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I had no idea on the morning of February 26^th that NBC’s Today Show had an exclusive story that they believed might rock my Christian faith. I had no idea because I join millions and millions of fellow Americans every morning by not watching the Today Show. The “exclusive” story, interestingly enough, was first reported in 1980. I guess the time-frame on exclusive is pretty wide. You would have thought that this was a startling new discovery based on the proclamations of Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira. Here are some samples.

A somber Lauer introduced the twenty-seven year old breaking story…

“A shocking new claim that an ancient burial place may have housed the bones of Christ and a son. This morning a Today exclusive that could rock Christianity to its core.”

He looked so sad. I guess he was concerned that he was going to mess up Easter for all of us believers. It reminded me of an episode of the cartoon Super Chicken recalled from deep inside the memory banks of a wasted youth. The intrepid crime fighter Super Chicken is on the trail of the Easter Bunny who has been robbing banks across the city. Alongside his lion sidekick Fred, Super Chicken moves in to capture the beloved Easter Bunny. Fred reacts with a deep and very personal concern about busting the Easter Bunny.

“But we may not get any Marshmallow Chickies on Easter Morning.” Super Chicken does not dodge the consequences of this development.

“Fred,” he says gently. “You knew the job was dangerous when you took it.”

It seemed that Matt Lauer felt the same weight as he announced the news but, like Fred, he knew the job was dangerous when he took it. Meredith Vieira, however, was almost giddy in her segment. Vieira led off her interview of documentary director James Cameron with this hyperbole.

“There are so few ‘wow’ stories out there, this is one of them.”

To be honest Meredith, you have more ‘wow’ stories on your Millionaire show every week than with this discovery. I generally try to stay away from stories like this one because it seems almost pointless to weigh in. The skeptics demean the “predictable” response of Christians to this find. Of course they will deny this research because it will upset the industry created around the Christian religion. I will be completely honest here. I have not sold enough books to generate a decent second job, let alone an industry. So I examine every claim carefully.  I am not interested in living my life based on something that I no longer believe to be true.

I spent a fair amount of time reading all sides of The Jesus Tomb claims. So has the book rocked my faith?

No.

This is reminiscent of Geraldo Rivera’s exhumation of Al Capone’s vault. If it were only Christians defending the sloppy research and startling conclusions drawn in the book and documentary then it would be harder to defend. But scholars of all bents are debunking the scholarship of this project. For example, The Israel Antiquities Authority said in 1996 that the probability of the ossuraries belonging to the family of Jesus were “next to zero”. Archaeologist Amos Kloner, a professor at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, documented the tomb as the Jewish burial cave of a well-off family more than 10 years ago. Respected Christian sources weighed in as well.  Probe Ministries has a good overview of the story and Crosswalk blogger Regis Nicoll addresses the claims as well. Ben Witherington offers a more detailed examination of the book’s claims at his blog.

What is predictable is the call from many organizations to boycott or cancel the show. I feel like a lone voice in the wilderness but I am suggesting just the opposite. Educate yourself with the facts about this discovery. Be prepared to offer why you believe this account to be false. Whenever Jesus is “watercooler” talk it is an opportunity to discuss why you believe that Easter is still on for this year. I view these moments as opportunities, not attacks on my faith.

Vieira concluded the segment by saying to James Cameron that the claim is “absolutely fascinating, potentially, I mean, many would argue the biggest story or one of the biggest stories of our lifetime if you are correct.”

James Cameron was the director of the wildly successful movie Titanic. When accepting his Oscar he famously proclaimed, “I am the king of the world”. I believe that Mr.Cameron overstated his role on this planet a bit. There is a ruler of this world. That ruler will be eternally downsized when the King of this world returns. The biggest story of our lifetime will not be an exclusive to morning TV. That story involves a tomb but it was empty. Nothing has changed my mind about that story.

