Month: August 2009

I have watched with bemusement as the NY Times scrambles to apologize to all of us simple folk who live in Flyover Country. The Grey Lady has had to remember her manners and ask for forgiveness over a recent review in the paper. The aptly named column “The Critical Shopper” recently reviewed the arrival of American icon J.C. Penney in upscale Midtown Manhattan. The author of the piece is not a fan of J.C. Penney. That is okay. She is not a fan of their merchandise. Again, that is okay. But her tone in dismissing those who might shop there was instructive of how those big city folks view us simple Midlanders just now learning how to walk upright and use utensils. Here is a part of the column.

Why would this dowdy Middle American entity waddle into Midtown in its big old shorts and flip-flops without even bothering to update its ancient Helvetica Light logo, which for anyone who grew up with the company is encrusted with decades of boring, even traumatically parental, associations?

I wish we had time to debate the red hot issue of which font style is best for logos. Exactly how does an ancient logo get encrusted with boring associations? Is it like barnacles attaching to the ancient Helvetica light font? Are parental associations really traumatic? Is that the right descriptor? Do all Middle Americans waddle? What is wrong with flip-flops and big old shorts? Is different always dowdy? So many questions…so many stereotypes. She continues…

It has the most obese mannequins I have ever seen. They probably need special insulin-based epoxy injections just to make their limbs stay on. It’s like a headless wax museum devoted entirely to the cast of “Roseanne.”

To be fair, how could you market to waddling, dowdy, big short wearing Middle Americans with slim and attractive mannequins? Has anyone else ever written about the DMI (Dummy Mass Index) of department store mannequins? The writer complained about the lack of size 2 clothing on the racks but noted that “the petites section features a bounty of items for women nearly as wide as they are tall.”

The author suffers from a rather pronounced version of a malady that all of us battle. I refer, of course, to IBTY Syndrome. The “I’m Better Than You Syndrome” is particularly nasty among the cultural elite but is a danger in all areas of society. I am particularly saddened when IBTY Syndrome invades the church.

My friend John Lynch recently wrote about being blindsided by a man with this sad affliction. John had delivered the message about grace and identity in Christ that God used powerfully in my life to revive my walk with Him. I will let my friend pick up the story.

Not long ago we were out on the road again, presenting the Two Roads talk. I think I have spoken that message over 200 times and have never lost my passion for it.

Anyway, long story short-afterwards I’m chatting with a handful of new friends-and a man I don’t recognize steps into the circle. Almost immediately he says something very much like this: “You know, this whole message of grace and identity and trust and such-I think it’s very important for broken people and maybe new Christians. But some of us are mature and ready to move on to the real stuff. We’re learning to partner with God in the work of the Kingdom. We’ve moved past this message, doing real and significant things for God.”

I stood there dumbfounded. I was caught totally off-guard. Everything I had just taught was suddenly being articulately and competently patronized. Everything was now silent and in slow motion. I was embarrassed for those standing with me; fearing they were losing confidence in the message the longer he spoke.

You can link here to get the “rest of the story” from John.  Personally I land exactly 180 degrees opposite of this man. The message of grace and identity and trust is important for everyone and for everyday. When I mature I am not moving on to the real stuff…I am maturing in the truths of grace and identity and trust. When I mature in those truths I realize I cannot partner with God because I have nothing He needs. I am learning that when I lean fully on the message of grace and identity and trust then I find God doing real and significant things through me. I pray that I will never move past this message.

The Two Roads talk is the most significant message I have ever heard except for the Gospel message. It is now available for free download. Please, please, please download this message and listen to it soon. Understanding grace, identity, trust and humility is the vaccination to prevent a lingering case of IBTY Syndrome. Don’t forget to download the “Two Roads” message. Do it now. Pretty please.

I have been known to partake of the product of Jesus’ first miracle. If you slept through Sunday School the first miracle was changing water into wine. (Note to spiritual hall monitors: I understand that not all share my freedom to partake and I am cautious about where I consume the fruit of the vine). In fact I began my journey in a church where drinking wine (and nearly everything else) would doom you to eternal hellfire. H.L.Mencken’s quote about Puritanism summed up our miserable little assembly.

“Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy”

I remember hearing a complete sermon dedicated to the theory that the wine of the New Testament was not fermented and therefore did not contain alcohol. That sermon led me to puzzle over Paul’s admonition to the church at Ephesus revised to reflect his view.

