Gender Clarity, Not Confusion

The Bible contains the foundational truths that contribute to an orderly, functioning society that honors God. Titus 2 has some principles for men and women as they seek to please the Lord:
1But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:2that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;3the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things--

The passage then highlights how older women are to mentor younger women and how young men are to be exhorted.

We admit that with regard to gender, God's way is best.  There is confusion in the culture about what it means to be a man and how a woman is supposed to act.  The Godly man is not called to be distant or dictatorial, and the Godly woman is not called to be militant nor abundantly mild.  And, there are people who reject their biological makeup, the way God made them, to pursue their own ideas of gender.   God can give us clarity on who He has made us to be as we are willing to embrace His truth.

From the very beginning, God began to introduce His plan for each gender, creating us male and female, each with unique purpose.  Consider the words of Genesis 1:
27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.28Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Many are familiar with the young lady who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies, perhaps less so for her role in the movie earlier this year loosely based on the Biblical story of Noah. Well, all of a sudden, Emma Watson has reappeared, speaking at a gathering of the United Nations last week on the topic of gender equality.  She's a spokesperson for the HeForShe campaign, which has a purpose of motivating men and boys to champion greater opportunities for women.

I've seen the following quote across the media, I think in part because it does fit the radical feminist agenda. It's quoted by Caroline Leal in a piece for the WORLD Magazine website.  Watson said, regarding the word, "feminism":

“Why is the word such an uncomfortable one?” she asked. “I am from Britain and I think it is right that as a woman I am paid the same as my male counterparts. I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions about my own body. … But sadly I can say that there is no one country in the world where all women can expect to receive these rights.”

But as Leal points out, "Watson’s comments about women’s rights have not gone unchallenged by everyone. PolitiChicks writer Julie Klose agrees with nearly all the beliefs that Watson espouses, with the exception of one: abortion."

Klose is quoted as saying, "As long as feminism embraces abortion as a right, I will not define myself with that word, despite the many aspects of it that I agree with...I am called to contribute to the equality of all mankind as how God planned it. Any campaign that supports the denial of rights to a future generation through abortion is truly not an advocate of all human rights.”

And, the feminism-abortion connection was also highlighted in an analysis of the speech by Ericka Anderson of The Daily Signal, who seized on another of Watson's lines in the speech: “My life is a sheer privilege because my parents didn’t love me less because I was born a daughter."

Anderson writes, "What she didn’t say is that many girls never get a chance to live because they are female. In fact, as many as 160+ million women aren’t alive today because they were killed in the womb or after birth for being girls."

"China is one of the worst offenders, with some provinces reporting a ratio of boys to girls of 130 to 100. Believe it or not, even in the United States, places like Planned Parenthood have advised clients on how to obtain an abortion if their baby is a girl and not a boy."

She went on to say, "Liberal feminists (yes, there are conservative ones as well) typically ignore gendercide because it hits too close to their abortion rights agenda. And to proclaim all children need fathers these days is politically incorrect."

That's right, Emma Watson also extolled the virtues of fatherhood, saying, "To date, I’ve seen my father’s role being valued less by society despite my needing his presence as a child as much as my mother’s." She also talked about how men are victims of inequality, too, “imprisoned by gender stereotypes” of aggression, macho-ness and control, as Anderson relates.

Watson said, “It is time that both men and women feel free to be sensitive. It is that time that both men and women feel free to be strong.”

You know, God has prescribed roles for men and women, and unfortunately, in the culture, self-proclaimed feminists have attempted to hijack what it means to be feminine, and to attach a "women's rights" component to it.  Men face their own set of stereotypes, too.  And, there's a whole subset of people who want to downplay the concept of gender as prescribed biologically - and Biblically.

Consider the words of Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis, who wrote recently in a blog post in response to a Washington Post story of someone who preferred not to be characterized by her gender, describing herself as "agender" or "non-binary":

This story highlights the continuing degradation of a culture that used to be based on biblical principles but has now gone adrift in a sea of everyone doing what is right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6). Instead of basing our definitions of masculinity and femininity on an absolute authority—the Bible—culture is by and large redefining male and female by what “feels most right to you.” If you have no absolute authority and being “genderless” feels right to you, why not go for it? And, of course, if you can arbitrarily change what gender means then the definition of marriage is also open to redefinition.

Ham writes, "But God has not left us adrift in regard to gender...," and goes on to say that, "Gender is not a social construct that confines us and can be arbitrarily changed based on our feelings—it is a God-ordained created order that has been present from the beginning but has been marred by sin (Genesis 3:16). Instead of trying to change ourselves into the opposite of who God created us to be, we should embrace our God-given gender."

"Sadly, we are now seeing more and more stories like Kelsey’s, but we need to remember to reach out to these individuals with the gospel of Jesus Christ and a message of the true design for men and women."

