Bethany Journey

Christmas in Matthew and Luke

2011-12-11T02:32:00.000-08:00

For anyone interested, click here to read a great article by Mark D. Roberts on the historical nature of the Christmas story and the relationship between the two accounts in Matthew and Luke.

A Future Letter From An American University President

2011-11-17T09:46:00.000-08:00

December 1, 2061

To: Board of Trustees
From: John T. Olerance, President, All American University
Re: Quelling of radical groups and hate speech on campus

I want to inform the board of trustees of my awareness of the recent incidents of hate speech on our campus, and of the activities of the radical cell groups which I hold responsible. As you know, a decade ago the university passed an absolute ban on any campus organizations that promote such incendiary ideas. Through the federal anti hate speech legislation and church regulatory laws passed over thirty years ago (and the mass arrests of priests and pastors that followed) our society as a whole has been liberated from these types of suppressive and hateful sentiments. However, there are some clandestine remnants who are strategically targeting college campuses around the country. They realize, of course, that the university is often the rudder that steers the moral and intellectual ship of society, and they seek to gain influence there as the fastest means of returning to the type of degrading tyranny that was imposed on so much of the world for so many centuries before our own.

In fact, while looking through some news archives from universities around the country, I recently came across a fifty-year-old article from The Pennsylvania State University that shows the extent of the strangle hold this backward sect once had on the mindset of the majority of Americans. The article described a huge scandal resulting in the firing of the university president along with other top officials, all because one of the school’s football coaches was found to be authentically living out his trans-generational orientation. I want you to know that I am as appalled as you are to know that the moral sensibilities of our culture were so twisted by this ancient superstition that good American people were deprived of the right to live out their natural-born orientations. This is a crime which I hope never to see repeated!

With all this in mind, I want to assure you that broad minded acceptance of all viewpoints, lifestyles, and beliefs is one of the foundational principles of this university, and as its president, I will work diligently to see that this is upheld. Through some well-placed informants, I am becoming increasingly aware of the time and locations of the secret meetings of these Christian groups. All it will take is one piece of evidence proving they have held an unapproved religious gathering, and everyone involved will be in violation of federal law, and thus eliminated as a threat to the tolerance and progress of our university.

Thoughts on Penn State

2011-11-13T11:53:00.000-08:00

Today I suggested a parallel between Esau's forfeiting his birthright for a meal (Genesis 25) with the officials at Penn State who forfeited justice for abused children to keep their jobs and maintain the school's reputation.

What are your thoughts on this issue? What are some important aspects of this that haven't been brought up in all the news stories?

Black and White and Gray

2011-08-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today I made the point that, in light of Hebrews 5:14, the more spiritually mature a person is, the more clearly he or she is able to discern the difference between good and evil.

What are some examples of moral issues where the right and wrong side should be clear to Christians, but often is not? And what's an example of an issue which many Christians treat as if it's cut and dry, when it actually is not?

MM

The Clash of Hope and History

2011-03-15T18:36:00.001-07:00

Most of us are incorrigible optimists. And I don’t just mean the happy, bubbly people who could see the bright side of a sewer trench. Most of us, no matter our temperament, have a sense that the world will ultimately be good. We may not have all our future plans clearly mapped out, and we may be in the midst of struggles right now, but the majority of us have an inarticulate but definite sense that in the future the world is somehow going to be made right. In a word, we hope.

But hope is a curious thing in this world so filled with seemingly hopeless tragedies. We suffer directly as we or our family members grapple with pain and terminal disease. We witness the immense suffering of others in seeing Tsunamis wiping out entire cities and house fires taking the lives of children. And yet we still hold on to the belief that everything will be all right? But even if we could make every city natural-disaster proof, every house fireproof, and every disease curable, we would still eventually grow feeble and die, and that doesn’t meet anyone’s definition of all right. So where does hope come from?

It’s as if we live amidst the constant clash of two worlds: The world of hopeful desire on the inside of us, and the world of hopeless facts on the outside. The question is, which of these two worlds is the real world? Thoroughly cynical people (who, interestingly, usually still try to live as if there’s a future to hope for) accuse Christians of being childish and willfully ignorant. They say we live in a dream--that there’s no real difference between our belief in Heaven and a child’s belief in the Easter Bunny. Each of these beliefs, they say, is just a castle built in the air, with no objective facts to ground it. We’re said to be “escapists” who retreat to our inner fantasies about God and Heaven because we don’t have the good sense and fortitude to face the world as it truly is.

And it’s at just this point that confetti explodes over us Christians. The resurrection of Jesus was precisely the moment when the world of hope entered into the world of history: “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14-15)

At Easter, and all through the year, we want to proclaim to all the stiff-lipped “sensible” people who base everything they believe on the hard facts of history, that Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead is indeed one of those hard facts! It really happened, and because it really happened “...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:3-5)

In the words of, John Mark Mcmillan, “Jesus laid Death in his grave” and in so doing, He broke hopelessness and gave us the hope that does not disappoint.

Controversy and Inconsistency

2010-11-18T23:57:00.000-08:00

Last week controversy erupted over an e-book sold on Amazon by Phillip Greaves, a 42 year old man from Pueblo, CO. The book's title is The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure: A Child-Lover's Code of Conduct.

There was such a public outcry, (including a big threat to boycott Amazon) that the book was pulled and is no longer available.

Just the thought of such a book makes me nauseous; I feel queasy just typing it. But the whole story raises some important questions:

In a society that is so open and affirming to people who consider themselves G, L, B or T, I find it interesting that most people are still quick to oppose those whose "orientation" is P. Don't misunderstand me. I'm glad that the vast majority of people decry pedophilia for the evil perversion it is. I just wonder what standard of decency people are appealing to when they do so, and how that standard applies to other types of sexual behavior. I know the first response is that pedophilia is severely damaging to children (which, of course, it is), though there are some advocates who argue that it isn't, and that it is only an "orientation" which is on equal footing with others which are more socially acceptable. I even read a quote from a gay rights activist once in which she referred not to pedophiles, but to those of a "trans-generational orientation," and argued that those who have that orientation are discriminated against just as homosexuals used to be.

