PERSONAL HOLINESS vs. EXTERNAL APPEARANCE

I have often struggled with the differences between personal holiness and external appearances of holiness.  I guess you could call it "self righteousness".  You see, there's the person I am, and the person I want to be.  It's an age-old struggle, but for me it began at a young age.

I grew up with a group of people in a particular denomination where the APPEARANCE of doing right was seemingly more important than personal holiness.  It was as if the "public image" of the person was more important than God's opinion of the person.  Sure, I heard Jesus died for my sins, and rose from the dead to give me eternal life.  But I had to work to earn his merit, favor, and grace.  And if I had to work for it, so did others.

It was during those formative years as a young Christian that I learned to very easily point my finger at other people and look down my nose at them for their sins.  Theirs were ugly, but mine were acceptable; They needed to repent, but I was worthy of forgiveness.  After all, I was a nice guy and "did my best."  I suppose we all "did our best", but in God's economy our best is never good enough.  If it were up to us to perform, we'd fail every time.  Thankfully, in God's economy He invites us to receive forgiveness by His grace alone. 

This crowd of finger-pointing believers was quick to put on a smile or the appearance that everything was OK in their part of the world.  We'd "amen" in church, but in houses behind unlocked doors we were different people.  We were concerned about our appearance and reputation, rather than our holiness.  Sadly, those formative years had a profound and lasting influence on my life as a believer.

When I moved away from home and became entrenched in a new career, I was introduced to another world that contained girls and alcohol.  And I indulged.  During that time, the pointy fingers were suddenly pointed at me.  And it burned.  I hated it!  I turned my back on God for about three years, and I swore to myself, "When I return to the Lord, I will NEVER be 'that guy' again.  I will NEVER point my finger at others, because I've been where they are.  I am no different from them."

And so it was.  I was a faith-product of the 9-11 attacks.  I was one of the millions who fell to my knees in repentance.  I re-committed to Christ.  I was more emboldened than ever to live for Him, and to share with others the true "non-finger-pointing" gospel of Jesus Christ.  But in so doing, not only was I NOT pointing my finger at others, I had grown to not really examine my own life.  I hoped the gospel would change others, but accepted compromise in my heart.  My "socially acceptable" sins were creeping their way back into my life.  And like a colony of ants that bore out the center of a strong, large tree, taking it to the ground, I sensed that very thing occurring in my own life.

I have read a TON of books ABOUT the Bible, prayer, personal holiness, and Christian living, etc.  But I failed to be IN the Bible itself.  I have failed to model the behaviors I believe are most important as a Christian husband, father, and role model.  And the tree is finally crashing down.  Maybe that's a good thing, because it allows me to be at my lowest, my weakest so God can be at His strongest.

Social media is not to blame.  I am.  I have commented on peoples' "status" or pictures that were what I thought to be funny at the time.  As it turns out, they were offensive and off base for what one would expect from a Christian man.  They were apparently hurtful and derogatory, but I didn't recognize it.  I guess it goes to show you just how far away from the "center line" I had gone.

So, freeing myself from FB will be a liberation to me, I believe.  It has become a time-waster and a distraction to me.  And if it entices me to lust or cause offense unawares, then I need to do something about it.  I cannot change FB, but I can change me.  I pray that God would once again grant me His favor and grace and forgiveness and mercy for all of my self-righteous behaviors.  I hope He will take this fallen tree and shape it into a piece of furniture that is most helpful and useful to others, and most glorifying to Him.  I pray that He would start me on the road to personal holiness and away from external appearances of righteousness.

Thank you all, my friends.  I love you.  Please pray for me in this journey I am on. 

Time Doesn't Heal All Wounds

I thought I was over it.
I thought I had repressed the pain enough to convince myself I had moved on.
That is, until I saw the person who stabbed me in the back.
The "friend".
It turns out, time actually DOESN'T heal all wounds; it simply scabs over.

And then one day, someone picks it.
And it bleeds and hurts all over again.

When I saw him, I was angry.
No, not angry.
Filled with bitterness,
Resentment,
And even hatred.

But Christians aren't supposed to harbor this kind of anger.
At the end of the day, I'm the one who loses when I hold onto my bitterness.

Later that evening, I prayed that God would help me forgive.
To TRULY forgive.
Because I didn't feel like forgiving him.
Instead, I want to hate.

So I prayed.
And prayed.
Until it finally came to me.
I prayed not simply that I could forgive, but that God would forgive him, too.
That God would extend His mercy.
Salvation.
Grace.
Maybe through my witness.

God, give me the grace to extend to him forgiveness.
That next time I see him I might express disappointment with him without being sinful.
I forgive him whether he contacts me or not,
But it sure would be nice to hear, "I'm sorry."

IS HEAVEN REALLY REAL?

Since I began blogging about 5 years ago, I have one posting that is by far and away the most popular.  I wrote a book review on November 19, 2010, and since that date it has logged 3,408 page views.  The two next closest posts in views reach that same number COMBINED.  The post/review to which I am referring is none other than "Heaven is for Real", by Todd Burpo. 

Basically, it is the story of young Colton Burpo who apparently has an out-of-body experience where he goes to heaven for a short time during a surgery, but then returns.  He gradually reveals truths to his family about his brief visit.  I figure Mr. Burpo must have been inspired by the cash cow bible revealed by his young son, because he took the idea to publishers.  Next thing we know, Mr. Burpo is telling the story for the world to read...because the publishers also considered it a well just waiting to be tapped.

The story (and yes, I consider it a story more than an account) has been a rather good cash cow investment for both parties, because it has turned into a children's story, a bible study (complete with study guide), and a movie. Even news agencies like NPR and USA Today have featured it.  A simple Internet browser search reveals over 252 million hits on the phrase, "heaven is for real."  By way of comparison, a search of the phrase "hell is for real" nets roughly 320 million hits.