I believe that in a culture that has an abundance of ideas and philosophies that run counter to the Biblical pattern, we can demonstrate to the world healthy male and female roles and male-female relationships, based on who God has created us to be.  Following the prescriptions of His Word can help bring clarity in the confusion.

Oh, How He Loves

I am thankful that we serve a God who has come to give us His nature, and to enable us to experience His love and to walk in His joy.  And, He has placed us in this world to walk in compassion and live in community.  Here is what 1 Peter 4 says:
8And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.10As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.11If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Because we possess the presence of Almighty God as believers in Christ, we can carry the gospel message in a compelling manner.   We can be convinced of the reliability of the content of God's truth, and we can learn to communicate it effectively, within the context of the situations we face. And we can be motivated to reach out with Christ's compassion.   If we have fervent love for other people, we can be people who represent Jesus well, allowing Him to work through us to draw people to Himself.

In Ephesians 4, we encounter a passage about the growth of Christians and how we are to reflect the presence of the Lord in our lives.  Paul is talking about the leadership that has been appointed over the body of Christ and He describes God's goals for us:
14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The man set up shop in a common area at James Madison University in Virginia, a school named after a champion of free speech and religious freedom.  So, this preacher decided to exercise those rights.   The Blaze has a story, which states, "According to reports on social media, the radical preacher was telling gay individuals that they were going to hell."

Apparently, there was a student who began to play the guitar and students started singing David Crowder's worship song, "How He Loves" as the man attempted to preach.  The incident was captured on camera, and as of this morning, it was approaching 850,000 views.

The report stated that other video captured him also yelling toward a large body of students, including those who identified as Christians, saying they were headed “straight to hell” for living a life of sin.

After the song was over, the student reportedly said, "Jesus loves you all!”

The man said, “No, you don’t believe in Christians...Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments. You sinners don’t love Jesus. You sinners hate Jesus!”

“God doesn’t hear your praise!” he later said.

“He doesn’t?” one student asked.

“No, not if you have sin in your life,” the man responded.

“So he doesn’t forgive us?” the student countered.

“Not if you have sin in your life. No,” the preacher answered.

The title of the video says, "Homophobic Preacher drowned out by Love and Tolerance."  That's the way that the press by and large has been spinning this story.  For us as Christians, it can cause us to think about content, context, and compassion.

First of all, I can't evaluate the motivation of this preacher.   He apparently was attempting to point sinful behavior and perhaps bring about repentance in the lives of the students.   And, of course, because he mentioned homosexuality, that was the subject that gained the most attention, even though he apparently was taking the students to task for all forms of sin.   There may have been some truth in the content.   For us, we recognize that a central message that the Bible teaches is that we are all sinners and need a Savior.  And, as the Crowder song drives home, we serve a God who loves us so much that He wants to bring us into a relationship with Himself.   The Gospel is a message of God's love for humanity - a love so strong that He doesn't want to leave us in our sin and has provided a way out of our sinfulness.

But, there are some issues with context in this situation.   No one can speak for the motivation of the preacher, but apparently he was not connecting with his audience.   In our adherence to truth, we have to make sure that we are not repelling the people that we are trying to win.  There is a place for confrontation in cultural dialogue, but we have to make sure that we know when to adopt that posture, as opposed to building relationship and earning the right to point out the sin of another.

Ultimately, the impromptu performance of this song was a demonstration of compassion.  I have not regarded this wonderful song as some sort of political statement or celebration of tolerance.  Fact is, because Jesus loves us so much - because "He loves us so,"  He reaches out with compassion and desires to come into our lives, to forgive us of our sins and free us from the power of sin.  And, in order for us to experience His forgiveness, we have to acknowledge our need for Him.   There is a place for talking about sin, for relating Biblical truth.  As the Bible says, we are called to speak the truth - in love.

Guarding Against Thievery

We have to make sure we recognize that, like it our not, we are involved in spiritual warfare, but God has not placed us without the sufficient tools in order to be victorious - in Him.  Here are some words from Ephesians 6:
11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
We know that we face an enemy who desires to steal our joy, to limit our love for God, and to render us unproductive in the Christian life.  And, recognizing his schemes of deception and distraction can be an important first step in defending our hearts and minds from his devices.   We have to recognize the resources that the Lord has given to us and apply these powerful weapons as we contend for our own lives and for the souls of our families and others who need to know Christ, who have become vulnerable to the power of temptation.

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In Luke chapter 4, Jesus discussed the power that the disciples had over evil:
17Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."18And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.19Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.20Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

Someone in Baytown, Texas was stealing packages from the front porches of homes.   Pastor Benny Holmes had had enough.   In a story from KTRK-TV, the pastor's wife, Pat, is quoted as saying, "He was at his wits end...He was determined in his mind that he would sit here, however long it took, to see if he could find her."

And, two weeks ago, he was successful.   On September 12, Laurie Ferguson, 52, was caught stealing some packages from Benny Holmes' front porch, according to the Baytown Police Department.

