay to ante up in our community. Once you run the numbers, you’ll see these casinos are heaven-sent -- you can stake your church’s future on it.

Why Asking for & Giving grace more is truly influential

There's an overlooked element to grace, i.e., "what is the goal" of grace. There's more to grace than we give it credit for. Before I share the goal of grace, let's state the obvious: No one is perfect; we all make mistakes, we all frustrate others. 

In that moment when someone points out our need for improvement, have you ever stopped and asked, "Why can't people just give me a little more grace?" It seems like some people will never be satisfied and it feels like they will never accept us for who we are. But, would they be doing us any favors if they treated us the way we wanted to be treated by asking them to turn a blind eye to our faults? 

No one should ever belittle us, demean us, put us down, or humiliate us.  If we aren't careful though, we lie to ourselves and twist every negative sounding comment we hear about ourselves into something it isn't.  That's not very inspirational, it's not even spiritual.

Yes it feels discouraging when someone expresses their disappointment in any of our patterns, it's almost insulting, but is this their fault or is this ours? Perhaps we should rephrase the question, "Why can't you give me a little more grace." What would be a better question to ask?  How about asking for their help. Ask for their advice on how you can grow. Once we get to the goal of grace, this line of questioning might make more sense.

Think of what it's like to have a supervisor train us in a new position, a sport's coach pushing us, or anyone who strives to help us reach our potential -- motivation, correction, and direction doesn't always come with warm fuzzies. Yet, if you've ever started a new job, tried a new activity, or attempted to gain any new skills, you know it's impossible to grow without a mentor. 

 If we shield ourselves from feedback or advice, how will we ever grow?

Grace is unconditional, it takes us where we are, accepts us for who we are, but true grace refuses to leave us where it finds us. Grace wants more for us than mediocrity or immaturity. 

So what is the goal of Grace? The goal of grace isn't to hinder or stifle our personal growth, the goal of grace is to make us mature and carry us far past the arrested development we've come to enjoy. Complacency kills. Apathy is the enemy, not your "critic."

Grace isn't the removal of standards or expectations. The opposite of grace says, let's leave the training wheels on a little longer. The opposite of grace is, please keep your suggestions, expectations, and disappointments to yourself.  It's not unloving sharing your frustrations, withholding frustration is deceptive. Would you rather people lied to you?  Only liars tell you what you want to hear all the time.  Are those the people you want to surround yourself with?  

Grace is nothing if it isn't transformational. The goal of grace is change. 

Grace expects growth: "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." (II Pet 3:18) Also, Grace isn't about excuses to continue in bad behavior: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" (Rom 6:1-3)

The next time someone cares enough about you to point out a flaw, shortcoming, or anything that is interfering with you having healthier relationships, don't fall into the temptation to manipulate them by misusing the word grace and cry out, "I just need a little grace here." Instead, ask for real grace, and ask for some guidance. If you really want to be happy and have enjoyable relationships, learn to accept feedback.

In the end, you have to ask yourself: Is it narcissism, arrogance, or pride that causes me to reject, resent, and resist advice? It might simply be your desire to control others and every situation, but you need to confront the reason you oppose the standards others have. Would you rather they lower their standards and expectations and leave you to wither away in your comfort zone, or would you rather grow? It's your choice, and while we can't change anyone else, we ourselves can change -- but not on our own.