There is little argument that we are interested in what comes after this life.
Atheists say there is nothing
Hindus say you get to keep returning in various forms
Muslims suggest 72 virgins for the best of the best
Scientologists say you'll never get there if you know how to heal yourself
Christians say we will stand before God in judgment after death
...and the list goes on. 

There's no doubt "Heaven is for Real" is a popular story.  But does a story's popularity prove its truthfulness?  While I doubt the story's veracity, proving it false is not my first matter of importance.  There are plenty of reasons provided by bloggers and reviewers debunking the testimony imaginative story, so I digress for now.  My biggest issue with the story and its hype is this: People are so interested in hearing what a 4-year old boy has to say about eternity rather than what the Alpha and Omega has to say about it.  Does our purchasing of this book into popularity reveal our propensity to be easily convinced (duped, led astray) by extra-biblical tales? 

Its prominent popularity suggests (1) a good many self-professed Christians are biblically illiterate enough that they swallow dangerous fables without knowing it; and (2) a good many Christians still read to be tickled, rather than critically and carefully digesting what is said on the pages before them. 

Jesus warned his followers to be on guard for false teachers and their false teaching (Matt 7:15-19).  Either you believe what he says (as revealed in the bible) is true, or you don't.  It's that plain and simple.  If you believe what he says is true, and if he says heaven (and hell, too) is for real, then why is there so much interest in needing confirmation about what awaits us on the other side of the grave from a 4-year old boy?

The bible confirms that all have sinned and that all are in need of a Savior.  The bible also tells us that after we die we will stand before God to be judged, and that judgment is an eternal pronouncement.  Will you be ready?  The bible tells us that today is the day for salvation, for we do not know what tomorrow holds.

Or do you need a 4-year old to confirm that, too, before you'll believe it?

Tullian Tchividjian on "The Glorious Impossibility"

Truly remarkable teaching...

HOW NOW SHALL WE PRAY?

I have to be honest: I've never prayed as hard and as fervently as I did during this past week and a half.  I pleaded and begged for God to show favor to my son, Joshua.  I begged him to respond quickly (as did the Psalmist in chapter 69).  No need has ever caused me such deep sorrow as has the need for my son's eye to be made whole again.  I have petitioned God with some serious needs, and God has ultimately answered.  But this one had the deep painfulness of a broken heart for my son.

The reason for this post is because Joshua received a "get well" card from a well-intentioned lady from church today.  She wrote, "Joshua, I will pray that God heals your eye.  But I will pray for His will to be done."  I get what she means.  I understand her acknowledgement that God is sovereign and in complete control of our circumstances.  I get it.  But what kind of prayer is that???  I wasn't angry, but I was a little miffed.  Obviously the need is much greater and more real to us than it is to her.  I wouldn't expect otherwise.  I'm not pointing fingers at her only, because I've been guilty of this very kind of prayer: "Dear God, if it's your will, will you please heal Mrs. Smith of her cancer?  Amen."  And then I'd go about my daily affairs. 

Of course He will heal (or do whatever it is He desires) if it's His will.  But if we're going to offer up weak prayers to God, then why pray at all?  Why should we expect our needs to mean anything to God when they don't even cause us to break a sweat?  Why should we expect our prayers to have any influence with God when we offer them so lightly, nonchalantly, cavalierly, sheepishly?

David Redding in 1960 wrote a book entitled "The Parables He Told".  I like what he had to say in his commentary on the parables of the persistent neighbor and the persistent widow, each found in Luke 11:5-13 and Luke 18:1-8 respectively.  "Those who take prayer so lightly they can't remember what it was they meant to pray for and never pray for the same thing two weeks in a row, who assume one mention is enough, at least to be mad about if He doesn't answer within the hour, make prayer a pity. ... Prayer demands determination and patience." (p.39)

See, we have two extremes set before us: (1) The will of God (something we don't know until the moment it is revealed) and (2) our intense desires that we present before Almighty God.  In other words, how do we pray for something we want and yet desire God's will?  Or how do we pray God's will when there's something we so desperately need?

First, we have the example of Jesus praying in the garden of Gathsemane that many use to support their "if-it-be-Your-will" prayers.  After He pleaded with the Father to spare him from His cup of wrath, Jesus closed his prayer, "...yet not as I will, but as You will."

What we often overlook in this prayer, however, is the intensity of Jesus' prayer.  He prayed passionately and fervently -- as if the weight of all humanity rested on his shoulders alone -- and he pleaded to the Father for rescue.  He prayed so intensely that the capillaries under his skin burst and mixed his blood with his sweat.  It was only AFTER his intense prayer request for rescue that Jesus reassured the Father that he was submitted to the His will.  Can I ask when the last time was that you prayed so zealously that you broke a sweat? 

The other example we have is the persistence of the neighbor and the widow mentioned in the parables of Jesus named above.  The subjects in these parables had such great needs that they presented their "petitions and requests" so persistently to their hearers that they reached a near point of annoyance.  Their needs meant something to them, and they expected their hearers to relent.  They expected response.

I wonder if our sheepish prayers "annoy" God.  I wonder if they cause Him to take notice.  Do we say, "Your will be done" because we truly desire God's will, or is it because we honestly don't even expect Him to answer?  Do we subconsciously (or even consciously) believe God is going to remain silent just like He did last time we asked Him for something important?  Did He not answer last time because that prayer, too, was painfully boring?  Is our sheepishness a display of our lack of faith?  Is it a cheap way of giving God an "out", as if to say, "God, You can just claim 'It's My will' if you don't want to answer this one...I'll understand."

