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Regular readers of the humble ramblings know that eldest Son Matt is an occasional contributor. Yesterday I posted his recent experience with a homeless man named Brett. At the end Matt posed some questions. In the interest of brevity (I know I am long-worded) I am taking one question at a time. Here is the first round and my response to one of his questions.

What will it take to shed off layers and layers of protective amour that guard my heart everyday?

Hey Matt,

When your Mom and I were dating three decades ago there was a popular book called Why Am I Afraid To Tell You Who I Am. The book was written by John Powell and he suggested that we are afraid that people will not like us if they know what we are really like, so we often assume poses to avoid being honest with them and ourselves. He identified different poses we assume to avoid showing who we really are as people. If I remember correctly I was a “clown” and “cynic”.

Not much has changed, huh?

So I went into marriage and my Christian journey as a husband determined to be real and not afraid to reveal who I was, warts and all. That lasted until the rehearsal dinner. I had built my entire facade on being funny, upbeat, and glib (okay…that is my scouting report) so I could not take the risk that I could be likeable apart from that act. So I kept the act going and it gradually damaged my marriage and my relationship with the Lord. Being a phony will tend to do that. Even though others thought I was okay I knew I should be placed on the “as-is” table. Damaged goods. No returns. I knew, they didn’t, and I felt like I had to keep it that way. That is an open door for Satan to mess with your mind and heart.

Because I lacked a college degree I felt like I had to “prove” that I was smart (like that is possible). So I worked too much. My lack of confidence led to defensiveness. I could not be wrong because that would make me look less intelligent and expose me as a fraud. Maybe people would then reexamine me. “Wait a minute…Dave has an ‘as-is’ sticker on him! He is damaged. Who let him in here?”

No one knew the internal struggle. I didn’t even tell your Mom about the lack of confidence and the wavering self-image. Instead I made sure that I made people laugh. Chris Rock noted that “comedy is the blues for people that can’t sing”. There is a lot of truth in that statement.

That is a little background to answer your first question. And here is what I have figured out.  

• Recognize that you are uniquely gifted with both strengths and weaknesses. I finally figured out that God has gifted me with some things I do well. Instead of worrying about what I can’t do I finally started asking God how He could use what I can do well for His glory.
  
• Remember that pride is, as C.S.Lewis beautifully described, the “anti-God state of mind”. Pride keeps us from being comfortable with revealing who we are. What if you think less of me? What if you laugh at me? Recognize that as the grating voice of pride. More on that to come in a later post.
  
• Recognize that every single person on this planet is limited in some way. Why should you be the one who is not? It is okay to let others know that you are not as strong in some areas. That makes you a member of the human race.
  
• Realize that Jesus has already penetrated the layers and layers of protective armor. He has seen you at your worst. He has seen the ugliest side of your heart and He has written a message on the cross. I love you just as you are. I forgive you just as you are. I accept you just as you are.
  
• Take the risk. I can’t promise that you will not experience someone who will see you in your raw and authentic state and turn away. That is their problem. The risk/reward factor is worth it. Because when your bride and few real friends see you as you are and still love you it is life changing. Being loved as we truly are is a earthly demonstration of grace.

Casting Crowns has a song called Stained Glass Masquerade.  The lyrics talk about how everyone at church seems so strong and the writer wonders if he is only one that is struggling. And then the question is asked. What would happen if I dared to let them see the truth?

Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Take the chance Matt. If you have found a real friend then the love of Jesus will be more than enough to make them stay. If they do not stay then you have learned a hard but valuable truth. They were not your friend. Those real relationships are possible. Those relationships are what make this journey special. You may have to take a couple of painful hits along the way when you drop the armor. But the man that God will mold out of that pain and honesty will be well worth it.

