The other day, an employee at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, ran across a note that supposedly threatened violence on the campus that very day. Buildings were placed in lockdown, and lots of security precautions were obviously taken. However, it was the next day's news report on the event that struck me. THe morning drive time reporter said:
"Classes were indeed still held on campus yesterday in light of the threats. However, university officials reported that attendance was voluntary."
Uhm...I went to college not that long ago...when has it NOT been voluntary? I mean, wearing clothes to the store and actually showing up to work are voluntary; yes, there are consequences that you face if you don't (like me scarring most of the local population for life if I were to take the former suggestion above), but lots of things are optional.
Sort of reminded me of the old ESPN SportsCenter line about a player being injured and his status being listed as "day to day". Uhm...again...aren't we all? Aren't we all just day to day?
I am one deep philosopher tonight, eh?
Monday, March 31, 2008
A rite of spring
Bart Giamatti, former ivy league president & Commissioner of Major League Baseball, wrote so eloquently about baseball in his poem, "The Green Fields of the Mind." As this is the REAL first day of baseball (those games in Japan just don't count), please let me share a couple of lines...
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone."
This is the time of year when hope springs eternal, when men become boys, and when everyone becomes an all star, if but only in their minds.
Ladies and gentlemen, play ball, and GO CARDS!
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone."
This is the time of year when hope springs eternal, when men become boys, and when everyone becomes an all star, if but only in their minds.
Ladies and gentlemen, play ball, and GO CARDS!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Now is the time to worship
Tammy was gone this weekened to a Hearts at Home or We Women Love Ourselves or whatever in the world it was called. Seriously, it was a Hearts at Home conference, and it was very good, from what I heard. However, this left the boys & me to fend for ourselves this weekend. We had a great time Saturday...Buffalo Wild Wings was excellent on Saturday (you had to know we'd go there sometime while Tammy was gone), and a friend of ours did a fantastic job in a play she was in Saturday night at the college; she stole the show.
But, the highlight - for me, at least - ended up being today. For those who may not know, we recently joined Calvary Baptist Church in Hannibal. And, well, wow. Tammy wrote some time back about her worship experience that left her in tears right after we left our previous church. Today was my turn.
Just as we started singing How Great Thou Art, I just felt - and that's a dangerous term...felt...but it was truly accurate - with a spirit of worship I haven't had in a long, long time. By the time we got to the last verse, I was squeezing Jonathan's shoulders so hard he turned around and told me I was hurting him. Then as we transitioned into How Great is Our God, I just started to cry...amazed at His love for me, amazed at how even now, as we don't know where we'll be or what we're doing next year, He still provides for us a home for worship, a home for fellowship, and a home for a new church family, even with many members of our former church part of our extended families forever. He is our great provider, providing even a bridge to Him through His Son.
I really can't explain it other than to say - and I'm really not trying to be mean or cruel here, seriously - this was the most moving time I've had in worship in a long, long time. Bro. Jeff has said time & again we should be just as spent as he is after a worship service; it's (supposed to be) a shared time of worship to our Father. Today, it truly, truly was, though in addition to being spent, I was rejuvenated for the future. I feel Him drawing me closer to Him than I've been in a long time, and I'm truly joyous and thrilled. We've each had those times when we feel distanced from God, as though our prayers aren't even escaping our room. Yet today, I felt His presence with more clarity, more density, than I've felt in some time. I told Tammy - while not meaning to be blasphemous - that His presence has always felt "thick" at Calvary, other churches we've visited, and many times in the past at our previous church as well. Yet today it literally overwhelmed me...and yes, that's a valid use of the term - His spirit swept over me.
How Great is our God!
But, the highlight - for me, at least - ended up being today. For those who may not know, we recently joined Calvary Baptist Church in Hannibal. And, well, wow. Tammy wrote some time back about her worship experience that left her in tears right after we left our previous church. Today was my turn.
Just as we started singing How Great Thou Art, I just felt - and that's a dangerous term...felt...but it was truly accurate - with a spirit of worship I haven't had in a long, long time. By the time we got to the last verse, I was squeezing Jonathan's shoulders so hard he turned around and told me I was hurting him. Then as we transitioned into How Great is Our God, I just started to cry...amazed at His love for me, amazed at how even now, as we don't know where we'll be or what we're doing next year, He still provides for us a home for worship, a home for fellowship, and a home for a new church family, even with many members of our former church part of our extended families forever. He is our great provider, providing even a bridge to Him through His Son.
I really can't explain it other than to say - and I'm really not trying to be mean or cruel here, seriously - this was the most moving time I've had in worship in a long, long time. Bro. Jeff has said time & again we should be just as spent as he is after a worship service; it's (supposed to be) a shared time of worship to our Father. Today, it truly, truly was, though in addition to being spent, I was rejuvenated for the future. I feel Him drawing me closer to Him than I've been in a long time, and I'm truly joyous and thrilled. We've each had those times when we feel distanced from God, as though our prayers aren't even escaping our room. Yet today, I felt His presence with more clarity, more density, than I've felt in some time. I told Tammy - while not meaning to be blasphemous - that His presence has always felt "thick" at Calvary, other churches we've visited, and many times in the past at our previous church as well. Yet today it literally overwhelmed me...and yes, that's a valid use of the term - His spirit swept over me.
How Great is our God!
Monday, March 03, 2008
Bittersweet
Memories are beautiful, but in truth, that's what they are...memories of the past. And no matter how hard we may try, we will never perfectly & successfully recreate a moment or a series of moments in time. We may come really close, but a complete and perfect recreation just isn't possible.
When David Letterman was on the verge of leaving NBC for his show now on CBS, reports at the time said that NBC - on the hopes of staving off a costly competition and negative PR defection - swept in and offered Dave the Tonight Show, saying they'd find a way to kick Jay Leno to the curb in a year or so, and then the show would be his.
Wisely, Peter Lassally, who formerly was Tonight's producer and then a Letterman consultant, advised Dave that were he to take this route, not only would be be looked at as the neighborhood bully, but it wouldn't be the same as getting the show directly from his mentor, Carson. "You're not getting Johnny's 'Tonight Show', but a ruined Tonight Show that Jay ran into the ground," he said. "You wouldn't be getting Johnny's show, but Jay's show."
Knowing Peter was right, Dave declined the last-minute offer. He knew that no matter how hard he might have tried, memories just can't be recreated and time can't be changed.
Long-time readers of this blog remember last fall and the differences that eventually boiled over to the surface at the church we were attending at the time. We've been members there for over 13 years. I remember some of the great fun Tammy and I have had there through the years.