So why should those prayers move the heart and hand of God if they don't hold any passion in our own heart?  Redding continues, "To attract the notice of the Almighty, prayer must have something of the insistence, the perseverence, the intensity, of the undiscouraged host who kept banging away at his neighbor's door at night, or the undaunted widow who kept pestering the tough old judge with her problem and wouldn't give up until he gave in." (p.40)

Please don't mistake my words: God is sovereign; He is in complete control; He knows our hearts and desires.
But please don't miss this: Our prayers ought to mean something.

I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS:

My seven year old son, Joshua, was born with a cataract in his left eye.  In the first 2 years of life he had undergone 5 surgeries for various purposes to restore his sight.  We -- and others -- have been praying for him all these years, but here we are 7 years after first discovering his situation, and things have only gotten worse.  He now has a detached retina, requiring yet another surgery June 25th.
The surgeon's concern is that Joshua has something called Persistent Fetal Vasculature Syndrome (PFVS).  Children who are born with this are usually visually impaired.  Thankfully, Joshua only shows evidence of this condition in one eye, but rarely, says the doctor, is this condition contained to just one, though.  There's a lot of medical mumbo-jumbo to state this: the condition causes problems with the eye structure, thus rendering it blind.

I've never been so scared in all my life as I am now.  I have fought with some bad dudes while arresting them; I have considered the fight that would be war if one of the large men I needed to arrest wanted to fight.  I was scared in those situations, but I trained and was prepared for the worst.  But I have never been this scared, because I was not mentally prepared for what Joshua is facing today.  Give me a "bad guy" any day of the week over this.

I've never cried or prayed as hard as I have the past week and a half.  And the questions are, "Why God?  Why not answer?  If you can heal, why don't you?"  I know these questions are not limited to me, for millions of people around the world are asking the same.

I sat my son down last evening -- just the two of us.  I asked him to not be silly for just 5 minutes (he doesn't like heart-to-hearts).  I apologized to him for something I had recently said to him.  I cried with him and admitted I my fears.  I encouraged him to be "strong and courageous", and that it's ok to be scared.  Courage is what we do when we are scared of something.  Courage is what God wants from us.  Finally, I told him, "Joshua, no matter what happens, I will never ever leave you alone.  I will never ever abandon you.  I promise you that you will not have to walk through this life alone."  We cried together.  We hugged.  It was truly one of those really precious moments I will forever cherish.

For some reason, God has chosen not to work a miracle.  Yet?  I don't know.  Maybe never.  However, if God chooses to NOT heal Joshua's eye, that is not proof that He doesn't love him.  After all, his other eye has vision, his brain is intelligent, his legs run, his arms lift, his heart beats, and his lungs breathe.  I'd say those are giant proofs that God still loves Joshua.

I have no doubt that God hears our prayers.  I -- we -- don't know why God isn't answering the way we hope he will.  Could it be possible that God knows something we don't?  Could it be that God knows Joshua would otherwise never trust Jesus Christ for salvation if he had perfect eyesight?  Would I choose to trade his temporal eyesight for his eternal life in Christ if I knew that was the reason for his partial blindness?  In a hot second!

Through it all, though, God has promised us two very simple, yet encouraging, truths: "I will never leave you, nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5 & Deuteronomy 31:6), and "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20).  My son has complete assurance that I am with him, that I will always walk by his side whenever he is in need, for as long as I am alive, for as long as I have physical ability.  My wife would say exactly the same.

Can God be trusted? 
I say He still can, for we will never walk alone!

The Atheist Community, part 2 with Penn Jillette

One supposed atheist in the back row at the CFI event asked Penn, "Do you think there will ever be a community that unifies atheists as much as church unifies religionists?"

The question was intriguing from an "outsiders" point of view, to be quite honest.
The answer, however, was heart-breaking.  Penn enthusiastically replied, "We have rock and roll!"  The audience cheered and laughed.  He continued, "But seriously, we have art..."

Rock and roll?

Art?

Is that it?  Is that the hope that unifies atheists?  Music and art?

I love music.  All kinds of it.  I crank it up with the best of 'em. 

But if that's all the hope I have in this life, something's missing.  Drastically!!

I'm not a big fan of art.  I'm not artsy-fartsy, but I can appreciate neat works of art when I see them.
But if that's all the hope I have in this life....

My heart was broken for Penn, for my friend, and for all the people around me who are without greater hope than "rock and roll" and "art", with what this temporal life has to offer.  It has some great things to offer, but they are merely temporal.

Christian, don't you see that others are watching us?  Others long for what we have together, because our unity is not in something that will fade with the next "new release" or the next developed photograph.  Our hope is in the risen Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of all that is.  He is our living hope, today and beyond the grave! 

What a great Hope we have, and others crave what we have.  What a great motivator this ought to be to share the glorious gospel message of the Cross with those around us, to give them what they need!

A "Conversation" with Penn Jillette:

A dear friend of mine (who blogs over here) is a Christian-turned-atheist, and he invited me to an event hosted by the Center for Inquiry, Michigan chapter.  CFI is an organization that seeks to promote humanism, secular thought, skepticism, reason, science, etc -- as if nobody else can promote science and reason, but I digress.

Anyway, the guest speaker for the evening was Mr. Penn Jillette, of Penn and Teller.  If you didn't know, he is a staunch atheist.  Yes I attended an event where I was outnumbered 350-to-1, I think.  I even bought his new book about a month ago, "God No!" for a whopping dollar-fifty at a used book sale (even though it was a new release!).  No, I'm not afraid to read what the "other side" has to say about my own beliefs.  I can honestly say I enjoyed myself.  Penn is hilarious...if you can get past his vulgarity and crassness, anyway. 