To be continued…

Dad

Regular readers of the humble ramblings know that eldest Son Matt is an occasional contributor. I have threatened to cut him off from this site because his thoughts often get better responses than the Old Man receives. Recently Matt wrote to me about a very personal experience and he posed some questions. He has given me permission to allow you to “eavesdrop” and even contribute to our dialogue. I think you will see why I am filled with the good kind of pride when I see how God is working in Matt’s life. His Mom did a heckuva job. And she has also done an awesome job with the younger Sons. We are blessed with three kind, Godly men.

Here is Matt’s letter. I will respond tomorrow.

Dad,

A decade into the most formative years in my life, 18-28, there are far more questions than answers. I know that you already know this.and might tell me that it will never change. You will tell me that wisdom is not answers but the asking of right questions. Well, I have a question.

I was riding a public train in Salt Lake City, UT. The train was cramped and I was traveling with friends to dinner. Sitting next to me was a man, unshaven, dirty, ratty clothes, bad breath, and inarticulate. We began talking and asking general questions of where we grew up and jobs and family but soon he, Brett, went straight to the heart of it all. He was homeless. He lifted up his battered jean jacket to show me the scars on his arms from years of dope and heroin use. He told me about his wife dying and the restraining order his only daughter has on him. He was in jail and lost his job and doesn’t go to church anymore. It was a sad story. In my experience these are the stories that lead tourists (or Christians) like me to offer money or dinner or whatever to help. If you are feeling sorry for Brett, as I did, there is a certain level of pride or superiority to it all. We want to help. It’s a natural feeling. But this is not grace. It is pity. I reached for my wallet but something inside me hesitated. I asked him to walk with me towards the restaurant.

The conversation wasn’t nearly as deep on the way to the restaurant. We debated the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks. I asked questions about the Salt Lake Olympics. We joked with people around us. When we reached the restaurant I asked him if I could buy him dinner. He had already eaten. “Can I walk you to the shelter?” We walked for a couple hundred yards while my friends went to the restaurant. We sat on bench in the cold mountain air and started talking again.

As he elaborated on his story he started crying. I started crying. It broke my heart. We cried together as people walked by and looked strangely at the preppy young man in Polo and the homeless guy in rags sitting together at this exquisite outdoor shopping mall crying.

The raw, unedited man that was before me cared less about what I thought of him. He opened the darkest part of him, the graphic ugliness of life, and screamed aloud, “HERE I AM. ALL OF ME”. Drugs, alcohol, death, pain, hopelessness.his story is probably like thousands of others. He was so exposed in that moment. But he didn’t flinch. No hesitation. He knew he would most likely never see me again so the risk was low. It was safe to be this person with a stranger. But it wasn’t safe for me.

I was exposed. My life is full of moments that are guarded. Even in my finest hour I would describe myself as only less guarded. I am never fully open or honest. Not like Brett. All he had was his story and his brokenness and his pain. He entered into it with me and I was exposed.

I asked to pray for him and said a quaint sincere prayer of protection, hope, forgiveness, and provision of resources. I reached for my wallet again and he stopped me. He asked to pray for me. He prayed a beautifully inarticulate prayer with his raspy broken voice, “Matt.I pray you will not do drugs like I have. I pray your children love you and accept you. I pray your woman will love you and stay with you. I pray that you have a home, job, and food. I thank you for not being scared of me and talking to me. I pray that we can see each other again.” Did you see it? He prayed that I wouldn’t be him. Pity turned to grace. It was his grace for me.

We hugged and said good-bye. He patted me on the chest and whispered “Go Mavericks” as if he had to hide this little exchange from those Jazz fans around us. I gave him some cash and turned to walk away. It felt great and awful all in one step.

Earlier I promised a question. This is what I thought as I walked away from Brett. How can a man I knew for 20 minutes pray the most sincere prayer for me? Why did I feel so unguarded and open to this man that had, in most circumstances, very little to offer me? The risk was low.I know. But do we really weigh our relationship depth on risk? Why can’t all friendships feel this freedom and openness and ugliness?

