Starting a Conversation

Romans 12 can help us strike a balance between being convicted in our beliefs and compassionate in our behavior:
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
Earlier in the chapter we read about being transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can know God's will.  So, as we set our course to follow Him and to walk in holiness, we have Scriptural admonition about walking with God in a culture where you encounter people who do not embrace Christ and even will denigrate you for holding Biblical beliefs.  Later in Romans 12, it says:   17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

We are called to pursue a path of peace, but that does not mean we tolerate what God has called sinful.  And, it doesn't mean that we put down people who are practicing sinful behavior.   We all struggle in various areas, we are sinners, but we have a great Savior, and He gives us the ability to boldly proclaim strong moral principles, but also to be known for our compassion for others.

1st Peter 3 gives us some encouragement when we are faced with criticism or even persecution for our faith:
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

It's well-known news by now in the sports world - Jason Collins, center for the Washington Wizards,  announced that he is gay, in an article published in Sports Illustrated.    Collins is being touted as the first player in a major men's sport to make such a declaration.

Collins is quoted as saying that,“I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay...I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation.”

He related about his Christian upbringing and said, "I take the teachings of Jesus seriously, particularly the ones that touch on tolerance and understanding.”

So, Jason has, as he says, started the conversation.   Well, he has to realize that those who are pushing the gay rights agenda in America are not interested in a "conversation".  Jason has a right to his opinion and his practice, but by "coming out" in such a public way, he's playing right into the agenda of those who want to force people of faith and others to accept behavior that they view as morally objectionable.  He could have, and has, kept his beliefs private - why is it important that he make that declaration?

And, we know that you express an opinion that is not supportive, you risk being labeled as bigoted or homophobic.  Just ask ESPN analyst Chris Broussard.  Here's what he said, and of course you know what the reaction might be:

Personally, I don't believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals, if you're openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that's a sin. If you're openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be, I believe that's walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ..."

And, he made a very strong statement about the fruit of someone claiming to be a believer in Christ:

"I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I do not think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian."

He has a point, even though I might not have gone there in that context.   I do appreciate how he not only singled out homosexual practice, but also other forms of sexual immorality which are taught against in Scripture.  And, he joined the ranks of Christians in the NBA to which he referred who disagree with the lifestyle - he said that they do not want to be called bigoted or intolerant, which of course he is being called and more.


The Manhattan Declaration Facebook page gave this statement:

ESPN basketball analyst Chris Broussard was asked about Jason Collins' faith claims following his revelation that he is gay. Broussard, a man of faith and conviction, shared what the Bible says with patience and humility. As you can imagine, he's being attacked viciously for his views. Join me in sending a note to Chris thanking him for his courage!

Be aware - here's the agenda - if you believe homosexuality is a sin, you will certainly face criticism from those who do not agree with you.  Your right to disagree is no longer honored.   Jason Collins wants to start a conversation, but if you don't agree with him and those who support his decision to "come out", calling it "courageous", then there are those who think you need to keep your opinions to yourself.   Dan Cathy has experienced that, but that didn't keep him from developing a friendship with someone whose lifestyle he disagreed with.   And, thousands across America stood with him and Chick-Fil-A on the subject of gay marriage.

Interesting that Tim Tebow's dismissal from the NFL happened on the same day - Collins replace Tim as the top sports story; however, Tebow was trending #1 overall on Google this morning.   He has experienced being severely chastised for aligning himself with a church that teaches the traditional, mainstream Biblical view on sexuality.    Greg Laurie, renowned and respected pastor and honorary chair of the National Day of Prayer this year, is facing criticism as being "anti-gay" because of his embracing of the Biblical view of homosexuality - and there are those who want to remove him from his leadership position, including participation in a Pentagon prayer breakfast. 

And, we continue to be on the receiving end of an intentional effort to force beliefs on culture that run contrary to the teachings of the Bible.   Even though the Boy Scouts do not ask what a potential member's sexual orientation is, those pushing for the Scouts to admit openly gay members - and even leaders - would like the practice of homosexuality to be open within the ranks of Scouting.   So, it's not a private matter, as some would contend - there are people who want to force you to accept it.   So who's really being tolerant here?

What's a Christian to do?   Well, I do believe that we stand with and support those who express a Biblical opinion in the public square.  

And, we continue to embrace Biblical truth on matters of sexuality.   We have to be clear that this behavior is Scripturally unacceptable, but we also have to do so in a manner that wins and does not repel.   We can start and engage in conversations and realize that in the course of dialogue, we can speak truth - in love.   And, we live our lives in a manner that draws everyone to Jesus.

Who Are the "Missing Persons"?

In Matthew 22, Jesus told a parable about a great wedding feast, a tremendous banquet:
2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. We're told he sent other servants, and they were rejected and their lives were taken.      8 Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' And, there were many brought to the banquet, but those without the right garments were thrown out.   We've been invited to Christ's table, to His wedding feast, and the price of admission, sort of speak, is your life - the right garments involve being clothed with or in Christ.   Chuck Colson spoke of a great banquet, and we're reminded that the church should be inviting to all to come to Him.   No person is beyond the touch of God - every person is a candidate for the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.   Each heart has the potential to be changed. 

Revelation 19 describes what is called the "marriage supper of the Lamb", and those who are invited are there because of their decision to follow Christ - not because of appearance, social status, or other outward expressions, but because of a change of heart:
(6) I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."

A new initiative from In Touch Ministries has a pretty cool name and an excellent premise.   The ministry announced:

This month we kick off The Missing Persons Project, an ongoing series of special reports about the people missing from our local church bodies—men, women, and children who are necessary to the health of our congregations but often go overlooked...

There are 5 areas of people who are being concentrated upon:  the disabled, widows and orphans, prisoners, the needy, and searchers.   In the first installment on the InTouch.org website, the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 is highlighted, where you have two men:  the rich man, who chose not to see Lazarus as a brother or fellow human being, and who was compensated with torment for his sumptuous lifestyle and overwhelming apathy.   Lazarus was finally comforted in God’s everlasting kingdom.  The piece says that the MacArthur Bible Commentary gives us 
a way to interpret this passage—that “Lazarus was given a place of high honor, reclining next to Abraham at the heavenly banquet.” 