I remember - most of all - when we were having so much trouble getting pregnant. The ladies' Sunday School class members took it upon themselves to pray for us, and on February 14, 1999, Tammy and I found out Jonathan was on the way. I remember us pulling Jo Ann Raney into Don Amelung's old office and Tammy telling her we were pregnant. Jo Ann grabbed Tammy so hard Tammy's soda got knocked off onto the floor; there's still a spot on the rug to this day if you look hard enough. Jo Ann then literally flung herself onto the floor in front of the pulpit at that Sunday night's service. Just three years later, Tammy and I would give birth to our second son, again brought to this world safely because of the many prayers of our friends and fellow church members.
I remember the Sunday School fellowships we had through the years. "Who Wants to Win Some Free Stuff" (the takeoff of Regis' "Millionaire" show), "Family Feud", and the last game show fellowship, "Match Game". The watermelon and chili (at separate times, you understand!) fellowships were great, too.
I remember the Passion Plays we were able to be a part of each Easter - from our first in 1995 when Tammy and I filled in as narrators for an ailing Bernard Williams to the last a few years later when I played Satan (typecasting in the minds of many, I'm sure) on Friday night and then punching out "Arise My Love" and "Take Up Your Cross" on Sunday morning. In the same respect, I remember singing in the 1998 Christmas cantata and not realizing until the next day I'd done some (temporary) damage to my throat because I'd been singing with a pretty good case of strep. Who knew?
I remember the full-service dramas we wrote and put together there...the first one in 1996, "It's Jesus", taking off on the James Carville line, "It's the economy, stupid," urging Christians to get involved in the process and vote. The second, in 1998, urging Christians to get involved in encouraging others.
I remember the Sunday School's Parenting Conference, put together in 2003, to help minister to hurting parents throughout the entire region. We had people from Shelby County and West Central Illinois who came to our event that spring weekend.
I remember teaching the College Sunday School class with Tammy for all those years, getting 30-40 students to come be a part of our ministry. We were so successful the last year we actually were able to open a Tuesday night Bible study to supplement the Sunday morning class.
I remember the fantastic - absolutely fantastic - job Tammy did last year in her first (and subsequently only) year as VBS Director. She had a ball, and it was one of the few things she was looking forward to taking up again this year.
Memories are wonderful, but they're somewhat bittersweet at times. Over the last few days, I've come to realize through my prayer time that those memories, as much as I'd like to rewind the tape and do them all over again, are probably gone forever. That is - the memories are forever, but the opportunity to recreate them in that same setting has probably passed me by. And while I'm thrilled our family has recaptured the joy of worshipping Him each Sunday - this Sunday was a phenomenal day in the Lord - I truly weep at the road we've been forced to take. Bittersweet is the word of the day.
When David Letterman was on the verge of leaving NBC for his show now on CBS, reports at the time said that NBC - on the hopes of staving off a costly competition and negative PR defection - swept in and offered Dave the Tonight Show, saying they'd find a way to kick Jay Leno to the curb in a year or so, and then the show would be his.
Wisely, Peter Lassally, who formerly was Tonight's producer and then a Letterman consultant, advised Dave that were he to take this route, not only would be be looked at as the neighborhood bully, but it wouldn't be the same as getting the show directly from his mentor, Carson. "You're not getting Johnny's 'Tonight Show', but a ruined Tonight Show that Jay ran into the ground," he said. "You wouldn't be getting Johnny's show, but Jay's show."
Knowing Peter was right, Dave declined the last-minute offer. He knew that no matter how hard he might have tried, memories just can't be recreated and time can't be changed.
Long-time readers of this blog remember last fall and the differences that eventually boiled over to the surface at the church we were attending at the time. We've been members there for over 13 years. I remember some of the great fun Tammy and I have had there through the years.
I remember - most of all - when we were having so much trouble getting pregnant. The ladies' Sunday School class members took it upon themselves to pray for us, and on February 14, 1999, Tammy and I found out Jonathan was on the way. I remember us pulling Jo Ann Raney into Don Amelung's old office and Tammy telling her we were pregnant. Jo Ann grabbed Tammy so hard Tammy's soda got knocked off onto the floor; there's still a spot on the rug to this day if you look hard enough. Jo Ann then literally flung herself onto the floor in front of the pulpit at that Sunday night's service. Just three years later, Tammy and I would give birth to our second son, again brought to this world safely because of the many prayers of our friends and fellow church members.
I remember the Sunday School fellowships we had through the years. "Who Wants to Win Some Free Stuff" (the takeoff of Regis' "Millionaire" show), "Family Feud", and the last game show fellowship, "Match Game". The watermelon and chili (at separate times, you understand!) fellowships were great, too.
I remember the Passion Plays we were able to be a part of each Easter - from our first in 1995 when Tammy and I filled in as narrators for an ailing Bernard Williams to the last a few years later when I played Satan (typecasting in the minds of many, I'm sure) on Friday night and then punching out "Arise My Love" and "Take Up Your Cross" on Sunday morning. In the same respect, I remember singing in the 1998 Christmas cantata and not realizing until the next day I'd done some (temporary) damage to my throat because I'd been singing with a pretty good case of strep. Who knew?
I remember the full-service dramas we wrote and put together there...the first one in 1996, "It's Jesus", taking off on the James Carville line, "It's the economy, stupid," urging Christians to get involved in the process and vote. The second, in 1998, urging Christians to get involved in encouraging others.
I remember the Sunday School's Parenting Conference, put together in 2003, to help minister to hurting parents throughout the entire region. We had people from Shelby County and West Central Illinois who came to our event that spring weekend.
I remember teaching the College Sunday School class with Tammy for all those years, getting 30-40 students to come be a part of our ministry. We were so successful the last year we actually were able to open a Tuesday night Bible study to supplement the Sunday morning class.
I remember the fantastic - absolutely fantastic - job Tammy did last year in her first (and subsequently only) year as VBS Director. She had a ball, and it was one of the few things she was looking forward to taking up again this year.
Memories are wonderful, but they're somewhat bittersweet at times. Over the last few days, I've come to realize through my prayer time that those memories, as much as I'd like to rewind the tape and do them all over again, are probably gone forever. That is - the memories are forever, but the opportunity to recreate them in that same setting has probably passed me by. And while I'm thrilled our family has recaptured the joy of worshipping Him each Sunday - this Sunday was a phenomenal day in the Lord - I truly weep at the road we've been forced to take. Bittersweet is the word of the day.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Quote of the Day
"Does Hillary Clinton still have her base of white women?" - Chris Matthews, MSNBC political anchor/"Hardball" host, during primary coverage on February 19, 2008
Yes, Chris; the base is located in the foothills of Yucca Mountain in Nevada. They've been trained in hand-to-hand combat and screeching.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Quote of the Day
"Mr. Clemens, do you recall bleeding through your pants in 2001?" - U.S. Representative Tom Davis (R-VA) to accused HGH user Roger Clemens during Wednesday's congressional testimony & hearing.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Ch...ch...ch...ch...
"Change" isn't necessarily a word I embrace. Not a big fan of it. However, with our church situation, job situation, and some other small areas, we've become change agents over the last weeks for what's potentially to come in the future.