Somehow Brett knew himself the way I think God sees me. He sees my raw, unedited, and ugly me when I, albeit completely internal, whisper to God in a low inaudible voice “here I am.all of me”. What will it take to shed off layers and layers of protective armor that guard my heart everyday? Will I have to experience a life like Brett to fully understand it? Can the pride that sequesters us to insincerity (we are all guilty) be broken in normal life circumstances?

These are my questions. I look forward to the dialogue.

Matt

I did not respond right away to the allegations against Pastor Ted Haggard. I waited to see if the charges were proved to be partly or wholly true. And then I waited to see how Ted Haggard responded. Regular readers of these ramblings know that I believe strongly in everyone’s personal responsibility and accountability when we publically proclaim the name of Jesus Christ. It is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. And I do not take lightly any rebukes that I offer to others who have fallen short in their journey. I believe that every follower of Jesus should not only love the Lord with all of their hearts but should also seek to follow the credo of  primum non nocere, “first, do no harm”.

My heart is broken when a very public Christian falls. My heart is broken because it does do harm. I hear the mocking comments and sneers. I cringe at the glee that some enjoy as they proclaim that incidents like this prove that all Christians are “phony”. My heart is broken for a church who put their faith in this man. My heart is broken for a family that is deeply wounded as I write these words today. My heart is broken for new believers who are shaken by such stories. My heart is broken for Ted Haggard.

Regular readers of this site know that I try to keep my little engine chugging down the parallel tracks of truth and grace. This is a tough one. The sin of Ted Haggard made me angry. His initial denials frustrated me after more of the truth began to be revealed. But as I have reflected and prayed for Ted Haggard (I highly suggest that) I have focused on some positives in this sad story.

I am taking some excerpts of Ted Haggard’s letter to his church.

You can choose to be cynical here. You can decide that he is only trying to save himself. You can throw this out as a desperate attempt to survive after being caught. But I hear the words of a man devastated in his soul by sin. I choose to believe that this is his heart as he attempts to rebuild his life from the shards of a broken man. Here are just a few excerpts from that letter.

I am so sorry. I am sorry for the disappointment, the betrayal, and the hurt. I am sorry for the horrible example I have set for you. I have an overwhelming, all-consuming sadness in my heart for the pain that you and I and my family have experienced over the past few days. I am so sorry for the circumstances that have caused shame and embarrassment to all of you.

…I have further confused the situation with some of the things I’ve said during interviews with reporters who would catch me coming or going from my home. But I alone am responsible for the confusion caused by my inconsistent statements. The fact is, I am guilty of sexual immorality, and I take responsibility for the entire problem.

I cannot imagine the pain that Ted Haggard is feeling. I appreciate the raw honesty of these comments.

I am a deceiver and a liar. There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I’ve been warring against it all of my adult life. For extended periods of time, I would enjoy victory and rejoice in freedom. Then, from time to time, the dirt that I thought was gone would resurface, and I would find myself thinking thoughts and experiencing desires that were contrary to everything I believe and teach.

Through the years, I’ve sought assistance in a variety of ways, with none of them proving to be effective in me. Then, because of pride, I began deceiving those I love the most because I didn’t want to hurt or disappoint them.

One of the aspects of God’s Word that I love is the gut level honesty about His people. If this is a book written by men to deceive us to believe their “religion” then they didn’t use very good examples at times. The greatest men of God failed and they often failed miserably. David sinned sexually, lied, covered up the sin, and then directly caused the death of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah. No one would have known. But God sent Nathan to confront the King in 2 Samuel…

Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
   Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the Lord by doing this…

The consequences were horrible. The baby of that union died. David’s life would never be the same. But he was restored. I am not saying that Ted Haggard’s situation exactly parallels the story of David. But God chose to put such honest revelations of our capacity to sin in the Bible for a reason. I am praying for the restoration of Ted Haggard. Here are some reasons that I believe it is possible.

Ted Haggard has taken full responsibility. He has admitted his pride. He has expressed deep sorrow and contrition. He has submitted to full accountability. 

