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).

Is Assisted Suicide OK?

Perhaps you've familiarized yourself with the story of Brittany Maynard.  She's a 29 year-old Portland, Oregon woman who has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.  Even more tragically, she's only been married to her husband for about 2 years and was attempting to have children.  We always cringe and grieve when we hear of these tragedies affecting the youngest among us.

Brittany is now a volunteer advocate for Compassion and Choices - one of the nation's leading end-of-life choice organizations, or as it has now been called "death with dignity."  Isn't it interesting how our culture renames things over time?  What we used to call assisted suicide (remember Dr. Kevorkian - "Dr. Death") we now call death with dignity.  This renaming has become common in our post-Christian culture.  What was once "gay marriage" has now been re-branded "marriage equality."  What was called "the taking of an innocent human life" has now been renamed "a woman's right to choose."  The new terminology makes our sins sound so much better.

There are two major problems with assisted suicide, among many others.  First, assisted suicide rejects the sovereignty of God.  Only God has the right to end our lives.  He alone is the Giver of life and He alone is to be the Taker.  Bible-believing Christians affirm life from conception all the way to natural death.  That's not to say that there is anything wrong with artificial life-saving methods (ventilators, etc.).  But we should ask ourselves why a Christian would want to go to great lengths to extend his/her life when the Apostle Paul has said "to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phi. 1:21).

Further, assisted suicide doubts God's power to heal, or at least it denies Him the opportunity to do so.  Remember, there have been a number of people that doctors and nurses have given up on, only for God to step in and heal.  The Bible is filled with examples.  How about the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34)?  She "had a flow of blood for twelve years and had suffered many things from the physicians."  Yet with one touch of the hem of Jesus' garment, she was totally set free.  Or how about the man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-9)?  For thirty-eight years he had suffered with an infirmity, but after Jesus told him to "rise, take up your bed and walk," his life was never the same.  Or how about the man at the Gate Beautiful (Acts 3:1-10)?  He was lame from birth and was carried to the gate by his friends every day to come and beg.  The apostles didn't have any silver and gold, but what they have they gave - healing in Jesus' name!  He went "walking, and leaping, and praising God" (v. 8).  And these biblical examples don't even include the countless other stories that could be told by many of you.  Assisted suicide doubts that God is able to do even the miraculous.

Some may say I don't know what I'm talking about because I've never experienced Mrs. Maynard's kind of suffering.  If I had, then I would have a much different perspective.  What those people may not know is that I watched my dad suffer with prostate and bone cancer for several years prior to his death.  I watched him throw up as a result of chemotherapy.  I watched him burn up as a result of radiation.  I watched him moan & groan and plead for relief.  On one occasion, I even caught him as he fainted at the bathroom door.

Yet never once did my dad curse the Lord.  Never did he get mad at God and ask "Why me?".  In fact, he became an even greater soul-winner after his sickness.  And he certainly never considered or mentioned the taking of his own life.  Why?  Because he trusted that the God who gave him his life was more than capable or taking it in His time.  My mom, brother, and myself were standing right there with dad in the Hospice care facility when God did exactly that.

I truly sympathize with the Brittany Maynards of the world because I have witnessed their suffering up close & personal.  But no amount of suffering gives us the right to make decisions that are reserved for God alone.  We should all pray that God will relieve Brittany's suffering and that He will give her the courage to leave her life in God's hands rather than taking it into her own.

So Now My Fast Food Has to be Gay?

I'm sure we're all keenly aware that we live in a world of ridiculous headlines.  The stories have gotten so bizarre, I'll have to confess that I've become somewhat desensitized to much of the craziness in our culture.  But then there's that headline that just can't be ignored...something so ludicrous that it makes you wonder if we've reached yet another all-time low.