That banquet is described in Revelation 19, also known as the marriage supper of the Lamb, and there will be all kinds of people at 
that marriage feast—men and women, rich and poor, prisoners, those who endured
 a lifetime of illness, others who labored to spread the gospel, and folks just like Lazarus.

The ministry states that:

What we’re faced with is an image that stands in stark contrast to the way our present world often works—including our churches. It’s time for a difficult question: What compels a Christian to see a fellow human being as unnecessary to the body of Christ? What makes him treat someone like a project—or worse, causes him to ignore his neighbor altogether? To be human is to see and be seen; to hear and be heard; to love and be loved. See, hear, love. This is the Christian’s anthem, in both theory and practice. We are charged to see, hear, and love our neighbor as we ourselves are seen, heard, and loved by God.

We are encouraged to reach out to these "missing persons" who are sometimes not recognized and esteemed.  God has placed people in our lives, and we have to be sensitized to their needs, then mobilized individually and collectively to reach out in the name of Jesus and display His love.  Who is the "Lazarus" that we may encounter today?   Who can we invite to the wedding supper of the Lamb, where all are accepted, not because of social status or physical appearance, but because of the presence of Jesus Christ?

Post-Christian, But With Hope

Colossians chapter 1 describes our identity in Christ:
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-- 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard...The era in which we live has been described as "post-Christian", and it's confirmed research that shows the significant numbers of people who are religiously unaffiliated.  But just because someone is not involved in organized religion or claims no faith at all doesn't mean he or she is not searching for meaning in life, perhaps looking for or sensitized to spiritual truth.   So, even though there are signs all around us of a departure from the ways of Christ, the Bible is a book that contains hope, and our lives are vessels through which hope can be displayed.   If someone hasn't found the answers or peace they're looking for, that gives us wonderful opportunities to relate the love and life of Jesus to them.

In 2nd Corinthians 5, we can get some insight about our job description as believers:
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again...      18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

We are hearing the phrase "religiously unaffiliated" or the "nones" as we process some of the data about today's culture.   The Barna Group has actually identified 15 characteristics, or metrics, of so-called "post-Christian" culture.   Allow me to quickly go down the list:
1. do not believe in God
2. identify as atheist or agnostic
3. disagree that faith is important in their lives
4. have not prayed to God (in the last year)
5. have never made a commitment to Jesus
6. disagree the Bible is accurate
7. have not donated money to a church (in the last year)
8. have not attended a Christian church (in the last year)
9. agree that Jesus committed sins
10. do not feel a responsibility to “share their faith”
11. have not read the Bible (in the last week)
12. have not volunteered at church (in the last week)
13. have not attended Sunday school (in the last week)
14. have not attended religious small group (in the last week)
15. do not participate in a house church (in the last year)

People can be identified as post-Christian if they meet at least 60%, or 9 out of the 15 factors.  Someone is described as "highly post-Christian" if he or she meets at least 80%, or 12 out of 15.

The coverage on the Christianity Today website states that 37 percent of American adults qualify as post-Christian, with roughly 1 in 4 of such adults qualifying as highly post-Christian. Not surprisingly, it found that Mosaics are more likely to qualify as post-Christian than Boomers or Seniors.  48% of Mosaics - ages 18 to 28 - would be considered to be post-Christian.

Among those 15 measures, Barna found that:
57% have not read the Bible in the last week.
47% do not feel a responsibility to share their faith.
33% have not attended a Christian church in the past year.
27% have never made a commitment to Jesus.
18% have not prayed to God in the last week.
13% disagree that faith is important to their lives.

These are amazing, and in some respects, alarming statistics, reinforcing what we already have heard, but also challenging us to think more deeply about reaching our culture with the truth of the gospel.   This explains a lot - belief determines behavior, and some of the disturbing cultural trends can be directly traced to the faith perspective of people in our society.

But, even though we find these measures that point to a post-Christian culture, it doesn't mean that we are beyond hope.   We can never think that people are beyond changing - Jesus Christ can truly transform a heart - He is the One who can change us.   As we enter into that saving knowledge of Christ, experience His regeneration and develop a hunger for His Word, then He will shape our thinking, which results in transformed behavior.   More heart change means a culture that is more in conformity to the principles of Scripture and the presence of Christ.   We are not beyond hope - it does place a great responsibility on each of us to shine and share the love of Jesus, so that He can touch people through us.

A Library, a Legacy, and Decisions That Last

In Psalm 145, the author lays it out well that we are testifying to God's greatness in our lives for generations to come:
2 Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.

In the process of spiritual duplication, or discipleship, as we talked about on The Meeting House, yesterday, we realize that we are not in it merely for ourselves - God desires that we make a deposit in the lives of other people, telling His story of His faithfulness in our lives, and being prepared to share Christ's love with those who desperately need to hear it and to experience a touch of God's presence in their lives.   We are the ones who can bring answers, who can minister healing, who can radiate hope - and we could be used of God to bring lasting change into the life of another.

Psalm 78 provides a reminder for us that we are making a deposit for generations to come by the decisions we make:
5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; 6 That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, 7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments;

Today is the day of the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in the Dallas area.  3 of his predecessors and current President Obama will be in attendance.   It's the second largest Presidential library, exceeded only by the Reagan facility in California.

And, as the Los Angeles Times puts it:  "Dedicating a new presidential library is a chance for the ex-president and his supporters to cast him in the most favorable light, and for the news media to reassess his record."  And, not everyone is exactly enthused - the article quoted Benjamin Hufbauer of the University of Louisville as saying, that the new library will in effect be "a huge, glitzy, glamorous museum of spin. A giant campaign commercial in museum form."   And, indeed visitors will have the chance to view the information that contributed to the former President's decisions, have a chance to make their own decision, and see the President's rationale.  Mark Updegrove, director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin, is quoted by WORLD as saying, “Bush wants people to know the kind of decisions he had to make in the course of his presidency and give [a rationale] for why he made those decisions."