The accusations that have been leveled against me are not all true, but enough of them are true that I have been appropriately and lovingly removed from ministry. Our church’s overseers have required me to submit to the oversight of Dr. James Dobson, Pastor Jack Hayford, and Pastor Tommy Barnett. Those men will perform a thorough analysis of my mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical life. They will guide me through a program with the goal of healing and restoration for my life, my marriage, and my family.

He has asked for us to forgive the man who told the media. His timing and motives were questionable but that is not the issue here.

Please forgive my accuser. He is revealing the deception and sensuality that was in my life. Those sins, and others, need to be dealt with harshly. So, forgive him and, actually, thank God for him. I am trusting that his action will make me, my wife and family, and ultimately all of you, stronger. He didn’t violate you; I did.

Let us not get caught up in the type of sin. Sin is sin. We are the ones who rank them by degree. God sees sin. Period.

If Ted Haggard really means this final statement then his healing and restoration can happen.

Please forgive me. I am so embarrassed and ashamed. I caused this and I have no excuse. I am a sinner. I have fallen. I desperately need to be forgiven and healed.

That is one more thing I love about following Jesus. You can fail and still be restored. Redemption is always patiently waiting there. The Father will always race to meet and hug the prodigal son who wanders away. That is grace. This will not be easy for Ted Haggard. His life will always reflect the consequences of these bad choices. But he can be restored. I am praying for him and rooting for him.

The Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins  traces the origin of a familiar phrase. “On seeing several criminals being led to the scaffold in the 16th century, English Protestant martyr John Bradford remarked, ‘There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford.’ His words, without his name, are still very common ones today for expressing one’s blessings compared to the fate of another. Bradford was later burned at the stake as a heretic.”

Many of that have personalized that to read, ‘There but for the grace of God, go I’. Adrian Room commented that this was a phrase used “by the self-righteous or smug when others are faced with disaster, disgrace or the like as a result of their actions. It implies that they could well have been in the same position but have been fortunate enough to escape”. I have examined my heart today. I don’t feel very self-righteous and I certainly don’t feel smug. I mainly feel sad. For Ted Haggard and for others who harbor secret sins that grieve the Lord and that He longs to cleanse. I pray that the Holy Spirit will search the hidden compartments of my soul for sins that can lead me to ruin.

My feelings are best summarized by the tax collector in the Gospel of Luke. Allow me to personalize this a bit.

“But the blog writer stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’  NLT

Today I sat through an annual corporate seminar for a broadcast network. The seminar concluded with a long presentation on diversity, sexual harrassment, and creating a non-hostile workplace atmosphere. I understand and support the need for such a program. But I have to admit that somewhere around the forty-five minute mark I started thinking that the Apostle Paul could have accomplished this seminar in about…oh…2 minutes. Two passages pretty much would have covered everything that had been laid out in painstaking and lengthy detail. Here is my fantasy Human Resources seminar with Paul.

“Hi, my name is Paul from Tarsus. I was asked to stand in for the HR director. First of all, here is a little policy I wrote for the Ephesians.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Got that?

Cool.

And this one worked well for the Philippians.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Any questions? Okay. Have a nice day. I have tents to make and letters to write.”

There are some days that I really wonder if it is worth the time invested in these humble ramblings. And then you get what my wife calls “postcards” from God. Today was one of those days that I woke up and wondered if it was worth it. I had decided to take today off from blogging. Maybe several days.

Then I received a postcard from God. He sent it through a young lady named Hannah. She sent me an email in response to my post yesterday about My Christmas Gift List.