All this makes me think of a quote from N.T. Wright:

"Having decreed that almost all sexual activity is good and right and commendable, we are all the more shrill about the one remaining taboo, pedophilia. It is as though all the moral indignation which ought to be spread more evenly and thoughtfully across many other spheres of activity has all been funneled on to this one crime. Child abuse is of course stomach-turninlgy disgusting, but I believe we should beware of the unthinking morlaism which is so eager to condemn it simply because we hate the thought of it rather than on properly thought-out grounds. 'Morality' like that can be, and often is, manipulated. Lashing out at something you simply know by intuition is wrong may be better than tolerating it. But it is hardly the way to build a stable moral society." (Evil and the Justice of God pg. 27)

Like Wright, I see a big inconsistency in opposing one type of sexual immorality and affirming all others. There has to be a higher standard of sexual behavior than the arbitrary criteria of that which takes place among "consenting adults." (as does adultery).

Certainly this is a discussion-worthy topic if ever there was one?

Mike

More thoughts on OT Violence

2010-11-16T19:57:00.000-08:00

(I want to cite a long quote and wasn't sure if there'd be room in the comment section)

There's a well-thought-out article on OT violence from a Christian philosopher named Paul Copan. I posted it on my website: thoughtsifter.com. (Just click the "Violence in the OT" tab at the top). Here's a quote form that article I found interesting:

“All that breathes.” I observed in my previous essay that the lan- guage of total obliteration (“all that breathes”) is an ANE rhetorical device, an exaggeration commonly associated with warfare. For example, in Deuteronomy 2:34 (“we captured all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed the men, women and children of every city. We left no survivor.”) and 3:6

(“. . . utterly destroying the men, women and children of every city”), we come upon what is a standard expression of military bravado in ANE warfare. In 7:2–5, alongside Yahweh’s command to “destroy” the Canaanites is the assumption they would not be obliterated—hence the warnings not to

make political alliances or intermarry with them. That is, we have stock ANE phrases referring to a crushing defeat and utter obliteration in my earlier article, but this is what Goldingay calls “monumental hyperbole.”

Also, I think the Craleys hit on something that is key. We have to consider the radical difference in what we could call mental or cultural climate. We have almost no idea what it was like to live in such a radically different culture so many thousands of years ago. It's my understanding that, in ancient near eastern culture, warfare was often inseparably tied to religion. In many cases victory in war was taken as a sign of the superiority of a nation's God. This was the cultural climate within which God was communicating to people. This doesn't remove all the difficulty of the issue, but the more we consider different factors like this, the more we see how much more complex a thing it is to discern than it sometimes seems upon an initial reading.

Also, Gregory Boyd has a great chapter on this in his book Letters from a Skeptic. One of his main points there is that we should always work from the known to the unknown when trying to understand hard passages like these. We know that Jesus is the full revelation of God, so what ever else God is, his character cannot be contrary to what we see in Jesus. We may not be able to understand God's commands of violence in the OT, but we have more than sufficient grounds for believing God can be trusted in light of what we know in Jesus.

God-Ordained Violence in the OT

2010-11-09T11:23:00.000-08:00

Pastor Jim's Monday night Old Testament study discussed the issue of God's commands to kill (apparently entire) gentile populations in certain areas like Jericho, as we read about in the book of Joshua.

Like a lot of people, I have always thought of this as one of the most difficult parts of the Bible to wrestle with, and I was wondering what types of questions came up in the Monday night group, and if any who weren't in that group have some thoughts about this as well.

I had a few thoughts about this, but will wait until a later post.

Any thoughts?

Christians and Retirement Accounts

2010-10-10T10:20:00.000-07:00

I made the comment in today's (Sunday, Oct. 10) sermon that, in light of Jesus' teaching on the rich fool in Luke 12, if someone is more than, say, ten or fifteen years from retirement age, and has enough money in savings to live comfortably if he were to stop working today, that person is probably not following Christ to the fullest.

Of course we must be responsible and save and manage money wisely to see that our families are taken care of. What I mean is a large sum of money saved back in order to secure a comfortable lifestyle once one retires from working.

A clarifying question would be, if a person has this large a sum of money sitting in an account (a decade or two before retirement)--what would be the difference between that person and the rich fool in Luke 12?

The NFL and Moral Depravity

2010-08-12T08:55:00.001-07:00

A few years ago a big story in the world of sports was the dog-fighting scandal centering on Michael Vick, who was then a star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons and now the Philadelphia Eagles.

I wrote something about this on the personal blog I was keeping at the time, and the issue came up recently in a book study group at Bethany, so I thought I'd post the story again. It's three years old, but still very relevant:

________________________

By now most people have heard about the legal troubles of Atlanta Falcons quarterback, Michael Vick, who is charged with involvement in illegal dogfighting. He is in some serious, potentially career-damaging trouble and has become a punching bag for many public commentators. Apparently dog fighting is one of the most intolerable sins for many in pop culture.

But what really strikes me is the disparity between the Vick scandal and a recent news story about another famous NFL quarterback, Tom Brady, three-time Superbowl champion for the New England Patriots. Brady's story, which seems to be anything but scandalous to those reporting it, is that he got his girlfriend, Bridget Moynahan, pregnant, but then the couple broke up. As it turns out, nine months wasn't too short a time for Brady to find a new girlfriend, whom he's now with while the old one is giving birth to his first child.

Here's the link to an article on Brady's story in the Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2007/08/23/its_a_boy_for_bridget_moynahan_and_tom_brady/

Of course what Michael Vick did was bad, but if there is any such thing as chastity--if there is any standard of sexual decency and any value in a man and woman actually trying to live as husband and wife to the child they give birth to, then what Brady did was worse. I'm not saying either of these men should be demonized for their mistakes (though many have not hesitated to demonize Vick). I just can't understand why dog fighting is seen as such a perverse thing while fathering a child from philandering is smiled upon?

Morals of the White Witch

2010-06-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

One of my quirks is a curiosity about the real life moral characters of actors who play significant roles in movies I like. I have this naive but stubborn assumption that if an actor or actress plays a part in a morally moving story, that the person must, at least to some extent, endorse the lessons in the story and be shaped by them. How could any of the main actors in The Passion of The Christ not have been deeply changed by that story? How could anyone who played in Hotel Rwanda ever be tempted to be racist? How could Sandra Bullock or Tim McGraw fail to see the profound importance of family and sacrificial giving after playing in Blindside?

