Pastors Laboring Under the Radar

I am thankful that God has spoken to us through His Word - He's given us the Bible, and He speaks to our hearts and brings understanding and wisdom by His Spirit based on the Scriptures.   Not only that, He has anointed pastors and teachers to speak His principles to us.  There is a promise in Jeremiah 3 that says:
15 And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

On Faith Radio, we feature a lineup of strong Bible teachers who can help us grow spiritually.  Our desire is to help strengthen the local church, where we have been given pastors and teachers to proclaim God's truth, and I think it's so critical that we keep them in our prayers and affirm them in the difficult work that the Lord has called them to do.   Often, our spiritual leaders are expected to do an abundance of tasks and live perfect lives - but the truth is that they are human, men and women that God has chosen to empower and use in His service.  So, they need our prayers and our support - we should respect them and recognize that they have been given an enormous responsibility for the care of souls.   Thank the Lord for your pastor!

In 1st Thessalonians 5, we see some insight into how we are to treat those who serve in spiritual leadership over us:
12And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,13and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

I believe that some of the most unheralded servants and workers on the face of the earth are our pastors.   In a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, just 37% of Americans surveyed think the clergy make a big contribution to society, about the same as in 2009. Regular churchgoers tend to be more positive about ministers, priests and other clergy members. But even among adults who say they attend religious services at least once a week, only about half (52%) rate clergy in general as contributing “a lot” to society, while 29% say the clergy make “some” contribution, and 11% say the clergy contribute “not very much” or “nothing at all.” The occupations on the top of the list of 10 occupational groups? The military, followed closely by teachers, medical doctors, scientists and engineers. A solid majority of the public says each of those occupations contributes a lot to society. Ranking lower than the clergy are artists, journalists, business execs, and lawyers.

In a 2012 Gallup survey, respondents were asked to evaluate the honesty and ethical standards of a variety of professions. Nurses were at the top, with 85%, followed by pharmacists at 75%. The clergy was in the middle of the pack at 52%.

And, a new program on the Oxygen cable channel probably won't do a whole lot for the perception of preachers.   This new show, "Preachers of L.A." promises to feature fast cars, lavish mansions in swanky neighborhoods, and the otherwise prosperous lifestyles of six megachurch pastors that are featured in a trailer for the reality show, according to The Christian Post.   And, Craig Parshall of National Religious Broadcasters is concerned: "Preachers of L.A. will just add more fury to the consistent cry for an anti-clergy crackdown in Washington and more bricks to the infamous 'wall of separation' of Church and State."

The perception of those who serve in spiritual leadership, I think, is skewed for a number of reasons:   I think there have been the instances of clergy behaving badly, who undergo moral failure.   And, perhaps we need to pause and reflect on just how much our pastors do and the pressure that they are under.   Not only are they called to speak the Word of God, to proclaim God's truth, but they are involved in helping congregation members find their way personally.  They are charged with providing leadership to the staff and the attendees - there is some degree of administration involved, and for the smaller church, a pastor will perhaps get involved in a greater scope of administrative duties.   And, they are on call 24/7, essentially.

Often, a pastor and many staff members are called to be spiritual super men and women, and the toll can be enormous.  The Barnabas Ministries website quotes Charles Stone as saying that, "Clergy health is the issue at the beginning of the 21stcentury. If we in leadership can model healthy physical, emotional, and spiritual formation – Jesus wins, his church wins, his followers win, and we live abundantly in his joy."

Consider these statistics from Barnabas Ministries:

90% of all pastors feel inadequately trained to meet the demands of the job.

In 2009, Focus on the Family surveyed over 2000 ministers and discovered that almost 24% have faced a forced termination.

42% of full time pastors work between 50 – 59 hours a week.

45% of pastors have said that they have fallen prey to depression or burnout such that they needed to step away from ministry roles for a leave of absence.

Dr. Richard Blackmon, a Southern California psychologist, has found pastors to be “the single most occupationally frustrated group in America” and that “roughly 30-40% of religious leaders eventually drop out of ministry.

Perhaps when we recognize the modern role of the pastor and staff members in our churches, we can look at them through a new set of eyes.  And, all of us can help contribute to our pastors' success in the ministry. First of all, we can be in prayer - consistently - for our church leaders.   Pray for God to use them and for them to stay focused on His direction and to make time with their families a priority, among other things.

We can also affirm our church leaders.   Pastor and Staff Appreciation Month is coming up in October, and you can begin now to develop some plans to show your support for what they do.   But, affirmation and appreciation can be year-round activities.   I would encourage you to reach out and show your pastor that you are paying attention - give him feedback, perhaps let him know what part of a sermon ministered to you. And, embrace the families of your church staff members.

This is so important to the health of our congregations.  As Andy Stanley said at the 25th Anniversary of Dothan Community Church the other night, the local church is where the action is.  That church, by the way, is still under the excellent leadership of the founding pastor Charles Lewis, and what an incredible time of affirmation for his work and the work of God through that church took place.   Each of us can do a lot to make sure that our pastors and their families stay true to Christ and are effective in the ministry to which God has called them.