In fact, Pastor Holmes is seen on video bolting through his front door with a gun in hand. He ordered Ferguson to get on the ground. She did.  Holmes said this: "She said I'm looking for my dog,"  Pat added, "He said you found your dog. Bow wow."

When police were dispatched to the home, Benny Holmes was holding Ferguson at gunpoint. Investigators believe that Ferguson is the same woman caught on surveillance video driving a red Ford Fiesta and taking packages from the Holmes' porch two previous times this year.

Police said Ferguson had several stolen items in her home that were taken during similar incidents in the neighborhood. Holmes said Ferguson stole a pastor's robe that was delivered to her home in June.

Pat Holmes said she has a gift for Ferguson. She specially made a hat with the word "forgiven" that she hopes to give Ferguson one day.

Pastor Benny was tired of things being stolen from his house, and made the conscious decision to do something about it.  And, while the pastor was concerned about the physical thief and decided to guard his home, I really do think there's a great spiritual application here, too.

I believe that we are called to stand guard over our homes.   When we recognize, as Jesus said, that the thief, the devil, comes to steal, kill, and destroy, then we have to be discerning with respect to his operation in our lives, and identify when he is trying to steal from us.  We allow the enemy to enter our homes when we are not sufficiently praying and preparing for spiritual warfare.  When we allow material to enter our homes over the Internet or through the television, or books, or movies, that could pollute our souls, we run the risk of allowing the enemy to build a stronghold in our own minds, and those of our families.

But, we also recognize that we are not called to go into the battle alone - we have a powerful Friend who stands with us and who will give us the tools in order to resist the devil and protect the people who are entrusted to our care.   We have the access to the full armor of God, and when we're engaged in fighting this unseen enemy, we must be prepared for battle.   We have the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, upon whom we must rely if we are to be effective in the fight.   We walk in victory not in our own strength, but in His mighty power.

Faith, Morality, and the Power Within

We are not left helpless when it comes to living a meaningful and satisfying Christian life.  Jesus reminds us of the presence of the Holy Spirit, sent to be our Helper, giving us the power to live for Him.  Here are the words of Jesus in John 16:
8And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:9of sin, because they do not believe in Me;10of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;11of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.12I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.13However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come...

Not only can we know the difference between right and wrong, what pleases God and what does not, but we can also recognize that the Holy Spirit is our power source to display Godly character, who informs and empowers our choices so that we can live in a manner that glorifies God.  He will convict us of sin, so that we know when we miss the mark and appropriately confess our sins, He will also help us make the necessary course corrections in order to walk in victory.

This verse in 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 - verse 12 - can remind us that we have the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit who will direct us into the truth of God and help to keep our lives in synchronization with Him:
12For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.

Are there differences in standards of morality and behavior between religious and non-religious people?  Well, a new survey set out to determine how morality plays out in everyday life, according to researcher Linda Skitka of the University of Illinois.  According to an article written by Billy Hallowell on The Blaze website, the results of the study, titled, “Morality in Everyday Life," which were published in the journal Science this month, found that there was no significant disparity between believers and nonbelievers when it came to the quality or number of moral acts.  That's according to the summary found in the British publication, the Daily Mail.

But, even though the study contends that your degree of religiosity doesn't necessarily make you more well-behaved, there are important differences between how the religious and nonreligious emotionally process moral and immoral acts, as Hallowell points out.  He writes:

While the results might lead some to dismiss the purported benefits of personal faith, there is one caveat worth noting: religious people were found to have more pride and gratitude when they committed moral acts.

They were also embarrassed and disgusted more than their nonbelieving counterparts when they committed immoral acts, the outlet reported.

To obtain the results, researchers used smartphone analysis to reach out to 1,252 adults ages 18 to 68. Over a three-day period, these individuals — from America and Canada — were given five signals that asked them to answer questions about moral and immoral acts they participated in or observed in the past hour.

The study’s abstract says, "The science of morality has drawn heavily on well-controlled but artificial laboratory settings,” reads  “To study everyday morality, we repeatedly assessed moral or immoral acts and experiences in a large … sample using ecological momentary assessment.”

The study’s central take away is that, despite having theological differences, believers and nonbelievers were found to have much more in common when it comes to morality’s role in everyday life than some might otherwise assume.

This article certainly attracted my attention, and I began to think about the roots of morality.  So what constitutes a moral act?   How do you determine whether or not something is truly moral or immoral? I believe that the definitions of right and wrong are determined by the principles of God and the Scriptures - so while someone who claims to have no religious faith is also claiming to commit a moral act, then that person is holding to a societal morality that has its roots in the Scriptures.