But this is, of course, a dumb and consistently false assumption. A good case in point is the Actress Tilda Swinton, who plays the part of the White Witch in the film versions of C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. If ever there were a series of fiction stories that convey the eternal importance of real virtue, of good sense, honor, and purity, and most of all of Christ, it is The Chronicles of Narnia. Though the movies (especially Prince Caspian) didn’t do full justice to the original books, it’s still hard to understand how anyone could play a main role in these stories and yet, on a personal level, reject the most basic ideas the author’s life was built upon. But Miss Swinton does this with gusto. She lives in Scotland with John Byrne, the father of her children (one of whom is ironically named Honor). And travels with and sometimes lives with her partner/boyfriend Andro Kopp. Though living in the same house, Swinton and her children’s father are not married, but are said to be good friends, even though the he is aware of her relationship with the boyfriend.

I saw her on Charlie Rose recently, and she seems to be an energetic, optimistic, happy person. Apparently a lifestyle of open marriage “works” for Ms. Swanton. And this raises an important question for Christians. What do we have to say to those of a libertarian mindset who suggest that if a certain behavior or lifestyle makes someone happy--even though the behavior has traditionally been understood to be perverse and immoral--we should live and let live and simply appreciate the fact of another’s happiness, as long as that happiness doesn’t infringe on someone else’s well being?

More on Homosexuality and Abortion

2010-05-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

(Below is my response to a comment posted on May 22)

Thank you for your candid comments. I hope everyone at Bethany thinking about these issues will voice their thoughts as you and the others commenting on the blog have.

I’ll respond to each of your questions separately:

“If I have relatives or friends who are gay and I love them and don’t try to change them I’m not a Christian? There are members of our own church who are gay, do we not love them as our own?”

We must keep in mind, the moral issue of homosexuality is not about “orientation.” It is about behavior. It’s not about the way gay people are born, but about how they choose to respond to the way they were born. The Christian view on human sexuality, as clearly and unambiguously given in scripture, is that our capacity of sex is a morally significant thing. Sex was designed by God as a means of procreation and spiritual/emotional bonding between one man and one woman in the context of a life-long marriage. Any time sexual intercourse happens outside that context, it is sin. Not only is this point made clearly and consistently in the Bible, it is the position that has been held by all of the most influential and trustworthy Christian leaders for the past 2,000 years.

Regarding your question about gay friends or family members whom we love. Loving someone necessarily means seeking that person’s best interest. If we have loved ones who are openly practicing sexual sin (be it homosexuality or open marriage or legal prostitution--each of these takes place among consenting adults) because they do not think it is sin, it is not in their best interest to refuse to tell them that it is sin. This would be like refusing to tell them there is poison in their favorite food for fear of hurting their feelings.

As for those in the Bethany family who are gay--(first of all I’m very uncertain about labeling people “gay” or “straight.” It seems to me an odd thing to identify people by their particular sexual desires. It’s also my understanding that this is a fairly modern distinction.) But in any case, if there are people in the Bethany family who, because of the way they were born, are sexually attracted to those of the same sex, then I gladly embrace them in solidarity. They are people who are seeking the grace of God to overcome the sinful tendencies they were born with, just like me.

I don’t struggle with same sex attraction, but I do struggle with lust. I am very happily married, but even so, every time I see a skimpily-dressed woman, I have to fight against the desire to look at her lustfully. This desire is completely natural. I was born with it. And it is also completely sinful. It is a cross I, and most Christian men, have to carry. It is something we constantly struggle with--often painfully. It is a part of me that must die, so that Christ can lead me into the type of life he has called all of us to live.

But how could I say, “No. This is my identity. I was born with a tendency for sexual lust, and there’s nothing wrong with that, and I want people to accept and affirm me for who I am”?

If there are people who are a regular part of the Bethany family who unrepentantly practice homosexual behavior (or open marriage, or legal prostitution, or promiscuity) then they should be confronted about that. It should be made clear to them that such behavior is sin, and that they should repent. They are no better or worse than the rest of us. All of us are called to repent of the sinful things we do naturally, and they are no exception.

“If I made a decision many years ago to end a pregnancy and don’t regret that decision, I can’t be a Christian?”

I want to be quick to say that I realize a woman’s decision to have an abortion is a profound one and one accompanied by many deep and complex emotions. Please don’t take anything I say as trivializing that.

The first thing that must be considered in answer to this question is what is said in the two passages from Jeremiah 1 and Psalm 139 I cited in an earlier post:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;”

“For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.”

The foremost question is, if someone believes that these passages are true--that they are inspired from God, how can that person believe that ending the life of an unborn child is a right decision. What does it mean to be a Christian if one has no obligation to submit his or herself to the authority of scripture? How could Christian morality have any meaning if we judge our moral actions only by how we feel about them afterwards?

To answer your question directly. If someone chose to abort an unborn child (not just a pregnancy) and does not regret it, she should.

But please, please understand. I am no better than a woman who’s had many abortions. I am someone who has chosen to do sinful things in my past as well. But if I have truly signed over my life to Christ--if I truly believe he is who he’s portrayed to be in scripture, than I must repent. I must ask his forgiveness and ask for the grace to keep from continuing in my sins. If I were to refuse to do this, what meaning could following Christ have?

With all this in mind, the one central thing that those who practice homosexuality and those who have had abortions and those, like me, who struggle with lust and narcissism, need to know is that God loves you. And the fact that he loves us necessarily means that he wants to purify us of the sinful urges we naturally struggle with, and redeem us from the sinful acts of our past. God loves us and there’s nothing we can do about it. And his love is a perfect and purifying one, and there’s nothing we can do about that either.

I want to reiterate how valuable it is to be able to discuss important issues like this in a candid but mutually respectful way. Such discussions are rare but desperately needed.

Please don’t hesitate to post your comments in response.

Mike

Homosexuality and Women Pastors

2010-05-21T13:01:00.001-07:00

(The post below is a response to a comment posted to the previous article on homosexuality.)

Thanks for keeping this discussion going. I wish more people were compelled to discuss things as thoroughly as you.