Online banking has changed one tradition in the Burchett household. The monthly avoiding of Dad on bill paying day. The boys learned either by oral tradition or by hard lesson that when Dad was hunkered over the checkbook with a scowl on his face it was best to steer a wide path. Now with just a few computer clicks when bills come in I can spread the angst over the entire month. And somehow it seemed far more painful to write a check than to merely fill in numbers and hit send. I remember one constant source of irritation was the paying of the cell phone bills. Sons who rarely spoke could somehow fill up 2000 minutes and compose hundreds of text messages. Here is a scintillating example of the Algonquin Round Table level of interchange in these text messages. 

IB
HRU
JP
XLNT
POS…. GTR
TTFN

For the rest of us, this is an interpretation of the above cryptic code.

I’m back.
How are you?
Just playing.
Excellent.
Parent over shoulder….got to run.
Ta ta for now.

I paid hard earned American dollars for dialogue like this. So it was with considerable empathy that I read a story at MSNBC about a Malaysian man who put my little bill paying woes to shame. Yahaya Wahab said he nearly fainted when he received a phone bill for $218 Trillion US dollars and was ordered to pay up within 10 days or face prosecution. It seems like the phone company could have set up a reasonable payment plan. How about paying, oh, let’s see, one billion a month for a few hundred years. That might be doable. But no…the phone company gives you 10 days to pay more than the Gross National Product of Malaysia (about $74 billion in 2000). It just doesn’t seem fair.

Yahaya Wahab said he disconnected his late father’s phone line in January after he died and settled the 84-ringgit (about $23 US) bill, according to the New Straits Times. But Telekom Malaysia later sent him a 806,400,000,000,000.01-ringgit (U.S. $218 trillion) bill for recent telephone calls along with orders to settle within 10 days or face legal proceedings, the newspaper reported. It wasn’t clear whether the bill was a mistake, or if Yahaya’s father’s phone line was used illegally after his death.

But the ridiculous extent of the debt presented to Wahab brought to mind another debt that was just as hopeless. A debt that was presented to me that I could not pay. It might as well have been $218 trillions with a 10 day deadline. It was trying to reconcile my sin debt with a Holy God. There is a little internet story circulating around that illustrates the problem.

A man dies and goes to Heaven. Of course, St. Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter says, “Here’s how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you’ve done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in.”

“Okay,” the man says, “I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart.”

“That’s wonderful,” says St. Peter, “that’s worth three points!”

“Three points?” he says, slightly concerned. “Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service.”

“Terrific!” says St. Peter. “That’s certainly worth a point.”

“One point!?!” he moans, now really getting worried. “I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans.”

“Fantastic, that’s good for two more points,” he says.

“Two points!” the man cries. “At this rate the only way I get into Heaven is by the grace of God!”

St. Peter nods and says, “You finally get it! That is 100 points! Come on in my son!”

Jesus was willing to pay a sin debt for me and you on the cross at Calvary. I was just as overwhelmed as that poor guy in Malaysia or the man frantically trying to tally up points for good deeds. I had my good works tally up to about 3 points so I am grateful for that gift of total grace. We are generally a bit suspicious of an unmerited gift. But that is what led Jesus to the cross.  John 3:16 has become devalued by people with crazy hair holding up signs at sporting events. That is sad. Because that verse is not a joke. It is the most amazing communication you could imagine from a Holy God to me…and you.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

If you want to know more about how to cancel that sin debt please click here.  

I am changing careers. I have decided to start issuing official sounding studies about obvious things. I have a keen sense of the obvious. Why not profit from that? My career epiphany came as I read a study that found that college students are self-centered. Seriously?

I am planning to release my first groundbreaking study soon. My thesis is that people stuck in rush hour traffic are less friendly. I am pretty sure I am right.

While the conclusion of the study about today’s college kids isn’t shocking the conclusions about the reasons are indeed interesting. According to the study’s lead author, psychology professor Jean Twenge, the reason narcissism is now epidemic can be traced to an unhealthy desire to boost self-esteem.

Narcissism is defined at dictionary.com as excessive love or admiration of oneself. The second listed definition smacks of irony.