In his 2010 memoir, Bush wrote that it was "too early to say how most of my decisions will turn out." But he noted that the verdict of history had changed for the better for previous presidents.

Still, the legacy of Bush 43 is essentially "in the red", according to polling data.  An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll this month found that 35% of Americans viewed Bush positively and 44% unfavorably (a new ABC News-Washington Post poll on his performance as president showed a smaller net negative assessment, with 47% positive to 50% negative).

Yesterday on The Meeting House, we dealt with such issues as spiritual duplication, ministering to the millennial generation, and teaching spiritual truth to our children during family mealtimes.   These are all related in the sense that we are talking about making a deposit into the lives of future generations - leaving a legacy, if you will (thank you, Crawford Loritts).     So, there is some degree of permanence to what we do, how we react and respond.   So, the challenge is to process information well, get good, true information, carefully seek God in prayer, and realize that we are not just living for ourselves - the decisions we make today could affect the course of our lives, and could also affect people around us.

So, many will celebrate George W. Bush in the days to come - he had 8 years in the world's most powerful office and was governor of one of the largest states before that.   He has made a stamp on the timetable of history.   But, through your decisions, you have a chance to shape history, as well.   That realization can challenge us to make sure that we are acting consistently with God's Word.

The Power of Suggestion & Walking in Truth

2nd Corinthians chapter 10 contains some powerful principles for training our minds to think Godly:
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

The enemy, through deception and the power of negative suggestion, can hold us in bondage and cloud our thinking, keeping us walking in a position less than what Christ has called us to.  He doesn't want us to know that we have authority over the negative thoughts of fear, guilt, and shame that would entrap us and enslave us.  God wants to set us free, and if we are meditating on who we are in Christ and what He has given to us, and rely on His power and His presence with us daily, then we will experience the abundant life He has in store for us.  We can do that by rejecting the enemy's power of negative suggestion and take God at His Word, placing the Scriptures in our consciousness.

In 1st Peter 1, the author encourages us to be sober-minded, sharp and grounded in the principles of God's Word:
(13) gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

"I’ve heard you can find comfort in Jesus but you’ve found Jesus in Comfort!”  That's what one of Martin Andrews' co-workers said when he showed him a bizarre picture.  According to The Inquisitr, Martin claims to have seen Jesus when he accidentally spilled the fabric softener on his T-shirt.  He says that the image presumably shows Jesus with his arms outstretched.    Of course, you do have to turn the shirt upside down to really see this image.

I still have no idea what anyone would report on this.   Even the writer of the articles admits that Andrews' claim is weak, and notes that, "The power of suggestion helps the eye see the Son of God in the stain, but this writer wouldn’t immediately have identified the discolored blob as Jesus Christ."

If you just looked at a picture of the shirt, without any knowledge of Andrews' claim, I don't think that you would come to the same conclusion as Martin did.   But, I do think there is a predisposition here, as we find in the cases of these periodic reports of Jesus or pictures of Jesus appearing here, there, and everywhere.

We know that the power of suggestion can be very compelling, and can even govern the way we live our lives and respond to circumstances.   This is how fear and worry operate - we plant or receive a thought into our minds, it sounds legitimate, we embrace it, and eventually we are fraught with anxiety because of what could happen.   And, most of what we worry about never comes to pass. 

That power also works in the area of identity - if we allow guilt, shame, or pain to operate in our minds, and we allow bitterness or unforgiveness into our thinking, we will act in a manner that contradicts our true identity in Christ.

The power of suggestion can be strong for our good, as well.   If we are meditating on God's Word and allowing His Word and His ways to shape our thinking, then our lives are all the better for it - we get a greater sense of His presence, we recognize who He has made us to be, and we are able to repel destructive thoughts and pull down strongholds.   The mind is powerful, and the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy will attempt to lure us to make choices inconsistent with our solid position in Christ.   God desires for His principles to drive our thinking and the choices we make, so that we abide in Christ moment by moment.

Telling Stories and Recognizing Talent

In Romans chapter 12, Paul writes about using the gifts and talents that God has given to us in order to serve the body of Christ and to glorify God.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.


If you are a believer in Christ, God wants to use you to bring glory to His name.   You have a gift, there is something that you can do - sometimes it's consistent with something that you do seemingly naturally - what you were wired or shaped to do, maybe a pursuit you particularly enjoy.  And, I believe sometimes God will call us outside the box and give us the ability to do things supernaturally that perhaps we never thought we could do.   The key is finding our place - utilizing the tools and resources that God has blessed us with in order to do His work and fulfill our calling.

The apostle Paul encouraged young Timothy to use what God has given Him in order to testify to the Lord's greatness.   We read in 2nd Timothy 1:
(6) I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

I mentioned yesterday that I had been processing the TIME 100 of most influential people in the world.   I came across a unique name, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, a 34-year-old Nigerian actress described as "Africa's most renowned leading lady".

She has made 300 or so features.  She's married to an airline pilot, is a singer, star of a reality show,   mother of four and philanthropist, who founded the Omotola Youth Empowerment Programme.

And according to a profile on the ChannelsTV.com website, she is affiliated with the world’s most productive English-language film industry, also known as Nollywood.

"The teeming Nigerian cinema grinds out some 2,500 movies a year, mostly direct-to-DVD quickies mixing melodrama, music and an evangelical Christian spin. (Think Bollywood via Tyler Perry.)”

“Employing a million Nigerians, Nollywood enthralls millions more who come for the thrills, the uplift and the artful agitations of Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde — the Queen of Nollywood.”

Christianity Today highlighted Nollywood and refined the statistics in a 2009 story.  About 20 percent are Christian, according to Quoting Obidike Okafor, an arts and culture reporter at Nigerian newspaper Next, the article said about 20 percent of Nollywood films are Christian, while others champion Islam, animism and witchcraft, or simple morality.

The Christian-themed movies often aim at encouragement and evangelism more than sheer entertainment. Groups or churches often screen the films and follow them with discussions or an altar call.

"Nigerian movies are really watched," said Sunday Oguntola, religion reporter for Nigerian newspaper The Nation. "[People] like to watch stories. I rent an average of five movies every weekend to watch with my family."

