Out With the Old?

I've noticed a troubling trend in some churches and my denomination.  I think the problem began in churches and ascended into the denomination.  The problem is this - it appears that those of the older generation have been excluded from our worship, our planning, and our decision-making.  Whether it's been stated or not, some older believers feel like they've been invited to leave so that the church can move on with reaching the younger generation.

Of course, this problem can work both ways.  I'm sure there are a good number of aging congregations that have neglected their younger members.  Their refusal to adopt new ideas, strategies, etc. basically told the youngest members that they were no longer wanted.  Sadly, some churches would rather die than change, but that's a sermon for another day.

Are some churches and denominations pushing the older generation aside?  If so, it's nothing new.  I'm reminded of a young king named Rehoboam (2 Chron. 10).  His father Solomon was a mighty king.  Under Solomon's reign, the nation of Israel experienced influence and prosperity like they had rarely ever known.

When Rehoboam assumed his father's throne, he was presented with a proposition - "lighten the burdensome service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you" (10:4).  Rehoboam didn't want to make an immediate decision, so he asked for 3 days to consult with some advisers.

Rehoboam had two sets of advisers - young and old.  Rehoboam heard from the elders first.  They advised him to lighten the people's load and to treat them with grace.  Unsatisfied with the wisdom of the elders, Rehoboam turned to "the young men who had grown up with him" (10:8).  They encouraged him to double the people's workload by ruling with an iron fist.

What happened?  Rehoboam pushed the elders aside, listened to his young friends, and split the nation of Israel in two.  The northern tribes took a new king, and Judah was left to fend for itself.

Can we learn something from Rehoboam's mistake?  I think we need to learn that God is not done with our elders.  Not only does God command us to respect our elders (1 Tim. 5:1-2, 1 Peter 5:5), but we have a great deal to learn from their experience.  Paul commanded that the older women were to admonish the younger ones (Titus 2:3-4), but how can we honor that command if the older members are dismissed from our congregations?

If older believers don't feel welcome in your church or denomination, something needs to change.  Furthermore, you should invite them back to the table, ask their forgiveness, and seek their wisdom.  God never intended us to have "old churches" and "young churches."  He's commanded us to grow multi-generational churches for the glory of God until Jesus comes back.

What Americans Believe (Part 3 - Character of God)

In part 3, we will consider what Americans believe about God and His character.  "God is perfect and cannot make a mistake."  65% of Americans agree, 25% disagree, and 10% are not sure.  This is very sad to me.  35% of Americans are not certain that God is free from mistakes.  Couple that with the fact that many Americans don't believe in God at all and you've got a recipe for disaster.

"God answers specific prayers."  66% agree, 24% disagree, and 10% are uncertain.  This means that roughly a third of Americans can't say they've ever had a prayer answered.  My interpretation is that either they have not been praying, or they don't realize the answer that God has provided.  

"God knows everything, but does not determine all that happens in the world."  60% agree, 30% disagree, and 11% don't know.  This question is probably one of the toughest in the entire survey released by LifeWay.  My guess is that many Americans don't have much trouble believing that God knows everything, but many of them would be cautious about attributing everything that happens to God.

"God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam."  64% agree.  Thus, the majority of Americans would concur with the old adage, "There are many roads to God."  Apparently, most Americans believe that sincerity in one's faith is the most important part, and not necessarily the substance of one's faith.

So how do American opinions about God compare to Scripture?  Is God perfect?  Psalm 18:30 says, "As for God, His way is perfect."  When God the Son (Jesus Christ) came to this earth, He was also perfect:  "in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15).  There is no question from Scripture that God is perfect.  As such, it would be impossible for Him to make a mistake:  "God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent" (Num. 23:19).

Does God answer specific prayers?  Time would not permit me to mention all the prayers God answered in the Bible.  One example comes to mind:  1 Samuel 1 tells us that a godly woman, Hannah, was barren and wanted desperately to have a child.  She went to the tabernacle and asked God to give her a child, and that's exactly what the Lord did.  That child was named Samuel and he became one of the greatest prophets in Israel's history.  God DOES answer the prayers of His people.

Does God know everything?  In picturesque language, Psalm 139 tells us that God is omniscient - "You know my sitting down and my rising up, you understand my thought afar off...there is not a word on my tongue, but behold O Lord, you know it altogether."  So if God knows everything, does He determine the outcome of all things?  A concise answer is that God does in fact have a perfect will that is going to be completed because He is sovereign.  Yet, within that will He permits us to do things that displease Him.  So, while we are ultimately responsible for our sins, God has even incorporated our failures into His perfect plan.  He will do good in spite of our evil.