The comparison you make between the Bible passages on women in church leadership and homosexuality is probably the strongest argument to be made in favor of the moral acceptance of homosexuality. However, I think when these two issues in Scripture are thoroughly examined it becomes clear that they are not parallel.

The passage you cite in 1 Timothy 2, along with 1 Corinthians 14:33-35, definitely seem to be as stark and uncompromising as the prohibitions against homosexuality in Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 6, but there are a few important mitigating factors:

1. One of the reasons some conservative Christians believe these prohibitions against women leading in church only applied to those in the specific contexts Paul was writing to is because there are other passages that seem to indicated that women do have a role in leadership or teaching. For example, in Peter’s Pentecost sermon he quotes the OT prophet Joel saying:" 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”

Also, Paul himself says in 1 Corinthians 11 that women should cover their head when prophesying. He also uses the word “Apostle” in Romans 16 to describe someone named “Junias” or “Junia,” who some very reputable NT scholars believe was certainly a female. (NT scholar, Ben Withierington III has a lot to say about this)

2. It’s also a big question whether or not the Greek word for woman in the 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2 passages refers to women in general or specifically to wives.

3. Also, something I think a very important consideration is the inherent nature of the issue in question. As I said in a previous post, a fundamental question in any discussion on homosexuality must be this: Is sexual behavior an inherently moral thing? When we talk about women church leaders, we are talking about what Scripture says is the right role for women in the Church. Those who argue against women in Church leadership don’t say that it’s wrong to be a woman, but that it’s wrong for women to assume roles that are contrary to the identity and function God intends for them. So the argument would say there’s nothing wrong with being a woman, but rather with women working in the wrong context. The same is true (not that I’m arguing against women in leadership) for heterosexual sex. What makes sex between a man and a woman right or wrong is context. The behavior itself is not wrong or perverse, but it is if practiced in a wrong context--out side of marriage.

By the way, this is why arguments that pair homosexuality with racism are not valid. Race is amoral; it is not wrong or right to be black, white or Asian. In contrast, it is wrong to practice certain sexual behaviors.

The thinking behind the prohibitions on homosexuality is not that it’s practiced in a wrong context, but that it is behavior that is itself inherently perverse. Certainly, the practice of homosexuality between two people who are in a committed, monogamous relationship is better than it being practiced promiscuously, but the act itself is thought to be perverse, regardless of its context.

The exact same would be true about incest. In fact, I don’ t think there are any prohibitions against incest in the NT that are nearly as strong and clear as the one’s against homosexuality. And yet there’s not much disagreement on whether that constitutes sexual perversity. And this behavior would not cease to be sexually perverse if it were practiced in the context of long term, committed relationships. I know this might sound absurd to even apply the phrase, “long term, committed relationship” to incest, but it probably would have sounded equally absurd sixty years ago to apply this phrase to homosexuality.

In turn this raises some important questions:

If homosexuality does not constitute sexual perversity, what does, and how are we to know?

If the context of a long term, committed relationship makes homosexuality morally acceptable, why is the same not true for incestuous or polygamous relationships? (Would churches who want to be “open and affirming” to practicing homosexuals also be open and affirming to a man and his three wives? If not, why not?)

Response to Controversies

2010-05-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

For all who read the Bethany blog, I humbly apologize for my very long delay in responding to two comments posted a few weeks ago. I got distracted the first week and didn't check the blog as I should have, and then was recovering from surgery for a week and a half. I hope the blog will generate more frequent discussions, and I promise to do my best to respond promptly to any posted comments from now on.

One of the comments posted on the previous post was in response to the controversial issues of homosexuality and abortion which I focused on in a sermon. I have posted my response below on the main blog page because I thought it was too long for the narrow column in the comment section. In any case, please feel free to share your thoughts on this.

________________

Concerning homosexuality, Christians should not be concerned with the issue of “orientation.” I can’t say for sure whether or not people are truly “born gay.” (Though I tend to think at least some are). But this is irrelevant. Almost all heterosexual men are born with a promiscuous or polygamous “orientation,” in that most men have natural urges to have sexual relations with many different women. What matters is not the urges or orientations we are born with but how we respond to them--by praying for the grace to die to those urges and live a new life in Christ, or to give up the struggle and embrace the urges as “just who I am.” And by the way, the Christian standard of behavior for someone who has same sex attraction is the exact same for unmarried heterosexuals: celibacy. A celibate homosexual is, by far, living a more Christian lifestyle than a promiscuous heterosexual.

Though the prohibitions in scripture against the practice of homosexuality are unmistakable (Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 6), there’s another line of reasoning that I think also shows it to be immoral. If we believe sexual behavior is an inherently moral thing (in contrast to amoral behaviors like breathing or walking), then there has to be moral parameters around it--to be moral necessarily means there is a right and wrong way to go about it.

If a person believes in a personal, Creator God, from whom we get our sense of morality, then it’s hard to understand how that God would have no concern about how we behave sexually. If a person were to believe that God does care, but his main concern is that we simply respect each other's wishes so that mutual consent is the ultimate moral rule, then not only should we have no problem with mutually consenting homosexual practice, but neither with open marriages, polygamy, pedophilia (or as a gay rights activist called it “trans-generational orientation”), and prostitution.

If homosexual practice is acceptable, I see no reason why any and all types of sexual behaviors shouldn't be affirmed as long as all involved are agreeable. There are a number of celebrities and public officials who openly, actively practice a homosexual lifestyle, and many people have no problem with this (some are quite proud of it). But many of the same people who celebrate the "diversity" represented by people like Barney Frank and Ellen Degeneres, would be disgusted if there were a congressman who owned one of the legal brothels in Nevada, or a talk show host who was polygamous or who had a twelve-year-old "partner." But why, if all involved are consenting? How can one "orientation" be privileged above others?

But, all this aside, at the end of the day, if we are to be faithful Christians, we must be faithful to scripture. Saint Paul clearly believed the practice of homosexuality to be sinful, and for us as Christians to say he was wrong on this would be to presume that we are more reasonable and more in tune with the spirit of God and the teaching of Jesus than he was.