Mr. Burchett,
 
Mommy read your blog to us this morning.  We have been sponsoring a 10 year old boy in Mozambique since August through World Vision.  We are learning more and more every day about the ministry of World Vision.  Mommy is reading to us stories out of the World Vision magazine.  This morning as mommy was reading to us about the things we could be praying for, I got even more bothered about what people weren’t doing for all the millions and billions of needy and orphaned children around the world.  The huge numbers really bothered me.  I think when mommy was helping us to understand what it must be like to be an orphan is when I started thinking about what more we could do.  Yes, pray, but what could we do otherwise.  We had already been considering a World Vision gift–a goat, because Rebekah likes goats.  But then we began to talk about making more people aware of these children and their needs.  So, we are going to put together an information booth to educate and make the people of our church more aware. I wondered if you and Mrs Burchett would be willing to help us man the booth when the time comes.  We want to design posters, show children that need sponsorship and ask for donations towards two or three specific World Vision gifts.  What do you think? Would you help us?

Love,

Hannah

Wow. Even a “Bad Christian” wouldn’t think of turning that request down.

Dear Hannah,

Mr.Burchett will be honored to help you when his eyes have quit watering. Must be allergies. Or maybe it is being touched by the heart of a wonderful girl. Thanks for loving these children with the love of Jesus. If more people cared like you we could make a real difference.

Your humbled friend,

Mr.Burchett

Thanks Hannah. Thank you God for the reminder that you use our humble gifts that we offer to You. Would you pray about following Hannah’s lead and make more people aware of these children and their needs. Mark records this example of the heart of Jesus for children.

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.  Mark 10 NLT

We have a chance to be His arms and His hands to children around America and the world. We have a chance to bless these children of God. Will we?

When I was a kid the holidays seemed to politely wait their turn in line. Thanksgiving would take the baton from Halloween and then pass it along to Christmas.  Now the Holidays clamor for attention like a spoiled child at the mall. I have been receiving Christmas catalogs for weeks and the stores are already filled with Christmas displays. By the way, you will note that I am a proud user of the term Christmas for the December 25th event that is known on the federal calendar as Christmas Day.  That was a bonus mini-rant. No charge.

So as I bought Halloween candy today I thought about what I want for Christmas this year. I started with a list of things I really, really want.

1. Everything at the Bose store
   
2. A high definition television
   
3. The latest version of my Trio phone  (I don’t have the Windows version for heaven’s sake!)
   
4. Several pounds of books
   
5. Dozens of DVD’s

Then I listed everything I really, really need.

Yep. I don’t need a single thing for Christmas. I give bags of clothing I no longer wear to charities every year. We have more stuff in our house than we can figure out how to store. My television is in color and has a sharp picture. Not high def…but high enough for now. My phone does, unfortunately, still receive calls. I have more books than I can read and more DVD’s than I have time to watch. I still want the stuff from the Bose store but Jesus never said this journey would be easy.

So here is my request for this year to my Sons and the stunning Mrs.Burchett. Pool the money you would have spent on me and go the website of World Vision.  Then click on the Gift Catalog and give a gift to people who really, really do need things. There you can find a need for whatever stirs your heart, from animals to education to fresh water provision. Nothing would make me happier. Here is just a sampling from the catalog.

• For just $75 you can buy a goat for a family and provide year round milk and cheese
  
• How about building a fish pond stocked with tilapia to provide food and income opportunities for a village? The cost is $200.
  
• Like more exotic animals? Your Christmas money can provide an alpaca ($360) or a camel ($685) to a struggling family.
  
• For $50 you can contribute safe water to an African school or for $100 you can help dig a deep well
  
• Want to help out children in the United States? A gift of $25 will fill a backpack and $500 provides essentials to a needy child.
  
• You can contribute to rescue young girls from the sex trade industry or a little over $100 will give pre-natal care for women who have no hope of that basic need.
  
• Help build a health clinic or pay for eye surgery for a child that has no hope to learn without the procedure.
  
• Give the gift of musical education, sports, and other educational needs
  
• How about offering new hope to children with disabilities by giving a wheelchair or prosthetic limbs to war victims?
  
• Feed and care for widows and children affected by the HIV/AIDS plague in Africa.

Can you read that list and not feel just a little sheepish (not the type available for $105) about our lack of sacrificial giving as Christians in this country? Here is some research from a very annoying and convicting organization called empty tomb, inc. They are also a very important ministry that God has raised up to be a Nathan to our comfortable and consumer Christianity. Here is how America spends some of it’s resources.