And do not be drunk with Welch’s Grape Juice, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit…

I could pound gallons of Welch’s and not get drunk. I might never leave the bathroom but I would not be drunk. So I couldn’t help but surmise that the water turned into wine was, in fact, wine. Look at my big brain.

I thought of that tortured sermon as I toured a beautiful winery near Seattle, Washington. As we toured the facilities of Chateau St. Michele Winery the guide explained where the vineyards are located. All of the grapes are grown on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains. The mountain range shields the Columbia River Valley area from most of the rain so the vine must be irrigated to grow. But then she said something very interesting.

“They carefully control how much they irrigate the vines. The growers know that the vines need to struggle in order to send their roots deep. And when they struggle the fruit is better.”

I remembered Jesus teaching how He was the true vine that produced spiritual fruit.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15, NLT)

I have been meditating on a couple of things since I returned to the August heat in Texas.

1. I must remain in Christ to produce fruit. I can’t do it.
2. I don’t want to run from the struggle. In the struggle my roots go deep and I will produce better fruit. The Master Gardener understands how I mature just like the oenologist knows how to grow the best grapes. The struggle is part of the process.

How encouraging to understand that even the struggle is valuable. I am learning to trust that truth.

I have written a great deal about civility in the public discourse. I have to confess that I am losing heart. Internet forums make cowards courageous. You can write things to me from the cave of anonymity that you would never say to my face. The rules at my site have been consistent. This is not an open forum. We have one basic rule at “Bad Christian” World Headquarters.

Verily, verily, all words that proceedeth out of thy posts and thy comments shall be civil…thus saith the one who payeth the server bills. Thy vile words shall be cast forever into the sea of delete and I will blocketh thee forever.

King James style rules just sound more authoritative. So if you demonize around here you get blocked. No apologies.

A couple of years ago Rick Warren had a conversational debate with Sam Harris. The discourse between the two of them was civil. Neither party changed their mind about what they believed. The reaction to the debate from some brave posters on both sides was disturbing and ugly. Warren was called all kinds of names and his intellect, character and even appearance defamed. I can count on being called names anytime that I write about intelligent design or scientific studies that may point toward faith. In almost every case the poster is anonymous and they make me think of Brave Sir Robin from the Monty Python skits. This inflammatory demonizing has debate in America on life support. I wish I could be more optimistic about its recovery. Hopefully the majority of the readers of these humble ramblings can actually define civility. But just in case, here is the definition of civility listed at dictionary.com.

   1. Courteous behavior; politeness.
   2. A courteous act or utterance.

Such a simple concept. Just common sense. Yet it seems like we are tilting at windmills and warbling the “Impossible Dream” when you hope that two people on opposite ends of an argument can have an intelligent and civil debate. Guests on talk shows yell over one another. Hosts interrupt. Debaters mug with condescending smirks in the other TV box while a guest makes his or her case. Tragically, this ugly level of discourse can and does make its way into the debate within the body of Christ.  Paul wrote this to the church at Colosse.

Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don’t miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.   (Colossians 4, The Message)

In Ephesians we find this exhortation.

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift….Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4, The Message)

How often do we hear someone defending their ungracious attitude with the disclaimer that they were just proclaiming the truth? We have a higher standard as followers of Christ. We are called to proclaim truth and we must not water down the truth. But we also called to be imitators of Jesus. He was tough on sin while being gentle with sinners. He was amazingly gracious to anyone who sought truth but he recognized that some only wish to sow discord. He gave these instructions as He sent out the Twelve.

“When you knock on a door, be courteous in your greeting. If they welcome you, be gentle in your conversation. If they don’t welcome you, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”  (Matthew 10, The Message)

Jesus knew He could not force His message into a man or woman’s heart. Why do we feel the need to attack those who deny Jesus and God? The aforemention atheist writer Sam Harris reports that he has received thousands of hate filled letters from people identifying themselves as followers of Jesus. I believe him because I hear from his supporters about my faith. Here is a heartbreaking comment from Harris.

Many who claim to have been transformed by Christ’s love are deeply, even murderously, intolerant of criticism. While you may ascribe this to human nature, it is clear that the hatred these people feel comes directly from the Bible. How do I know this? Because the most deranged of my correspondents always cite chapter and verse.

His most devastating point is that those who claim to be transformed are incapable of speaking the truth with that transforming love. I do not need to persuade Sam Harris that I am right. In fact, I cannot persuade him that I am. I would like to tell him that I don’t hate him or anyone else for their views. I don’t fear Sam Harris. If I am wrong about God then Sam Harris is harmless and perhaps helpful. If I am right about God then Sam Harris can neither damage nor thwart His plan for mankind. God does not need me to defend Him from attack. If I believe in the Creator of the universe I suspect He is quite capable of dealing with an author. Every generation has a Sam Harris and somehow faith has survived.  What I believe God does expect and desire from me is that I reflect His love. Harris often makes comments like this.