_________________________________

As for abortion, I agree with you about the importance of the Catholic priest’s consistency. He certainly should not isolate one sinful belief or behavior and treat it as if it were worse than others. However, I think the central issue here is not denying communion to people who have sinned, but rather denying communion to someone who uses his power as a public official to promote sin as a cultural norm. I think most Catholic priests would respond the same way if there were some, supposedly Catholic, public official fighting to promote the use of birth control or the right to quick, easy divorces. These are things the Catholic church is squarely against. Giving communion to someone who holds positions that are diametrically opposed to the Catholic Church, and who uses his authority as a public official to encourage others to do the same, would take all meaning out of communion. This would be little different from saying, “Communion is for those who believe in Christ...and for those who don’t...and for anyone who thinks it’s nonsense but feels uplifted by it...”

And regarding the whole issue of abortion, I must be candid and say I simply cannot understand how any Christian (Or anyone who believes in a personal God at all) can believe that it is a good thing for women to have the right to abort a pregnancy. Of course, in cases where the mother’s life is in danger, this is not a clear issue, but such cases make up a fraction of abortion situations, and the pro-choice political argument is not based on that.

How could we ever say that one person has the right to end another’s life because that other person’s life is too difficult or inconvenient for the other? It is also true that if we hold that a woman should have the right to abort a child prior to birth, there is no rational basis to say she does not have the right to end the child’s life after birth. (In fact, Peter Singer, a professor of “Ethics” at Princeton, believes that women should have that right. If the right to an abortion at will is acceptable, we really have no argument against him.)

And if one were to argue that we don’t know when a fetus becomes a person, this (which I think a true statement) is just as much to the point. If we don’t know when a fetus becomes a person but allow an abortion anyway, we are no better than a hunter shooting into rustling bushes; maybe it’s a person, maybe not. We don’t know, but we’ll kill it anyway?

I must also add, as one with three adopted children, I cannot see how anyone could believe that abortion is a better option for the child than adoption.

But as is the case with homosexuality, and every other moral issue in our lives, if we are to be faithful to Christ we must be faithful to the scripture he revered. How can we hold a pro choice view in light of passages like Psalm 139:13-16:

"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be."

And Jeremiah 1:4-5a:

"The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;' "

Christian Views on Controversies

2010-04-18T03:25:00.001-07:00

In last week's message I made the point that there are some beliefs and behaviors that are clearly incompatible with authentic Christianity (e.g. abortion as a normal option for birth control, or the willful practice--as distinct from the "orientation"-- of homosexuality)

This week I said people are shocked by certain beliefs or behaviors only when those beliefs and behaviors are different from what they consider to be "normal," and normal is only defined by what the majority of people do the majority of the time.

With this in mind, here are two important questions:

How should Christians determine which issues are nonnegotiable and which allow room for disagreement among equally authentic Christians?

How are Christians to go about finding the difference between what is "normal" and what is right?

"Jesus Save us from.."

2009-10-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

With the new movie-documentary, "Jesus Save Us From Your Followers: Why is the gospel of love dividing America," in mind, I made the point in today's message that the Gospel of Jesus divides people for two reasons.

1) Because Christians do a lot of stupid things that misrepresent Jesus.

2) Because the message of Jesus is, by it's very nature, divisive.

What's an example you've seen of people claiming to be Christians but misrepresenting Jesus?

What's an example of a stand all Christians must take, regardless of how unpopular or "divisive" it is in the larger culture?

MM

Today's Revolution?

2009-09-06T05:53:00.000-07:00

I talked today about the practices of the early Christians, like opposing abortion and infaticide, caring for the sick at great risk to one's personal health, and being unconcerned with ethnic and racial boundaries. These things shook the status quo of the day in a radical way.

What are some good examples of Christian practices today that are seen as equally unusual (and perhaps threatening) by the culture around us?

MM

Holiness

2009-07-19T04:41:00.001-07:00

It's often the case that volunteers work harder at a particular job than those who work out of obligation. In much the same way, it's often true that Christians who focus only on the love of God, without a legalistic code of rules, live more pure, morally upright, holy lives than anyone else--and do so with great joy. Why is this?

God working through tragedy

2009-06-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts/responses to Mary Duncan's story of how God strengthened her through tragedy, as she shared in our worship time today.

MM

The Real Power of Change

2009-05-31T05:56:00.000-07:00

The good works we do in following Jesus' example are not the things that make us right before God, but rather are the things that allow God's Holy Spirit into our lives to make us right. The Holy Spirit is the power that changes us, our work in obedience to Christ is the opening through which He comes. (Like window blinds and light. Opening the blinds only lets the light in, but the light's the important thing)

One glorious fact in all this is that the more the Holy Spirit changes us, the more good deeds we want to do, which enables us to experience more of the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever experienced God in such a way that it changed the things you did and didn't want to spend your time doing--an experience that transformed your desires? (I'm assuming many of you have)

Please make a post to let us know.

Jesus' Shocking View of the World

2009-05-24T03:38:00.000-07:00

In addition to Jesus' shocking view on death (such that he would tell a woman at her son's funeral not to cry), what are other aspects of his worldview that are radically out of line with the status quo?

In other words, what are some more examples of things Jesus said that would cause someone to laugh at him (like the women at Jairus' house in Luke 8) or think he was crazy?

Nothing but the Truth

2009-05-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

Two Questions about Truth:

1. What's the worst thing you've seen happen as a result of someone believing that truth is relative to what each individual wants it to be?

2. What's the worst example you've seen of Christians conveying the truth without love.

Bethany Film Project (and sermon question)

2009-05-02T13:56:00.001-07:00

For information about the Bethany Film Project.

See the link on the church's homepage at http://www.bethanyredlion.com

_____________________________________________________________

Here's the question stemming from this week's sermon:

Why (and how) are references to Satan overused and abused by some Christians? Why do you think others neglect thinking about Satan at all?

MM

For Sunday School Group on The Nature of The Bible

2009-04-26T16:11:00.001-07:00

Here are two links to more detailed information on the topics we discussed in Sunday School today. (For the question on this week's sermon, see the post below)

http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=ddr5rgsk_41cwsgbm94

http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=ddr5rgsk_637xk8cxfj

Points of Friction

2009-04-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

In John 14:15-19 Jesus says Christians can see him and see the Holy Spirit when others cannot. What is an example of a controversy or point of friction that can arise when Christians are guided by that which they see but is hidden from other people?