The Worth of a Soul

In Luke chapter 1, the opening lines of the section of Scripture known as the "Magnificat", Mary expresses her love for God, saying:
46..."My soul magnifies the Lord,47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
She talks here about her soul - connecting with God, giving Him praise - and her spirit - rejoicing in God, her Savior.    In 1st Thessalonians chapter 5, Paul writes, 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe we have to regard ourselves as spirit-beings, made in the image of God, and we have a choice whether or not to follow Jesus and to be born again, to have our spirits brought to life by Him, and to allow our souls to be shaped and activated by the presence of the indwelling Christ.   We are uniquely created by God, and He has given us a distinct personality - emotions, character traits, and brain functions that cannot be reduced to mere intelligence or information.   We are complex, fearfully and wonderfully made, and designed to have a relationship with our Creator.

Jesus taught in Mark chapter 8 about the value of a soul:
34When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.35For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.36For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?37Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

I came across this piece on the U.K.'s Daily Mail website and when you stop to consider what some particular futurists can have in mind, one could savor - and shudder at - the possibilities.

Ray Kurzweil, director of engineering at Google, made some rather unbelievable claims at the Global Futures 2045 International Congress in New York recently. He said that in just over 30 years, humans will be able to upload their entire minds to computers and become digitally immortal - an event called singularity. He also claims that the biological parts of our body will be replaced with mechanical parts and this could happen as early as 2100.

He said: 'Based on conservative estimates of the amount of computation you need to functionally simulate a human brain, we'll be able to expand the scope of our intelligence a billion-fold.'

He referred to Moore's Law that states the power of computing doubles, on average, every two years quoting the developments from genetic sequencing and 3D printing.

In Kurweil's book, The Singularity Is Near, he plots this development and journey towards singularity in a graph.

This singularity is also referred to as digital immortality because brains and a person's intelligence will be digitally stored forever, even after they die.

He also added that this will be possible through neural engineering and referenced the recent strides made towards modeling the brain and technologies which can replace biological functions.

In his book, Fantastic Voyage, In this book he discusses immortality and how he believes the human body will develop.

He said: 'We're going to become increasingly non-biological to the point where the non-biological part dominates and the biological part is not important any more."

'In fact the non-biological part - the machine part - will be so powerful it can completely model and understand the biological part. So even if that biological part went away it wouldn't make any difference."

If you think this really sounds like science fiction, well, you're right, but this guy is a major player at Google - it is clear he, and others of the same thought stream, really believe this stuff, and as you look at rapidly developing technologies, one could project that the parts of our bodies that don't function properly could be replaced by machine parts and contend that our brains could be scanned, "cloned", our intelligence loaded on to a hard drive our server and essentially kept alive forever.

From the viewpoint of a Christian worldview, there are so many issues that arise from this way of thinking, and I'll spare the ethical arguments for today.  But, there is a word that is strikingly absent to me in what I've read - the worth of a soul.

And, it is because of our souls, formed by our Creator God, that makes us unique in the universe.   We are not merely bites and bits of intelligence, with a brain that can be interchanged and loaded on a shelf.   We have a unique identity and personality that far transcends what a machine, the creation of man, can duplicate or express.    

There is a tendency of man to skew toward the immortal - we want to live forever, we want to extend our lives and in essence, to cheat death.   Well, the promise of Scripture is that we will live forever, or more accurately, we will exist forever - either in eternal life with Jesus Christ by virtue of accepting Him as Lord and Savior or in eternal death apart from God in a place of eternal punishment.   And, it is not determined by strictly information in our brains or our biological makeup, but by the choice we make to allow the Spirit of God to regenerate our spirits, to core of who we are, and to redeem our souls as we experience the new birth.  

We are spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body.   While technology can help in so many ways in the scientific realm, even helping to improve our mental capacity in instances where the brain is adversely affected, or to improve our physical bodies when there is severe injury, we cannot ignore the spiritual components of our very beings and recognize that we have a soul - mind, will, and emotions - that are energized by what flows from our hearts.   Our souls are extremely valuable, unique, and designed to be sensitized to the presence of God.   Rejoice in that, cherish that - our souls are so much more than just mere intelligence or information.

All That Glitters

In 1st Timothy chapter 3, the apostle Paul is reinforcing to Timothy - and to us - the authenticity of the Scriptures and the validity of the gospel message:
(15) I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.16By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness : He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.

The church radiates the glory of God - how we live our lives produces strong evidence of the presence of the Almighty.   Scientific discoveries certainly support what the Scriptures say about our Creator God and our origins.  Archaelogical finds support the Biblical narrative of our history.   And, these are great tools to integrate into our discussions of God's existence and operation.   But, I believe that some of the clearest, most compelling testimony in the world today is from believers in Christ who allow Jesus to live through them.   The church, the body of Christ, is called to radiate the nature of Christ, and how we show Jesus to the world will help to determine how the world responds to Him.

In 2nd Peter chapter 1, the writer, who walked with Jesus, said that we have even more compelling evidence of the presence of Christ...

(16) we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and comingof our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.17For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this wasmade to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased "-18and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holymountain.19So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to alamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

It's being described as somewhat of an archaelogical "gold rush", a swing in a pendulum...Now Israeli archaeologists have discovered the remains of two of the largest buildings known to have existed in the ancient kingdom of Judah.

ChrisitanityToday.com reports that these ruins are located on the site of modern-day Khirbet Qeiyafa, southwest of Jerusalem, where developers had been planning a new construction project. According to the Israel Antiquities Authorities (IAA), which led the excavation along with professors from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the archaeologists have identified one of the buildings as David's palace and the other as one of his royal storerooms. More importantly, they say the newly discovered buildings now are the best evidence of the existence of Judah in the 10th century B.C.   IAA states, "The palace and storerooms are evidence of state sponsored construction and an administrative organization during King David's reign."