Oguntola's Baptist church shows movies two or three times a month during the evening service. "People like to see life in movies," he said. "They can watch them for hours." Showing movies is usually more effective than preaching, and church leaders are capitalizing on that, he said.

The films are also a major part of witnessing in Nigeria, said Philip Jenkins, professor of history and religious studies at Pennsylvania State University. "This is particularly good where you're dealing with people who are technically literate but like to have their material packaged in a more interesting way," he said.

This phenomenon can highlight for us the power of story - and in the case of film, presented in a visual manner.   But, the dynamics of the American film industry are quite different than Nollywood - every now and then you'll see a film that presents a Christian message making its way into theaters.  The most recent example is Home Run, which has attracted some attention by doing 1.6 million dollars at the box office on under 400 screens - that's an average of over $4100 per screen, which exceeded 8 out of the top 10 movies in per-screen average.   But, those successes, as we know, are few and far between.   And, I'm thankful for companies like Pure Flix and Echolight that are regularly making faith-based films that become available on DVD and streaming services.

The titans of Christian films have decided they want to change the trajectory and empower more Christian filmmakers to do high-quality Christian films.   

Alex Kendrick, who along with his brother Stephen have produced films such as "Fireproof" and "Courageous" told Baptist Press that, "We have such a burden to help the next generation do this from a biblical perspective...We've got to reproduce ourselves and duplicate ourselves, and we think this is the way to do it."

One key reason they are going in a new direction, the brothers say, is because there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Christian film students looking for direction in how to make faith-based films.

In a statement released this month on Kendrickbrothers.com, the Kendricks stated, "God has been clearly speaking to us through His Word, in prayer, and through the counsel of our pastor and other Godly men. This decision has come out of a faith-step of obedience to God's leading. We see the wisdom of the Lord's timing in all of this."

And, they are taking this step with the blessing of Pastor Michael Catt and the Sherwood Baptist Church family in Albany.  Alex says, "We do not desire to leave Sherwood at all...The pastor and volunteers at Sherwood have been incredible. They've served, prayed, and sacrificed to make these movies happen. But when we finished making each movie, all these volunteers would have to go back to their day jobs. So we were not duplicating ourselves."

The power of influence, I think, does involve duplication.   Jesus had his 12 disciples, Paul had those that followed and ministered with him, and in young Timothy, we see someone that the apostle Paul mentored and poured his life into - facilitating a sense of duplication.    

It has been said that leaders develop a good succession plan.   It's important to evaluate what each of us is placing into the next generation.   That applies to parents, it is relevant for the workplace, and it's highly important for churches and ministries.   It's important to take the gifts we have and the skills we've developed and teach others.

 

The TIME 100 and Our Time to Influence

In 1st Thessalonians 1, the apostle Paul commended the people of Thessalonica for their faithfulness and their influence:
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,    6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.

We are not placed here merely to exist, to be a place holder in the human population statistics.  God is not looking for someone to say, "here", and not make an impact in some way.  He desires for everyone to come into a saving knowledge of Christ, to develop a relationship with Him, and then to follow Him wholeheartedly, allowing the life of Jesus that resides in our hearts to flow to the people whom we meet and interact.   He has given us each the capacity for influence - influence to touch the world with the love of God, so that people would be drawn to Him.

We see some of the keys to influence in a passage of Scripture in Philippians chapter 2:
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

TIME Magazine has released its listing of the 100 most influential people in the world, and while there are a few names that you would expect to see, there are quite a few people that I know I have never heard of.

From the world of entertainment, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lawrence, and Justin Timberlake are there.   So are Daniel Day-Lewis and Beyonce.  Lebron James and Mario Ballotelli, Italian football star, and Chinese tennis champion Li Na make it from the sports world.   And, from the political realm, President Obama and First Lady Michelle are there, Vice-President Biden, Supreme Court justice Elena Kagan, and Senators Rand Paul and Tom Coburn make the cut, too.  So does Kate Middleton.  And Chris Christie.

I'm still processing information about those from the world of religion, but I do know Pope Francis is on the list.   So is the pastor of the largest Assemblies of God church in the nation - Wilfredo De Jesus, who is also called, "Choco".

De Jesus was featured in recent TIME cover story on the faith of Latinos.  Pastor De Jesus said, “I am honored to be named to TIME’s 100.  It’s a great privilege to be a voice not only for the Latino Christian community, but also for the poor and voiceless in our society...The Hispanic community in the U.S. is over 51 million strong. We’re people God has chosen to govern and to lead communities and cities with conviction, unapologetically. There are many great leaders in this community, and I am truly humbled by this recognition.”

He pastors New Life Covenant Ministries in Chicago, having grown up both in the church and surrounding neighborhood, which provides him a unique perspective on leading this dynamic and diverse congregation.

When De Jesús began pastoring the church in July 2000, it averaged 120 attendees per weekend. Today, New Life has 5,000 local members and 14,000 globally through church plants and boasts more than 130 ministries reaching the most destitute—the homeless, prostitutes, drug addicts and gang members. These multi-faceted development programs offer everything from food and clothing pantries to transitional shelters, residential recovery and job training programs; mobile soup kitchens for the homeless and shut-ins; gang and at-risk youth intervention; world missions and humanitarian relief; after-school tutoring and sports programming; mentoring and prison outreach; and human trafficking and immigration advocacy.

He shares his life and message in the book, Amazing Faith.

TIME Managing Editor Richard Stengel has said of the list in the past that the TIME 100 consists of, "People who are using their ideas, their visions, their actions to transform the world and have an effect on a multitude of people.”

So, here is one man who saw needs and began to walk in the Spirit to meet them - his actions are transforming the world.   But, you don't have to be a pastor or a politician, a scientist or a sage, to be a person of influence - I dare say it is a calling for all of us.   God has brought people into our lives on whom He intends for us to have an impact.   And, often, it takes place as we look beyond ourselves, focus on the needs of others, and realize that God wants to work through us.   