In 2003 American consumers spent $53.6 billion buying jewelry and watches, a 5.1% increase over previous year.
U.S. Consumers spent more than $24.3 billion on candy (2002) and, on average, consumers made $84.34 worth of candy purchases.
We spent $64 billion on soft drinks in 2003. In 2000 Americans spent $13 billion a year on chocolate in all its forms (I know…it just got personal for many of you).
In 2000 American toy sales reached $23 billion.
How about $38 billion spent on state lotteries? 
Americans spend 600 million on teeth whitening each year.
We  spend over 300 million on Botox to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

God help us to see the world with His heart. The good news? We can make a real difference. And the time to start is now. Again, according to empty tomb, inc we have the potential to literally change the world in the name of Jesus. Here is the analysis of the empty tomb organization.

As described in our research, church member giving is declining as a portion of income, and is currently around 2.59%. 

If Americans who identify with the historically Christian church increased their giving to an average of 10% of income, there could be an additional $156 billion given to the church. If 60% of this amount were made available to expand overseas missions activity, that number would mean an additional $94 billion available for overseas missions.

One source estimates that $70-$80 billion would impact the worst of world poverty and $5 billion could end most of the 11 million under-5, global, annual child deaths. Also, $7 billion would be sufficient for global primary education for all children.

You should be aware, that there could also be $31.22 billion more a year for domestic outreach. And this all on top of our current church activates. 

In the gospel of Matthew Jesus talks about the final judgment.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?  When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

  “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

It takes so little sacrifice to make a difference. But it will take the whole body of Christ to really impact this globe. A few years ago I gave up a daily beverage at an omnipresent coffee franchise. That freed up enough money to sponsor a little girl in Guatemala. I hope my family decides to give me what I need for Christmas. Nothing. And I pray that money will be used in the name of Jesus by some family that desperately needs hope. As for me, I have decided on my gift this Christmas. I have spent a year producing a large amount of bovine byproduct at this blog site. So I have decided to purchase a producer of the real thing.  Today I committed to providing a bull for a village in Africa. I gave up the incredible audio speakers and the upgraded phone to make that happen. Somehow I think I will make it through the year.

P.S. World Vision is just one of many Christian charities that receive a top rating from independent ranking companies. You may have your own favorite. Would you pray about doing something this Christmas? Who knows what good you can do by giving up something you don’t really need.

Halloween is one of my least favorite times of the year. Don’t worry.  I am not going to launch into a tirade about how Christians need to protest this pagan holiday. I dislike Halloween because it is one of the times each year when I want to take my evangelical name tag off and hide it for a few days. One of the reasons I want to go incognito is the proliferation of Christian Halloween Hell Houses or Judgment Houses. Yes, in another sad attempt to mirror the popular culture we have taken the bad idea of the haunted house and made it into the infinitely worse idea of the Hell House. These actual descriptions are taken from a popular version of this odd approach to evangelism.

What is the Hell House concept? It is series of vignettes that show the results of sin in wretched excess. The idea is literally to frighten you so much that you will make a decision to embrace Christianity. I call it  Fear Christianity. I had to admit I enjoyed the play on former NBA star Daryl Dawkin’s slam dunk taunt rewritten to promote the Hell House.

Shake your city with the most “in-your-face, high-flyin’, no denyin’, death-defyin’, Satan-be-cryin’, keep-ya-from-fryin’, theatrical stylin’, no holds barred, cutting-edge” evangelism tool of the new millennium!

I think the “Satan-be-cryin’, keep-ya-from-fryin’” riffs are particularly catchy. Does anything promote the grace of our Lord Jesus any better than a good “keep-ya-from-fryin’” taunt? Promotional information from one such outreach proclaims that groups of twenty people will tour Hell House with their own personal demon acting as a tour guide. Timeout. Your own personal demon? A lot of us have been trying to get rid of a personal demon for years…not hire him as a tour guide. But let’s continue to the description of Hell.