Baptist Press quotes Yossi Garfinkel and Saar Ganor, the leading researchers involved in the dig, as saying, "This is indisputable proof of the existence of a central authority in Judah during the time of King David."

Steven Ortiz, associate professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, attended a celebration ceremony at the unveiling of the supposed palace site, and described the site as "important" for the history of the Israelite monarchy. He added, "I think Dr. Garfinkel might be overstating the large building. It is indeed a very large building sitting on the acropolis, perfect for a public building. While saying the site dates back to the reign of David, he said that it was a bit of a stretch to say it was David's palace. Ortiz said, "If David built a palace it would be in Jerusalem, as the biblical text implies, not in an outlying fortress city. It is best to state that Khirbet Qeiyafa was perhaps a city under the hegemony of the developing Davidic monarchy."

Dan Warner, associate professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, told Baptist Press the excavation "has certainly set off some excitement in the archaeological community, and Professor Yossi Garfinkel's inferences have not been silenced."

"Garfinkel claims to have found a major Israelite settlement from the time of David, clearly suggesting that the Davidic kingdom was real and not fictitious as many liberal scholars claim," Warner said.

WORLDMag.com offers this statement:

Many critics of Christianity discredit the Bible by saying that King David never existed. If Garfinkel’s claim is true, then the find would be yet another archeological example of the Bible’s legitimacy, following discoveries of biblical cities like Capernaum, Ephesus, Jericho, and Nineveh, and artifacts like the Dead Sea scrolls.

While Biblical scholars exercise caution in the midst of this "gold rush", they do concede that these discoveries to confirm what we read in the pages of the Scriptures.  While our faith does not rest in archaelogical discoveries, when there are legitimate sites and treasures that are found, we can be provided with more tools to defend our faith.   I think of visiting the Dead Sea Scrolls display in Mobile many years ago and really getting the feeling that I was beholding a critical part of history.

God has given us so much evidence of His existence and if His Word is true, as we believe that it is, I believe it can be authenticated by discoveries that are made - that goes for the field of archaelology, as well as various fields of science.   Science confirms the statements that we find in the Bible, and learn so much about the operation of God as we examine what has been discovered.   

All of us may not be Biblical historians - relatively few of us are, but a study of history can help us develop a greater appreciation of the hand of God as He has written His story through the pages of human experience. The Bible illustrates for us real people who intersected with a real God who demonstrated real love for His people.  Miraculously, his story has survived throughout the ages, and when we hear of these findings of ancient ruins, we don't completely based our faith on them - because "all that glitters is not gold". But, we can acknowledge discoveries consistent with the Scriptures as more tools that can confirm that amazing story.   And, we can help to enlighten the skeptics whom we encounter by being armed with the physical evidence.

Some of the greatest evidence of the presence of God is the way you live your own life - how you radiate the character of Christ and walk in obedience to Him.   You cannot underestimate the compelling power of the new birth, the change that the indwelling Christ can make in the heart and life of a person, and our expression of His love provides overwhelming evidence of a God who is mighty to save!

Go Ye...

In the 6th chapter of Isaiah, we see a moving scene that can reinforce the notion of being called and sent - with a general assignment for sharing the gospel, and specific assignments that He will give according to His will.   Isaiah has a heavenly vision of the throne of God, including the presence of angels.  In verse 6, one of the angels, we are told, has a live coal in his hand taken from the altar...
7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged."8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

And, that can be a cry of our heart - to be willing to be used by God, desiring to be obedient as He calls and as He sends.   It's the sense of a divine assignment.   He wants to use us as vessels through which His love and truth can be expressed.   As we grow in Christ, I believe He gives us a greater desire to serve and an increased love for others, including a burden to see those who do not know Him come into the saving knowledge of Jesus.  And, He equips us to do His Kingdom work!   Our response to the call of God?   "Here am I! Send me."

Jesus said in Matthew chapter 28 that...
18 "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
It's called the Great Commission, and we are all called to be participants in that work.   And, there is a new study out that tracks some of the progress in the work of missions world wide.

ChristianityToday.com reports on that new study, released by The Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC) at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary showing that Christians sent out approximately 400,000 international missionaries in 2010. The CSGC reports that "of the ten countries sending the most missionaries in 2010, three were in the global South: Brazil, South Korea, and India." Other notable missionary senders included South Africa, the Philippines, Mexico, China, Colombia, and Nigeria.

The United States still tops the chart by far in terms of total missionaries, sending 127,000 in 2010 compared to the 34,000 sent by No. 2-ranked Brazil. But, if you examine the data differently—in terms of missionaries sent per million church members—Palestine, which is in a sense considered a country by the U.N. even though it has no geographical borders, comes out on top at 3,401 sent, followed by Ireland, Malta, and Samoa.

The 10 countries that sent the most international missionaries in 2010 were home to 32 percent of the world's church members but sent almost 73 percent of all international missionaries.

The country on the face of globe receiving the most missionaries in 2010? The United States, with 32,400 sent from other nations.