I took three main thoughts away from last night's event.  Over the next three posts, I'd like to blog about them: (1)a statement about "conversation" that is especially important to Christians, although it was directed toward atheists; (2)a strong rationale for why Penn is atheist, a question that is quite difficult to answer, to be honest; and (3)a question from an audience member about "unity in community" and Penn's response.

Penn admits to having heard atheists ask him, "What's the one slam-dunk argument I can pose to Christians to convince them they're wrong?".  His reply is simple: "We need to respect evangelicals enough to tell them the truth, to be able to tell them 'You're wrong'.  But we can't intend to change minds by manipulating them.  Instead, we need to be about conversations."

This ought to sound familiar to us Christians.  Unfortunately, I recognize that it may not, because far too often our tactics have been quite contrary.  Street preachers stand on boxes and social-action groups hatefully picket, both of whom seem to incite anger and hostility more than inviting respectful dialogue (yes, both sides are to blame for the vitriol); Gospel tracts are often laid out in  public places, including break-room tables and sinks, for unsuspecting persons to pick up; etc.  We've jettisoned careful conversations in favor of a mass-production mindset.  For some reason, we think we need to reach the world as fast as McDonald's turns out burgers.  Why are we in such a hurry?  I understand the message is important.  I understand "today is the day of salvation."  But where is our trust in the Spirit of the Living God to convert sinners?

At some point, a conversation that has slow-cooked needs to arrive at a destination where the gentle approach becomes more firm.  Sadly, many people don't recognize when the proper time is to do this.  We go to jerk mode wayyyy to soon and we turn people away from our position.  Penn suggests the same is true of the atheist position.  At the proper time, jerk mode is necessary and appropriate.  But save the jerk mode for later; Take your time.  There is no one knock-out "punch" or slam-dunk argument.

Christian, trust the Holy Spirit to work in a sinner's life.  After all, it took time for it to sink in for you, didn't it?  If you're like me, it's STILL sinking in.  If you think you need to convert someone today, then I have to ask, do you trust the power of the gospel to change lives?  Our job as disciples of Jesus Christ is to plant the seed, to tell the good news of Jesus Christ, to be a living testimony of the glory, majesty, and mercy of the Cross.  The Holy Spirit's job is to convict and convert sinners.  Not ours.  We must be faithful in our part, and we must trust that He will be faithful in His.

Do not fear the opposition.  Instead, learn from them.  For you may recognize they are pointing at your own weakness.  I will finish using his own words: "We need to respect [atheists, muslims, buddhists, etc] enough to tell them the truth, to be able to tell them 'You're wrong'. But we can't intend to change minds by manipulating them. Instead, we need to be about conversations."

What say you?  What style or approach do you suggest/prefer?

AHHH, THE LONE RANGERS:

STRENGTH IN SERVICE:

REFERENCE: Eph 3:14-21

NUGGET: "...that you may know the love of Christ and be completely filled with God."

I find it highly remarkable that Paul was in prison during the time he wrote this letter to the Ephesian church, yet he sought to encourage others who were hurting. He wasn't asking for pity, but having pity on the church.

Imagine having such a powerful witness and influence that you would need to encourage others not to lose hope over your own situation; such an influence that you knew the body of Christ needed you. What would that do to you? Would you become prideful? Would you boast of your own worth and importance?

Lesson #1 - Check you heart and your ministry. Are you doing it (or seeking it) for the right reason, to glorify God? Or are you seeking your own fame and glory?

In his imprisonment, which could certainly be considered a low point for many people, Paul likely came to fully understand the breadth, and length, and height, and depth of the love of Christ. It is at our lowest and darkest points that we finally give the opportunity for Christ to shine. We tend to get in His way. We become so consumed with the busy-ness of life and its worries and troubles. We even consume ourselves with the pursuit of things, influence, and prestige, that we neglect seeking to know the fullness of God.

Paul had a handle on the fullness of God, for he even admitted that God's power is somehow made perfect in our weakness. But he wanted the church to know the fullness of God as they struggled with Paul's absence and imprisonment. Paul was hoping through their trial, which was certainly not worse than his position of imprisonment, the church would be strengthened and full of God. He may have prayed for himself, but his letters proved his love for others.

Lesson #2 - In times of deep stress and suffering, can you look outside of yourself and reach out to others in need? Or do you wallow in self pity? Do you require others to attend to your needs, or do you continue to serve?

People have often asked, "Where is God?" when in the midst of a trial. Is it possible that He is right there, and has been all along, but that we are so consumed with ourselves that we don't recognize Him?

People have often claimed, "The presence of evil and suffering in the world is incompatible with a God who is omnipotent and loving". But here we see evidence that there is Divine purpose in suffering. Paul saw his suffering as an opportunity to edify his brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul understood suffering would lead him and his brothers and sisters into fullness in Christ.

In the Shadow of the Cross:

Backdrop: Ephesians 2:12-13

I marvel at the condition of so much of the world. We look for hope in sex with strangers, in the bottom of a bottle, in drugs, in material things, etc. We search endlessly, but hope continues to elude us. It's as though hope is the carrot and life is the stick. It is dangled before us as we chase, but ultimately it is trying to entice us near the Cross. Unfortunately, we look outward and see the Cross on the horizon, but we turn away in disgust...only to chase that elusive hope again, trying to escape the view of the Cross.

Our flesh is repulsed by the Cross. It hates the Cross. It hates Jesus.

Why? I think it's because of what Jesus on the Cross represents: righteousness. Our flesh recognizes that its unrighteousness put Jesus on the Cross, but it hates the idea that it could be unrighteous. Our flesh hates the light, so we run from it back into the darkness.

We think we can find hope in the darkness, but it is only found in the darkness of the shadow of the Cross. It is there that God has rescued us, there that He has forgiven us, there that He beckons us. If we would but lay down our foolish attempts and turn to Him, turn to the Cross, we would find true hope.