MM

What do you think?

2009-04-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

In light of the fact that the disciples were utterly shocked at Jesus' resurrection (See Luke 24:36-49), what do you think was the hardest adjustment they had to make because of the resurrection? (Maybe a hard but joyful adjustment?)

The Invasion of God's Resurrection Force

2009-04-12T04:45:00.000-07:00

I said in the message on Easter Sunday that Christ's resurrection was, in many ways, like God's D Day, in which he broke into the world to conquer the dark power of death that had reigned for so long.

God's expectation is that, from the starting point of Jesus' resurrection, his followers move out across the world to bring the new life made available by the the resurrection and the Holy Spirit to all people, in order to make all things on earth as they are in Heaven.

What's a specific example of a person or event through which you've seen God's kingdom advancing into the dark areas of the world?

Everyday Blindness

2009-04-05T06:13:00.001-07:00

It's clear from passages like Luke 17:26-36 that many people miss the most important of all things because they are so immersed in the everyday activities of life--"eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building."

What aspects of our mundane, everyday experiences do you think are most dangerous? What makes us most vulnerable to missing the most important thing(s)?

If you plan on going on the Sierra Leone trip next January, don't forget to post your name and intent to go here.

"Everybody" Says...

2009-03-22T09:15:00.001-07:00

What is a good real-life example of something "Everybody" says, but is nonetheless wrong?

Also, what do you think is the most dangerous and/or destructive idea that is widely accepted (and practiced) in American culture? Why?

Fanatically Normal

2009-03-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

What's the best example of a fanatic you've seen--not necessarily someone who showed extreme behavior, but someone who was so committed to a certain agenda or set of beliefs that he or she was unwilling to consider anything that might challenge the "normal" way of seeing the world, regardless of whether or not the thing is true.

Categorizing People

2009-03-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

What's one of the worst examples of people being ranked or labeled with categories of job, social class, background, etc.? What were (are) the results of this?

Have you ever witnessed an example of Christians who refused to categorize people, but rather saw everyone as equally important, and equally in need of God? What were the results of this?

The Enemy Of The Best Is The Good

2009-02-28T19:31:00.000-08:00

What are some examples of people seeking good things that ultimately cause them to miss the best things?

Chastity

2009-02-22T11:26:00.001-08:00

What's the biggest obstacle in teaching and living a life of chastity? Is the difficulty more inside us, or is it in the culture around us?

Christians and Homosexuality

2009-02-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

Instead of a question from me this week, I'd like to just open up the blog for any comments or questions regarding the sermon topic.

Bad Lessons in Movies

2009-02-07T19:23:00.000-08:00

Last summer I saw a popular movie that troubled me because of what I saw as a very distorted understanding of love. I don't want to give the title away right off, but I would like to hear some thoughts from anyone out there who has been struck by a twisted (yet widely accepted) portrayal of love in the movies?

True Love (1 Corinthians 13)

2009-02-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

Paul explains in 1st Corinthians 13 that true love (agape) seeks only the benefit of the beloved, and has no concern for itself--and that this type of love is one of the most substantial, most real things we can know.

In contrast to this is the popular view of love in our culture which sees love as an arbitrary feeling which we fall into and out of.

So what are the dangers of the non-Christian view of love? What kind of problems can result if we fail to see that true love is more than a feeling?

It's Not About Me

2009-01-23T10:15:00.000-08:00

Among many other examples in the Bible, Joseph (in Genesis) and Paul in the end of Acts, both show by their attitude after being released from a two year prison term that the true follower of God can only live a life pleasing to God, and can only fulfill his or her calling in life by recognizing, "It's not about me."

But many segments of our Western culture don't see it that way. In fact, a lot of businesses thrive on convincing their customers that "It's all about you."

So what are some good examples from popular culture of things or people who seek to convince us (not that it takes much) that our lives really should be oriented around securing our own immediate comfort and security?

N.T. Wright on a Biblical view of mission

2009-01-11T03:07:00.001-08:00

I thought it would be good this week to post a link to a talk by New Testament scholar, N.T. Wright on a Biblical vision for mission. He gives some great ideas, and the talk goes right a long with today's message on mission. (And it's only about 16 minutes long--well worth listening to.)

Tom Wright – A biblical hope for mission

(Right click on the link and "save as" to download, or just click on the link to listen to the talk on the web)

As always, feel free to post a comment or discussion question.

Hillbillies In The Mansion

2009-01-04T14:11:00.000-08:00

So the Beverly Hillbillies were odd because they lived in a new world but still acted as if they lived in the old one--what are some specific examples of ways Christians do this? What are the traits of our old selves and old ways of thinking that are hardest to leave behind? Why?

What Do We Learn About God From His Methods

2008-12-27T19:25:00.000-08:00

What does the fact that God communicates to us in mysterious (yet clear and certain) ways tell us about his character? What benefit might he intend in making himself known to us without putting an instant end to our problems, bringing down corrupt governments, or healing every sickness we suffer?

Christmas Too Close To See

2008-12-24T06:07:00.000-08:00

G.K. Chesterton tells a story about a young boy who goes out to sit on a hill to draw with pieces of chalk on a scrap of brown paper. The boy is initially excited, but then frustrated upon realizing he has forgotten the piece he thinks most important—the white chalk. He mulls in frustration for a short time, then erupts into laughter as it dawns upon him that the hill he sits on is itself made entirely of white chalk. I see a profound picture of Christmas in Chesterton’s story.

It’s easy to forget in the midst of Christmas festivities that, for many, Christmas will not be so festive this year. For a lot of people, this will be the first Christmas after losing a spouse or child. Others will experience Christmas as spectators, watching the world around them celebrate, as they would love to do if only they still had, or just once could have, the wealth necessary for a Christmas celebration. For some, every holiday song, every advertisement and decoration only serves as an amplifier of pain: “There’ll be no need to go across town to his favorite store this year,” so the Christmas-sale ad seems to say to the widow. “This is how most people (except you) enjoy Christmas shopping,” says the mall commercial to the minimum-wage-earning, single mom of three. What a heart-stab every mention of Christmas toys must be to those who have lost a child? There are many—very many—who watch all of Christmas as orphans watching through the orphanage window as families play across the street.