If Christianity is correct, and I persist in my unbelief, I should expect to suffer the torments of hell.

I do not wish ill on Sam Harris. I do not take delight or satisfaction in thinking about his eternal fate. I am simply sad that he has such a low view of adherents of faith. Here is my bottom line. I have called myself a Christian for well over 30 years. I have wrestled with doubt. I have read the views of all sides. I have absorbed the arguments of the best thinkers on every side.  I have decided that Jesus is the Son of God. That is my decision. His presence and reality in my life have only been amplified in our recent trials. I guess I don’t have the energy to spend on indignation. There is so much more to be accomplished by reflecting the love and grace of Jesus. That is the way we will make a difference to a suspicious and skeptical world.

As for me, what is happening in the cultural debate climate does not change my responsibility. As a follower of Jesus I have pretty clear marching orders. Jesus was addressing the “religious” guys when he said this.

“If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree. You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.” (Matthew 12, The Message)

The bottom line is that I can only be responsible for me. I want to produce good words and deeds. Part of that is being graceful in communication. Even if it sometimes feels like a losing battle. It does matter which words we say. Examples do matter. Even though I am not rich nor famous nor powerful I am still an example to others. I take it seriously. And so should you.

My ministry of making other Christians feel superior continues unabated. Last week I promised the conclusion to the hypocrite series and then I failed to deliver. So I was a hypocrite while writing about hypocrites. Thanks to faithful reader Wilma for pointing out my omission. This is bonus material that I did not have time to address with Pastor Jeff but I did post at the World Magazine site.

I have written a lot about how people in the church do considerable damage with actions and words that do not reflect Jesus. I have been frustrated by Christians who receive grace willingly and deny it to others. I see division in the body of Christ where we should see unity. It occurred to me that the church does not understand a few key principles that winning baseball teams understand. The first thing that winning teams understand is that every teammate brings strengths and weaknesses to the team. A great team celebrates the strengths of each player and works together to offset the weaknesses. I pondered this as I read about the career of Joe Gordon. In 1942 Gordon led the American League in strikeouts. He made more errors that year than any other second baseman. He hit into more double plays than anyone in the league. By dwelling on those stats we could surmise that the New York Yankees were looking for a new second baseman for the following year. But there was one mitigating factor.

Gordon won the American League Most Valuable Player for that season.

In spite of the flaws mentioned above Joe Gordon had a great season. He batted .322, fourth in the AL, with 18 homers and 103 runs batted in. Gordon teamed with Phil Rizzuto to lead the league in double plays turned defensively. In 1942 Joe Gordon was deemed to be the MVP of the league despite some obvious weaknesses in his game. Great managers and good teammates know that every player has strengths and every player has weaknesses.

And that is the lesson I was thinking about for the church. Too often we dwell on the weakness and not the gifts that God has given others. Or we acknowledge the gifts but make sure to note the weaknesses. All of us are a mix of gifts and flaws. All of us could be accused of being hypocrites now and then.

I am sure Joe Gordon often struck out when his team needed a hit. I suspect he sometimes made an error when the pitcher threw a good pitch and should have gotten an out. But his teammates (and the rest of the league) saw his gifts. That is what made him valuable to a winning team. His strengths were vital to the team winning. His flaws were compensated by the team working in unity toward the goal of the World Series.
Do we do that in the church? Or do we choose to focus on the flaws of others? The World Series is a wonderful goal (it is especially mystical to this Texas Ranger’s fan) but it pales in comparison to the goal that Jesus challenged us to pursue.  Do we understand what it means to be unified for the common goal expressed so succinctly in the Gospel of Matthew?

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

That is the game plan. Each of us has been given gifts to contribute. Each of us has flaws. Can we pray that we will be mature enough to focus on Who unites us instead of what divides us? Even the MVP of the American League had shortcomings. So will the pastor, elder, ministry leader, and children’s worker  as we pursue the Great Commission of Christ. Another thing that winning teams understand. You don’t have to be best friends with everyone on the team but you do have to be united for the common goal of the team. My prayer is simple.