Check out this story.  Apparently even our fast food must now be gay, or at least gay-friendly.  In honor of Gay Pride month, Burger King announced that it would be selling a gay whopper - "The Proud Whopper."  Wrapped in a rainbow, this flame-kissed sandwich is more about an ungodly agenda than satisfying hunger.  Really?  Has our culture become so perverse that now even our hamburgers have to be homosexual?

This should only remind us that the assault on our Christian faith will only get worse.  Those who do not believe in God or respect His Word will continue to level their assaults against the Lord and His truth.  We would all do well to ask ourselves, "Am I totally surrendered to Christ?"  You may be willing to live for Him, but are you willing to die for the Savior?  We're tempted to think that things will never get that bad.  Living in America, some of us might think that we'll never be forced to choose between our life and our faith.

Think again.  Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33).  Paul told young Timothy, "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12).  The same Paul also said, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).  Millions of Christians across our world are already being physically assaulted for their faith - some even killed.

If you are forced to choose between Jesus and your life, what will you choose?  Consider the words of our Savior:  "What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26)  In a world of homosexual hamburgers and collapsing convictions, will you live for Jesus?  Choose wisely, for your eternity destiny (and that of many others) depends on your answer to that question.

Should Christian Business Owners Be Forced to Provide Goods and Services to Everyone?

A strange thing happened to me last night.  I was driving home and listening to what was supposed to be sports talk radio.  But almost as soon as the discussion came on, the conversation turned to whether or not Christian business owners should be forced to provide goods and services to homosexuals.  I'm not sure what sparked such a discussion on a sports talk show, but it might have had something to do with Jayson Collins becoming the first openly gay player in the NBA.  In fact, his jersey has become the top-seller on NBA.com.

While I don't know what prompted the conversation, it immediately caught my attention.  Caller after caller said it is reprehensible that a homosexual would be denied service for any reason.  One brave soul dared to call in with a different perspective and he was laughed off the air.  The hosts routinely compared the "homosexual struggle" to that of blacks during the civil rights movement.  The logic:  Just as service should have never been denied to blacks, neither should it be denied to homosexuals.  That is clearly an apples and oranges comparison, but that's a blog for another day.

There is currently a bill in the Arizona legislature that would protect the freedom of Christian business owners from providing goods and services to anyone (not just homosexuals) for religious reasons.  The governor is receiving heavy pressure to veto the measure so that Christian business owners would be forced to serve all comers, including homosexuals.  The bill was introduced in Arizona because some Christian business owners have refused to provide their services (wedding cakes, photography, flowers, etc.) to homosexual customers.

It begs the question:  Should Christian business owners be forced to provide goods and services to everyone, even if they have a religious objection?  We need to ask ourselves why some business owners have refused to offer their services to homosexual customers.  In most cases, it's because those owners have been asked to provide their services for gay weddings.  If we were talking about selling a cup of coffee to a homosexual, that would be one thing.  But we're not talking about a cup of coffee and a piece of pie - we're talking about goods and services being used for homosexual weddings & receptions.

Why would a Christian business owner object to that?  Because Christians believe that marriage was an institution created by God in the garden of Eden.  Jesus said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh" (Matt. 19:5).  Christians have always believed that marriage was a joining of one man and one woman for life.  Anything beyond the union of one man and one woman is classified as sin throughout both testaments of Scripture.

Clearly, Christian business owners would not want their services being used to celebrate that which God has condemned.  For that reason, some have lovingly refused to do business with homosexual customers.  Should they be forced to violate their deeply-held convictions?  Absolutely not, and all those who support religious freedom should stand and support their "right to refuse."  If the government can force business owners to do business with those who violate their convictions, what will they force them to do next?  This is still "the land of the free and the home of the brave."  Let's encourage our lawmakers to keep it that way.

In Memory of Larry Stinnett (1946-2012)

It's been a year since I last posted an entry on this blog.  I guess there are a variety of reasons for my absence, but none of them would be more prominent than the homegoing of my dad.

Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007.  Dad had a PSA test that had come back somewhat elevated.  The urologist was so concerned about it that he ordered 12 biopsies to be done.  When all 12 biopsies came back positive for cancer, the urologist moved hastily to remove dad's prostate.

I'll never forget the day we discovered the terminal nature of dad's diagnosis.  The urologist took dad back for surgery and we were told that it shouldn't take long to remove the prostate.  The doctor planned to do the surgery laproscopically - as minimally invasive as possible.  After only an hour in the surgery room, the urologist came back out and gave us the bad news - he was unable to remove the prostate.  When mom asked what that meant, the doctor replied, "It means your husband probably has 1-10 years to live."

Those words were like a punch in the stomach.  We thought dad was going to have a simple procedure, recover at the hospital for a day or two, then be on his way.  Clearly things didn't turn out that way.  The doctor's words were prophetic - dad ended up with five years following his terminal diagnosis.  I wish I could say those five years were always filled with joy, but they were not.  Dad suffered many things before he went on to this eternal reward.  He endured chemo, radiation, hormone shots, and even a an experimental treatment called Provenge.  I'm sure those treatments prolonged life, but none of them could remove the inevitable.

Dad had a great deal of pain he tried to manage everyday, and the pain grew much worse the closer he drew to heaven.  Prostate cancer loves to spread to the bone, and that's exactly what happened to dad.  But there's one thing I can say:  Dad kept a positive attitude all the way unto his death.  He never lost his hope in God or his joy in the Lord.  He rarely ever spoke of his impending death.  He was and is an inspiration to us all.

So dad has been gone for a year.  It's been a hard year.  There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about him.  Thousands of things he said still run through my mind.  They even replay in his voice.  So many times I've wanted to pick up the phone and call him and get his advice.  It's been well-said that you don't know how much you love someone and need someone until they're gone.  Dad was my example.  He was a constant source of wisdom and information.  Now that he's no longer here, there's a void in my life that no one else can replace.

One year after his death, I've decided that it's time for me to memorialize him by letting you know who he was to me.  A blog post is not enough space to tell it all, but I want to give you just a taste of the man he was in my life.

Dad was my provider.  Quite simply, he was one of the hardest working men I ever met.  He would rise early and he would often stay up late.  Short of sin, there's nothing he wouldn't do to make sure his family's needs were met.  I especially began to appreciate dad's work ethic when he and mom started their own business in the early 90s - just as I was beginning high school.  Dad's first work vehicle was an old Subaru hatchback.  His first office was his bedroom and he slowly graduated out to the screen-in porch.  One time he took me to work with him just outside of Nashville.  We worked from sun up to way past sun down for two days.  I didn't have any trouble sleeping when the work was done, and to his credit dad never had any trouble sleeping either.

Dad was my protector.  Not only was he my protector, but he protected my mom and my brother as well.  I'll never forget a beach vacation our family took one summer.  My brother (Brad) got on a float and began to ride out over the ocean waves.  Brad lost track of how far he was from the shoreline - he was too far out to swim back.  When dad noticed the dilemma my brother was in, he took off, swam out to my brother, and brought him back to shore.  He was a man's man for sure.

Dad was my coach.  My dad loved sports, played sports, and taught us to love and play them as well.  He was a baseball coach - from T-ball all the way through little league.  He was also a basketball coach.  My brother and I both played church league basketball during each of our 13 school years.  I can't remember one of those 13 years that dad wasn't coaching me or my brother or both of us.  He even coached RA basketball for Oakwood Baptist Church before I was born.  He was also a softball coach.  He coached the men of Wallace Memorial to a city championship and on to state competition.

There's so much more I could say about dad.  He was my teacher, in every area of life.  My dad even taught me and my brother all about "the birds and the bees."  True story - he checked out an anatomy book from the library and used it to explain to me and my brother what distinguishes a man from a woman.  How many dads would bother to have that discussion with their boys anymore?  Dad taught me how to love my wife and my children though the way he loved my mom and us.  Most important, he taught me to love God, to love His Word, to love His church, and to love the lost.