There are still an abundance of societal norms, even in this age of moral relativism, that are determined by those timeless faith precepts.  We become outraged at murder, because it's flat-out wrong, and that's determined by God and the Bible.  We chafe at a variety of forms of social violence, because they violate our sense of respect for other people, taught by the Bible.  Even though entertainment has seemingly become more and more of a cesspool of depictions of deviancy, we still find that there are still limits.   So, even though we may think the influence of Biblical principles may be waning, yet the presence of God's truth continues to provide restraint for a culture that is bent on pushing the envelope.

It's pretty interesting to see how people who claim to be faith-less are compelled somehow to behave like the faithful.  The difference is that the people who have religious faith seem to have a moral compass that is obviously shaped by their faith.  Religious people are affirmed internally when we commit moral acts and feel guilty when we act immorally.  I think, for the Christian, it shows that our consciences are tuned in to the Holy Spirit, and His promptings can assist us in living a life that reflects Godly character.  I think it is important not only to act morally, but also to know why we do what we do - motivated by grace and love, driven by God's direction.   To keep our lives in check, we rely on the Word of God brought to light by the Spirit of God, illuminating our minds to make choices consistent with our nature in Christ.

Living in Love, Willing to Share

In 1st Thessalonians 2, the apostle Paul writes about the unselfish approach that he took toward the church at Thessalonica:

8So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.9For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.10You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;11as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,12that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
This is a wonderful picture of how we each are called to live a selfless life, putting the needs of others about our own, sharing the love of Jesus, not only in words, but in action.   And, there was a potentially life-changing effect that Paul's ministry team related to the people receiving his ministry.   God calls us to be willing to share, and if we are driven by the love of Christ within our hearts, the Lord will work through us to testify to His love.

In Luke 6, we find Jesus taught about loving others and being willing to share.  Here's a portion of His teaching:

30Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.31And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.32But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
A few verses later, he says this:38Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

13-year-old Kyle Bradford of Weaverville, California, wasn't that hungry in the school lunchroom that day, but he had a classmate who wasn't too keen on the cheese sandwich that he had received.   So, Kyle decided to share his chicken burrito...and he was put in detention for it.

That's according to a story from KRCR-TV, which reported that the school district has regulations that prohibit students from sharing their meals.  The policies set by the district say that students can have allergies that another student may not be aware of.  Superintendent Tom Barnett of the Trinity Alps Unified School District is quoted as saying, "We have a policy that prohibits students from exchanging meals. Of course if students are concerned about other students not having enough to eat we would definitely want to consider that, but because of safety and liability we cannot allow students to actually exchange meals."

Kyle's mother, Sandy Bradford, says she thinks that her son did the right thing by sharing his lunch. She also believes that it isn’t up to the school to discipline her son for good manners.

“By all means the school can teach them math and the arithmetic and physical education, but when it comes to morals and manners and compassion, I believe it needs to start at home with the parent,” Sandy said.

Kyle says that he would definitely share his lunch again if a friend wanted a portion of his meal.

OK, I think a school has the right to enforce its rules, and in the effort to maintain order and good discipline, the school district has some policies in place.  To me, the punishment certainly doesn't seem to fit the crime, but I do see the district's position here - if you have a policy, it needs to be enforced.  

But, I want us to think together about the concept of sharing.  I can't say whether or not Kyle knew it was against the rules to share his burrito, but he did see another classmate who didn't like his cafeteria food and shared some of his own.  I think as parents, we like for our children to not be selfish and to share.   That's one of those important, basic principles.

Selfishness keeps us from observing the needs or desires of others and moving in a definitive way.  I think that we could perform some self-evaluation in the department of intuitively sharing with others. One step we can take is to develop a dependency on the Holy Spirit to give us a sensitivity to people around us - there may be something that we can share with someone else - and not necessarily something physical; it could be time, a listening ear, a moment to empathize with someone instead of just focusing attention on ourselves.  Our willingness to break free from a cocoon of selfishness can perhaps lead to an opportunity to share something, which becomes a ministry opportunity, a chance to demonstrate the love of Jesus.

We can also prepare for the risks or inconveniences of sharing.  Kyle ran the risk of detention; and maybe he didn't consciously think about it at the time.  Our willingness to share may result in the temporary alteration of something in our lives; there may be some sort of cost to us as we step outside our comfort zone.  But, in sharing, we are activating the love of Christ to operate through us, and God could do an amazing work in the life of someone else.  It could happen - just by our being willing to share!

Making Some Noise

In John chapter 3, Jesus taught about the significance of His coming to earth, using the illustration of Moses lifting up a bronze snake in the wilderness in order for the people to experience wholeness and deliverance:
14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,15that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Later in the chapter, we read:21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
In a sense, we are called to lift up Jesus, so that the world may see that He has come into the world to provide an answer to the sin problem that each of us face, that keeps humanity apart from God. Sin will hold us in bondage, but the power of Jesus Christ can set us free. And, if you have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior and are walking with Him in salvation, you are called to lift Him up, to declare His name, to show by the way you live your life that you know Him, love Him, and are dedicated to see His love and power expressed in the earth.