Gospel Truth in a Digital Age

In Isaiah 45, we can read a beautiful passage that points to Jesus our Savior and His desire to communicate His truth throughout the entire world:
(21) there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. 22 "Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. 23 I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. 24 He shall say, 'Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him.

And, we have essentially at our fingertips to ability to touch people all around the world - through our computers.  With Internet Evangelism Day approaching on Sunday, it gives us a chance to contemplate the tools that God has given to us. 

But, typing on a computer or sending a link or retweeting a message does not exempt us from sharing personally what God has done in our lives.   Each of us has a responsibility to display His character to the people with whom we connect, and I believe we are called to develop a mindset of readiness at all times to verbalize our relationship with Christ and be ready to present the powerful message of salvation through Him.

Romans 3 offers a passage that shows us our need for a Savior and the significance of His death and resurrection for us:
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus...

In 2005, a consortium of ministries began what is known as Internet Evangelism Day, giving Christians, churches, various ministries, and small groups the chance to set aside time to concentrate on how to communicate the message of Christ through the Internet and to help others to see the incredible outreach potential that is there.

NRB.com  reports that according to the latest figures from Internet World Stats, updated in June of 2012, over 2.4 billion people around the world have access to the Internet. Just four years ago, that figure was around 1.6 billion. At the end of 2000, the number of Internet users was only 360 million.

The website, internetevangelismday.com, has free resources, including short skits, effective strategies, and other tools and references designed to get people thinking about the subject of Internet evangelism.

The Christian Post relates information about a "Gospel Tweeting Contest" several years ago, sponsored by the Acts 29 Network, encouraging participants toexplain the gospel in 140 characters or less.

Here are some of the entries:

Jesus lived the life we couldn't live and died the death we should have died. Anyone who repents and believes in Jesus will be saved

God created, man corrupted, Christ redeems, reigns, and will come again.

God made man perfect, but man failed God and sinned. So God sent his Son to die for those sins and pay the debt we could never pay.

Jesus Saves Sinners. He takes our sin and we get His righteousness. We are now to follow Him and teach others what He teaches us.

Knowing our need, God became a man, seeking to die and rise again to save us from ourselves and give us new life to His glory.

I think this is a reminder that we have all sorts of methods to transmit the message, but we have to be so careful that our message is right.   These are examples of brief, Twitter-sized summaries of the gospel message - and we can be challenged to be able to share the essence of the gospel message; truth that is timeless and powerful and that does not change.  

It's so vital that we believe in the Lord Jesus, the Savior of the World.   And, that we are capable to share with others the meaning of the message - that sin has separated humanity from God and that we need a Savior, we cannot save ourselves.  And, the good news that we have a Savior!

And, God gives us plenty of ways to share that life-changing message, so that people can experience the life-giving Savior.  Internet Evangelism Day can be a motivating tool to hone our message and look for opportunities to share - digitally, and of course, personally.

The IE Day website has a variety of resources that you can use to share Christ.    Sometimes merely sharing a thought or content item can be effective.   The popular Internet memes that provide visual depictions of truth make a statement on Facebook or Pinterest.   Or, you can even blog and share what God is doing in your life.   The Billy Graham Association developed peacewithgod.net, which can provide answers to life's questions, and we have a link from our website at faithradio.org.   Global Media Outreach has a number of pages that are revealed in search engines in order to point people to truth.   Their website has some real-time statistics on how people are accessing their site www.globalmediaoutreach.com and many are being saved.    The most powerful message in the world can be communicated through an incredible number of online methods.

An Unlimted Source of Power

Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 12 about asking the Lord to remove what he described as a "thorn in the flesh".  God's response?
(9)"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

In the next chapter, he wrote that Christ is...
(3) is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.
4 For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.
We have access to an unlimited power source for our lives.  And, while we can be encouraged take steps to increase our level of physical energy, it is very important to increase our spiritual energy.   There are so many forces that enter our lives that can weigh us down, separating us from God, and rendering us unproductive in our Christian walk.   The Bible tells us in Hebrews to lay aside those weights and to run with endurance.   So, if you're tired in your spirit today, be encouraged - Jesus has an abundant supply of power - more than you need!
In Ephesians 1, the apostle Paul prayed that we might know...
(19) what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 
The CEO of a major computer manufacturer issued this statement recently:  “With nearly 10 billion devices connected to the internet and predictions for exponential growth, we’ve reached a point where the space, power, and cost demands of traditional technology are no longer sustainable." In touting a new server that is considerable more energy-efficient, this company tweeted out a statistic:  by 2016, cloud and web services providers will require the same energy as powering 2 million U.S. homes.

The advancement of technology has resulted in developers trying to craft more energy-efficient ways to deliver and transfer information, recognizing that the current trajectory is not sustainable. So, how much power do YOU need?  Has life taken its toll on you and you are feeling sapped, without a whole lot of strength?   This course is definitely unsustainable.   There are definitely things you can do physically to produce energy - the right foods, a routine that is centered on rest and margin, and taking good care of your body.

And, there is the concept of internal energy, recognizing that we have factors that will weigh down our spirit, burdens that we were never intended to carry, that place us on a path that is unsustainable.

Thank God, we do have a source of unlimited power - if only we would tap into it, or...Him. We access and release God's power as we seek to abide in Christ.   We talked about peace yesterday, which is, in its own way, a power trigger for us.   Because fear and anxiety do diminish our spiritual energy levels - we counter them by careful meditation on God's Word and taking the right steps not to give in to them.

Sin is the ultimate power robber - if we submit to the power of indwelling sin, we inhibit the release of God's power in and through us.   When we sin, when we miss the mark, it shows we are not appropriating what God has made available to help us overcome temptation.  

We have an unlimited supply of power, or vast treasures of spiritual energy in Christ - but, we have to consciously decide to utilize what God has given.   When we are feeling weak, we can ask God for a fresh supply of that Holy Spirit power.   And, as the apostle Paul wrote, when we are weak, He is strong (and that weakness should be a position we hold at all times - recognizing our human frailty).