But, even though I don't like change, I'm so glad to see so many others apparently do.
Did I miss the Talking Points memo for this campaign? Geesh.
But, even though I don't like change, I'm so glad to see so many others apparently do.
Did I miss the Talking Points memo for this campaign? Geesh.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Transition
During the past couple of weeks, we have been visiting churches in the area. The places we've been to so far are wonderful. The people are friendly, many people are from our previous church, the song service inspired, and the message meaty and well worth listening to.
About two weeks ago we were visiting a church and had the opportunity to participate in the Lord's Supper. It's been a while since we've had a chance to do that and, as you know, that can be a time for great reflection.
To be honest, right now my heart is heavy with this particular season we're going through. I want to stay completey in the center of God's will and am sad that the last 13 years at our previous church ended so abruptly with a single conversation. God has led us, at least for now, to a time of separation from the situation. I don't know how long the separation will last - or if we'll be even be led to return -but being a nomad is never fun.
Anyway, during the Lord's Supper I just sat. Existed. Empty. I felt as though I was being emptied and just let it happen.
Once the Lord's Supper was over, we had an exceptional worship time. One of the choruses we sang was "Blessed Be the Name" and I couldn't help it. The tears flowed and my heart broke. Right there, at that moment, it was all I could do not to physically bow down and worship. But I couldn't. That's not proper. So I held it in while the tears flowed.
Fast forward to today. What is one of the choruses we sang? "Blessed Be the Name" The irony is this was at a different church.
And then it happened. David, our precocious 5-year-old, began dancing. He said he couldn't help it and then the words flowed out of his mouth. He didn't care about the notes not being right or what people thought. He just moved and sang. I have to admit, I was jealous. He had no inhibitions about what he was doing, and I was jealous.
Jonathan, the proper 8-year-old, looked at him and told him to stop. He shouldn't do that in church. Then they started having a brotherly argument.
I didn't want this moment to end for my child; too soon he'll look around, like I did, and wonder if anyone saw him and if he should have done that. So, I moved Jonathan between Scott and me and let David go.
After the chorus was over, David looked at me and said, "I just love that song. I can't help it."
I wish I could say that today was a turning point for me and I'll become a hand-raising, swaying Baptist, but I can't. But I was able to see what a childlike faith is like, uninhibited by what's proper and right. I was able to glimpse, for just a moment, what it must be like to completely let yourself go and truly worship God.
Blessed Be the Name
About two weeks ago we were visiting a church and had the opportunity to participate in the Lord's Supper. It's been a while since we've had a chance to do that and, as you know, that can be a time for great reflection.
To be honest, right now my heart is heavy with this particular season we're going through. I want to stay completey in the center of God's will and am sad that the last 13 years at our previous church ended so abruptly with a single conversation. God has led us, at least for now, to a time of separation from the situation. I don't know how long the separation will last - or if we'll be even be led to return -but being a nomad is never fun.
Anyway, during the Lord's Supper I just sat. Existed. Empty. I felt as though I was being emptied and just let it happen.
Once the Lord's Supper was over, we had an exceptional worship time. One of the choruses we sang was "Blessed Be the Name" and I couldn't help it. The tears flowed and my heart broke. Right there, at that moment, it was all I could do not to physically bow down and worship. But I couldn't. That's not proper. So I held it in while the tears flowed.
Fast forward to today. What is one of the choruses we sang? "Blessed Be the Name" The irony is this was at a different church.
And then it happened. David, our precocious 5-year-old, began dancing. He said he couldn't help it and then the words flowed out of his mouth. He didn't care about the notes not being right or what people thought. He just moved and sang. I have to admit, I was jealous. He had no inhibitions about what he was doing, and I was jealous.
Jonathan, the proper 8-year-old, looked at him and told him to stop. He shouldn't do that in church. Then they started having a brotherly argument.
I didn't want this moment to end for my child; too soon he'll look around, like I did, and wonder if anyone saw him and if he should have done that. So, I moved Jonathan between Scott and me and let David go.
After the chorus was over, David looked at me and said, "I just love that song. I can't help it."
I wish I could say that today was a turning point for me and I'll become a hand-raising, swaying Baptist, but I can't. But I was able to see what a childlike faith is like, uninhibited by what's proper and right. I was able to glimpse, for just a moment, what it must be like to completely let yourself go and truly worship God.
Blessed Be the Name
Friday, January 18, 2008
Tummy Party!
Come to the party in my tummy! I'm so ready!
Quite possibly the most disturbing video I've ever seen. However, having watched it, I don't think I'll be able to eat again for a week...jump starting that diet I had planned.
Quite possibly the most disturbing video I've ever seen. However, having watched it, I don't think I'll be able to eat again for a week...jump starting that diet I had planned.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Stealing Letters from Blogs
In the tradition of our good friend, Brandy (i.e., I'm stealing this idea from her), I'm bringing to you a few of the To Whom it May Concern letters,
To Whom it May Concern - I'm in a hotel room, and because I'm bored I will blog version
Dear Shopper in front of me at the convenience store,
I know choosing your option of lottery tickets is a tough deal. I don't play so I wouldn't know, but I'm sure choosing between losing money on "Deal or no Deal" or losing money on "Tic Tac Dough" or any other of the cute, amusing games produced by the lottery is a really tough task. However, Socrates, I'm standing behind you with a bottled water, and the only reason I'm here is pretty much to change a $20 I need to break before heading back to the hotel. So how about cutting a guy a break and making up your mind sometime before breakfast tomorrow morning?
Sincerely,
Tired & Sleepy
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear HBO,
OK. Rarely do I get the chance to see your channel. I'm not gonna pay a lot for this muffler, and I'm also not gonna pay for your channel in my home, considering most of the programs involve Bill Maher, boxing matches, or soft core porn. But when I do get a chance to see your channel in a hotel, I get...Beverly Hills Cop 3? What's next, Electric Boogaloo 2? Dirty Dancing Havana Nights? Grease 2? How about reruns of Jake & the Fatman? How about a movie from this century? If I see The Sound of Music as the featured Saturday movie, I may scream.
Sincerely,
The Caine Mutiny
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Hotel Gym User,
I don't know how to break this to you, but Charlie Atlas you ain't. Who you are is the guy at the Y everyone makes fun of because you take your pick-up basketball games WAY too seriously...calling fouls, throwing knees & elbows...basically a classless fool. If I'm at a hotel gym, it's because I just want to try to kill some time and get remotely close to being in shape at the same time. I don't need to hear you grunting and groaning from across the room because you're trying to pedal up Mt. Ararat. How about scaling it down a bit, eh, Skippy?
Yours truly,
Fat & gangly
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear hotel heating system,
All I want is a warm room. I don't need the arctic, and I don't need the grand Sahara. Something in the middle would be a nice touch. I shouldn't have to get out a compass and slide rule to figure out how to make this work.