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As Jesus neared the time of His death, He gave His disciples some instruction and motivation, which we find in John chapter 12:

32And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."33This He said, signifying by what death He would die.34The people answered Him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?"35Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." 

A Columbia, South Carolina, pastor is in the midst of serving a two-week jail sentence because the church he pastors repeatedly violated the city's noise ordinance.   According to a report on the WLTX-TV website, the dispute between Rehoboth United Assemblies Church and its neighbors has been going on for some two years, and a jury found church pastor Johnnie Clark guilty of unlawful sound amplification following a three-day trial where prosecutors laid out their evidence against him.

Columbia Police officers have been called to the church more than 50 times for noise complaints. Neighbors said the noise coming from the musical equipment could be heard late into the evening and early in the morning, and permeated their home. The neighbors recorded some of the episodes as part of their evidence of the noise.

Back in June, a judge granted an injunction that would prohibit the church from using sound amplifying devices like drums or microphones between 8PM and 8AM. On multiple occasions, officers were called to the church and said that the worship was too loud.

Documents show the church violated that injunction repeatedly.

Thomas Borders has been a member of the church for 20 years and believes that their rights are being violated because they can't praise God in their own way. He says the real problem is that the city noise ordinance isn't specific.

"It's up to the neighbors to say if its irritating to them or a nuisance to them. Well you can get a weed eater and go outside and if someone complains nothing will be done, but when it comes to worshiping God its now a problem," said Borders.

The church has owned the property for several years and thinks it's not fair that they are being punished because of the close proximity to their neighbors.

Another WLTX story points out that the church has been in its location for 30 years, but recently some townhomes were built near the church.   That story points out that this series of events has attracted national attention and that Pastor Jamal Bryant and the Empowerment Temple Church in Baltimore have reached out to help the Columbia church pay their fines. They have raised more than $3,000 dollars. Bryant says, "To see the body of Christ coming together it's inspiring."

The church is now working on sound proofing the windows and walls to hopefully bring closure to this situation.

This is a tough illustration of the fragility of human relationships, and there's a delicate balance here between a church feeling free to worship as they please and a church being a good neighbor.  As a result of this conflict, the church is taking the necessary steps to try to diffuse the situation, and I would hope that the church can somehow, moving forward, improve its relationships with the people who live around it.

I began to think about the type of noise that a church, or the church, the body of Christ, can make - figuratively speaking.  There is a call, I believe, upon all of our lives to worship God in a way that draws us closer to Him and that makes an impact on the people who observe us.  That's kind of a paraphrase of the words of Jesus, when He said that if He is lifted up, He will draw all men to Him.   

So, how do we partner with the Holy Spirit in drawing attention to Jesus?   I think humility is a key element - we have to possess humble hearts and recognize that our worship involves not only our individual and corporate expressions of love for Him, but also the way we influence other people for the sake of the gospel.  Another element is service - we recognize that we have the capacity to love others in the Lord, and by serving other people, we make a strong statement for Christ.   And, finally, we can be motivated to speak the truth - our willingness to share about what God has done in our lives and what He can do for those whom we encounter can be powerful in winning hearts to Him.

So, be encouraged - we can "make some noise," as we live our lives in a manner that boldly communicates the presence of the Lord.

Living "Inside Out"

In Psalm 24, we see verses that speak to the importance of possessing a pure heart before God:
3Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.5He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

The only way that our hearts can truly be right before God is through a relationship with the living Lord.  Through salvation, made possible by Jesus and His death on a cross and His resurrection to new lie, can we completely experience the power of a new life.  God will truly transform our lives - He will cleanse us on the inside, and that will give us the power to live a life on the outside the displays the reality of His presence.   He gives us a new nature, He makes us new creations, and He will provide the power to live the life consistent with His principles and communicating His presence.

In Ezekiel 36, we find these words highlighting God's promises to His people, which can serve to remind us of how He will place a new heart within us - He does it through the presence of Jesus Christ:
25Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.27I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

There he was, entering the press conference room following the Washington Redskins' victory over Jacksonville this past weekend.   He has been regarded as one of the NFL's brightest stars, who has been held back by injury, and in fact was on crutches as he showed up to address the media, having suffered injury in Sunday's game.

Robert Griffin III was also wearing a t-shirt that has attracted attention.  In large letters, the shirt contained the message, "Know Jesus, Know Peace," which offers a play on words, in that the letters "K" and "W" are black, while the others are white, so the message could also read, "No (N-O) Jesus, No Peace."   It's a message that we can all take to heart, and one that has been particularly meaningful in RG3's life.

Well, Fox News reports that Michael Phillips, a reporter from The Richmond Times-Dispatch, posted on Twitter that an NFL uniform inspector made the quarterback turn the shirt inside out.  Phillips said that the reason was that it was not a Nike product.