Does God accept sincere worshipers from all religions?  The Bible is very clear that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6, Acts 4:12).  Writing to the early church, the Apostle John said, "Whoever denies the Son (Jesus) does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also" (1 John 2:23).  I guess you could say it's a package deal.  God accepts those who receive His Son - He rejects those who refuse to do so.  Thankfully, God yearns for every person in the world to receive the free pardon of sins that comes through faith in Jesus.

Now that we know what Americans believe about God, next time we'll look into their views about sin and condemnation.

What Americans Believe (Part 2 - The Bible)

Today we turn our attention to what Americans believe about the Bible.  Of course, there are the two extremes - you have those who believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, those who believe the Bible is only a book of fairy tales, and a whole lot of folks somewhere in between.  Let's get to it.

Statement #1 - "God is the author of Scripture."  58% agreed, 31% disagree, and 11% aren't sure.  It's reassuring to see that more than half of Americans still believe that God is the author of Scripture.  Yet, decades ago this number would have been much higher.  Modern skepticism has done a great deal to make people question the authorship of the Bible.

Statement #2 - "The Bible was written for each person to interpret as he or she chooses."  51% agree, 40% disagree, and 9% are not sure.  It's ironic that the majority of Americans believe God is the author of the Bible, but apparently He doesn't require humans to take Him at His word.  If all interpretations are acceptable, we're going to have a serious problem with countless contradictions.

Statement #3 - "The Bible has the authority to tell us what to do."  50% agree, 42% disagree, and 8% are uncertain.  I'm guessing that those who agree are in the same 58% who believe the Bible is the Word of God.  If God is sovereign over everything and the Bible is His Word, aren't we bound to do what it says?

Statement #4 - "Biblical accounts of Jesus' bodily resurrection are accurate."  64% agree.  This was actually a little surprising to me.  I expected the number to be lower.  Even with our culture's relentless assault on the Bible, nearly 2 in 3 Americans believe Jesus rose from the dead.  No wonder our churches still fill up at Easter time.

Statement #5 - "The Bible is 100% accurate."  Only 47% of Americans believe this.  So 58% of Americans believe that God authored the Bible, but only 47% believe it is totally accurate?  If my math is right, 11% of Americans believe that God is capable of authoring Scripture, but unable to avoid mistakes.

Statement #6 - "The Bible is helpful but not literally true."  44% agree.  That begs the question:  If the Bible is not true, why would it be helpful?  I guess in the same way that Aesop's fables are true.

58% of Americans are right - while there were 40 writers of Scripture, there is only one Author:  "All Scripture is God-breathed" (2 Tim. 3:16).  Because God used words when He gave us the Bible, His words are not subject to change or debate.  They say what they say and they mean what they mean.  It's always made me laugh when people say we can't know the meaning of Scripture - they use words to tell you we can't know the meaning of words. :-)

Because the Bible is the Word of God, it has authority because it belongs to Him.  The Bible has all authority to order our lives.  When it comes to the resurrection, the Bible is very clear:  "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4).  The bodily resurrection of Jesus is the centerpiece of the Christian faith.

The Bible is both 100% accurate and literally true.  It's accurate because it is the Word of the perfect God, "with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17).  While there are symbols and analogies throughout the Bible, each one reveals a literal truth.  When the Bible calls Jesus the Lion of Judah, that doesn't make Him an animal.  It simply means that He is the King of His people Israel.

What will it take to change the American perception of Scripture?  I believe it will require God's people not only saying they believe the Bible, but living according to the Bible.  Next time we'll consider what Americans believe about the character of God.

What Americans Believe (Part 1 - Afterlife)

This is the first in a series of articles I'm writing about what Americans believe.  LifeWay Research recently conducted a survey that yielded some eye-opening results.  Respondents were presented with a number of statements and asked if they agreed, disagreed, or were unsure.  Without further ado, let's consider what Americans believe about the afterlife.

Statement #1 - "Heaven is a place where all people will ultimately be reunited with their loved ones."  60% agree, 26% disagree, and 14% are unsure.  This means 6 in 10 Americans are convinced that everyone will go to heaven.  Notice that the statement did not discriminate against anyone - "all people."  So then, the majority of Americans believe that all humans will end up in heaven.

Statement #2 - "Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God's gift of eternal salvation."  54% agree and 46% disagree, so basically Americans are split on this issue.  Isn't it ironic that 60% of Americans believe that everyone will go to heaven, but 54% think that a person must have faith in Jesus to be saved?  This survey reveals that Americans have no problem contradicting themselves.