A Letter Full of Lessons

In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5, Jesus taught about extreme faith - going the extra mile, even to the extent of loving our enemies:
41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. 43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Even in an age where the word, "extreme" has come to have negative connotations, the Bible really does teach that we should have a posture of being "extreme", "radical", or "passionate" about the things of God.   Christianity is not a "just enough" religion or belief system - practicing Christianity involves dying to self daily, surrendering totally to the will of God, resisting temptation, and making a commitment to allow the life of Christ to flow through us and control us.   That's the life God wants for each of us - a life of adventure, of love, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, a life that is markedly contrasted to the world.
In Luke chapter 9, we find Jesus teaching His disciples about devotion to Him and a willingness to lay down our lives for Him:
23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

Today marks the 50th Anniversary of a letter that was written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from a jail in Birmingham.   The recipients of the letter, interestingly enough, were not law enforcement officials or fellow civil rights leaders.   No, the recipients were members of the clergy who were hesitant to embrace the methods that King and his supporters were using.  It is said that they favored the struggle for equality to take place in the courts, rather than the non-violent protests that were taking place in Birmingham at that time.  

And, around the globe today, readings have been taking place of this famed letter.   Perhaps the most famous line in the letter is,  "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

In attempting to renounce the "extremist" label that had been placed upon him, he wrote:

Was not Jesus an extremist for love: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Was not Martin Luther an extremist: "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God." And John Bunyan: "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience." And Abraham Lincoln: "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." And Thomas Jefferson: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal . . ." So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime--the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists. 

Of course, in today's climate, to be called an "extremist" is something you don't want.   Even in the aftermath of the tragedy in Boston, CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer speculated about it being the work of "right-wing extremists".  In light of evangelicals being singled out by some as "extreme", with a negative connotation, it's important that we do not allow our passion to be tempered by fear of being labeled in a negative manner.

In our passion for Christ, we will sometimes see our that our actions will be diametrically opposed to the world.  There will be times when we are called to take bold stands, and there will be consequences which God will give us the grace to endure - consequences for attempting to do good, to stand for what is just and right.

That may just be the legacy of someone who was awarded a doctorate by Samford University in 2001 as a tribute for having done the right thing and facing the consequences that came with it.   He was one of the ministers on the so-called "Reconciliation Committee" to which the letter from the Birmingham Jail was addressed, the pastor of First Baptist Birmingham - Earl Stallings, who was actually praised by Dr. King for allowing blacks to attend worship services at his church.  One of the attendees was former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young.

In the collection at Carson-Newman College in Tennessee, Stallings' alma mater, in the ensuing weeks from the pulpit, according to the book, Blessed Are the Peacemakers by S. Jonathan Bass, Stallings boldly "transcended the confines of the basic salvation message and encouraged churchgoers to make a deeper spiritual commitment to justice, brotherhood, and equality."

According to the New York Times, Stallings' stand resulted in antagonism from both civil rights activists and the partisans of segregation, an issue that split the First Baptist congregation after he departed 2 years later.   

He came to my hometown to became pastor of the First Baptist Church of Marietta, Ga., where he remained for 11 years.  About 4 years after he came to Georgia, he baptized me.   So, this letter has a personal connection for me.  

So, on this 50th Anniversary of Dr. King's letter from jail, I think we can ask ourselves about what it would take for us to answer the call and be "creative extremists" - not in the stereotypical, negative sense, but in a positive manner, boldly and passionately pursuing the cause of Christ, not given to compromise or stuck in the mushy middle, but allowing God to give us the motivation to uphold His truth, no matter what the cost.  As Dr. King asked in the letter, "Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice?"   Will we, like Jesus, be was "an extremist for love, truth and goodness"?

Players, Peace, and Purpose

The Bible promises us a peace that passes all understanding, a peace in which we can abide.   And, we access that abiding peace by setting our minds on the things of the Spirit, according to Romans 8:
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. So, there it is - the promise of the Scripture:  if we are walking in the Spirit, we can know the life of Christ and the peace of God.  If we abide in His peace, we can reflect the character of Christ - our minds are at rest, and we can think clearly.   We don't respond in anger or frustration, but we walk through life with a sense of God's presence with us.   It's a challenge to cut through the messages and circumstances that can cause our peace level to decline, but once we get locked in on God's frequency and acknowledge that He is with us, as we meditate on His Word, He will make Himself very real to us and we can experience that supernatural peace.

In John 16, Jesus was teaching His disciples more about Himself:
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." He had told them in John 14: Let not your heart be troubled.There is much in this world that can trouble our hearts - everyday anxiety, the fear of certain things coming to pass - and even though the majority of things we worry about never come to pass, we insist in our frail humanity on getting worked up about them.   God is calling us to abide in Christ, to come away, to retrain our minds to think upon Him and meditate on His Word.   If we do that and resist the temptation to get caught up in worry and anxiety, we can experience more of the abundant life that He has promised.

Philippians 4 reminds us about the promise of the peace of God, in which we can walk:
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Austrailian Adam Scott is your new Masters champion - believe it or not, the first person from Austrailia to win the coveted green jacket.   Greg Norman came close several times, and so has Adam, and he confidently made the birdie putt on the final playoff hole to defeat Angel Cabrera.

After consulting with his caddy about the break in the green, Scott tapped it in the cup and made history.

Bubba Watson made history, too - last year, he won the Masters; this year he made a 10 on a par-3 hole.  But he's not angry.   Yahoo! Sports quotes him as saying:  "If you're not going to win, you've got to get in the record books somehow...So I'm a guy that got a double-digit score on a par-three."

ESPN reports that Watson said:
"I was playing Sunday, so no matter what place I finished I was going to get a paycheck, so I'll be able to eat this week, and then you've got to look back at no matter what, unless I make them mad, I'm coming back for the rest of my life, I'll be here and I'll have a green jacket sitting in the locker room," he said. "You can't get mad at the situation."

It may have been different for Bubba a few years ago.  Here's a piece of a Golf Digest story:

"The Lord couldn't care less whether I win or lose," Bubba Watson said in August, in the collected version of the voice that cracked in April when he thanked his "Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" after putting on a green jacket. "What matters to Him is how I play the game. Obviously a few years ago I was struggling with that. I was really angry on the golf course, and I've changed a lot, changed who I am as a person."