This passage to the believer requires hat we live differently than the world around us. Live in such a way that leads people to finally find hope in the Cross. Show them the way home by your life script.

Additionally, we who believe must continue to find our hope at the Cross. Don't be fooled into thinking it can be found elsewhere. Do not look for the greener grass on the other side of the fence. Instead, remember the muck and mire from which God saved you...and then turn again to the Cross in thankfulness.

SO, WHAT DID I LEARN FROM THE 10-DAY EXPERIMENT?

It would be foolish of me to embark upon an experiment and not reflect on it to ascertain if I've learned something from it.  Here are some of the thoughts that struck me as I was thinking through each of the issues I raised.

First, I've proven that I am a sinner in need of a Savior.  The Apostle Paul was wrong....I am the worst sinner, not him.  I've got him beat -- hands down!  Every day, I prove that I need God more than the air I breathe.  I deserved the Cross; I needed Jesus to go to the Cross for me.  I deserve worse; I need mercy.

I'm truly thankful.

Next, I've learned that may worship of God through prayer is severely lacking.  If my prayer was a human being, it would be emaciated.  I have leaned that I need to pray more fervently -- not for things I want, but for God to glorify Himself in redeeming His creatures.  I have unbelieving loved-ones and friends (I suppose they could also be considered loved-ones, eh?) and enemies -- and it sure seems that if I'm truly serious about eternity that I would pray more frequently, longer, and harder for them than I do. 

Lesson learned.

Third, I wonder what kind of friend I am to people.  It's not a question about what people think of me, or even how I'm perceived.  But if my pastor or my Jesus were to ask my co-workers and friends and family what kind of person I am, I wonder if they'd say.  Do they see Jesus in me?  Do I admit my faults and responsibilities, or do I lie about them?   Am I true to my word, or do I make promises or guarantees without following through with them?

I'll be more mindful.

Next, I wonder what kind of example I'm setting, especially for my two young sons.  When they grow older, will they say their ol' man was a godly, God-honoring person?  Will they say we (my wife and I) trained them right, to honor God and be respectful of others?  Will they want to follow in my footsteps?  They likely WILL follow, but will my footsteps lead them to the Cross?  Are they steps I would WANT them to follow?

I must walk humbly.

#1 - WE ARE YOUR WORST CRITICS

#1 - We like to point fingers in judgment

If you don't agree with us, you better run for cover.
If you don't live the life we think you should, look out.

When I was a young Christian lad, I was one of those people who was self-righteous, "holier than thou", judgmental.  Whatever it is we want to call it, I was that guy.  I always looked down my nose at others who weren't living their lives as good as I was.  This was especially true of other Christians.  Rather than personally helping a weaker brother or sister in Christ, I made sure to point out to them how weak they were.

I was this way for much of my young-adult life, too.  That is, until I started my career in 1998.  When I was a young cop, I drifted away from Christ for about 3 years.  I was a "player" and a drinker.  I chased women like a kid in a candy store, and I drank to get drunk.  Suddenly, the people who were once my cohorts in judgment, were now my judges.  I had the fingers pointed at me, suggesting how terrible I was.

I always sensed the Spirit of God gently nudging/pulling me back to Himself, convicting me of my sin, but never condemning me.  His saints took care of that part for Him.  (I say that tongue-in-cheek).  One night, I prayed kneeling beside my bed, saying, "God, if I'm going to come back to you, I don't want to be "that guy" any longer.  I don't like the fingers pointed at me.  I don't want to do the same to others who may be weaker.

Today, I find it difficult to judge another man/woman for their life choices.  Sure, I may not agree with them, but you know what?  I've done some pretty sickening things in my life.  I have no room to talk, the way I see it.  I have no right to point fingers.  When I grow judgmental, I get punched in the face for breaking my vow.  I quickly have to repent.

Sadly, too many of us Christians are "that guy".  We love pointing fingers and making people feel worse about themselves and their situation than they already do.  The topics are endless: Divorce, Abortion, Alcohol, Tobacco use, Porn, Fatness, Foul language, etc.

But guess what.  I have a secret.  Shhhhhhhhhh.  Don't tell anybody.  I know Christians who have done alllllllllll of those things, and then some.

We are hypocrites in the worst way.  (Yeah, yeah, I know...the entire world is full of hypocrites in every walk of life.  But WE ought to set the example.)  Yes, we agree, the church is full of hypocrites.  A good many of us recognize our hypocrisy and we are working on eliminating it.  But far too many of us put on a mask that we grabbed out of the closet, speak out of both sides of our mouths, and then deride others for their bad choices.

May God have mercy on us.

#2 - WE PROSELYTIZE FOR WRONG REASONS

#2 - We proselytize because it makes us feel good about ourselves

I'll probably take a bit of flak for this one, but that's ok.  The idea behind this experiment is to get people thinking and talking about issues we may disagree upon and possibly re-think our positions.  So, I'll just dive right in. 

I don't fully agree with short-term missions trips.  There, I said it.

When I say "fully", I mean that there are some aspects with which I agree.  I agree with helping people and doing work they may not be able to do themselves, or getting them supplies to which they may not normally have access.  We are in a wealthy nation and in a good position to help people in need.

But the bulk of my angst stems from wondering what the motive is behind short-term missions trips. 

"It's our desire to take the gospel into all the world, as commanded by the Scriptures", many would say.  But if that's the case, why aren't we making these trips life-missions?  Why go to Africa for only 10 days?  How much can we possibly accomplish in such a short time? 

"We're part of a larger organization where teams accomplish specific tasks before the next team comes in to complete their task."

Would humanity be better rewarded for long-term commitment instead of short-?  What kind of impact would it have on the missionaries and the locals to know Christians are committed to people for the long-haul instead of just the trip across town?