"The 'top nine' receiving countries were home to only 3.5% of the world's non-Christians but received more than 34% of all international missionaries," notes the CSGC. "All nine have Christian majorities, and they were home to over 34% of the world's Christians in 2010." The countries receiving the most missionaries per million people are overwhelmingly in Oceania and the Caribbean and have majority Christian populations. Samoa, at the top of the list, received more than one missionary for every three non-Christians. None of these top 10 countries was less than 90% Christian and only three were less than 95%.

By contrast, "The ten countries with the most non-Christians in 2010 were home to 73% of all non-Christians globally. Because many of them restrict or deny missionary access, however, they received only 9% of all international missionaries," notes the CSGC. The lion's share are in China, India, and Nigeria, where "large numbers of home missionaries also work among non-Christians."

This is a study that can help us to get a handle on how God is at work throughout the world and how the gospel is being propagated. And, it can motivate us to be in prayer for the nations of the world. There are tools available that can help identify how to pray for the nations by name - Operation World comes to mind - it is a fascinating guide to the spiritual climate and the sociological trends in nations throughout the world. You can also go to the website, OperationWorld.org. Today's nation is Japan.

One area in which we can pray is for the development of creative strategies that can penetrate the barriers that are preventing the entrance of missionaries into these countries that do not allow international missionaries.  There are those who will enter a "closed" country by other means, such as their occupation.   People will accept teaching jobs in foreign nations with the expressed purpose of sharing the gospel, but they don't go in as a missionary, per se.   And, you can see people that reside in some of these closed nations who have a heart to share Christ who are trained to share the gospel in difficult political situations, such as North Korea or China.   There are missions organizations who do not send missionaries into these challenging neighborhoods, but are devoted to supporting and equipping their efforts.  Steven Kim and 318 Partners are examples.    I would be willing to say that the CSGC survey does not include these more clandestine methods of sharing Christ.

And, while we are concerned about the world at large and for people of all nations to come to know Christ, I believe we're called to reach the world around us - the people with whom we interact each day.   We can pray for sensitivity to the Holy Spirit as He provides opportunities to share Christ's love and for boldness to proclaim His truth.    And, as He leads, there may be an open door for you to "GO" and share the message of salvation through Jesus.

The Power of Identification

2nd Corinthians 5:21 states plainly for us about Christ's identification with us in our humanity so that, as we identify with Him in His resurrection, we, too, might be raised to new life:
21For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Our Lord Jesus, in order to rescue all of us from the power of sin and death, eternal separation from God and everlasting punishment, came to earth, being born as a child, growing up, living a perfect life, and then giving His life on the cross.  According to God's principles, there was a penalty to be paid for our sins, our disobedience to God, and we were condemned to suffer that punishment.

Jesus came to meet and exceed God's standards, giving of Himself, dying on a cross, and now by virtue of His resurrection, we can be raised up to new life in Him.  Christ, the Lamb of God, was the perfect substitute for us, and as we recognize that He identified with us in our humanity and we, in turn, now identify with Him and accept what He has done for us, we can experience His life and a relationship with Him.

These verses from Hebrews chapter 2 express toward us the power of identification - reminding us that Jesus became like one of us, human, and gave His life so that fallen humanity might be saved:
14Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,15and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage...
17Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.18For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

A rather striking photo hit the Internet yesterday afternoon, and I have to admit, the idea is intriguing.   A former President of the United States sitting in a wheelchair holding a toddler.   Their shirts - and their hair styles - matched...both of them with bald heads!   That's right, the 41st President, George H.W. Bush, shaved his head as an act of solidarity, or identification, with a 2-year-old child named Patrick, who has leukemia.   Patrick is the son of a member of the former President's Secret Service detail.

The Washington Times reports that Mr. Bush's office tweeted out, “41 poses with the members of his Secret Service detail who have also shaved their head to support little Patrick.” USA Today reports that the office also announced that Bush's Protective Division has "launched a website at www.patrickspals.org to assist with Patrick's medical bills, and organized the Inaugural Patrick's Pals Motorcycle Benefit Run on August 10th in Kennebunkport -- a 50-mile motorcycle ride through the Maine countryside followed by a lunch and silent auction to raise funds for Patrick's treatments."

Mr. Bush, who is now 89, and his wife, Barbara, lost their infant daughter Robin to leukemia 60 years ago this October.

That is so cool - I have to admit, I wondered what the former chief executive would look like without hair, and to show this type of solidarity, along with other members of his Secret Service detail, makes a statement for this young man and his family.   

And, when I saw the picture, I thought about someone who has identified with us in our struggles, and the power we experience when we recognize that.   Our Savior performed the ultimate work of identification with humanity in our sin and temptation.   He humbled Himself, coming down to earth from the throne of heaven, becoming a man, and living a sinless life!!   But, He was not without temptation.   Ultimately, He laid down His life as a perfect sacrifice so that we could know His life and His presence with us.   

Identification is powerful - He became the substitute for our sins. And we're told that He makes intercession for us - Jesus continues to stand with us.   He now calls us to identify with Him in that act of sacrifice on the cross, as we lay down our lives so that we can experience Christ as our life.   We die to self, so that Christ might live through us.   We take up our cross and are reminded that He surrendered His life on a cross so that we might be free.