CSN Washington reported that a Redskins spokesperson denied reports that RG3 was forced to flip the shirt by the NFL. The spokesperson said Griffin flipped the shirt on his own to avoid a possible fine. CSN cites NFL bylaws that state a player cannot wear clothing that sends a personal message on game days. Griffin has reportedly been fined in the past for wearing Adidas gear on game days.

Other players, however, were seen at the podium not wearing a Nike shirt, including Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. Nike reportedly has a corporate deal with the NFL.

We may not get the whole story about what actually happened that day.  I do think I would have liked to have seen Griffin wear the shirt in the proper manner in the press conference, even if it meant it he would have been fined.  But, I can respect his position that he perhaps he wanted to play by the rules. And, perhaps he didn't want the shirt to become a distraction.   It was all in the heat of the moment.

But, it's not about the shirt.  I think about a Michael W. Smith song from his album, "Change Your World," called, "Cross of Gold."  Here are some of the lyrics (from New Release Tuesday):

The chorus says:
What's your line
Tell me why you wear your cross of gold
State of mind
Or does it find a way into your soul?

And, the bridge:
For some it's simply something to wear around your neck
Just a chain
Jewelry
Is it decoration?
Is it an icon
Or proclamation?
An icon of what?
What?
For some it's simply something to wear around your neck
Just a chain
It means a lot more than that to me

It's not about the shirt or the jewelry - those can communicate a message, but if your life doesn't line up, then you come off looking inconsistent.

After RG3 won the Heisman Trophy, Christian commentator Jim Denison wrote this:

Robert Griffin is known on the Baylor campus for his faith as well as his football skills. He attends University Baptist Church, where my oldest son attended worship while a student at Baylor and Truett Seminary. God has entrusted him with a unique combination of outstanding intellect, NFL-quality ability, and world-class speed. And he has been an excellent steward of his gifts.

RG3's Twitter page has this statement, "I have no Religion. I have a relationship with God. Live your life so it doesnt live you".   He also has the reference Jeremiah 29:11.

I think we probably should be less concerned about whether or not RG3 turned his shirt inside out, and instead think about the importance of living "inside out."   RG3 may have had the Jesus message inside his t-shirt, but there is evidence that the presence of Christ is inside, and you would hope that the people with whom he interacts would experience that.  After all, in an NFL that has had its share of bad actors come forth lately, the reality of Christians living their life to the glory of God would be a refreshing contrast.

So, it's not the clothes or adornments you wear, but how you wear the presence of the living Christ that is truly important.   If He lives inside you, then we can be challenged to display the evidence of His nature in the way we live our lives.   We can be a living testimony of the reality of the risen Lord.

Recognizing Church Leadership

God calls us to a lifestyle of worship, and part of that is to show honor to those who are in authority over us.  In Hebrews 13, we see this passage:
15Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.16But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.17Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Humility is an essential characteristic of the devoted Christian.  In placing Jesus as Lord over our lives, we humble ourselves before Him.   We can also display humble attitudes and actions toward those who serve in leadership over us - that would include those who are called to serve our churches as pastors or other positions in the church.   In our service to Christ, we also can be sensitive to ways in which we can encourage those church leaders, to recognize their gifts, to affirm their service, and to demonstrate, in tangible ways, that we stand with them as they serve the Lord.

In 1st Thessalonians 5, Paul outlines some factors that contribute to church health, including a right relationship between church leaders and the congregations they lead - and serve:
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.14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.15See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

There's a survey that has been released that highlights some indicators of church financial practices and, I think, can challenge each of us to think more deeply about the importance of our church staff members and how we can affirm them.

Christianity Today reports on a survey of 727 of America's largest churches regarding their finances, conducted by Leadership Network and Vanderbloemen Search Group.  The researchers acknowledge their examination of church financial trends is not "randomly based nor is it statistically accurate for all larger churches," but they do explain that the findings "do indicate many general trends, and is likely the most comprehensive financial perspective available on large churches."

There are a number of interesting statistics here:

For instance, of the 56 million Protestants who worship weekly in the United States, 13 million attend a church of 1,000 or more participants. In North America, 1,650 churches have 2,000 or more participants.

Also, the typical large American church - of 1,000 to 7,000 members - was founded in 1977, seats 800 worshipers, and offers five weekly services at two campuses. The church's 52-year-old senior pastor was hired in 2005, it employs 25 staff members, and attendance has been recently growing 7 percent per year.

Nearly 50 percent of large churches spend between 39 percent and 52 percent of their annual budget on staffing costs, translating to 1 full-time paid staff for every 51 to 90 attendees. The salary of the senior pastor comprises, on average, 3.4 percent of a church’s budget and at least 30 percent higher than the next highest-paid employee.  The biggest influencer of pastor salaries is the size of the church.  Southern pastors are among the highest paid, followed by the Northeast and then West and Midwest.  Canadian pastors make less than all their American counterparts.