Dad was truly my example, my friend, and now more than ever he is my hero.  Dad never said this to me or my brother, but he surely could have: "Imitate me, even as I also imitate Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1).  He may be gone, but he will never be forgotten.  I look forward to seeing him again "soon and very soon."

Are Creationists Abusive Morons?

My oldest son loves science.  He's a fan of just about anything that has to do with the natural order.  Thus, it's no surprise that he loves the work of Bill Nye - the "science guy."  Recently, Bill Nye spent time pontificating about creationism and it's affect on children.  You can see the video here.  Take time to watch the short video.  It's mind-boggling stuff.

According to the science guy, "the denial of evolution is unique to the US."  I'm guessing Nye doesn't travel very much - at least not internationally.  If he did, he would know that a vast number of people from every continent on this planet actually deny the theory of evolution.  But that's not the point.  To Nye, "evolution is the fundamental idea in all of life science."

So let me get this right.  The idea of all ideas - I mean the one that everything hinges on - can't even be proven as a scientific fact?  We're going to hang all our hopes and dreams on a theory?  And to think scientists often depict themselves as anti-faith.  It's hard to imagine a supposition that requires more faith than that.

Let's get to the heart of the matter.  Nye is basically saying that raising children within a creationist worldview is a form of child abuse.  To him it's an especially awful form of abuse because it causes children to become like their creationist parents - crazy, scientifically-illiterate fools who can't "build stuff and solve problems."  Creationists tend to "hold everyone else back" by making things "fantastically complicated."

It's a good thing Bill Nye is the science guy because he could never claim to be a history buff.  If he knew anything about the greatest scientists of human history he would know that most of them were creationists.  Perhaps you've heard of some of them - Isaac Newton, Louis Pasteur, Johann Kepler, Leonardo DaVinci, Blaise Pascal - just to name a few.  At least 40 scientific disciplines were established by creationists and many other noteworthy discoveries were made by men (and women) such as this.  Check the list here.  I guess they were all "holding us back."

Bill Nye oozes with pride as he arrogantly repeats that familiar refrain, "In another couple of centuries that worldview (creationism) won't exist."  And why?  Because "there's no evidence for it."  The psalmist would beg to differ:  "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork" (Psalm 19:1).  Paul would agree:  "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead" (Rom. 1:20).

So the science guy thinks that it borders on abuse to teach our kids biblical creationism.  I say that the abuse happens when we withhold the truth of God's Word from our kids and teach them that they've descended from apes.  I say abuse happens when we act as though "God is dead" (Nietzsche), or that even if He is alive He can't be known.

Bill Nye isn't the first quasi-intellectual to predict the soon-coming disappearance of the biblical/creationist worldview.  Rest assured he won't be the last.  I'm not too concerned though.  When he's dead and gone, the truth of God's Word will stand:  "The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever" (1 Peter 1:24b-25).  Hitch your wagon to Bill Nye if you want to.  I'm going to stay with the One who was there when everything was created.

Marriage: Blacks Need Not Apply

That was essentially the message sent by First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs, Mississippi to a black couple desiring to get married in their facility about two weeks ago.  Read the story here.  You would think that our culture had moved beyond racism by now.  You would especially think that our churches had moved beyond racism, but sadly even some within our churches are still filled with prejudice.

In this particular case, Charles and Te'Andrea Wilson were forced to move their wedding to an alternate location just one day prior to their wedding.  Why?  According to the pastor, "a black wedding had never been done here before, so it was setting a new precedent, and there were those who reacted because of that."  How many people reacted?  There were five or six church members who objected to the wedding.  A pretty small but vocal minority, considering they threatened to vote the pastor out of the church if he proceeding with the wedding.