My best,
Pneumonia
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear LG,
What in the sam hill is this in my room? I didn't know you made tv's in IMAX size. This is glorious!
Love,
ESPN fan
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Whom it May Concern - I'm in a hotel room, and because I'm bored I will blog version
Dear Shopper in front of me at the convenience store,
I know choosing your option of lottery tickets is a tough deal. I don't play so I wouldn't know, but I'm sure choosing between losing money on "Deal or no Deal" or losing money on "Tic Tac Dough" or any other of the cute, amusing games produced by the lottery is a really tough task. However, Socrates, I'm standing behind you with a bottled water, and the only reason I'm here is pretty much to change a $20 I need to break before heading back to the hotel. So how about cutting a guy a break and making up your mind sometime before breakfast tomorrow morning?
Sincerely,
Tired & Sleepy
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear HBO,
OK. Rarely do I get the chance to see your channel. I'm not gonna pay a lot for this muffler, and I'm also not gonna pay for your channel in my home, considering most of the programs involve Bill Maher, boxing matches, or soft core porn. But when I do get a chance to see your channel in a hotel, I get...Beverly Hills Cop 3? What's next, Electric Boogaloo 2? Dirty Dancing Havana Nights? Grease 2? How about reruns of Jake & the Fatman? How about a movie from this century? If I see The Sound of Music as the featured Saturday movie, I may scream.
Sincerely,
The Caine Mutiny
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Hotel Gym User,
I don't know how to break this to you, but Charlie Atlas you ain't. Who you are is the guy at the Y everyone makes fun of because you take your pick-up basketball games WAY too seriously...calling fouls, throwing knees & elbows...basically a classless fool. If I'm at a hotel gym, it's because I just want to try to kill some time and get remotely close to being in shape at the same time. I don't need to hear you grunting and groaning from across the room because you're trying to pedal up Mt. Ararat. How about scaling it down a bit, eh, Skippy?
Yours truly,
Fat & gangly
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear hotel heating system,
All I want is a warm room. I don't need the arctic, and I don't need the grand Sahara. Something in the middle would be a nice touch. I shouldn't have to get out a compass and slide rule to figure out how to make this work.
My best,
Pneumonia
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear LG,
What in the sam hill is this in my room? I didn't know you made tv's in IMAX size. This is glorious!
Love,
ESPN fan
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, December 31, 2007
I hereby resolve...
It's been some time since I've done this, so in the spirit of the New Year holiday, let me offer up my Top 10 Resolutions for 2008:
10. Stop stalking Marie Osmond.
9. Finally, once and for all, kick the Human Growth Hormone habit.
8. Go postal when the Wendy's drive-thru staff keep interrupting me while I'm placing my order.
7. Find a way to avoid any church-related Friday afternoon meetings at my office.
6. Go postal when the Burger King drive-thru staff keep interrupting me while I'm placing my order.
5. Accept Carman's never-ending request to record a rap duet album.
4. Flunk all of my speech students...and feel good about it, darn it.
3. Trade in this worn-out hairpiece for a quality rug.
2. Get back down to my original fighting weight of 225.
1. Accept my party's nomination for President of the United States.
Happy New Year!
10. Stop stalking Marie Osmond.
9. Finally, once and for all, kick the Human Growth Hormone habit.
8. Go postal when the Wendy's drive-thru staff keep interrupting me while I'm placing my order.
7. Find a way to avoid any church-related Friday afternoon meetings at my office.
6. Go postal when the Burger King drive-thru staff keep interrupting me while I'm placing my order.
5. Accept Carman's never-ending request to record a rap duet album.
4. Flunk all of my speech students...and feel good about it, darn it.
3. Trade in this worn-out hairpiece for a quality rug.
2. Get back down to my original fighting weight of 225.
1. Accept my party's nomination for President of the United States.
Happy New Year!
Monday, December 24, 2007
Merry Christmas!
For 20 big bad years, Darlene Love has appeared on Letterman to sing "Christmas/Baby Please Come Home". Unfortunately, the writers' strike kept her off the airwaves for a 21st year.
But, here she is in all her glory 2 years ago in the best version of this song I've ever heard. Fantabulous.
Merry Christmas!
But, here she is in all her glory 2 years ago in the best version of this song I've ever heard. Fantabulous.
Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Ten and Done
This coming Sunday is my last "official" Sunday as Sunday School Superintendent. I think that's the most times I've used the word "Sunday" in a sentence, by the way. I may be there on the 23rd to help out one last time, but the 16th was the day given on my original resignation notice, and I'm going to keep that the official date.
I'm not going to sit here & bash anything or anyone. I have a full week and can't fit in another meeting.
Seriously, I'm just sitting here and thinking about the last 10-plus years. It's been fascinating. Had God not led differently, I would've done this for 10 more. But, that can't happen.
Keeping this on an optimistic note, I remember some of the best moments of the last 10 years. I remember our Parenting Conference at Immanuel, where we had moms and dads as far away as Shelby and Lincoln Counties coming to our seminars and hearing our speakers and class teachers. I remember our game-show fellowships..."Who Wants to Win Some Free Stuff" (taken from "Millionaire") where we had Bible trivia questions under the familiar game show format. "Match Game" where I spent most of the weekend constructing the set and then just about had to censor our interim music leader for an answer he gave from the panel. "Family Feud" on a Sunday night where, before I purchased my Game Show Theme Song CD for events just like this, I had to have "Baptist to the Bone" played as the show's theme.
I remember our chili suppers, Sunday School Round-Ups, and all the other events along the way.
But more than that, I remember hearing so many class members find a closer relationship with Christ and with their fellow church members by participating in a class. The love my teachers showed for their members can't be overstated. I have more respect for my teachers - past & present - than simple words can show. I hope they know how much I love each of them.
It's been an amazing decade. I'm so blessed and deeply thankful for the experience.
I'm not going to sit here & bash anything or anyone. I have a full week and can't fit in another meeting.
Seriously, I'm just sitting here and thinking about the last 10-plus years. It's been fascinating. Had God not led differently, I would've done this for 10 more. But, that can't happen.
Keeping this on an optimistic note, I remember some of the best moments of the last 10 years. I remember our Parenting Conference at Immanuel, where we had moms and dads as far away as Shelby and Lincoln Counties coming to our seminars and hearing our speakers and class teachers. I remember our game-show fellowships..."Who Wants to Win Some Free Stuff" (taken from "Millionaire") where we had Bible trivia questions under the familiar game show format. "Match Game" where I spent most of the weekend constructing the set and then just about had to censor our interim music leader for an answer he gave from the panel. "Family Feud" on a Sunday night where, before I purchased my Game Show Theme Song CD for events just like this, I had to have "Baptist to the Bone" played as the show's theme.
I remember our chili suppers, Sunday School Round-Ups, and all the other events along the way.