If we're serious about seeing people in Africa fed and clothed, then why not take a sabbatical from our careers for a year and really do business?  Obviously, I wouldn't expect many of us to do this.  It would be very difficult to pack up the family and go when there are obligations and bills to pay at home.  But if we're serious, then it seems we'll make it happen.  Why not go long enough to actually build relationships with people, rather than simply performing a drive-by?

It is my opinion that the primary reason Christians embark upon these short-term missions excursions is to learn something about ourselves, or to feel good about getting our hands dirty for Jesus.  But we can only commit to one week!  It is my secondary opinion that we do them because we want to see another part of the world, so we may as well do something "good" while we're at it.  The trip is the vehicle; the mission is the third-wheel.

The point is this: We don't need to fly to the opposite side of the globe in order to help hurting people or to share the good news of Jesus Christ.  We all know neighborhoods in our immediate communities that need help and who need Jesus.  There are several area agencies that can help point us in the right direction.  There are even agencies that already have the ball rolling and they're simply in need of our help.

It is very difficult for Christians to get dirty with people close to us at home. 

I'll state it another way. 

It's much too easy to do drive-by missions.  After all, we can leave in a week without further commitment.  Missions abroad requires little more than a plane ticket, while missions at home requires on-going commitment.

Is it time for us to stop being commitment-phobes?

Is it time we "put up, or shut up", so to speak?

Jesus didn't have it easy.  He busied Himself with the work of the Kingdom.

Are we too busy with Wii and sports on TV and 4-wheeling and studying and reading and........?

Are we too busy to commit to people, especially when we believe eternity is on the line?

#3 - THE BIG AGENDA:

#3 - We have a difficult time making friends without an agenda to proselytize them

So far, I think this will be my most challenging rant because I want to be understanding of unbelievers' gripes about Christians, yet I want to be faithful to God's word and the Christian's commission.  It is difficult because I know I am violating the #1 crime I think Christians commit -- judging.  Also, I don't have the time to delve into the deep theology of the sovereignty of God in mans' salvation here.  I'm just going to address the surface issues.

I have a co-worker who turns every -- I mean EVERY -- conversation into Jesus.  While I admire his tenacity, the "Jesus talk" gets tiring.  Quickly.  When we're talking football or trucks, we're not talking about Jesus throwing a touchdown or torquing a wrench.  While typing a report on a Sunday afternoon, a song played on the computer.  He walked in and, without saying hello, said, "You're listening to that?  And on the Lord's day?"  (And no, it wasn't a bad song.  Just a secular one.)  The guy doesn't come across as sharing the good news of salvation.  Instead, it's more as if he simply wants people to know how great a Christian he is by adding Christian-ese jargon to every possible conversation on the planet. 

Oh, there's no doubt about knowing he's a believer.  The result, however, is that people dread talking to him.  And I don't blame them one bit; I feel the same way!  What good is your witness if people don't care to talk to you?  The same is true for all types of conversation.  If all I talked day-in and day-out, from sun-up to sun-down, was police stuff, people -- including my wife and friends -- would puke with excitement whenever another opportunity at conversation with me arose.

The same goes for the Christian-ese conversation pieces.  I love Jesus with all of my being, and I enjoy turning bane conversations into spiritual conversations.  But sometimes I want to talk baseball, or books, or exercise.  And that's what my friends want to talk about also -- WITHOUT DREADING BEING PROSELYTIZED.  My co-worker has very good intentions, but it comes across the wrong way.  It gives others the perception that he's not really as interested in them as he is in cramming the gospel in their faces.

This is where it is absolutely paramount for us Christians to trust the Holy Spirit for the power of convincing, convicting, and conversion.  In explaining the Kingdom of God, Jesus told a parable of the soils, where seed (the message of Jesus) is scattered on various types of soil (people).  Inherent in the parable is the understanding that the farmer has two basic jobs: First, to prepare the ground by weeding, tilling, etc.  Second, to scatter the seed, but only after the ground was prepared.  If he scattered before the ground was prepared, the soil wouldn't receive it and his efforts would be a wasted.  The remainder -- ie, the watering and the growing -- were left up to God through nature.

The parable applies to our witness to the world.  I find it careless to throw out the "seed" (the gospel) if/when people are not prepared to receive it.  Build trust; build rapport.  Trust the Holy Spirit for two things: to prepare people to receive and prompt us to speak when the time is right.  We have to understand that the Holy Spirit is doing and will do His job.  Remember, It is His job to water and grow the seed in a person.  Not ours. 

"We must go make disciples of all nations", someone will say. 
"But Rome wasn't built in a day", I would reply.
Growth takes time.  Coming to Jesus is sometimes -- often times -- a difficult decision for a person to make.  No doubt, it is the most crucial decision anyone can make.  But it takes time, like slow-cook simmering food in a pan. 

When we grow close with people simply because they are our friends, we will know/sense proper timing of opportunities to share the gospel.  I think we need to be cautious about making friends simply so we have more people to proselytize -- or cram.  When the time is right, we must share; but when it's wrong, we must wait patiently.  We need to accept the fact that maybe we are not the one to share to the person.  But we also must be ready to share when we are called upon to do so. 

As Mr. Miyagi once said, "Patience, Danyoson."  Don't be afraid to be a friend.  If you've tried to share the gospel and it is rejected, give it some time.  But if you push it, you may push the person further away.  In the meantime, just be a friend.

#4 - WE ARE IN LOVE WITH OURSELVES

#4 - WE ARE PRIDEFUL...

...and we like it. 
We love it, actually. 
Because it proves to us we are better than everybody else.
You see, at the center of this thing we call ChristIanity is "I"...big fat I. 
Don't you see it in there?
And "I" spells "ME" all day long!
While there may be no "I" in "team", there sure is in Christianity.