It's easy for me to sit here and say what I would have done as pastor.  I hope I would've said, "Then you'll just have to take your vote and run me off because there's no way I'm going to allow an ungodly bunch of racists to distract me from doing God's will."  My heart genuinely goes out to this pastor because those kinds of stands are easier said than done.  I don't know his personal situation, but perhaps he's trying to support a wife and children just like I am.  

The biggest thing I've taken from this ugly episode is that I need to be willing to stand for God's truth - no matter what the cost.  I hope all pastors will learn the same lesson as well.  God has not called us to do what is convenient.  He's called us to do what is right.  The fact is that God knows exactly where we are and precisely what we need.  If we lose something as a result of standing for Him, that doesn't change the fact He's promised to provide all our needs.  "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).

I hope our church members will also learn some lessons from this.  The first one is obvious - there is no place for racism within the Body of Christ.  The Scripture says that "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34). When Peter was tempted to withhold the Gospel from a Gentile (non-Jewish) man, God showed him that His love and salvation are for everyone - regardless of their skin color.  When we allow hate and prejudice to fill our hearts, it is proof that we are either extremely backslidden or that we were never children of God to begin with.

I also hope that our church members will learn that it's never right to sit by and allow the carnally-minded to dictate the direction of our churches.  As pastor, far too often I have watched as a silent majority have allowed a vocal (and usually ungodly) minority to run the show.  I don't think the silent majority intends to harm the church, but that's exactly what they do when they choose to remain silent.  My guess is that the pastor of First Baptist would've been much more likely to take a stand had he felt that people were going to "have his back."

If your pastor is a man of God who loves the Word and preaches its truth, by all means support him and stand with him against those who would seek to do harm to the cause of Christ.  That may go against the "go along to get along" mentality that we've sometimes grown accustomed to, but who are we trying to please?  "Do I now persuade men or God?  Or do I seek to please men?  For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ" (Gal. 1:10).  When it's time to stand, I pray we'll all be found pleasing to Christ.

A New Hotel with a Permanent Check-Out

First it was drive-thru weddings.  Now it's divorce hotels.  That's right folks - you and your beloved can check-in married on Friday and check-out divorced on Sunday.  You can find the story at this link.  As if our culture had not already trivialized marriage enough, we've now made divorce more convenient than it's ever been.  And we wonder why our world is in the shape it's in.

Rather than talking about the tragedy of these divorce hotels any further, I'd rather use this as an opportunity to share what God's Word has to say about marriage.  The foundation for marriage is found in Genesis 2:24 - "A man shall leave his father and mother, be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."  God's plan is that a man and woman should join their lives unto one another "until death do us part."

Why is that?  First, because God has made it very clear that divorce is not His plan.  In fact, the Bible says  "He hates divorce" (Mal. 2:16).  Of course, that's not to say that God hates divorced people.  He loves every man, woman, and child in this world.  But God hates divorce because "it covers one's garment with violence" (Mal. 2:16) and it often has very negative consequences for the children affected by it (Mal. 2:15).

Furthermore, Jesus very clearly preached against divorce.  After quoting Gen. 2:24 in one of His sermons, Jesus said, "What God has joined together, let not man separate" (Matt. 19:6).  I'm convinced the reason divorce runs rampant is because we think marriage is something we've created.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Marriage always has and always will be the creation of God.

Some of you are probably asking, "Is it ever permissible for a man to divorce his wife, or vice versa?"  The Bible provides only two grounds for divorce - adultery (Matt. 5:32, 19:9) and abandonment (1 Cor. 7:15).  But even in those cases, God desires that we do all we can to salvage and strengthen our marriages, for "God has called us to peace" (1 Cor. 7:15).

How many divorces are really the product of adultery or abandonment, and how many come as a result of "irreconcilable differences?"  Let's face it - most couples choose to divorce simply because they're no longer willing to honor the vows they took before God and witnesses on their wedding day.  By the way, what did we say when we got married?  Probably something like this:  I take you to be my spouse, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.