Sinful and Saintly

Paul opens up his letter to the church at Colosse with this greeting:
2To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;
Paul refers to those who would receive this letter, and in other letters, too, as "saints".   This is a term that has a rather lofty connotation, perhaps implying a goal that can only be reached by some.   But, in the Biblical sense, I believe that being a "saint" is a distinction, a name, given to people who have accepted Christ as their Savior - a statement of identity, rather than activity, even though the Bible teaches that our action should line up with our inward condition.
Paul prays later in the chapter...10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;11strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;12giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
You are new creation in Christ, you are redeemed, and because of your right relationship with God made possible through Christ, you wear His name.  And, He has called you to be a saint, someone set apart, useful for His glory!

In Romans chapter 1, Paul is writing to those who have believed in Christ, who are children of God, and He makes a distinctive reference to them:
5Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,6among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;7To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

We've had the list of most religious cities from Gallup and Bible-minded cities from Barna.   As Christianity Today relates:

According to Barna, which based its rankings on the "highest combined levels of regular Bible reading and belief in the Bible's accuracy," Knoxville came out on top—and cities in the South and Midwest comprised the top 10. Gallup, which examined whether residents self-identified as religious or not, found Utah's Provo-Orem metro area to be on top (and only shared two cities with Barna's list).

By the way, Montgomery was 2nd in that Gallup list.    The more regional Barna survey had Birmingham at #4, but that may have included all or part of the River Region.

And, we had Men's Health listing Colorado Springs as America's most religious city not too long ago.

Well, the real estate company Movoto has released its lists of the Most Sinful and Most Saintly cities in the U.S.    And, the results may surprise you - for one thing, you don't see any Southern cities on the saintly side. I don't know how conclusive this one would be considered, but the criteria are actually based on - the Bible! The so-called 7 Deadly Sins were used to make the determination.    Researchers identified statistics
compatible with each of the seven, in this manner:

• Strip clubs per capita (Lust)
• Cosmetic surgeons per capita (Pride)
• Violent crime per year per 1,000 residents (Wrath)
• Theft per year per 1,000 residents (Envy)
• Percentage of disposable income given to charity each year (Greed)
• Percentage of obese residents (Gluttony)
• Percentage of physically inactive residents (Sloth)

So, your top 10 Most Sinful Cities:
1. St. Louis, MO
2. Orlando, FL
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Pittsburgh, PA
5. Milwaukee, WI
6. Cincinnati, OH
7. Miami, FL
8. Buffalo, NY
9. Detroit, MI
10. Las Vegas, NV

And, conversely, the Most Saintly are:
1. New York, NY
2. Gilbert, AZ
3. Fremont, CA
4. Glendale, CA
5. Chula Vista, CA
6. Colorado Springs, CO
7. Chandler, AZ
8. Long Beach, CA
9. San Jose, CA
10. Irvine, CA

Keep in mind, the Movoto blog refers to itself as "the lighter side of real estate".  Their explanation for the Big Apple being at #1:  

We were as surprised by that result at first as you probably were, until we considered the fact that our calculations were all done on a per capita basis. Like we said earlier, NYC might have a lot of theft, crime, and strip clubs, but at 8.2 million residents the math is squarely in its favor. We’re sure that there are probably a few folks who are surprised to see so many California cities in the top 10, but, as with NYC, we see that assumptions aren’t always accurate. If anything, between our two surveys of the most and least sinful cities, we’ve found that the long-held belief that the South and Midwest are more traditionally wholesome no longer stands up—at least based on the criteria we used.

So, it is all about the criteria here...and whether or not we individually are saintly or sinful is determined by a set of Biblical criteria.  Yesterday, we talked about the power of a name.   And, one of those designations given to us as believers in Christ is "saint".   Generally, we think of saints as people who have done extraordinary things, who are treasured in the lore of a particular religion or culture.   But, the Bible has a different definition.   Because we have been born again and transferred from the kingdom of darkness into His marvelous light, we are considered to be saints.

That identity is not conditional on action, but on heart change - but we would expect, and I believe God expects, our actions to line up with that name.   And, grasping the meaning of that word can help us.   If we view ourselves as merely saved sinners, then maybe we will behave based on that belief that it is just consistent with our nature, who we are, to commit sins.  Perhaps viewing ourselves as saints who sin will help us reduce our rate of sinning.    We do have a new identity, and how we regard ourselves will determine how we approach the sin issues in our lives.   Because of that new heart, we now have the ability to put off the old nature and put on the resources that God has made available to us in Christ Jesus, flowing from a relationship with our Savior.

What's in a Name?

Jesus is speaking to His disciples in John chapter 15 and He speaks a powerful word over them:
13Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.14You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.15No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
The references God makes toward us, the names He has called us, tell a story about the type of relationship we have with Him and the love that He has expressed toward us.  He has called us "friends".   Even though we serve Him, He wants us to know that we are closer that merely servants - He has loved us so greatly that He laid down His life for us, and wants us to experience true friendship with Him.   Proverbs tells us that there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, and Jesus is the One who is always with us and calls us into sweet fellowship with Him.   We do pursue servanthood toward God as we walk in obedience, but by extending that name, "friend", to us, He is designating that He wants us to walk closely with Him each day, and we can know that He is with us.

In Isaiah 43, we see a passage that reassures us that God knows us, we belong to Him, and that He has called us by name:
1But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.3For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior...

Now that several mysteries have been solved concerning the first child of Prince William and Duchess Kate in London - time and place were definitely up in the air - the serious business of choosing a name for the heir to the British throne continues.   And, within the royal family, it has not always been a swift process. It took Charles and Diana a week to name William: William Arthur Philip Louis, which is the full name of the young man known as the Duke of Cambridge. Prince Charles was named after a month.