Statement #3 - "By the good deeds I do, I partly contribute to earning my place in heaven."  52% agree, 35% disagree, and 13% are unsure.  Over half of Americans are convinced that a person has to earn his/her salvation through good works.  Interesting - I wonder how many good works it takes?

Statement #4 - "Hell is an eternal place of judgment where God sends all people who do not personally trust in Jesus Christ."  Only 40% of Americans believe that those who do not trust Christ in this life will spend their eternity in hell.  In fact, many Americans wonder if hell even exists.

How do Americans compare to Scripture on the afterlife?  Contrary to what Americans believe, heaven is not a place where everyone will go to reunite with loved ones.  Jesus said, "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many that go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  If Jesus is right (and He is) then the majority of human beings will not go to heaven.

That leads to the second statement Americans weighed in on.  Even though almost half of the public believes that faith in Jesus is not a requirement for salvation, Jesus could not have been clearer:  "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).  According to Christ, only those who surrender their lives to Him in faith will gain entrance into heaven.

Over half of Americans believe that a person has to earn his/her salvation.  The Apostle Paul disagrees:  "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).  If we could earn our salvation through good works, we'd have something to brag about when we stand before God on judgment day.  There will be no bragging in His presence - only eternal thanksgiving for His grace that comes through faith.

Nearly all Americans would tell you they believe in heaven, but far fewer believe in hell, let alone that God would send someone there to suffer forever.  Did Jesus believe in hell?  Jesus said, "Then He will say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me you cursed into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels'" (Matt. 25:41).  It's not God's desire that anyone would end up in hell (1 Tim. 2:4), but the sad truth is that many will because they refuse to place their faith in Jesus.

So, Americans are slightly misinformed about the afterlife.  It's up to us as God's people to share the truth about these things, in the prayerful expectation that someone would give his/her heart to Christ.  Tune in next time as we'll discover what Americans believe about the Bible.

Learning to Pray

God has called every Christian to make disciples.  Every day I try to think of ways I can be a better disciple-maker.  Lately God has shown me that I need to do more to help Christians strengthen the most fundamental parts of their relationship with Him.  One of the most foundational things we do as Christians is praying.  It is our lifeline to God.  It's been well-said, "no prayer, no power."  Through prayer we can experience God's power and grow in our relationship with him.

I'd like to give you an outline you can use when you spend your daily time of prayer with God.  I don't mean to suggest that you only need to pray one time a day.  In fact, the Apostle Paul instructed us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17).  It's a good idea to pray while you're driving, doing the dishes, taking out the trash, etc.  Anytime is a good time to pray!

Yet, we need to set aside time every day to spend in the presence of God.  Christians commonly refer to this as a "quiet time" - time spent in prayer and in the study of God's Word.  I recommend that you prioritize the same time each day to do this.  If we wake up and say, "I'll get to my prayer and Bible study later," the odds are it will never happen because we'll get too busy.  Morning, noon, or night - find the time that works for you.

If you're a rookie at prayer, don't worry.  The following outline has served many Christians well for lots of years:

• Praise & Thanksgiving
• Confession of Sins
• Intercession for Self & Others

The Bible says we should "enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise" (Psalm 100:4).  Begin your prayer time praising God for who He is and thanking Him for what He has done.  Next, confess your sins to God and ask Him to cleanse you and help you to repent.  An unwillingness to confront & confess our sins will hinder our prayer life.  The psalmist once said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psalm 66:18).

Praying for yourself and others is a great way to conclude your prayer time.  This is where it will be important to make a prayer list.  Personally, I pray for my wife, our kids, the church, its leaders, and our country when I have a quiet time.  But there will be many things that won't stay on your list for long.  Some things will only need attention for a few days or a week.  I recommend making a list that includes the elements I mentioned plus anything else God might lay on your heart.

The great Christian reformer Martin Luther once said, "I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer."  Sometimes we think we're too busy to pray.  The truth is we're too busy NOT to pray.  If you're not in the habit of praying, start with one minute.  One minute will turn to five, then five to ten.  Soon your life will be transformed by the power of prayer.  Let's not put it off one more day.  Join me and let's begin a prayer revolution!

What Can I Say to My Lost Friends?

I was recently asked this question by a young Christian who is trying to reach his lost friends with the Gospel.  What you can read below was my answer.  It is divided into two parts.  The first section is for those who question the existence of God.  The second is for those who believe that God exists, but they question the validity of the Christian God.  I hope this helps.  Please let me know if you have any other questions!