But more than that, I remember hearing so many class members find a closer relationship with Christ and with their fellow church members by participating in a class. The love my teachers showed for their members can't be overstated. I have more respect for my teachers - past & present - than simple words can show. I hope they know how much I love each of them.
It's been an amazing decade. I'm so blessed and deeply thankful for the experience.
The Basics of Life, Pt 1
We didn't have church this morning because of the ice, so Tammy & I got to have a deep philosophical discussion about church.
Please forgive me for being vague. However, I'll need to keep this generic in order to keep the Blog Police who came to visit me four Fridays ago from visiting me again.
But, I digress...
On Friday night, I had the chance to read a couple of really good articles from this month's Pathway newspaper. They spoke specifically about the lack of meat in churches today; the articles specifically referenced how we as Christians willingly threw out the baby with the bathwater when Bill Hybels and his "seeker-sensitive" model of church became all the rage a few decades ago. In the interim, our churches have thrown out expositional preaching and traditional Christian courage in proclaiming Christ in favor of felt-needs based "programs" and slick slogans for success.
Let me clarify here - I'm not speaking about "one" church or "a" church...I'm speaking about many.
Years ago, I remember a very simple church motto that would be sneered at today by many: Where everybody is somebody and Jesus Christ is Lord.
Don't get me wrong - I believe there are places for new ideas & methods. Quite honestly, many of them opened new and exciting doors of opportunity at my current church over the last decade-plus I served as Sunday School Director.
But when a church adopts these methods and bases its ministry on its relevancy to the secular world and a hard focus on numbers versus doing what you think is right and what is Bible-based and letting God handle the rest, you're in trouble.
I remember a few years ago when Hannibal's high school football team (I'm a former proud Pirate) played Pattonville in the district playoffs. I was at the game and watched a Pirate player take a kickoff and streak through the Pattonville defense, seemingly on his way to a touchdown and what could've been the nail in the coffin in the game.
But, he turned around to look to see who was gaining on him. In doing so, he dropped a step, and before he could reach the end zone he was tackled at the 3 yard line. On the next play, there was a botched snap from center, and Pattonville picked up the ball and ran it back 97 yards for a touchdown. Pattonville never looked back and eventually won the ballgame.
I learned two important lessons from that turn of events.
First, run hard and don't look back...someone might be gaining on you.
Second, who cares if someone's gaining on you? If you're doing what's right, and you know you're doing what's right, there's no reason to look around to see what others are doing. As long as they're going to a Bible-believing church, isn't that the goal? Do what God leads you to do, not what others are doing.
I hope you enjoy these next two articles...they really spoke to me where I'm at right now, and I hope they shed a little light on a situation I've previously tried to write about, but without the good choice of words these two authors selected.
Please forgive me for being vague. However, I'll need to keep this generic in order to keep the Blog Police who came to visit me four Fridays ago from visiting me again.
But, I digress...
On Friday night, I had the chance to read a couple of really good articles from this month's Pathway newspaper. They spoke specifically about the lack of meat in churches today; the articles specifically referenced how we as Christians willingly threw out the baby with the bathwater when Bill Hybels and his "seeker-sensitive" model of church became all the rage a few decades ago. In the interim, our churches have thrown out expositional preaching and traditional Christian courage in proclaiming Christ in favor of felt-needs based "programs" and slick slogans for success.
Let me clarify here - I'm not speaking about "one" church or "a" church...I'm speaking about many.
Years ago, I remember a very simple church motto that would be sneered at today by many: Where everybody is somebody and Jesus Christ is Lord.
Don't get me wrong - I believe there are places for new ideas & methods. Quite honestly, many of them opened new and exciting doors of opportunity at my current church over the last decade-plus I served as Sunday School Director.
But when a church adopts these methods and bases its ministry on its relevancy to the secular world and a hard focus on numbers versus doing what you think is right and what is Bible-based and letting God handle the rest, you're in trouble.
I remember a few years ago when Hannibal's high school football team (I'm a former proud Pirate) played Pattonville in the district playoffs. I was at the game and watched a Pirate player take a kickoff and streak through the Pattonville defense, seemingly on his way to a touchdown and what could've been the nail in the coffin in the game.
But, he turned around to look to see who was gaining on him. In doing so, he dropped a step, and before he could reach the end zone he was tackled at the 3 yard line. On the next play, there was a botched snap from center, and Pattonville picked up the ball and ran it back 97 yards for a touchdown. Pattonville never looked back and eventually won the ballgame.
I learned two important lessons from that turn of events.
First, run hard and don't look back...someone might be gaining on you.
Second, who cares if someone's gaining on you? If you're doing what's right, and you know you're doing what's right, there's no reason to look around to see what others are doing. As long as they're going to a Bible-believing church, isn't that the goal? Do what God leads you to do, not what others are doing.
I hope you enjoy these next two articles...they really spoke to me where I'm at right now, and I hope they shed a little light on a situation I've previously tried to write about, but without the good choice of words these two authors selected.
The Basics of Life, Pt 2
This is the first of two articles I wrote about above. The article can be accessed here, but for those who choose to not link through, the full text is located just below.
Dever cautions about 'relevant' mindset
Posted on Nov 7, 2007 by Garrett E. Wishall
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--The health of local churches doesn't depend on relevance to the world and success in numbers, but on reflecting the character of God and upholding His Word, Mark Dever said at a Southern Baptist Theological Seminary forum.
"I would like to suggest that the most fundamental problem in the church is not that we are not relevant enough in relation to the world, but that the church is not distinct enough from the world. Our churches must reflect the character of God," said Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C, and a trustee at the Louisville, Ky., seminary.
Church leaders should channel their energy toward maintaining purity in the church instead of spending great amounts of time and ministry on relating to the culture, Dever said at a forum sponsored by the seminary's Korean Student Fellowship Oct. 9.
The idea that the Gospel must be made relevant is a liberal assumption which, if taken to its end, can result in the theological liberalism of Friedreich Schleiermacher, the father of Protestant liberalism, Dever said, adding that numerous church models seek to be relevant and do not reach the unorthodox conclusions of liberalism but remain unhealthy because they are based on an unbiblical definition of success.
"The problem with the seeker-sensitive model, emerging church model and even the traditional model that say, 'Get as many people into a room as possible and share the Gospel with them,' is that they view success in light of visible fruit," he said. "All three of these approaches say, 'Change your techniques and let's get some numbers.'
"Instead of being directed by [visible] success, we should be directed by faithfulness. We should say, 'If the Lord doesn't like our product, we will change the product.' We shouldn't take the idea that if we don't have X number of conversions in our church, then we must be doing something wrong. I am glad Jeremiah didn't think that. And I am glad that Jesus Christ didn't think that. Let us remember that we are following the One who was crucified as a revolutionary."