There is often great significance in the naming of a child, royal or otherwise.   The middle name Arthur, shared by Wills and his father Charles, implies strength, British legend, Camelot - all that good stuff.   There has been speculation that George could be a leading name for the new heir...hearkening back into the history of the throne.    Charles' full name is Charles Philip Arthur George - Philip is, of course, his father and William's grandfather.  Names often incorporate family history:   I was named after 2 of my grandfathers.   My children incorporate family traditions into their names, as well.

Names can tell stories and names can describe desirable character traits.   God renamed Abram and called him, Abraham, designating and certifying he would become the father of many nations.  He changed his grandson Jacob's name to Israel, the name used to describe God's chosen nation.   Jesus said that Simon would be called Peter, which means "rock", signifying that on the rock of God's truth, He would build His church and reinforcing Peter's leadership role in that process.  

And, there is power in the name of Jesus - His name is the one that is above all other names, and at His name, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.   When we call on His name and take authority over evil in His name, there is great power that is released.   Only in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ are we saved, according to Romans chapter 10.

Isaiah 43 says that we belong to Him and that He knows us by name.  And, when you think about the names that He has called us, it paints a picture of our true identity in Christ.   He has called us children and heirs.   While we do serve Him and are therefore servants of the Most High, He has said that we are His friends.   We have been called saints of God.    You get the picture - we can actually get a greater sense of our identity in Christ as we think about the names He has given us.   And, we gain insight into His identity as we think upon the glorious names by which He is known.

A name tells a story - a name is often centered on character.   Perhaps family ties are incorporated into our names, and we desire for our children to act in a manner that honors the family name.  And, so God calls us to act in a way that brings glory to His name.

What Does it Mean to Be Religious?

There is a new survey out that attempts to relate information on what Americans think it means to be religious.  And, one component deals with whether or not a religious person lives a good life and does the right things OR if religion is basically about the right beliefs.

Here's what Paul said in Romans 4:
2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.3For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."4Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness...






I really do think the Scriptures teach it is a "both-and" scenario rather than "either-or".  The Bible is clear that we enter into a relationship with God through accepting Jesus as our Savior - we cannot earn our way into the Kingdom of God or do enough good things to "get in".   If we believe and confess, we're in.  And, then there is a Biblical explanation, I think, that we grow in our faith and our actions line up with the heart change. Actions consistent with our faith that produce fruit for the glory of God flow from the inside out.   As we are dependent on His Spirit, He will express His life through us and grant us the power to live a life that glorifies our Father.

In James 2, we are reminded that our faith in Christ is validate by our outward behavior:
14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?15If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,16and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.18But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without yourworks, and I will show you my faith by my works.

A new report by the Public Religion Research Institute, or PRRI, along with the Brookings Institution attempts to measure Americans' views on what it means to be religious.  Religion News Service reports that according to the survey, nearly six out of 10 Americans (59 percent) say that being a religious person “is primarily about living a good life and doing the right thing,” as opposed to the more than one-third (36 percent) who hold that being religious “is primarily about having faith and the right beliefs.”

Robert P. Jones, CEO of PRRI, said that Americans’ two views of what makes a person religious harken back to the Protestant Reformation and to the Bible itself.  He says that, “This has been a perennial debate through the ages in Christianity...The Pauline literature, especially in the Book of Romans, makes the case for religious justification by faith alone, while the Book of James seems to state the very opposite — 'faith without works is dead.'"

“We were curious to see whether this theological debate still has any traction in American religion,” Jones said. “And, lo and behold, it’s still with us today.” But he noted that one side prevails, with those who believe that action defines religiousness outnumbering by nearly 2-1 those who think the key element is faith.

The survey also used answers to a wide variety of questions, including views on economic issues, to construct a spectrum of religious thought and practice, dividing Americans into four groups: religious conservatives, comprising 28 percent of respondents, religious moderates (38 percent), religious progressives (19 percent) and the nonreligious (15 percent).

The gap between rich and poor, an issue raised in recent years most vocally by progressive religious groups, is considered the nation’s most pressing economic issue by 15 percent of those surveyed, coming in fourth behind the lack of jobs, the deficit and the rising cost of health care.

And, religious conservatives are aging, apparently: the survey shows that they are heavily represented among the oldest Americans (47 percent) but “make up a smaller proportion of each successive generation.”

There are some compelling storylines in this survey that can cause us as Christians to think more deeply.   For one thing, there is not a contradiction between justification by faith and the importance of works.   If we are people of faith, then what we believe will be expressed by our actions.   Our behavior is based on our identity, which is tied to our faith.   So, while we are saved by grace through faith and only through faith alone, that faith, as James points out, is expressed in the the way we live our lives.   But there is no amount of good works that can bring us into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The practice of Christianity is more than just a religious system.   There are those that treat Christianity as a set of rules to follow and we skew toward the works-based, "earn salvation", point of view. It's called legalism, and so many walk in bondage because they're just trying to keep the regulations, often in their own strength.  I've heard it said that Christianity is not a religion, but it's a relationship, and I think that's so true.   There was a book I owned called, "How to Be a Christian Without Being Religious".    Think about that - we can be so obsessed with keeping God's law that we lose sight of the relationship and the power in order to live a life pleasing to Him.