From this it is extremely tempting to give up our cheer and take a view that is more “mature,” a level-headed view that pulls our head out of the clouds, one that sobers us with the “real world,” and prevents us from getting caught up in all the childish Christmas hype. But such a view is short-sighted to say the least.

Before I go any further, please don’t take this as some muddle-headed attempt to counter deep pain with trite Bible clichés. Make no mistake; pain hurts. But one can either hurt in hope or hurt in despair, all depending on the level of insight and faith.

I said to lose cheer is tempting but short-sighted, because to do so is to stop and turn around within sight of the finish line. As dark as many situations may seem, the light is ironically close. The remedy to the pain evoked in so many by Christmas celebrations can only be had in looking past the celebrations to their source. If shiny tinsel and lights and family dinners are really all Christmas is about, hurting, lonely people have little hope. But what (rather who) lies at the very bedrock of all the Christmas cheer? It is the Father, the Lover, the one who ultimately defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow. The great irony is, in many people, loneliness and pain is intensified by the celebration of the coming of the only One who can cure our loneliness and pain. Those whose pain is aggravated by Christmas are in a situation much like a man stranded on a desert island who is irritated when the island’s silence is broken by the foghorn of a rescue ship. With Chesterton’s story in mind, Christmas makes us aware that no matter how bad we are hurting, we sit on a hill of white chalk.

MM

Christmas And The Greater Story

2008-12-21T09:54:00.000-08:00

Once we consider God's plan unfolding through history, centering on the arrival of the Messiah, does it strike you as an exaggeration to say that we live everyday in a great drama--one of higher stakes than anything we might see in an episode of 24 or a spy novel? Why or Why not?

Christmas Overlooked

2008-12-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

What do you think is the most important aspect of Christmas that doesn't get the emphasis it deserves?

The Gap Between Appearance And Power

2008-12-07T09:24:00.001-08:00

Considering the difference between the appearance and the real power between King Herod, in his mighty palace, and King Jesus in his lowly stable, what are some modern examples of something (or someone) which has a big difference between appearance and real power? And how does this hinder or help us as we live out the Christian mission?

The Qualitative Difference

2008-11-29T20:28:00.000-08:00

When Christians talk about giving or sacrificing for the cause of Christ, we often emphasize our sense of duty: "We're supposed to sacrifice for Christ because of all that Jesus did for us." This is, of course, a true statement, but what we should also emphasize is the qualitative difference in a life of sacrifice compared to a life driven by a concern for personal wealth and security.

There is not only the quantitative difference in the sacrificial versus the self-indulgent lifestyle (in that one results in a smaller bank account and fewer "toys" than the other), but there is definitely a qualitative difference as well. There is a solidness or a richness in the experience of sacrificial giving that is just not present in things done only for the self.

When this is understood, it becomes clear that, in the big picture, not sacrificing is really the more painful and regrettable option, but why is this so often hard to realize when we are in the contemplation stage before making a decision about how to spend our resources?

It's What's In The Image That Counts?

2008-11-23T02:48:00.000-08:00

It's safe to say we live in an image-driven culture, where image is usually prized above the substance underneath. I was recently disturbed to see a poster of Kobe Bryant (whose adulterous relationship was made very public a few years ago) hanging in the entrance to by sons' elementary school. It's not that Bryant should be shunned or condemned, it's just that a man who's had to hold a press conference announcing and apologizing for his adultery is not really one whose motivational poster belongs in an elementary school. But he looks good in a Lakers uniform (I guess) and performs well on the court, and for many, these are much weightier issues than moral character.

So, in such an environment where image is king, how can Christians shift the focus to what really matters and keep ourselves from getting sucked into the hollow pursuit of image for its own sake?

How do we teach our children about this?

20/80 80/20 or 100/100 ?

2008-11-15T06:37:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, the Serendipity Publishing Group printed what could be called an 80/20 model of church involvement, which explained the percentage of people attending church who actually contribute to the mission of their church (and thus to the mission of The Church).

The 80/20 chart showed that in churches across the country, 20% of the people in most congregations contributed 80% of the money, time, and other resources, and 80% of the people contributed 20%.

This raises an important question:

What is something specific that would change (maybe overnight) in a town or larger community if just one congregation operated on a 100/100 relationship between the people who attend and those who contribute to the mission of The Church? In other words, what would change if every person who regularly attends a Christian congregation (let's say of a few hundred) believed that all his or her resources were on loan from God and based every decision on the question, "How can I use all of what's been given to me to make the maximum impact on the world around me for the purposes of Jesus?"

MM

On Earth As It Is In Heaven

2008-11-02T21:42:00.000-08:00

Taking seriously Jesus' words about bringing forth God's will "on earth as it is in Heaven" reminds us that the Christian life is about action and about rearranging our lives so that God's will--his purposes, his agenda, his goals, etc.--are the driving factors in all our decision making.

But far too often people think of the Christian life as more of a private thing, focused only on one's self. What is a specific example of how this mistake shows up in a person's thinking or actions? What can we do to get on track?

Questions on Hell.

2008-10-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

1. What do you think is the biggest misconception about Hell?

2. Do you think the explanation of God allowing us freedom (and we've abused the freedom by making bad choices) is adequate in explaining the reality of Hell? Why or why not?

MM

Everything In Light Of The End

2008-10-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

Two questions this week:

1) What's your idea of what Heaven will be like and why?

2) What's a specific example of how the future reality of Heaven should change the way we experience something in the present?

Heaven Our True Home

2008-10-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

If everyone realized that the good things in life, like good relationships and careers and hobbies, are very important, but were never meant to give us ultimate fulfillment, (they are inns to stop at on the way home, as Lewis says), and that our ultimate satisfaction comes only when we are with God in our true home (AKA Heaven), how would this change people? How would this change the crime rate? The divorce rate? Would it have any bearing on the current economic problems we've been hearing so much about on the news?

What do you think?

MM

Where Lies Our Security?

2008-10-04T18:01:00.001-07:00

If given the choice, do you think most Americans would give up their freedoms of religion, speech and press, (say, to a dictator) in exchange for guaranteed economic and military security?