The top metrics measured by the majority of large churches were total attendance and giving compared to budget. Less than half track adult baptisms/conversions, adults in small groups, or new members.

And, another interesting piece of information: for the largest churches, those boasting attendance of 10,000 or more, nearly 50 percent report “not passing the plate.” In contrast, only 20 percent of other large churches indicate that they do not directly solicit tithes during services.

I recognize that many of our radio listeners do attend churches of over 1,000 members, but we also see that 43 million Protestants in America attend churches of less than 1,000, and as Ed Stetzer of LifeWay Research points out, the typical church has less than 100 in attendance.

So, what do we take away from these statistics in this large church report, even if we don't attend a large church?   Well, or one thing, it can challenge us to treat our pastors and church staff members well.   That can include the financial realm, but I think you could also expand it to include how we affirm our church leaders in other ways - do we show appreciation, do we communicate support, do we pray for our pastors?   These are all practical steps that we can take to create a healthy church culture with respect to our leadership.

I think we can also be challenged to make sure that we are connected to our local church - that would include regular attendance, but it also includes giving.   Faith Radio is a listener-supported ministry, but we encourage our donors to support their local churches first.  We desire to see the local church healthy and vibrant - touching their communities with the love and truth of Jesus Christ. We want to see church staff members and their congregations radiating and communicating the gospel.  

With Pastor and Staff Apprecation Month coming up in October, please take a few minutes to consider how you can show your church leaders that you appreciate how they allow God to use them in your life, in the lives of your family, and in the church at large.   

Deadly Sins and Devoted Living

Our Lord provides the instruction and power to live a holy life, set apart to Him - but it's important that we are faithful to exercise the resources that He has made available to us.  Here is a passage from Colossians 3:
5Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.6Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,7in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.8But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

We know from Scripture what does and doesn't please God, and we are challenged to make it our ambition to live a life that reflects the character of Christ and the redemption that He has brought about for us.  He wants to identify those areas of sin so that we can repent, confess our sins, and experience the forgiveness that He offers to us.  It's important that we are reliant on the Holy Spirit to point out those areas that do not line up with God's truth so that those things which hold us back in our relationship with Him can be effectively dealt with.

In Proverbs 6, we see a list of activities and attitudes that are not pleasing to God.  These don't necessarily line up completely with what are commonly known as the "seven deadly sins," but this can be a starting point for what I'd like to share in The Front Room today:
16These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:17A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,18A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,19A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

The eyes of college football fans will be on Manhattan, KS tomorrow night - that is the home of Kansas State University, who will be hosting the Auburn Tigers in a battle of Top 20 foes.

I don't know a whole lot about K-State, but I do know that a team of researchers there put together a survey in 2009 that continues to make the rounds - in fact, you can Google, "7 deadly sins Kansas State," and find articles that were posted within the last few days.  It's an interesting read, and provides us with some definite points for consideration.

So here's the deal on those "sins," what was measured for each of them, according to a chart on the Wired magazine website.  I also added some geographical analysis.

Greed
Average income compared with number of people living below the poverty line.  

Looks like much of California and the metropolitan areas surrounding Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston might be the leading perpetrators.

Envy
Total thefts (robbery, burglary, larceny, and grand theft auto) per capita.   

Looks like the Southeast U.S. has a corner on that market.

Wrath
Number of violent crimes (murder, assault, and rape) per capita.

A very similar breakdown here - high concentrations in So. Carolina-Georgia-Florida corridor. Louisiana doesn't look good.

Sloth
Expenditures on art, entertainment, and recreation compared with employment.

Very few high concentrations, just a few scattered "hot spots."

Gluttony
Number of fast-food restaurants per capita.

Oddly enough, parts of West Texas and eastern Virginia and North Carolina take the cake here.

Lust
Number of STD cases reported per capita.

Interestingly enough, this is where Alabama and Mississippi have high numbers, as well as parts of the Eastern Seaboard.

Finally, Pride
Aggregate of the other six offenses—because pride is the root of all sin.

Mainly, the South and California have the highest numbers here.
It's a thought-provoking study and it's been attracting attention now for over 4 years.   And, to think that a subject that seems to get less play in the culture is continuing to generate some fascination is a little bit odd to me.

But, the concept of sin is important.  And, while some have made light of this survey, the Bible is clear in its teaching of what pleases God and what does not.   And, while this list of 7 sins is by no means exhaustive, we can take this opportunity to consider sin and how to deal with it in our own lives.

We recognize for one thing that we have a propensity to sin.  Since we were born as humans in a fallen world, we recognize that we were born in a state of depravity, with the capability to sin.  So, no one is innately good - the Bible teaches that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

But, God has made a remedy to the sin problem in the person of Jesus Christ.  If we exercise our choice to turn to Christ and be saved, we then are given a new capacity to walk righteously before God.  We can also release the power of God in our lives and experience victory over the power of sin. While a sin-free life might be an unreachable standard, it seems, yet that ideally should be our standard, as we appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit.