Arguments for the Existence of God:

1.  Argument from Creation - It is impossible that everything just popped up out of nothing.  Natural matter can't produce itself - it can only reproduce itself.  The natural world (and everything in it) required a supernatural Creator.  That Creator (God) did not require a creation himself, because He is not natural - He is supernatural (not bound by the limits of space, time, and matter like we are).

2.  Argument from Design - The created order is very intricately designed.  The design of the universe implies the existence of a Designer.  That Designer is God.  Consider a wristwatch.  It is very intricately designed with springs, wheels, short/long hands, etc.  Did all those parts just come together by themselves?  Of course not.  The design of the watch requires the existence of a watchmaker.  So the very intricately designed universe requires the existence of a Designer (God).

3.  Argument from Human Morality - Many people believe in evolution.  The theory of evolution is based on the ideas of natural selection and survival of the fittest.  If evolution would require that we eliminate the weakest members of our species, then it would make since to go ahead and kill the terminally-ill, the handicapped, the disabled, etc.  But for some reason humans go to great pains to save the lives of the weakest among us.  Why?  Because even our conscience understands that we are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26).  That sense of morality comes from God no matter what the teachers of evolution may tell us (Rom. 2:14-15).

Arguments for the Christian God

1.  The Consistency of the Bible - The Bible includes the work of 40 different writers over a period of about 1500 years.  Yet the message of the Bible is consistent throughout - humans are sinners in need of a Savior.  God has made perfect provision for our salvation through the blood of His Son Jesus who died on the cross to set us free from our sins.  If we will simply place our faith in the finished work of Jesus (death, burial, and resurrection) we can be totally forgiven for our sins, experience an amazing life on this earth, and inherit an eternal home in heaven.

2.  The Accuracy of the Bible - The historical accuracy of the Bible is amazing.  Everything from the location of ancient cities and cultures, the reign of kings and their kingdoms, fulfilled prophecy - all of them point to an amazingly accurate Word of God.  The Bible is true in all that it affirms.

3.  The Changed Lives of God's People - Every believer in Christ has a story to share.  Paul shared his story with King Agrippa in Acts 26 - what his life was like before Christ, what happened when he trusted the Lord, and what God did with his life following his conversion.  So moved was Agrippa that he said, "you almost persuade me to become a Christian" (Acts 26:28).  I'm sure the pagan king never thought he'd hear those words come off his own lips.  No one can deny the work of transformation that Jesus has done in our lives.

Do You Want to Be Made Well?

This is the question Jesus asked a man laying at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:6).  The Bible says that the man had been suffering with "an infirmity" for 38 years.  God's Word does not tell us exactly what the man's infirmity was, but it probably had something to do with his legs because he needed someone to carry him to Bethesda's healing waters.  Whatever his disease, it's clear that the man was not able to get to the waters of Bethesda fast enough to be healed (John 5:7).

When Jesus passed by, He knew the man had been handicapped for 38 years - "(Jesus) knew that he already had been in that condition a long time" (John 5:6).  So then, it seems almost ludicrous that Jesus would ask the man if he wanted to be healed.  Of course he wanted to be healed...right?

Can I suggest that not everyone really wants to be made well.  There are all kinds of sickness - physical, emotional, mental, etc.  I'm not really talking about those.  My focus is on the spiritual.  Think about it - many people are "sin sick" because they've never trusted Christ as their Savior.  Jesus still asks billions of people all over the world, "Do you want to be made well?"  The only way any of us can be delivered from our sin sickness is through faith in Jesus.

Even among those who are saved, there is still a great deal of sickness.  Many Christians are diseased with "besetting sins" - evil thoughts, words, or deeds that harm our relationship with God.  God has the power to deliver all His children from the sins that trip them up, but we've got to want to be made well.  Wellness comes in the form of daily prayer, Bible reading, and obedience to His commands.

This sin sickness is not just limited to individuals.  Many local churches are diseased and in need of Christ's healing touch.  God has all the power to revitalize diseased churches, but they've got to want to be made well.  The sad fact is that many churches would rather die than to be healed, because healing requires change.  Change is something that too many of our churches are not interested in.  An unbiblical commitment to tradition has left many churches laying at the pool of Bethesda.

So what about you?  Do you want to be made well?  I suggest you follow the example of Bethesda's suffering man - listen to the voice of Jesus, place your faith in Him, obey His commands, and tell the world that Christ has set you free.  "If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).