God give us the grace to be unified as a team for your glory. Teach us to use our gifts to strengthen one another and glorify you. Give us the strength to be a good teammate and the humility to believe that it cannot be about me for the team to succeed. Give me the desire to be a good teammate in the body of Christ. Teach me to see and exalt the gifts of my brothers and sisters even if they compete with my own talents. And especially teach me to be graceful with the flaws of others. We are all gifted and we are all flawed. A team understands that truth. Help us to do the same for the sake of the body of Christ.

Good buddy Scott approached me recently at the activity I laughingly call “work”.

“Can I ask you a question?” He asked.

I always default to apprehensive when I get that query. I want to start defending myself before I even know the question. “No, in spite of this physique I am NOT using steroids!” Okay…maybe that is a defense that will never happen but I do tend to be wary.

“Sure,” I responded.

“Does Christianity get easier or harder as you get older?” 

I laughed because I knew my answer right away.

“Yes.”

He laughed in return and said this. “Everything else in life that you do over and over tends to get easier as you get more experience.”

In that comment is the key. We get in trouble when we view maturing in Christ as a human endeavor like maturing in your job skills. My faith journey gets harder if I attempt to follow Christ like I attempt to improve in my job or hobbies. If I work harder and learn more about my job it will likely become easier. If I study techniques about my hobby I can be more proficient. But if I take that approach into my Christian journey it will not necessarily make my faith easier over time. It seems counterintuitive to Americans that trying harder and learning more is not the answer. Quick aside to the spiritual hall monitors. I am not saying that learning doctrine and studying God’s Word is not important. It is. But as I often quote from my friends at Truefaced.com. Knowing truth does not transform you. Trusting truth transforms you. Learning to trust truth has been my journey in recent months.

I spent three decades of roller coaster faith. When I hit a dry spell I would try harder, read more books, buck up and beat myself up because I felt so distant from God. Lots of helpful Christian friends would faithfully remind me that God hadn’t moved so it had to be me. So I disliked myself more and tried harder and God seemed even more distant. And I got tired. I was discouraged. I got wounded again by the church. I had reached the end of my spiritual rope. I cried out to Jesus something along these lines.

“I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE!”

God does not get insulted by all-caps. In fact, I imagine that Jesus smiled at that point because I was finally ready to trust Him and not myself. I had reached the point of brokenness that allowed me turn over the keys to Christ. I reached the point where I no longer had to be right. I had reached the point where I didn’t want to wear a phony mask of holiness. I had reached the point where I was willing to trust God completely with everything about me. I had reached the point where I was ready for grace. I had reached the point where I was willing to believe what God says is true about me. That I am completely forgiven. I am completely loved. I am completely changed because of Christ. I am completely empowered with the Holy Spirit to mature into all of those things that true about me. At that point the journey began to be easier. And it has remained so.

So my answer to the question depends on who you trust. If you trust in your own abilities and effort the journey will get harder. If you trust God it will get easier. I hope that my friend Scott gets there sooner than I did. But I am confident that God’s timing will be perfect.

Few movies have generated more mainstream quotes than the silly movie Airplane and that movie is, of course, one of my favorites. Having claimed the intellectual high ground I offer this dialogue with very anxious flyer Ted Striker and a fellow passenger.

Passenger: Nervous?
Ted Striker: Yes.
Passenger: First time?
Ted Striker: No, I’ve been nervous lots of times.

I sometimes think of that line when I write these humble ramblings. I have certainly been nervous a number of times because I attempt to communicate truth with grace and represent Jesus humbly even as I tackle tough topics. Nothing makes me more nervous than writing about faith and politics. I wrote a piece with the tongue-in-cheek title “Will Democrats Go To Heaven?”.

Here is an excerpt from that article.

“Christians are not to seek “power over” others – by controlling governments, passing legislation or fighting wars. Christians should seek to have “power under” others – winning others hearts by sacrificing for those in need.” –  Dr.Gregory Boyd, Pastor of Woodland Hills Church in Minnesota

That is indeed what Jesus did. That is EXACTLY how a group of men and women in the first century with NO political power turned the world upside down. They sacrificially served others.

Dr.Boyd also noted that “America is not the light of the world and the hope of the world. The light of the world and the hope of the world is Jesus Christ.”

Hard to argue with that.  The fact is that government and laws can only restrain. Paul had a lot of thoughts on that in his letter to the Romans. Jesus can change the heart and change behavior from the inside out. I am saddened when I see good, well-intentioned people thinking that more education and regulation will solve our problems. I am certainly not against education but I would point out that it has been the brightest and best that have gotten us into such a mess on Wall Street. The problem is not lack of knowledge but a lack of understanding of the hearts of men and women. We all have a nature that needs to be changed. We deny that at our own peril and the peril of our culture.