A psychological condition characterized by self-preoccupation, lack of empathy, and unconscious deficits in self-esteem.

So our out of balance attempts to artificially boost self-esteem actually creates an unhealthy self-esteem deficit in many young men and women. Very interesting.

Here are some excerpts from the Associated Press story.

In the study released today, researchers warn that a rising ego rush could bring personal and social problems for the Millennial Generation, also called Gen Y. People with an inflated sense of self tend to have less interest in emotionally intimate bonds and can lash out when rejected or insulted.

“We need to stop endlessly repeating ‘You’re special’ and having children repeat that back,” said the study’s lead author, San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge. “Kids are self-centered enough already.”

Some of the rise in narcissism was probably caused by self-esteem programs that many elementary schools adopted in the 1980s, the study suggested. It noted that preschools began to have children sing a song to the tune of “Frère Jacques” that proclaims: “I am special, I am special. Look at me.”

Other trends such as permissive parenting, increased materialism and the fascination with celebrities and reality TV shows may also heighten self-regard, said the University of Georgia’s W. Keith Campbell, a study co-author.

Dr. Twenge has written a book titled “Generation Me: Why Today’s Young American are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled – and More Miserable Than Ever Before”.

Let’s be honest here. Maybe the “Mellennials” are a bit higher on the narcissism scale but this self-absorption is not confined to the university level. I would suggest this has been a growing phenomenon since the Baby Boomers starting crawling around America’s nurseries. The effects of America’s heightened self-regard has filtered into our churches as well. You could do a church version of Dr.Twenge’s book called “Generation(s) Me: Why Today’s Christians have more Teaching, Programs, Resources – and are more Miserable Than Ever Before.” Sadly, you can too often see Christians who don’t realize who they are in Christ lash out when rejected or insulted just like the students in the study. Why? The answer for Christians is that we have forgotten or don’t understand what Christ has done in our lives.

Self-esteem for collegians or congregations does not come from singing songs and being told you are special. The foundation of such shallow self-esteem is built on sand and is easily washed away by life’s storms.

But healthy self-esteem is possible. I believe it can be accomplished through applying some timeless truths.

1. It is not about you. Dr.Stephen Bramer, a teaching pastor at our church, shared that he was taught as a child that you find joy by living with clear cut priorities. The plan is simple and uses joy as an acronym.   J – Jesus comes first, O – Others come next, Y – You come last. When I have lived my life in that order I have found joy. Unfortunately my percentage of days lived in that order needs to get higher.
   
2. You are special. But you are special because you are created in the image of God and not because of a group sing-a-long.
   
3. I believe that every one of God’s children is gifted to contribute to His church and to His plan. Having a part in the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus gives you significance that has eternal value.
   
4. Self-worth is found in being loved unconditionally by the Creator of the Universe. Jesus said “I love you” when you were unlovable. Having a personal relationship with God gives you self-esteem that is built on a solid foundation and that can withstand life’s storms.
   
5. We were created to be in community and being self-absorbed sabotages that plan. I can enjoy the benefits of community only if I put things in the right relational order.
   
6. All of these truths come together when you become a child of God and allow Jesus total access. The old self must go away. Paul wrote powerfully about our potential to live new lives in Christ Jesus. Take a moment to read Romans 6. Good stuff.

The conclusion of the narcissism study made me chuckle. Dr. Campbell did note that narcissism can have benefits, suggesting it could be useful in meeting new people “or auditioning on American Idol.” So if the primary benefit of narcissism is getting shredded by Simon Cowell I think I will pass.

When I awoke today I thought about these words of Jesus.

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

That makes me feel pretty good about myself today.

 

I am so happy that I decided to start this blog eighteen months ago. I would encourage every Christian to journal several days a week or you can blog (ego journal) about what God is teaching you. It is interesting and a blessing to look back at what God has been doing in our lives. Who knew when I began the daily ramblings that I would be writing about Joni’s cancer journey?