And that philosophy carries over to the gospel.
I am at the center of the gospel.
The gospel is all about what Jesus did for ME...
...and how He pursues ME to be in relationship with Him.
We have turned the message of the gospel into all that Jesus wants to do for US,
and how we wants to do nothing less than bless US.

But, ironically, we forget that Jesus died for people just like us, and that He is right now calling "them" -- US -- to Him.
Oh how quickly we forgot that we were ugly people when that happened. 

After all, He died on the cross for ME, right?
We have gotten so much in the way that we have forgetten that Jesus died on the cross for HIM.
We forget that it glorified God to offer Jesus on the Cross for our sin, and that it was all about HIM. 
It was -- and still is -- about HIS glory.
Not ours.

If it was about US, then we wouldn't need Him...
...but what He wants
is for US
to need HIM.

But our pride gets in the way of needing Him.
And if our foolish pride gets in the way of God, then you can be sure it gets in the way of other people who are watching us.

#5 - WE ARE BIBLICALLY ILLITERATE

Maybe someone's joining us half-way through this experiment.  If that's the case, maybe you're wondering what I'm up to.  I took a challenge from a friend to be "anti-religion" from a Christian perspective for one week.  I began with a "Top 10 list of senseless things Christians do" and chose to use those items as springboards for each of these "rants".  We may not like it much, but sometimes it's not a bad idea to look critically at who we are or what we do (religious, political, racial, etc) from a different point of view.  That is this series.

#5 - We are biblically illiterate

Sad, but true.  Painfully true.  I have unbelieving friends who know the big-picture story of the Bible better than many Christians I know.  It seems like people who call themselves by Jesus' name should know the Book that is inseparable from His name.  But rather than blather on, I will cite others who have written entire articles on the topic. 

Here are just a few of the statistics:
Many professing Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples.
Seven out of ten born again Christians said they do not believe in moral absolutes.
Only one out of ten Christians base their moral decision-making on the principles taught in the Bible.

Why can't we name them?  Because we're not in God's word.  No just "not enough", but hardly at all.
How can we possibly have moral absolutes when we lack a basis for understanding?

Why does this happen?  One author has opined on that very question. "There are, no doubt, many reasons for the current predicament. In general we spend far less time reading anything at all in this culture, much less dense and demanding books like the Bible."

My beef is not with unbelievers, but with professing, faithful Christians.  One article cited the following: "Eikenberry asked churches and youth pastors in West Michigan to administer a simple biblical literacy survey to parishioners. "The scores were just atrocious," he said. "I don't expect those outside Christianity to know the Christian book, but shouldn't people of the Book be familiar with it?"

I cannot help but to agree with the Associates for Biblical Research: "The Church Has Been “Dumbed Down” by the Culture".  Culture tells us, "If it feels good, it must be right."  Culture has demanded we read short blips of information (ie, Facebook, Twitter, etc) rather than full tomes.  How can a Christian today possibly understand the whole of scripture when we read a sparse verse here or there?

From the Barna Group:
"Adults who attend small churches - i.e., those averaging fewer than 100 adults on a typical weekend - were more likely than people attending larger congregations to admit to struggling with Bible knowledge and consistently practicing their faith principles."

For those who think their large churches are immune from the problem, here's one for you: "Those who attend mainline Protestant churches were more likely than people who attend other Protestant congregations to rate themselves below average in worship, sharing their faith, and Bible knowledge."

C'mon, brothers and sisters.  This is truly disappointing and heart-breaking.  Utterly painful.  I think this issue lies at the center of all my rants, for it is probably THE major causal factor of the issues I've been addressing in this series.

Once again, the closing disclaimer: I know not ALL Christians are Biblical idiots.  A good many are literate, but even more are NOT.  The only way we can truly know God is by being in His word.  The Psalmist wrote that it was the only means to living in accordance with God's ways -- by hiding His word in our hearts, by seeking to understand it.  Sadly, this is far too uncommon.

#6 - WE WANT YOU HERE

#6 - We care more about you coming to "our church" rather than coming to our Jesus...

I've heard from several pastors over the years that I need to invite people to church.  Of course, they need to get saved.  Where else could they possibly do it except church?  (Yes, I say that a bit tongue-in-cheek.)  I understand the push, because there are a lot of Christians who can't really explain the message of salvation all that well.  They fully believe it in their hearts, but just cannot explain it convincingly.  So, it may very well be easier for that person to invite the friend to church instead, saving himself the embarrassment. 

I'm not standing in judgment of that person who cannot explain it well, because some people can't even explain our structure of government (ME) very well.  It would be of better service for me to direct an inquisitive foreigner to someone who understands it better than I do.  But I still have a general working knowledge of it.  That said, the responsibility lies with me in my ability to explain. 

Back to the Church, though.  I hold more judgment for our church leaders and mature Christians not explaining the big-picture story of the Bible to younger/newer Christians for them to better understand.  Again, this does not apply to all Christians in every church, but it does apply to a great many of them.  But, as is the case in my example of me learning the governmental system to explain it, shame on Christians for not taking education in God's word upon themselves.  (I'll stop there and save that rant for #5.)

I've long lived by the rule that when I share the gospel with someone, I try to put them in touch with decent churches in their relative area (if I know of any) where s/he can plug in.  Because I commuted 65 miles to work for a decade, most of my acquaintances, run-in's, and co-workers didn't live anywhere near me.  I didn't care to invite them to "my church" because I knew it was not practical for them to do so.  Instead, I wanted them to know Jesus and to be discipled in the gospel with a body of believers with whom they can fit in and grow accountable.  I wanted them to plug in with a church near them, not me.