I am not smart enough to decide what God has called people to do. If He has placed a desire for people to impact the culture through political action I am not about to question their motives. But I do believe that those of us who claim the name of Jesus need to communicate our views with grace and compassion.

I am active politically. I study issues and candidates and I always vote. I give to causes that I believe in and I would be willing to work for a candidate that shared my goals for our country. 

But I get nervous about using the church as a political base. God’s Word taught effectively will mold followers of Jesus that will view social issues wisely. My goal is to introduce people to Jesus, disciple them into a real relationship with Him and then watch as the Holy Spirit changes what my sermonizing cannot.

The body of Christ is about Jesus. About being a good citizen that respects authority. And about demonstrating His amazing grace to a desperately needy world. The message should be grace, redemption and the forgiveness available to everyone. All parties are welcome at the foot of the cross. We need to spend more time there…for the good of America.

That sets the stage for today’s gentle plea. May I challenge my fellow followers of Jesus to show grace in the current debate? I confess that I get angry when I witness the personal attacks on people who are simply trying to be heard. I know that my friends who are Democrats (yep, I have a bunch of them) get angry when people of faith blindly forward untrue emails about President Obama. We must do better with the dialogue.

I was guilty of that sin with President Clinton. I said ugly things about him. I did not pray for him. I did not trust God consistently to accomplish His plan and I thought that my politics had to prevail for God’s plan to prevail. How arrogant on my part. I was wrong. I was obsessed with politics and it was dangerously close to idolatry. I am sure I crossed that line at times. As we head into some spirited debate I am begging my fellow followers of Christ to be graceful in your debate. Things will be said that are maddening, unfair and mean. Responding in kind damages the name of Jesus. Solomon wrote these words that are so timely today.

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,
      but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness. (Proverbs 15, NLT)

And later this wisdom is written.

Patient persistence pierces through indifference; gentle speech breaks down rigid defenses. (Proverbs 25:15, NLT)

You cannot change the minds and hearts of others by strident arguing. You cannot change the minds of some with a 2 by 4 up the side of the head…as tempting as that may be. You can change a few hearts and minds by demonstrating the grace and good news of the Gospel of Jesus. I love the United States deeply. But I do not believe that the hope of the world is democracy even though I believe there is no better system of government. The hope of the world is Jesus. That is my message. I want to be a good citizen but I must be a grace filled representative for Christ.

Recently I had the pleasure of addressing this fun filled topic with Pastor Jeff Denton of Waterbrook Bible Fellowship in Wylie, Texas. I am posting a question per day from that discussion. Here is question number 7…

Pastor Jeff:

In my opinion, this gets to the Question Behind the Question. Because if an unbeliever says they believe the church is full of hypocrites, and they don’t want to hang out with people like that, I believe they’re really saying “The only Christians I know are hypocrites who don’t care about me and live only for themselves.”  I want to respond with, “Tell me about the Christians you know personally.”
 If you only know the public failures. People who condemned others, only to find out they were participating in the exact sins they were condemning others for – yeah, I’d want to get away from people like that too. What I want you to know is that real, transformed, Christians – saved and in a growing relationship with Christ – do mess up. Moreover, they can accept and love you because they know the depth of the forgiveness and love they’ve experienced by the grace of God through Christ. They’re “Christian life” isn’t about living up to a legalistic set of rule, but learning to live in the grace and power of God’s transforming love.
 AND If I’M the only Christian you know personally, and you think we’re all hypocrites, then I’m convicted that I better look at my own walk a little closer. Why isn’t the testimony of MY life demonstrating something different in your eyes?

Dave, what do you say to this unbeliever that really has an issue with Christian hypocrites?

Dave: 

I agree with them. I confess that the church does have hypocrites. I respond with a question like, “Is that something you’ve heard about or have you had a personal experience with someone in a church who hurt you?” Sometimes people just need for someone to know and acknowledge that they were hurt by a Christian and they would appreciate a compassionate response. That was the message of my second book. They need to hear “I am so sorry you had to experience that. And I would suggest that such an experience hurts the heart of Jesus too.”

You could respond to the accusation of hypocrisy like this: “I have a relationship with Christ not because I’m good but precisely because I am not good. He rescued me from myself and the ruin I was causing. But He’s changing me. I’m still a mess, but I’m God’s mess.”

Next…the exciting conclusion.