Dever also is the founder of 9Marks Ministries and author of "Nine Marks of a Healthy Church." 9Marks Ministries attempts to help local church leadership re-establish biblical bearings and rethink ministry methods, and to help them discover and apply the biblical priorities that cultivate health and holiness in the local church.
"You must have preaching that makes the point of the text the point of the message and where the Gospel is always present," Dever said, noting the first of the nine marks of a healthy church is expositional preaching.
"In the Bible, the people never create God's Word. Instead, God's Word always creates the people. That is how God has always worked. And that is how we should preach. That is how people are saved and how people are sanctified. God's Spirit works with His Word.
"Expositional preaching must first characterize a church that will be able to withstand the pressures of an increasingly secular culture," Dever added.
Second, sound theology will go hand-in-hand with expositional preaching, further helping people view the world through God's eyes. Biblical understandings of the Gospel, conversion and evangelism also will promote church health, he said.
Church membership and church discipline each must be preached and practiced by church leaders to maintain purity within local churches, Dever said. Church membership and discipline fulfill Jesus' command to love one another, and church leaders will give an account for the people they allow into their congregation, he said.
"The basic idea of practicing a self-conscious allegiance to a certain group of people and to a certain group of elders is taught in the Bible," he said. "Our church membership should capture what it means to be a Christian through people's actions.
"Jesus said that they would know that you are Christians by your love, not for the people in the community, but for each other. Somehow what happens in the community of a congregation is more powerful even than your individual honesty and kindness to others. I think we will give an account to God for the membership of the church in which we pastor," Dever said.
Finally, Dever said a concern for discipleship and Christian growth and a biblical church leadership structure will promote healthy churches.
Patience and courage are needed to correct a situation where the number of church members greatly exceeds those who faithfully attend and participate in the life of the church, he said.
"You must very clearly preach the Gospel, Sunday after Sunday, making it very clear what a Christian is [in such a situation]," he said.
"Second, you must be very patient. It took me two years to finish dealing with that issue, in a very stable, Bible-believing congregation. Get counsel from older men who agree with you theologically.
"And when the time comes, what is typically lacking in pastors in many cases is courage," Dever said, adding that it takes "courage to look at a man twice your age and tell him that he has been doing things wrong all his life. You must keep making it very clear what a Christian is."
--30--
Garrett E. Wishall is a writer at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Dever cautions about 'relevant' mindset
Posted on Nov 7, 2007 by Garrett E. Wishall
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--The health of local churches doesn't depend on relevance to the world and success in numbers, but on reflecting the character of God and upholding His Word, Mark Dever said at a Southern Baptist Theological Seminary forum.
"I would like to suggest that the most fundamental problem in the church is not that we are not relevant enough in relation to the world, but that the church is not distinct enough from the world. Our churches must reflect the character of God," said Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C, and a trustee at the Louisville, Ky., seminary.
Church leaders should channel their energy toward maintaining purity in the church instead of spending great amounts of time and ministry on relating to the culture, Dever said at a forum sponsored by the seminary's Korean Student Fellowship Oct. 9.
The idea that the Gospel must be made relevant is a liberal assumption which, if taken to its end, can result in the theological liberalism of Friedreich Schleiermacher, the father of Protestant liberalism, Dever said, adding that numerous church models seek to be relevant and do not reach the unorthodox conclusions of liberalism but remain unhealthy because they are based on an unbiblical definition of success.
"The problem with the seeker-sensitive model, emerging church model and even the traditional model that say, 'Get as many people into a room as possible and share the Gospel with them,' is that they view success in light of visible fruit," he said. "All three of these approaches say, 'Change your techniques and let's get some numbers.'
"Instead of being directed by [visible] success, we should be directed by faithfulness. We should say, 'If the Lord doesn't like our product, we will change the product.' We shouldn't take the idea that if we don't have X number of conversions in our church, then we must be doing something wrong. I am glad Jeremiah didn't think that. And I am glad that Jesus Christ didn't think that. Let us remember that we are following the One who was crucified as a revolutionary."
Dever also is the founder of 9Marks Ministries and author of "Nine Marks of a Healthy Church." 9Marks Ministries attempts to help local church leadership re-establish biblical bearings and rethink ministry methods, and to help them discover and apply the biblical priorities that cultivate health and holiness in the local church.
"You must have preaching that makes the point of the text the point of the message and where the Gospel is always present," Dever said, noting the first of the nine marks of a healthy church is expositional preaching.
"In the Bible, the people never create God's Word. Instead, God's Word always creates the people. That is how God has always worked. And that is how we should preach. That is how people are saved and how people are sanctified. God's Spirit works with His Word.
"Expositional preaching must first characterize a church that will be able to withstand the pressures of an increasingly secular culture," Dever added.
Second, sound theology will go hand-in-hand with expositional preaching, further helping people view the world through God's eyes. Biblical understandings of the Gospel, conversion and evangelism also will promote church health, he said.
Church membership and church discipline each must be preached and practiced by church leaders to maintain purity within local churches, Dever said. Church membership and discipline fulfill Jesus' command to love one another, and church leaders will give an account for the people they allow into their congregation, he said.
"The basic idea of practicing a self-conscious allegiance to a certain group of people and to a certain group of elders is taught in the Bible," he said. "Our church membership should capture what it means to be a Christian through people's actions.
"Jesus said that they would know that you are Christians by your love, not for the people in the community, but for each other. Somehow what happens in the community of a congregation is more powerful even than your individual honesty and kindness to others. I think we will give an account to God for the membership of the church in which we pastor," Dever said.
Finally, Dever said a concern for discipleship and Christian growth and a biblical church leadership structure will promote healthy churches.
Patience and courage are needed to correct a situation where the number of church members greatly exceeds those who faithfully attend and participate in the life of the church, he said.
"You must very clearly preach the Gospel, Sunday after Sunday, making it very clear what a Christian is [in such a situation]," he said.
"Second, you must be very patient. It took me two years to finish dealing with that issue, in a very stable, Bible-believing congregation. Get counsel from older men who agree with you theologically.
"And when the time comes, what is typically lacking in pastors in many cases is courage," Dever said, adding that it takes "courage to look at a man twice your age and tell him that he has been doing things wrong all his life. You must keep making it very clear what a Christian is."
--30--
Garrett E. Wishall is a writer at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
The Basics of Life, Pt 3
This is the second article I wrote about above...a link is provided here. But, for those who wish to see the article without linking through, here's the text below:
FIRST-PERSON: A shocking confession from Willow Creek Community Church leaders
Posted on Nov 6, 2007 by Bob Burney
COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP)--If you are older than 40 the name Benjamin Spock is more than familiar. It was Spock that told an entire generation of parents to take it easy, don't discipline your children and allow them to express themselves. Discipline, he told us, would warp a child's fragile ego. Millions followed this guru of child development and he remained unchallenged among child rearing professionals. However, before his death Dr. Spock made an amazing discovery: He was wrong. In fact, he said:
"We have reared a generation of brats. Parents aren't firm enough with their children for fear of losing their love or incurring their resentment. This is a cruel deprivation that we professionals have imposed on mothers and fathers. Of course, we did it with the best of intentions. We didn't realize until it was too late how our know-it-all attitude was undermining the self assurance of parents."