Ultimately, our worldview, or as I call it, our personal theology, will determine how we live.   We have to be grounded in what we believe, and I trust that would be centered on the Word of God.   If we claim to know Christ and seek to know and practice His Word, then that will affect us for the glory of God and hopefully draw others as they see how we trust Christ with our lives - daily.

I Am a Creationist

In 1st Peter chapter 2, we read about our position in Christ and our purpose to testify to His greatness:
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.   We live in some interesting times, a challenging culture into which to share and live the gospel.  There are those that simply do not understand and perhaps do not even want to acknowledge the presence and the principles of God and His truth.   But, we can be emboldened in our witness for Christ, recognizing what He has done and continues to do in our lives.   We can be encouraged by the evidence of God as our Creator and recognize that science reveals design to us and that we can then point the way to the designer.   And, we can be effective by sharing and living the principles of God's Word, convinced that His way is best, His truth is absolute, and His Spirit is powerful in reaching hearts with the gospel.

In the midst of a culture that was seemingly intent on denying God and His relationship with humanity, the apostle Paul stood on Mars Hill and proclaimed truth.   Here is a portion of Acts 17:
24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;  
3 headlines have piqued my interest recently on the topic of origins, and the stories are positive for those of us that don't believe that the earth and its inhabitants merely evolved from nothingness - there had to be a fixed point of origin, and there is overwhelming scientific evidence, I believe of design.

But, to say so in this culture, especially if you're high-profile, gets you some pushback.   Just ask Virginia Heffernan, a former New York Times writer who now writes for Yahoo!   She states:

...at heart, I am a creationist. There, I said it. At least you, dear readers, won’t now storm out of a restaurant like the last person I admitted that to. In New York City saying you’re a creationist is like confessing you think Ahmadinejad has a couple of good points. Maybe I’m the only creationist I know.

This is how I came to it. Like many people, I heard no end of Bible stories as a kid, but in the 1970s in New England they always came with the caveat that they were metaphors. So I read the metaphors of Genesis and Exodus and was amused and bugged and uplifted and moved by them. And then I guess I wanted to know the truth of how the world began, so I was handed the Big Bang. That wasn’t a metaphor, but it wasn’t fact either. It was something called a hypothesis. And it was only a sentence. I was amused and moved, but considerably less amused and moved by the character-free Big Bang story (“something exploded”) than by the twisted and picturesque misadventures of Eve and Adam and Cain and Abel and Abraham.

In the end, she says that, "I still read and read and listen and listen. And I have never found a more compelling story of our origins than the ones that involve God."

Well, criticism has been swift and quite strong. Jim Denison reports that someone has said that "Virginia Heffernan should no longer be taken seriously." According to him, "Well-educated people who are still creationists have lost the plot somewhere along the line." Denison writes that "I guess that counts for Raymond Bohlin (Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Texas), Cornelius Hunter (Ph.D. in biophysics from the University of Illinois) and Jonathan Wells (Ph.D. in religion from Yale, Ph.D. in molecular and cell biology from the University of California), among others."

Then, we have the ongoing saga from Ball State University.  After coming under fire because one of its professors used non-evolutionary theories in an honors class.   Even though he did not necessarily teach creationism, as has been alleged, he did present intelligent design, which is a big no-no in so many segments of academia.   However, Ball State has now hired another believer in intelligent design, Guillermo Gonzalez, who was denied tenure at Iowa State a few years back, allegedly because of his belief in intelligent design.  He was even featured in the Ben Stein movie, "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed". Gonzalez is an astrophysicist who has voiced his belief in a Divine Creator, and he helped craft a highly-successful book and accompanying film called The Privileged Planet, both of which received significant attention following their 2004 release.   And, not unexpectedly, the criticism has flowed toward this university just because it did not tow the party line and embrace evolution.

And, finally, Ray Comfort is blowing up the Internet again with his short film, "Evolution vs. God".  The film, according to ChristianNews.net, features interviews with several well-known evolutionist professors who struggle to provide observational evidence supporting evolutionary theory.

Ray says that, “As you will see on Evolution vs. God...not one of the experts could give me a whisper of evidence for Darwinian evolution. The movie is going to shatter the faith of the average believer in evolution, and strengthen the faith of every Christian.”   And, of course, he has received his share of criticism. But, the critics have actually helped spread the awareness of the film. Richard Dawkins mentioned Comfort’s project to over 750,000 followers on Twitter. PZ Myers—one of the evolutionist “experts” interviewed in Evolution vs. God—angrily called Comfort a “liar” and “a dishonest fool,” labeled the movie a “monstrosity” with “Jesusy nonsense,” and then posted the entire film on his blog.

Virginia Heffernan, Guillermo Gonzalez, Ray Comfort - they have all taken a bold, reasonable, and faith-filled stand.   And, when you consider that less than half the population believes in evolution, according to a Gallup poll last year, their opinions are not as out-of-the-mainstream as the vocal critics would have you believe.  In that same poll, 46% said that they believed in creation, about a third said they believed in evolution, but with God's guidance.   Only 15% - 15%!! - believed in godless evolution.   So, over 80% of the population embraces either creation or some sort of God-directed evolutionary process.