That's a testimony to the presence of Christ - the expression of the peace of God, a sense of higher purpose.   Michael Thompson is a former University of Alabama golfer who played in his first Masters and spoke at the FCA's Augusta Golf Breakfast.   His comments are recorded in the Augusta Chronicle:

“If I played well, I was happy. If I didn’t, I was miserable to be around,” he said early Tuesday morning to a crowded gymnasium at Warren Baptist Church in Augusta.

A friend suggested that perhaps God have him a talent for golf for a reason. It changed everything...

“God gave me this gift of golf,” Thompson said. “My purpose - and what I have to do because he gave me this gift - is to go out and work as hard as I possibly can, go out and enjoy every minute on the course, and run the race.”

For these guys, and so many others, it's about peace - and purpose.   Jeff Cranford of the ministry Links Players International says, "When a player gives credit to Jesus, it's for substantively changing his heart and making him a different person. Which can have psychological and physiological implications. When you realize golf isn't the most important thing in your life, it can free you up to play better."

In the activities of this life, it's so important to appropriate the peace of God.   We can do that when we refuse to get caught up in the pressures and struggles of everyday life and relinquish control to the Lord, whom we recognize has a purpose for us.   And, peace can be present regardless of our performance - our success or failure.  It's a great mindset for each of us - to seek to abide in His peace, no matter what.

Visible Reminders of the Holy

In 2nd Corinthians 6, the apostle Paul outlines some of the challenges he faced in ministry, and reinforces the hope that love, God's love, will ultimately win the day:
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses...And, after listing some of the struggles he faced, he wrote:   11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open wide your hearts also. Here, Paul talks about opening wide our hearts and not withholding affection, even to those who do not treat us kindly.   And, that is our posture as a Christian, even when we encounter people who are hostile to our message or to us personally - we have to believe that the love of God will win the day.  The radiant display of the nature of Christ in us, the hope of glory, can overcome a great deal of animosity or tension that we encounter.1st Peter chapter 4 gives us a glimpse into the potential that our expression of the love of Christ can have.(7b) Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

It's been a troubling week concerning the treatment of people of faith in some sectors of our military, and people are beginning to question the religious freedom of our men and women in the Armed Forces.  The story concerning an Army training presentation concerning negative references to faith groups such as evangelical Christians and Catholics has continued to grow legs, and now we have the report by Todd Starnes of Fox News about an e-mail that a high-ranking Army official sent to some of his subordinates that identifies groups such as the Family Research Council and American Family Association as groups that “that do not share our Army Values...When we see behaviors that are inconsistent with Army Values – don’t just walk by – do the right thing and address the concern before it becomes a problem.”

Tony Perkins, President of FRC, is quoted as saying:
“It’s very disturbing to see where the Obama Administration is taking the military and using it as a laboratory for social experimentation  — and also as an instrument to fundamentally change the culture...The message is very clear – if you are a Christian who believes in the Bible, who believes in transcendent truth, there is no place for you in the military.”

The Army denied there is any attack on Christians or those who hold religious beliefs.

“The notion that the Army is taking an anti-religion or anti-Christian stance is contrary to any of our policies, doctrines and regulations,” said George Wright, Army spokesman at the Pentagon. “Any belief that the Army is out to label religious groups in a negative manner is without warrant.”

Ron Crews, executive director of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, said that, "We’re concerned that this is more than an isolated incident...We’d like answers. Is there a policy in the military concerning people of faith?”

Dr. David Jeremiah of Turning Point, whose church, Shadow Mountain Community Church, ministers to a number of military families, was quite direct:  “There are so many good and godly people in the military who would be appalled to think that their leaders would be saying things like this...The attempt on the part of the social engineers of our day to secularize our culture is in full swing. Everything they can do to remove God, the Bible and morality from the marketplace is being done – not subtly but overtly.”

And, this story broke during the same week when the President honored a military chaplain, who demonstrated the true role of people of faith within the armed forces, bestowing the Medal of Honor posthumously to former Army Chaplain Emil Kapaun, a Korean War officer who is better remembered for his humility and kindness in prison camps than for his role in combat.  According to the Los Angeles Times, the President noted that “Father Kapaun has been called a shepherd in combat boots.”

Kapaun died in a North Korean prison camp 62 years ago. A handful of Korean War veterans who had championed Kapaun for the medal for some six decades attended the ceremony.

 

Obama awarded Kapaun the medal for his acts during a battle with Chinese forces in Unsan, North Korea, in November 1950.  A Navy Lt. Commander and military aide to the President read the account:

“When Chinese communist forces viciously attacked friendly elements, Chaplain Kapaun calmly walked through withering enemy fire in order to provide comfort and medical aid to his comrades."

 

Kapaun also negotiated with a wounded Chinese commander to save the lives of a group of trapped U.S. soldiers, who became prisoners. And he pushed aside a Chinese soldier who was about to shoot an American, according to the citation.

 

Many of the veterans who served with Kapaun have said he saved more lives in the prison camps than in that day’s battle, stealing food and firewood for them in sub-zero temperatures.

 

Obama called Kapaun “an American soldier who didn’t fire a gun, but who wielded the mightiest weapon of all: a love for his brothers so pure that he was willing to die so that they might live.”

 

I appreciate the work of our military chaplains, who are called to be visible reminders of the Holy.   And, there are many Christians who serve in our Armed Forces that rise each day to meet the challenges of displaying Christian character in their service to their country - it's very, very admirable.  That's really a challenge for all of us - to live the Christian life, to be a visible reminder of the Holy - the Holy One, our Lord Jesus Christ, even though there will be those who will mischaracterize us or misunderstand our motives, those that would want to silence us or ridicule us for our devotion to Christ.   But, the power of compassion, the character of Christ, and the spiritual resources that we have can sustain us in the tough times and perhaps even win over those who would stand against us.