And, we exercise that remedy by aligning ourselves with God's view of sin and experiencing God's forgiveness.  One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of our sins - He points out where we have missed the mark, but God also offers us the antidote.  By confessing our sins, we recognize that Christ's blood was sufficient to cleanse us of our sins.   When we come before God with a contrite and repentant heart, we place ourselves in a position to release the power of forgiveness in our lives.

Compelling Evidence of Certain Truth

Paul wrote these words of encouragement to Timothy in the book of 1st Timothy, chapter 3:
14These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;15but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.
Our living Lord is the head of the church of the living God, the body of Christ.  He came to earth as a man, was crucified as the perfect sacrifice for our sins, and is risen from the dead, and we can declare that we serve a Savior who is alive and working in the hearts and through the lives of His people.  He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and we're told that He is making intercession for us.  He has promised His Holy Spirit, who works to direct and strengthen us.  We have compelling evidence of the certainty of these facts, and He desires to teach us His truth and to express it as we are willing to communicate it.

We have compelling evidence for the truth of the Scriptures - the story of Jesus has been corroborated, and the truth of His crucifixion and resurrection is expressed in the lives of His followers.  Consider the words of 1st Corinthians 15:
3For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,4and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,5and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.6After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.7After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.8Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

It's one of those age-old mysteries that has been the source of speculation for years and years.  And, an author who describes himself as an "armchair detective" has released a book about the true identity of the perpetrator of a string of murders in Great Britain.   He was known as Jack the Ripper.

British website, The Independent, reports that author Russell Edwards believes he has identified the Victorian murderer for the first time after more than 120 years of mystery.  He claims that based on DNA tests, the murderer was a 23-year-old Polish immigrant called Aaron Kosminski.

He said Kosminski, who died in an asylum, was “definitely, categorically and absolutely” the man behind the grisly killing spree in 1888 in Whitechapel.

Police had identified Kosminski as a suspect, Edwards said, but never had enough evidence to bring him to trial.  He claims to have the only piece of forensic evidence, a shawl that one of the victims was allegedly wearing that night.

But, the inventor of the DNA process says "not so fast." Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys described it as an "interesting but remarkable claim that needs to be subjected to peer review, with detailed analysis of the provenance of the shawl and the nature of the claimed DNA match with the perpetrator's descendants and its power of discrimination; no actual evidence has yet been provided".

So, with the release of this book, the debate about the true identity of this notorious murderer will go on.

I began to think about this purportedly new evidence in this case.  And, I thought about the overwhelming evidence to support the historical fact of Jesus and His resurrection.   Dr. Gary Habermas, who spoke in Montgomery several years ago, has crafted the minimal facts approach to processing the evidence of the crucifixion and the resurrection. 

Tim Chaffey includes a summary of the work of Dr. Habermas in this area in a piece on the Answers in Genesis website.  He says that:

Since 1975, Resurrection expert Dr. Gary Habermas has catalogued over 3,400 academic works on the fate of Jesus, from conservative, critical, and skeptical scholars in English, German, and French. A skeptic may be tempted to accuse Habermas of only using material from scholars in his own camp, but his research has actually been skewed to favor the most skeptical positions.

Chaffey reports that out of the 3400 works studied, Habermas points out that the majority of writers accept 12 events as historical fact,16 including the facts that Jesus was crucified and buried, there was an empty tomb, and more.

Chaffey writes that, "if we compare the alternative theories of what happened to the body of Jesus with these 12 facts, we quickly see that none of these views can even come close to matching the evidence." Habermas has reduced the list of 12 to just the top five facts in an approach he calls the minimal facts approach. Each of these minimal facts must meet two criteria: (1) the data are strongly evidenced, and (2) the data are granted by virtually all scholars on the subject, even the skeptical ones. The minimal facts are:

1. Jesus died by crucifixion.
2. His disciples believed that He rose and appeared to them.
3. The church persecutor Paul was suddenly changed.
4. The skeptic James, brother of Jesus, was suddenly changed.
5. The tomb was empty.17

And, it's the evidence of the empty tomb that makes a tremendous difference for us today.  Because, it means for us that our Lord is risen.  And, there is evidence that He changes lives - because He is risen, we are raised up with Him.   No, His body wasn't stolen from that tomb that Easter morning, He appeared to people who could testify to His identity.   He met with His disciples, and He continues to meet with those who call upon His name and who have followed Him into salvation. 

And the reality of the risen Lord and the evidence for us provides us with a compelling case in order to defend our faith.   We can tell the story of what happened on the cross that day and relate the significance of the empty tomb.  We have that evidence from the life of Jesus, and...we have the evidence of what Christ has done in our lives - and we can share the story of what He has done in us.