“In Hell the tour meets Satan himself. Hell will be hot, smoky, loud, visually disturbing, and sensually confusing.”

To me that sounds like Las Vegas. But I digress. For the low price of $7 (unless you tip your personal demon) you will see the following:

• 
  
  A funeral scene of a homosexual teenaged boy who has died of AIDS
  
  
• 
  
  A riveting (?) reenactment of an abortion
  
  
• 
  
  A satanic ritual involving human sacrifice
  
  
• 
  
  A drunk driving accident in which a father realizes he has just killed his own family

The list of disturbing scenes goes on and on.

So if you are interested in scaring the hell out of your community you can order a Hell House Kit for only $299. You will receive a production manual, dvd, and special effects CD. But to do it right you might want to add some additional resources (apparently you can’t replicate hell for 300 bucks). You might order the Hell Screams Background CD ($20) which is described as seventy-three minutes of screaming, groaning and agonizing of what sounds like people in torment in Hell. (perhaps they recorded fans of my beloved Cleveland Browns watching their offense this season) The promo material notes that, “Your Hell House hell-dwellers will love you for helping them vocally”. I believe no one is more in need of a helping hand more than your hell dwellers.

I do not doubt the sincerity of those involved in the Hell House concept. The website uses Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians as a Biblical basis for the program.

“I have become all things to all men, so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the Gospel…”

I believe this is a bit of an exegetical stretch. Paul’s comments in context seem to send a very different message.

When I am with the Jews, I become one of them so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with those who follow the Jewish laws, I do the same, even though I am not subject to the law, so that I can bring them to Christ.  When I am with the Gentiles who do not have the Jewish law, I fit in with them as much as I can. In this way, I gain their confidence and bring them to Christ. But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ. I do all this to spread the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy its blessings. 1st Cor 9  NLT

Isn’t Paul saying that he makes an attempt to empathise with those who don’t know Christ? That he tries to understand their needs and then develops a strategy about how the Good News of  Jesus can be communicated? I struggle a bit to see how this verse can be used as a basis for the disturbing Hell House program. In the interest of full disclosure, I was raised in a church where Fear Christianity was the primary evangelistic tactic. Over and over I heard the story of the man who resisted the call to come forward to accept faith in Christ and then was flattened by a steamroller on his way home. And of course that poor pancaked sinner went to hell because of  his stubbornness and incredible misfortune to encounter a steamroller on a Sunday.  I am grateful that I came to faith not out of fear of a vengeful God. And yes, I know that Scripture is very clear about ultimate judgment. 

One reader thoughtfully noted that “there are individuals who need a “sobering” presentation of the Gospel message before they will respond. I believe the church must have balance–we cannot overpreach hell or overpreach God’s love. Either one creates an unhealthy mentality–one feels like he can never please God and the other feels like God accepts him no matter what sin He might be wallering in (so why would he want to quit practicing that sin?) There must be balance. While many will respond to the message of love and hope, there are still those who will only respond to the message of judgment. I guess it takes all kinds.”

I guess it does. I have just seen so much damage from the “fear Christianity” approach and that is tragic to me. I guess it is the balance that was referenced above that was missing from my church upbringing. What made me realize my need for Christ was the realization that I had to live perfectly by the law or find another way to be reconciled to a Holy God. I was smart enough to know that I had not, could not, and would not follow the law perfectly. So I needed another way. That way was Jesus. For me I doubt that a faith based on fear would have been lasting. The Bible does talk about hell. We should not avoid that. But God’s Word also talks about heaven. And it talks about a personal relationship with Him and about faith that changes men and women. Evangelical means good news. We could use a little good news today. And I think Paul is saying we should communicate that good news with grace. When I was a kid the religious seeker asked “what must I do to be saved”? Now the religious seeker asks the question “does Christianity make my life, work, and marriage better?” After three decades of experience I can say from personal experience that the answer is yes. Without fear.