Entering Into God's Rest

In our setting of spiritual priorities, it's important that our schedules have some margin, so that we can experience renewal and refreshment.  Hebrews 4 speaks of a Sabbath-rest:
9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.  How we spend our time reflects what's important to us - yes, even when sometimes our daily agendas seem out of control, some careful planning can help bring balance to our lives, including a sense of rest amidst activity and renewal even in the middle of the daily grind.   If you study and think about the Biblical concept of rest, you find that God knows how our minds, bodies, and spirits work best, and He will bring His divine order to our lives, ordering our steps and teaching us what is important in our service to Him.

In Matthew chapter 11, the Lord Jesus issues His invitation to come before Him and enjoy peace and rest for our hearts:
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

A recent piece that you can find on the website of the Association of Religion Data Archives relates declining church attendance in some congregation to participation in youth sports.

In a study of 16 declining congregations in the U.S. and Canada, the reason most cited by clergy and members for falling attendance was the secularization of Sunday, with many identifying children’s sports as most responsible. Researcher Stephen McMullin of Acadia Divinity College in Nova Scotia reported the findings in the current issue of the Review of Religious Research.

“(Parents) will make sure Johnny goes to sports, but when it comes to church, I’ve just seen it over and over again, and even in our own congregation, the families that have children in sport will sacrifice church for the sake of their son or daughter’s sports program, so sports is another huge reason why our church is declining,” one pastor said.

Researcher and pastor Rev. Stephen Fichter surveyed 341 Catholics in one congregation who reported attending only on Easter and Christmas. He said he thought many people would cite disagreement with church teachings or negative experiences. But only 7 percent of respondents gave either of those reasons.

More than two-thirds said the reason they attend only twice a year was that they were too busy with other commitments. Sixteen percent admitted they were lazy. Fichter reported the findings at the joint annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and the Religious Research Association.

Churches are trying to meet this challenge that has emerged with the so-called "sports culture". 
Research has shown congregations that offer multiple opportunities for members to participate in church life are more likely to experience growth.

 Offering sports programs “is a point of entry,” said David Roozen, director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. “Often the biggest competition is for young families with kids.”

Some 36 percent of congregations in the 2010 Faith Communities Today survey, including more than four in 10 evangelical Protestant congregations, reported at least some emphasis on team sports, fitness activities and exercise classes.

More than two-thirds of congregations who said sports and fitness programs were a specialty of the congregation reported more than a 10 percent growth in attendance from 2000 to 2010. In contrast, only a third of churches with no athletic programs reported such growth.

So, we do see churches adapting to cultural trends, making activities and worship services accessible when there are scheduling conflicts.   It's a fact of life - and while many Christians attempt to revere Sunday, regarding it as the Sabbath and purpose to follow the 4th Commandment, other demands seem to make it less plausible.

I do believe one of the components of spiritual health is having time to renew and recharge before the Lord.  And, if our hectic schedules prevent us from spending time in the presence of God, then perhaps we have to allow Him to restructure our spiritual priorities and to help us develop a schedule to reflect those priorities.   Devotion to Him and time with God are essential elements to living a life that pleases Him - we can break the cycle of overcommitment by allowing Christ to set our agendas and to structure our lives.   And, I believe that we can incorporate recreation, but not at the expense of spiritual rest.

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood...

In 1st Peter chapter 3, the writer hits on a theme based, I believe, on his own experience in being chastised for the sake of the gospel.   He developed an attitude reflective of the character of Christ:
(14) even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." 15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

There will be times in our lives when we are mischaracterized or misunderstood.   And, we can be so consumed with setting the record straight, getting even, or winning the argument, that we fail to reflect the character of Christ.   I believe this passage addresses not only content, but tone - we are called to be prepared, possessing a quiet confidence rooted in Christ.   We are also instructed to be gentle and respectful - two components of civility that are in short supply, it seems.   Self-justification is certainly not the goal - it's bringing honor to Christ by the way we respond when we are accused, criticized, or confronted.

Romans chapter 12 concludes with a section of solid life principles that help to illustrate for us the way of God's love...here's a portion:
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

Some things in life are just not worth getting upset over.   That's a message we can take away from an Internet hoax that has recently been perpetrated on the pastor of the largest church in America.

The Christian Post reports that on Monday of this week, a "special announcement" appeared on a website that had lifted the look of the genuine article,  presumably quoting that Houston's Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen.  It said:

"I have one, simple response: I have come to realize my followers have begun to deify me and listen to me, and not God. This, among other reasons, led me down a path of awakening."

The website also features this statement:
"I believe now that the Bible is a fallible, flawed, highly inconsistent history book that has been altered hundreds of times. There is zero evidence the Bible is the holy word of God. In fact, there is zero evidence 'God' even exists."

Included was a link to Christian news websites that ran with the story – all an elaborate hoax.

The pastor's reaction?   The Post reports that Osteen told ABC News that:  "You know, I'm really not angry. I don't feel like a victim."  He even said that he found the hoax mildly amusing, and that,"I feel too blessed, that life is too short to let things like this get you down."

So what would you do if someone took to the Internet and spread false rumors about you?    Or what do you do when you are aware that people have told untruthful and perhaps even unkind stories, maybe even making erroneous inferences about your character?   For me personally, it is upsetting to be mischaracterized.   And, if we respond by becoming bitter or vengeful, or taking great lengths to justify ourselves, that inner struggle can become overwhelming, and damaging to us spiritually.

Because we are human, people will do and say hurtful things to us or about us.   And, we have to be careful that we are not mischaracterizing other people, engaging in gossip and slander.  If we become so defensive that we are consumed with setting the record straight, it can inhibit us from moving forward.   Sometimes we just have to get before the Lord, get a fresh endowment of His strength and live our lives in a joyful and compassionate way, which can sometimes blunt the criticism we face.   And, there may - or may not - be an opportunity for justification.

And, the Bible clearly teaches that we will be reviled for the name of Christ.  So, there may be criticism that comes with the territory, especially in this culture.   But, we have powerful resources in Christ that will enable us to live peaceful lives that reflect His character - if we're looking upward and forward and seeking to be His ambassadors, then there is the possibility that people will, as the Scriptures say, see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven - and that's the endgame, even when we face mischaracterization and misunderstanding.