Sadly, however, most proselytizing today comes in this form:
Guy 1: "Man, my church is really lame.  Can you believe what they did this time?" 
Guy 2: "Dude, that is such a bummer, because my church is rockin'.  You should come check it out sometime." 
And that, my friends, is the extent of "witnessing" many Christians today ever do.

"In his book entitled 'Exit Interviews,' William D. Hendricks writes something astonishing: 'Almost all growth reported by North American churches today is the result of CHURCH SWITCHING and birthrate within the churches rather than conversion growth.'"  

If we really cared about the lost coming to Jesus, we would bury our faces in our Bibles so we could better understand God;
We would bury our faces in good books to help us better explain the gospel;
We would pray for our unsaved loved ones, friends, and acquaintances a LOT more fervently than we do, and our hearts would be broken for them.
But we just want them to come to our church.  It's a whole lot easier.  I wonder if this phenomenon has anything to do with our craving to simply have our churches more populated on Sundays, i.e, higher attendance numbers.  Because a more populated church is a successful church, right?  I wonder if we're too hung up on numbers as indicators of success, rather than individual growth. 

Jesus told people, "Follow me", and He led them to God.  He didn't say, "Come check out my church."  I think we need to get back to Jesus' example and lead people to God by our own example, beckoning them, "Follow me."

#7 - WE MAJOR IN THE MINORS AND MINOR IN THE MAJORS

#7 - We major in the minors and minor in the majors.

We Christians like to bicker over relatively minor things, but seem to ignore much larger life-issues.  Once again, I recognize this is largely a human nature issue, but we Christians need to set a better example if we want the world to follow.  Therefore, this particular rant has more to do with how Christians behave WITHIN the church, but it impacts the way the world perceives us.

General examples include arguing over interior design and decoration of our churches, what kind of music will be played, whether or not drums and guitars are of the devil, and whether the King James is the only version authorized for use.  Seriously?  One particular Baptist church split over a piano bench dispute.  A PIANO BENCH!  Another split because a senior member didn't like a particular tempo and chord of one of her favorite hymns.  C'mon, people.  I'm sure there's more going on behind the scenes, but that's pretty fickle.

On a little weightier issue, one local church is currently splitting over a 5-point Calvinism dispute, and whether or not it should be preached.  I'm just about as Calvinistic as they come, but I actually understand the position of the "other side".  Rather than embracing differences on non-core issues (like eschatology or eternal security vs. free will), we drive wedges between ourselves and exclude those who are not like us in their beliefs.  On top of that, we make these debatable topics membership qualifications/disqualifications.  I think healthy debates within the church among Christians who believe differently from one another are very good things, for they inspire us to consider or re-consider our positions.  I've been on the "other side" of a couple issues, and I almost lost a dear friend over one of them. Was it worth it?  I think you know the answer.  Sadly, however, churches today are demonstrating that disagreement is unacceptable behavior. 

When our behavior is disagreeable, we split.  Instead, we prefer to focus on how the world ought to behave instead of working out our own personal holiness.  Sad, but true.  We're comfortable justifying our own sins while at the same time pointing out the sins of others. Quite honestly, I think we like discussing and debating the hot-topic moral issues du-jour only because it takes the spotlight of God's eyes off our own ugliness.

On the other side of the aisle are majors that we miss.  We want a bigger, nicer church, with up-to-date sound systems, and a glowing sign out front.  Don't get me wrong, I like those things too.  But when was the last time we thought of using all those THOUSANDS (if not millions) of dollars that are increasingly allocated toward our building program for feeding and clothing the poor in our communities?  I have a hunch poor people like and depend upon food and clothing more than we do our church upgrades (etc).  It's much too easy to give a bag of groceries or a couple hundred bucks here and there, but thousands?  That cuts too deep; It requires much sacrifice.

One church agreed to cut funding to a previously-sponsored missionary because, God forbid, that missionary doesn't teach the doctrine of the eternal security of believers.  Heretic alert, heretic alert!!!  Get him out of the mission field, now!!!  But I truly wonder if that will matter to God in the long run.  Ahhhh, what am I thinking?  No I don't.  While this particular missionary is praying for money to fix the bicycle he rides from village to village in the sweltering heat, we can be found reclining in our comfortable chairs, sipping lemonade, and cooling off inside the newly-renovated air conditioned building.  And we think cutting his funding over a debatable issue is prudent. 

Hmmmmmm.  God help us. 
Disclaimer: see #8, #9, and #10 disclaimer.  I think you get the idea...

#8 - WE ARE ESCAPIST

#8 - We have an escapist mentality

This one is a mild pet peeve of mine, but I think it is mportant enough to make it into the top 10.

We Christians are so caught up in our future hope God will give us in Glory that we forget about what He gave us today.  God made the heavens AND the earth...to inhabit it, to possess it, to work it, and to enjoy it.  We forget that He declared His creation good! Yes, sin indeed corrupted the good, but that doesn't mean all was flushed down the sewer from there.

It seems that we want out of all we have today, in exchange for everything future:
Rather than working through our difficult marriages, we want out;
Rather than excelling in what we do, we want new jobs, better jobs, higher paying jobs;
Rather than reconcile with the jerk in the next cubicle, we want to be moved;
Rather than care for the bodies we've been given, we want our glorified ones now.

I fully recognize this is a human nature thing, and not just a Christian thing.  But of all people, Christians ought to set the example in contentment. 

We want everything except what God has already given us. 
We want to escape this life -- AND QUICKLY -- in exchange for the next.

Sadly, we resign ourselves that things will only be better in Heaven, and that our only joy will be found there.  But Jesus said He came so that we could have abundant life with full joy!  I doubt He ONLY meant life and joy that awaits us in Heaven.

Again, the disclaimer: I know the escapist mentality does not apply to ALL believers.  Just many of them.