Oops.
Something just as momentous, in my opinion, just happened in the evangelical community. For most of a generation evangelicals have been romanced by the "seeker-sensitive" movement spawned by Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. The guru of this movement is Bill Hybels. He and others have been telling us for decades to throw out everything we have previously thought and been taught about church growth and replace it with a new paradigm, a new way to do ministry.
Perhaps inadvertently, with this "new wave" of ministry came a de-emphasis on taking personal responsibility for Bible study combined with an emphasis on felt-needs based "programs" and slick marketing.
The size of the crowd rather than the depth of the heart determined success. If the crowd was large then surely God was blessing the ministry. Churches were built by demographic studies, professional strategists, marketing research, meeting "felt needs" and sermons consistent with these techniques. We were told that preaching was out, relevance was in. Doctrine didn't matter nearly as much as innovation. If it wasn't "cutting edge" and consumer friendly it was doomed. The mention of sin, salvation and sanctification were taboo and replaced by Starbucks, strategy and sensitivity.
Thousands of pastors hung on every word that emanated from the lips of the church growth experts. Satellite seminars were packed with hungry church leaders learning the latest way to "do church." The promise was clear: Thousands of people and millions of dollars couldn't be wrong. Forget what people need, give them what they want. How can you argue with the numbers? If you dared to challenge the "experts" you were immediately labeled as a "traditionalist," a throwback to the 50s, a stubborn dinosaur unwilling to change with the times.
All that changed recently.
Willow Creek has released the results of a multi-year study on the effectiveness of their programs and philosophy of ministry. The study's findings are in a new book titled "Reveal: Where Are You?," co-authored by Cally Parkinson and Greg Hawkins, executive pastor of Willow Creek Community Church. Hybels himself called the findings "ground breaking," "earth shaking" and "mind blowing." And no wonder: It seems that the "experts" were wrong.
The report reveals that most of what they have been doing for these many years and what they have taught millions of others to do is not producing solid disciples of Jesus Christ. Numbers yes, but not disciples. It gets worse. Hybels laments:
"Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, when the data actually came back it wasn't helping people that much. Other things that we didn't put that much money into and didn't put much staff against is stuff our people are crying out for."
If you simply want a crowd, the "seeker-sensitive" model produces results. If you want solid, sincere, mature followers of Christ, it's a bust. In a shocking confession, Hybels states:
"We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become 'self feeders.' We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their Bible between services, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own."
Incredibly, the guru of church growth now tells us that people need to be reading their Bibles and taking responsibility for their spiritual growth.
Just as Spock's "mistake" was no minor error, so the error of the seeker-sensitive movement is monumental in its scope. The foundation of thousands of American churches is now discovered to be mere sand. The one individual who has had perhaps the greatest influence on the American church in our generation has now admitted his philosophy of ministry, in large part, was a "mistake." The extent of this error defies measurement.
Perhaps the most shocking thing of all in this revelation coming out of Willow Creek is in a summary statement by Greg Hawkins:
"Our dream is that we fundamentally change the way we do church. That we take out a clean sheet of paper and we rethink all of our old assumptions. Replace it with new insights. Insights that are informed by research and rooted in Scripture. Our dream is really to discover what God is doing and how he's asking us to transform this planet."
Isn't that what we were told when this whole seeker-sensitive thing started? The church growth gurus again want to throw away their old assumptions and "take out a clean sheet of paper" and, presumably, come up with a new paradigm for ministry.
Should this be encouraging?
Please note that "rooted in Scripture" still follows "rethink," "new insights" and "informed research." Someone, it appears, still might not get it. Unless there is a return to simple biblical (and relevant) principles, a new faulty scheme will replace the existing one and another generation will follow along as the latest piper plays.
What we should find encouraging, at least, in this "confession" coming from the highest ranks of the Willow Creek Association is that they are coming to realize that their existing "model" does not help people grow into mature followers of Jesus Christ. Given the massive influence this organization has on the American church today, let us pray that God would be pleased to put structures in place at Willow Creek that foster not mere numeric growth, but growth in grace.
--30--
Bob Burney is Salem Communications' award-winning host of Bob Burney Live, heard weekday afternoons on WRFD-AM 880 in Columbus, Ohio. This column originally appeared at Townhall.com.
FIRST-PERSON: A shocking confession from Willow Creek Community Church leaders
Posted on Nov 6, 2007 by Bob Burney
COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP)--If you are older than 40 the name Benjamin Spock is more than familiar. It was Spock that told an entire generation of parents to take it easy, don't discipline your children and allow them to express themselves. Discipline, he told us, would warp a child's fragile ego. Millions followed this guru of child development and he remained unchallenged among child rearing professionals. However, before his death Dr. Spock made an amazing discovery: He was wrong. In fact, he said:
"We have reared a generation of brats. Parents aren't firm enough with their children for fear of losing their love or incurring their resentment. This is a cruel deprivation that we professionals have imposed on mothers and fathers. Of course, we did it with the best of intentions. We didn't realize until it was too late how our know-it-all attitude was undermining the self assurance of parents."
Oops.
Something just as momentous, in my opinion, just happened in the evangelical community. For most of a generation evangelicals have been romanced by the "seeker-sensitive" movement spawned by Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. The guru of this movement is Bill Hybels. He and others have been telling us for decades to throw out everything we have previously thought and been taught about church growth and replace it with a new paradigm, a new way to do ministry.
Perhaps inadvertently, with this "new wave" of ministry came a de-emphasis on taking personal responsibility for Bible study combined with an emphasis on felt-needs based "programs" and slick marketing.
The size of the crowd rather than the depth of the heart determined success. If the crowd was large then surely God was blessing the ministry. Churches were built by demographic studies, professional strategists, marketing research, meeting "felt needs" and sermons consistent with these techniques. We were told that preaching was out, relevance was in. Doctrine didn't matter nearly as much as innovation. If it wasn't "cutting edge" and consumer friendly it was doomed. The mention of sin, salvation and sanctification were taboo and replaced by Starbucks, strategy and sensitivity.
Thousands of pastors hung on every word that emanated from the lips of the church growth experts. Satellite seminars were packed with hungry church leaders learning the latest way to "do church." The promise was clear: Thousands of people and millions of dollars couldn't be wrong. Forget what people need, give them what they want. How can you argue with the numbers? If you dared to challenge the "experts" you were immediately labeled as a "traditionalist," a throwback to the 50s, a stubborn dinosaur unwilling to change with the times.
All that changed recently.