On too many occasions recently I have been visiting with someone who has cancer or who has a friend or family member with the disease. I sometimes refer them to the website to read some of our experiences during the journey. I decided to make it easy for anyone who wants to share what God has taught us with others that are currently going through this trial. Here are some of the “cancer chronicles” that Joni and I have written over the past year.

A word of encouragement to those beginning the journey. Cancer is scary. The treatments seem overwhelming. But here is what Joni and I have learned. God gives you the grace and strength to take this journey one step and one day at a time. You will look back at the end and wonder, “how did I do that?” Be encouraged that you can. Stay steadfast in your faith. Keep your sense of humor as much as possible. Determine that the cancer has picked a formidable foe and don’t give in.

You can do it. We did.

Here are some links followed by a brief capsule of the contents.

Sentences that change your life … Reflections on the shock of hearing Joni’s diagnosis and the plan that we implemented to not “waste her cancer”.

How to be a good cancer buddy … What to say and what not to say when your friend has cancer.

I will praise you in this storm … The theme song we adopted for the journey.

I am a rock? … Joni’s touching gift to me on my birthday.

Wouldn’t take nothing for the journey now … Written the day before we began the frightening chemotherapy regimen.

Poison for healing? … The mindboggling concept of using poison for good.

The Ultimate Oxymoron? … Cancer humor may seem like the ultimate oxymoron but we found it was vital to healing.

Bald is Beautiful – Part 1 … A tribute to my beautiful bride when she lost temporary custody of her hair.

Bald is Beautiful – Part 2 … A tribute to the amazing women who make up the breast cancer sisterhood.

Round 3  … Rocky had nothing on my bride in toughness.

Unmasked … The realization that we did not have to be superhuman in this journey.

The meaning of Kemosabe … Reflections on the privilege of being Joni’s “chemo-sabe” during her treatments.

In our last episode … When we had a little adventure that was not in the brochure I decided to use some old movie stills to tell the story.

Kleenex Warning … It is okay to be scared. But you don’t have to stay there.

One Finish Line in Sight … Part of the plan is setting up markers along the journey. Rejoice when you hit each goal.

We’ll remember always…Diagnosis Day … Some days you will always remember. D-Day is one of those.

Reflections from the Slow Drip Spa … The amazing spirit that permeates the cancer treatment center humbles me.

I have eyebrows! … Joni’s realization that sometimes incredible blessings come in the oddest ways.

Pop the top! … A PG rated note from Joni about ditching the wig and going with her sassy short hair look.

Book plug (not mine): Joni found tremendous comfort and insight in a book that we now give to cancer patients. The book is called Praying Through Cancer…Set Your Heart Free From Fear. It is excellent.

Joni and I pray that you will trust Him completely in the journey. We would love to hear from you if you (or a loved one) are on the cancer journey now.

Blessings and peace in the trial.

Dave

The lovely Mrs. Burchett and I recently had the joy of watching Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder in concert. I have decided that if am ever unresponsive you can check my heart status by putting a Ricky Skaggs CD on the stereo. If my toe doesn’t start tapping I am likely flat-lined. You just can’t help responding if you have a pulse.

I left the concert and waded through Skagg’s discography. One song brought back memories of something my Mom always said to me. The song that jogged that recollection was called Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’.

Now lookee here gal don’t ya’ high hat me,
I ain’t forgot what you used ta be
When you didn’t have nuthin,
That was plain ta’ see.
Don’t get above your raisin’
Stay down ta’ earth with me.

Mom was raised as a farm girl in Kentucky and she was fiercely proud of that. So anytime she perceived that I was getting a bit uppity and full of myself she would throw that line down.

“Don’t get above your raisin’.”

Sometimes it was over such important issues as abandoning Maxwell House for that fancy-schmancy Starbucks. Usually the comment was meant to keep me grounded and to remind me where I came from. Can’t say that I always appreciated the input.

I think we do the same thing as Christians. A big reason that we are not more joyful and victorious in this journey is that we forget where we came from. We have forgotten our raisin’ and the gift of our salvation. Somehow we forget how desperate we were and start to believe that we were actually deserving. You know, God is pretty fortunate to have me on board. Paul reminds Titus to tell the believers in Crete to remember where they came from…

Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.