Before you and your spouse check-in to a divorce hotel, think about those last words.  Marriage is not always easy, but if we love God and our spouses we'll honor our vows "until death do us part."  Let's start a marriage revolution and put the divorce hotels out of business!

Has Magic Mike Cast His Spell on the Church?

$73 million.  That's the amount of money Magic Mike has generated following its 6/29 release less than two weeks ago.  Over half that amount ($40 million) was collected during the movie's opening weekend.  I imagine the movie's creators have must have a big smile on their faces right now.  The movie's total production budget was only $7 million.  Oh yeah - they're laughing all the way to the bank.

It's not surprising that a movie about a male stripper and his friends would do so well in our culture.  After all, the Bible says that "the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19).  One of Satan's best weapons is sexual perversion/lust, or as the Apostle John called it "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16).

What is somewhat surprising to me is that many professing Christians have lined movie box offices in search of their own Magic Mike ticket.  It's as if his spell has been cast over members of our churches.  I've even heard stories of some of the "church ladies" planning a girl's night out to go see Mr. Mike.  Is that a little unusual?  Magic Mike on Saturday night with the girls, worship on Sunday morning with the family?  Something's not right with this picture.

I anticipate there might be some Christian objectors out there, though I doubt they'd be willing to admit their objections.  They might say, "I just like Channing Tatum.  I think he's a wonderful actor."  Isn't that like the guy who says he only goes to Hooters for the wings.  Give me a break!  Guys don't go to Hooters for the wings, and girls don't go to Magic Mike to watch Tatum's amazing acting prowess.

There's one main reason guys go to Hooters and girls go to Magic Mike.  Lust - plain and simple.  We would expect rampant lust in the world, but God has called His children to a higher standard.  "The lamp of the body is the eye.  If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness" (Matt. 6:22-23).  It's for good reason that God has commanded us to set our minds "on things above" (Col. 3:2).

One of my great concerns for Christians is that going to see a movie like Magic Mike could be a first step towards unfaithfulness to a spouse.  Satan has already wrecked enough of our homes.  We don't need to provide him with more opportunities to tear others apart.  You might say, "I'm not married.  That doesn't affect me."  Think again.  Jesus said "whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matt. 5:28).  That applies to men and women.

There's nothing wrong with a few ladies from the church getting together for a night out on the town.  But as you make your plans, consider this:  Would Jesus feel comfortable with where you're going and what you're doing?  If not, it's time for a change of plans.

Should Your Church Have an Address? (Part 1)

We live in an electronic age.  More and more things are being done online.  We pay our bills online.  Customer service is handled online.  More folks are starting to watch their favorite TV shows, sporting events, and movies online.  Email did a lot to expand the electronic influence, but social media has taken things to an entirely different level.  We've grown accustomed to electronic human interaction.  These days it seems that people would prefer to have online relationships rather than face to face.

It was just a matter of time until the electronic influence made an impact on the future of the local church.  Here's what I mean:  For generations church-going Christians have attempted to reach the lost with the Gospel of Christ.  Many of those attempts were done in person - door-to-door visitation, servanthood evangelism projects, etc.  Those same Christians have compelled folks from all walks of life to come and unite themselves with Christ's body - the local church.

Apparently, the invitation to come and assemble with the church is no longer necessary.  Some churches are now encouraging their members and guests to stay at home and become a part of their "internet campus."  I acknowledge that the idea of an internet campus is nothing new.  Colleges and universities have rolled out the virtual red carpet quite a bit over the last decade.  But online churches?  That's a new one on me.

One church following this trend says that "our internet campus is a place where people can gather online to worship God and invite their friends and family to join them."  The idea is that you no longer need to wake up early, put on your "Sunday best," and drive to God's house to worship in person with other believers.  Now you can sleep in, pull out your laptop, and worship in your pajamas.  You can worship online thru streaming video, you can give online thru secure websites, and you can even fellowship online thru live chats.  All this from the comfort of your own bed.  What a bargain!