Just because you believe in a Creator doesn't make you hostile to science.  In fact, science can offer us some amazing discoveries that can reinforce our faith and provide evidence of the hand of God.   But, as we've found, the loudest voices are not necessarily the majority voices, but we proclaim our faith because it is true, not because it is popular.

We can be challenged to boldly stand for truth, even when we face criticism.  And, we can know that we are not alone.  I think of Elijah when he was on the verge of giving up and being reminded that there were 7000 who had not bowed to Baal.   In a culture where you have many who do not share our view of the world, we know we have solid and compelling evidence of God's existence, of His hand in creation, and His presence with us as we state our viewpoints in a winsome and reasoned way, grounded in Christ's principles.

Thoughts about the Goodness of God

In the 107th Psalm, we find 4 instances of this verse:
8Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!It appears as not only the 8th verse, but also 15, 21, and 31.The ninth verse also highlights the ramifications of the nature of God expressed toward and in us:9For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.
These 2 verses tell us a lot about God, upon which we can reflect.   First of all, we praise Him because He is good - by nature.  He Himself defines what is good, and conversely, what is contrary to the nature of God or His ways can be considered evil.   So, He is the One upon Whom all morality is based.   We know the difference between right and wrong because of who He is and the principles that He has established.  He has all authority in the heavens and on the earth.  As we walk in His truth and as we abide in Him and fellowship with Him, we discover more about His character - and that character can be expressed toward us as we connect with Christ.
In Psalm 107, beginning in the 21st verse, we see these words:21Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!22Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare His works with rejoicing.
After describing people in trouble, we see these words in verse 28:28Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses.
The 107th Psalm helps us to reflect on the goodness of God - who He is.   What He does flows from who He is.   His behavior is consistent with His nature.   His precepts are consistent with who God is.   So, when we think of God doing good works and expressing His goodness toward us, we acknowledge that He is motivated by love, that He wants the best for us, and He will move in our lives in a manner that will glorify Himself.   We give the Lord praise for not only who He is, but also what He does, and if He delivers us from our distress, we acknowledge that with thanksgiving.   If He has not changed our circumstances, we still give Him praise, knowing that He is at work for our good for His glory in His time!

Lessons from the Twinkie

In Lamentations, in the midst of his despair, Jeremiah reflected on the steadfast love of the Lord.   Here are some words from chapter 3:
22Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.23They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.24"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!"25The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.

God is rich in mercy toward us, and we recognize that even in our times of disappointment or despair, He is still at work and will produce an outcome for our good.   Sometimes the Lord will use adversity in our lives as a catalyst for change - not necessarily a change of circumstance, although that is sometimes in the mix, but a change of the heart, an alteration of attitude, an adjustment of perspective, or a fine-tuning of our priorities. We can experience a new outlook as we rely on His Spirit to do His work, to shape us, and to use us more powerfully as we submit our lives to Him.  We grow in Him as we are willing to change or re-invent, as we recognize that our failures are not final, and that He has gifted us in unique ways for the sake of His Kingdom.

Some verses from 1st Corinthians 15 can provide some encouragement when we are feeling down and out or sense we may have lost our way:
57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Officially, the "sweetest comeback in the history of ever" has begun.  The all-new Twinkie is back on store shelves after disappearing as the result of its parent company filing bankruptcy back in November.

The new Twinkie is smaller: boxes of 10 now weigh 13.58 ounces rather than 15.
The shelf life is longer: 45 days vs. the previous 26.
And, the formula is slightly different.  

The company has a different size, too - after the brand was purchased by private equity firms, it has been dramatically restructured.   The union is gone, too.  The Chicago Tribune reports that when the Hostess company is full staffed within the next 3 months, it will have some 1800 employees in the US.  Previously, the workforce was more than 10 times that. The number of bakeries for Hostess products has slimmed down to four from 11 since last year's shutdown.

President Rich Seban says that Hostess has an ambitious new business strategy in place for Twinkies: "to be sold wherever candy bars are sold."

"We want to capitalize on the nostalgia of the brand, but we also want to make sure we're relevant to this generation and not just the generations of the past," Seban said.

Twinkie marketers are entertaining proposals to sell the treats at sports stadiums, with continental breakfasts at hotels, at movie theater concession stands and on cruise ships.

And, the company has plans in the works to update its snack cake line to include products that are more appealing to younger consumers, lighter on the calories and possibly gluten free. 

The concept here is re-invention.   There have been a few minor tweaks to the Twinkie, but the approach to manufacturing and apparently marketing will be radically different.

So, what are some spiritual takeaways from the "sweetest comeback in the history of ever"?   Number 1 is that re-invention can be a very helpful thing, and we should not shy away from change.  And, change can be involuntary, such as Hostess experienced, or voluntary, making alterations before the bottom drops out.   But, we have to be willing to be flexible, and where we see potential trouble spots, take decisive action.

We also recognize that down doesn't equate with out.   Hostess came back, the brand is being revitalized, and the owners are hoping to not to repeat management mistakes.   Sometimes we will have the experience of crashing and burning, but we don't have to let failures hold us back from pursuing God's plan for our lives. Even when we fail, the Lord can pick us back up and we can move forward with faith in Him.   We can all be candidates for comebacks.

Finally, we acknowledge who God has made us to be - you are wired in a certain fashion, you are a unique creation of God, and you have a unique set of skills or talents that can be used for His glory.  We can identify what our giftedness is, realize His love and power, and rely on His direction to show us how to appropriate and apply what He has provided.