Willow Creek has released the results of a multi-year study on the effectiveness of their programs and philosophy of ministry. The study's findings are in a new book titled "Reveal: Where Are You?," co-authored by Cally Parkinson and Greg Hawkins, executive pastor of Willow Creek Community Church. Hybels himself called the findings "ground breaking," "earth shaking" and "mind blowing." And no wonder: It seems that the "experts" were wrong.
The report reveals that most of what they have been doing for these many years and what they have taught millions of others to do is not producing solid disciples of Jesus Christ. Numbers yes, but not disciples. It gets worse. Hybels laments:
"Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, when the data actually came back it wasn't helping people that much. Other things that we didn't put that much money into and didn't put much staff against is stuff our people are crying out for."
If you simply want a crowd, the "seeker-sensitive" model produces results. If you want solid, sincere, mature followers of Christ, it's a bust. In a shocking confession, Hybels states:
"We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become 'self feeders.' We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their Bible between services, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own."
Incredibly, the guru of church growth now tells us that people need to be reading their Bibles and taking responsibility for their spiritual growth.
Just as Spock's "mistake" was no minor error, so the error of the seeker-sensitive movement is monumental in its scope. The foundation of thousands of American churches is now discovered to be mere sand. The one individual who has had perhaps the greatest influence on the American church in our generation has now admitted his philosophy of ministry, in large part, was a "mistake." The extent of this error defies measurement.
Perhaps the most shocking thing of all in this revelation coming out of Willow Creek is in a summary statement by Greg Hawkins:
"Our dream is that we fundamentally change the way we do church. That we take out a clean sheet of paper and we rethink all of our old assumptions. Replace it with new insights. Insights that are informed by research and rooted in Scripture. Our dream is really to discover what God is doing and how he's asking us to transform this planet."
Isn't that what we were told when this whole seeker-sensitive thing started? The church growth gurus again want to throw away their old assumptions and "take out a clean sheet of paper" and, presumably, come up with a new paradigm for ministry.
Should this be encouraging?
Please note that "rooted in Scripture" still follows "rethink," "new insights" and "informed research." Someone, it appears, still might not get it. Unless there is a return to simple biblical (and relevant) principles, a new faulty scheme will replace the existing one and another generation will follow along as the latest piper plays.
What we should find encouraging, at least, in this "confession" coming from the highest ranks of the Willow Creek Association is that they are coming to realize that their existing "model" does not help people grow into mature followers of Jesus Christ. Given the massive influence this organization has on the American church today, let us pray that God would be pleased to put structures in place at Willow Creek that foster not mere numeric growth, but growth in grace.
--30--
Bob Burney is Salem Communications' award-winning host of Bob Burney Live, heard weekday afternoons on WRFD-AM 880 in Columbus, Ohio. This column originally appeared at Townhall.com.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Danger at the Manger
I'm always amazed at how different boys and girls play. Girls: dolls, princesses, queens, land of puppy dog tails, yada, yada.
Boys: pirates, knights, weapons, you get the idea.
Now, when I was growing up my mom had this caroling family that she set out every year at Christmas. I loved it and even asked her if I could have it when she died. She didn't like the idea of her stuff with a name tag on it waiting for her demise, so she gave it to me when I got married.
She used to let me play with that caroling family and I would make up little stories about them traveling from house to house, having tea parties, riding in their carriage to the next Christmas party, that sort of thing.
The tradition continues in my own home. I let the kids play with various pieces of our nativity sets, as long as their careful. Remember, boys play differently.
I was walking through the kitchen the other day when I noticed three wise men and a shepherd with a Pizza Hut coupon for a free personal pan pizza. They were all placed in such a way that it appeared they were carrying it. When I asked Jonathan about it, he said the wise men and shepherd were taking the coupon to their leader so they could fight the bad guys. I told him fine, just as long as they protect the oranges and don't fall and break.
Last week, David had his entire nativity set - three wise men, Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus - all on the couch. They aren't breakable so I wasn't too worried about it. What disturbed me was that they were on a stool on top of the couch and they were surrounded by the Imperial Army. Apparently, Darth Vader had found their location and there was serious danger at the manger. I noticed later on that the wise men had been moved from the stool on top of the couch and were attempting a sneak attack on the Imperial Army. Let's hope justice prevailed.
I have always known that the boys were creative and that their creativity always involved a war, nuclear attack, or pirates. Right before Thanksgiving, they were outside doing a joust then decided to fashion rocks and sticks into spears and became, no lie, "canniboobs". After holding in my laughter and doing a little investigation, I discovered they meant cannibals.
But is it okay to do that with a nativity set? You know, Baby Jesus, pure and innocent all of a sudden wrapped at the center of an intergalactic catastrophe? Is that okay?
Those questions will have to be answered later. For now, I'll have to settle for peace talks in the kitchen between Santa and the pirates. It's either jump down the chimney or hand over the loot. I think Santa has this all wrapped up.
Boys: pirates, knights, weapons, you get the idea.
Now, when I was growing up my mom had this caroling family that she set out every year at Christmas. I loved it and even asked her if I could have it when she died. She didn't like the idea of her stuff with a name tag on it waiting for her demise, so she gave it to me when I got married.
She used to let me play with that caroling family and I would make up little stories about them traveling from house to house, having tea parties, riding in their carriage to the next Christmas party, that sort of thing.
The tradition continues in my own home. I let the kids play with various pieces of our nativity sets, as long as their careful. Remember, boys play differently.
I was walking through the kitchen the other day when I noticed three wise men and a shepherd with a Pizza Hut coupon for a free personal pan pizza. They were all placed in such a way that it appeared they were carrying it. When I asked Jonathan about it, he said the wise men and shepherd were taking the coupon to their leader so they could fight the bad guys. I told him fine, just as long as they protect the oranges and don't fall and break.
Last week, David had his entire nativity set - three wise men, Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus - all on the couch. They aren't breakable so I wasn't too worried about it. What disturbed me was that they were on a stool on top of the couch and they were surrounded by the Imperial Army. Apparently, Darth Vader had found their location and there was serious danger at the manger. I noticed later on that the wise men had been moved from the stool on top of the couch and were attempting a sneak attack on the Imperial Army. Let's hope justice prevailed.
I have always known that the boys were creative and that their creativity always involved a war, nuclear attack, or pirates. Right before Thanksgiving, they were outside doing a joust then decided to fashion rocks and sticks into spears and became, no lie, "canniboobs". After holding in my laughter and doing a little investigation, I discovered they meant cannibals.
But is it okay to do that with a nativity set? You know, Baby Jesus, pure and innocent all of a sudden wrapped at the center of an intergalactic catastrophe? Is that okay?
Those questions will have to be answered later. For now, I'll have to settle for peace talks in the kitchen between Santa and the pirates. It's either jump down the chimney or hand over the loot. I think Santa has this all wrapped up.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Sunday, December 02, 2007
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