Not too attractive. Nothing to be uppity about. Then the grace of God intervened.

But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”

So that is where I came from. That is where you came from if you are a follower of Jesus. Paul wraps ups this text with a challenge.

This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

My constant challenge is to not get above my raisin’ spiritually.

• If I can’t forgive then I have forgotten where I came from. I did not deserve to be forgiven by a Holy God. I was.
• When I look with disdain at another person I have forgotten where I came from. That person is a soul that Jesus came to this planet to die for on the cross.
• When I don’t accept another brother or sister I have forgotten that I was unacceptable to a Holy God. Jesus said you are acceptable because of Me. We must offer the same grace because of Jesus.
• When I can’t serve without expectation of personal return I have forgotten where I came from. If I remember where I came from I will serve because I am grateful for what Christ did for me.
• When I don’t give joyfully of my time and treasure I have forgotten where I came from. If you truly understand where you came from the natural response is to serve Him joyfully.

This is important stuff. I don’t want to forget where I came from both as a person and as a child of God. My small town roots are a big part of who I am. And my encounter with grace at the foot of the Cross defines who I am spiritually. I pray that I will remember every day who I am and where Jesus brought me from. Take time to remember where you came from. And then respond appropriately.

 

 

Yesterday I had the joy of driving from scenic Garland, Texas to every bit as scenic Waco, Texas. Despite the mindboggling beauty of the I-35 transit I was able to get in some iPod time on the way. One song that struck me on the journey was a recent Grammy Award winner. The artist is John Mayer and he won a statue for Best Male Vocal Pop Performance with a song called “Waiting on the World to Change”. 

The song is written as an explanation of sorts for the apathy displayed by many of Mayer’s generation toward political and social activism. The song is powerful and, to me, a bit depressing.

Me and all my friends
We’re all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There’s no way we ever could

Now we see everything that’s going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don’t have the means
To rise above and beat it

So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

I couldn’t help but think that this could easily be reworked to describe the state of mind for many churchgoers in America. Sadly, that song could be multi-generational in our churches as well. It is so easy to see everything that is going wrong with the church and those who lead it.  But we decide that we don’t have the energy or the means or power to beat it. So we just keep waiting. Waiting for the church to change. Waiting for the leadership to change. Waiting. Mayer describes the next step.

It’s hard to beat the system
When we’re standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change

Rather than step in it is so much easier to step back and it is really easy to just step away. Researcher George Barna notes that millions of self-described born-again Christians have left the church. Many are standing at a distance and waiting on the church to change.

It’s not that we don’t care,
We just know that the fight ain’t fair
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

The average Christian would no doubt tell you they support the church in theory. But they are just sick of the church ….(pick two from the list below)

___ Being full of hypocrites (as if we couldn’t squeeze in a couple more)
___ Being too much about politics
___ Constantly Fund Raising
___ Not being friendly
___ Having teaching that is too boring
___ Having teaching that is too much “entertainment”
___ Being too legalistic
___ Being too into freedom
___ Playing music that is too modern
___ Playing music that is too old fashioned

You get the point. It is not a problem to find a problem. And we keep waiting. Waiting for the church to change.

But Jesus has a different plan that could help my dilemma and also the apathy that Mayer sings about. Jesus asks us to accomplish the goal with a radical plan. He asks me to change. He asks you to change. He tells us that we are accountable for ourselves. Period.

Do you think things would change if we could implement the instructions below written to the church at Colossae?

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

And later in the chapter Paul describes what that would look like…

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.  Colossians The Message

Can you imagine what the church would look like by simply implementing those few verses alone? Reflecting the love and light of the grace of God will change others. If enough of us follow that plan then the church will change. No waiting. And if enough churches change then the world will change. So that is the plan. No waiting required. Just get started on you today. I will work on me. We can stop waiting for the church to change and simply be obedient to do our part. It is a start. And to be honest, I am tired of waiting.