What perspective does the Bible (especially OT books like Hosea) give on this question?

Real Change

2008-09-28T04:37:00.000-07:00

In light of Paul's story, and the other points made about personal change, what is a mark of authenticity that indicates real change in a person's life once he or she begins to follow Christ? In other words, what's an indicator that a person is truly serious about living the Christian life and not just treating it like a hobby?

(Maybe consider Jesus' descriptions of the different types of soil in the parable of the sower and the seed in Matthew 13)

MM

Experiencing God Through Scripture

2008-09-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

Feel free to post a comment on the sermon. Since the topic for this week is experiencing God through Scripture, instead of posting a question, I thought it would be good to list three of the best Bible study resources available on the web.

The Online Bible site is especially helpful because it allows you to download Bible study and research software, whole searchable texts of the Bible, and many commentaries and maps, all for free.

Here's the list:

http://www.onlinebible.net/

http://www.biblegateway.com/

http://biblos.com/

Love As A Key To Knowing

2008-09-13T12:29:00.000-07:00

It's a common idea that love blurs people's vision--that it distorts people's view of reality. In the message for today, I've said the opposite--that a truly loving heart brings one closer to the truth and makes a person's perception of reality more clear and accurate.

Usually someone's judgment is clouded by "love" when love is understood only as an emotion. Considering the way Jesus equates love for him with obedience to his commands in John 14:19-24, what more is love than just emotion?

What would be a good example of someone acting in love when the loving act may not involve warm feelings?

Let Go and Let God

2008-09-07T11:39:00.000-07:00

What things do we need to let go of in our lives and let God be the center? What will this accomplish?

Are there things you have let go of and given to God? What changed?

Bobby Gohn

Defining Sin

2008-08-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

When Christians talk about sin with people outside the Church (and sometimes inside), they're often perceived as prudish, hypocritical or arrogant.

When is this an accurate perception and when is it not? When is it appropriate for Christians to protest sin in the larger culture and when is it inappropriate?

Gwen's Story

2008-08-24T03:34:00.000-07:00

What in Gwen's story about her experience in prayer struck you the most?

Also, most of us know well the external factors that keep us distracted, like Martha doing kitchen work while Mary sat at Jesus' feet (Luke 10). But what are some internal factors that keep us from realizing the active and immediate presence of God? Maybe inner attitudes, or perhaps our secular culture has shaped our thinking in such a way that we've often trained ourselves not to see the supernatural, resulting in a cultivated blindness.

Passover and Communion

2008-08-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

How does knowing God orchestrated the connection between Passover and Easter in such a detailed way over a period of 1,300 years change our perspective on experiences of suffering or confusion in our own lives?

MM

Thinking Allowed Q & A

2008-08-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

Several people who attended the Thinking Allowed event on August 12th raised some great questions. I'm posting them and some brief responses on the Bethany UMC website, linked below:

Thinking Allowed Q&A

If you want to comment on any of the responses I give there, just post you thoughts here.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

2008-08-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

Please feel free to post a comment about the sermon. For this week's blog entry, however, I wanted to hear from some of you about the sign displayed directly across from the Bethany booth at the Red Lion street fair on Saturday.

I post this with two assumptions:

1) That we all realize the practice of homosexuality, just like the practice of sexual promiscuity and greed and grudge-holding and gossip, is sinful.

2) That this sign is NOT a good way to engage people on this issue. (In his defense, the guy who put up the sign said he didn't agree with it either, but was only using it to start conversations--bad judgment in my view)

So, what exactly is wrong with this sign and its approach to the issue? In what ways could this be counter productive to our interests as Christians?

Any other thoughts?

Real Life and Life's Real Meaning

2008-08-02T07:24:00.000-07:00

This week the focus is on our desire to matter. No one is OK if they don't. Remember Viktor Frankl's observation in the Nazi concentration camp; there were two prisoners, one relatively healthy and robust, the other emaciated and apparently on the verge of death. Yet the the weaker one maintained a strong sense of purpose and lived, and the stronger had stopped believing his life had any significance and died.

This shows the depth of our need for purpose in life. We need to know we count for something, literally more than we need food and air.

The overwhelmingly wonderful thing about following Christ is that in doing so we experience the exact purpose for which we were created, and the complete fulfillment that comes with it.

But this is so frustratingly easy for Christians to lose site of. We are all vulnerable to falling for the idea that we can find real significance in life through some pursuit that's not related to God. And usually this happens without us realizing it.

Why is this so? What makes it so easy for us to anticipate fulfillment from things that won't deliver in the end, and drift away from the only One who will?

MM

God's Invasion

2008-07-26T19:35:00.000-07:00

If you had access to all the "treasures of wisdom and knowledge," and knew what an ancient middle eastern religious leader calls the "mystery of God," how would this change you?

According to John 1:1-14 and Colossians 1:26--2:3, we do know precisely these things, if we truly accept Jesus for who he claims to be.

But what kinds of things can keep us from fully realizing this? What kinds of things could prevent the effect this should have on us?

Speaking Big Hearing Small

2008-07-19T21:07:00.001-07:00

This week's message focuses on the way people often fail to see how great and how serious a thing it is to follow Jesus. He offers us something huge, but we only want to take something small.

What are some specific things that often keep us from "full blooded" discipleship--things that keep us from jumping in all the way to follow Christ? What can change this?

God's Celebration

2008-07-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

In light of the three parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son in Luke 15, this week's message is about the thing that makes God celebrate: sinful people repenting and seeking him.

But to many outside the Church the theme of God's love is sometimes perceived as a vague, sappy idea disconnected from real experience. For some, the concept of God's concern for individual people is just altogether hard to believe.

Why is this? What makes this hard to accept? And how do we communicate to people the real solidness and vigor of the love of God and the difference it makes in everyday life?

MM

Haunted by God

2008-07-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

This week's message is about being "haunted" by God--about that point where we realize God is truly alive and present in our every experience, and what a difference this makes. So what difference does it make?

Christians often use cliches about this: "Things happen for a reason," "God is in control," etc. But what's an example of a specific way our decision-making and everyday experiences are affected (or should be) by the realization that we are not only known, but pursued by God, and that he is present and aware in everything we do?

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:29-31)

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13)

MM