All this begs the question:  Should our churches have an address?  I'm not talking about a web address - I'm talking about a physical address where people are encouraged to come and assemble together.  How does the Bible answer that question?  Heb. 10:25 commands us to "forsake not the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some."  The verse also says that we are to be "encouraging one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."  Physically gathering together as the local church is a direct command from God.  Failure to do so is nothing short of sin in His sight.

Consider also that when Christ addressed the church in the Book of the Revelation, He addressed the local churches scattered throughout Asia Minor - the churches at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, etc.  Clearly they were in the habit of meeting together.  Nearly all the New Testament letters were addressed to local churches.  And how often did the early church assemble together?  Paul implies that  the church at Corinth met together on each Lord's Day (Sunday - 1 Cor. 16:2).  Church history confirms that the early church came together for worship on each Lord's Day in honor of Christ's resurrection.  The Book of Acts even tells us that the early Christians met together "daily with one accord in the temple" (Acts 2:46).  Most preachers I know would be happy to get their folks in God's house just one time a week!

So, should your church have an address?  If we believe the Bible, then the answer has to be yes.  I know there will be those who object to what I've written.  Already I have anticipated some of those objections and will attempt to answer them in a follow-up post.  Here's the question I think we really need to answer:  What is motivating the existence of an "online church?"  I'm sure there are a variety of answers, but in my estimation the primary motivator is selfishness.  We have become so consumed with our own comforts and desires that frankly we're not interested in how God says church should be done.  More to come on this final thought very soon.

Religious Liberty is Vanishing Before Our Very Eyes

Recently I was saddened by a story I read in Baptist Press.  The story mentions the plight of several privately-owned American businesses that have either been forced or probably will be forced to extend their services to homosexuals, regardless of their religious convictions.  It's worthy to note that the businesses are all located in states where homosexual "marriage"/civil unions have been legalized.  Also worthy of note is that the businesses are not just confined to one geographical area of our country.  You can find these businesses all the way from New England to the Pacific Ocean.

What's troubling is that privately-owned, Christian businesses are being forced to do things that are clearly against their religious convictions.  The last time I checked the Constitution, the first Amendment still says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."  In siding with the plaintiffs in these cases, the courts have basically denied these business owners the freedom to exercise their religious convictions.

There are a couple of other things I've noticed about this story.  First, none of the states who have homosexual "marriage"/civil unions laws on the books have allowed their citizens to vote on the issue.  In every case, the courts have dictated to its citizens what the law will be.  That is not government of the people, by the people, and for the people.  It's actually called oligarchy - the rule of a few over many.  In this case, it is the rule of the courts over the citizens.  The plight of these businesses should remind us that it is not the place of the courts to create our laws.  It is the place of the courts to interpret the laws that have been created by the citizenry and our elected officials.

Furthermore, did you notice how groups like the ACLU have taken up the cause of the plaintiffs in all these cases.  What does ACLU stand for anyway?  American Civil Liberties Union.  Why is it that the ACLU never argues that the civil liberties of the Bible-believing Christians have been infringed upon when they are unable to practice their religion as they see fit?  The ACLU always takes up the cause of the most radical left-wing groups among us.  Pardon me if I think something smells a little fishy.

America is still the land of the free and the home of the brave.  It is still a nation that was set aside for the free exercise of one's religious convictions.  And in American's case, those religious convictions have always been Judeo-Christian in nature.  Yet, the beautiful thing about this country is that no one has to practice either Judaism or Christianity.  Our citizens have always been free to worship whom or what they will in whatever way they see fit.

If homosexuals want to worship their own gods or no god at all, that is entirely up to them.  Many American citizens have fought and died for their right to do so.  But what is not acceptable is that unelected officials are now forcing us to accept the homosexual lifestyle.  Not only is that unconstitutional, it is ungodly.  I would hope that every red-blooded American would rise up and stand against the erosion of our most fundamental religious rights.  Even more, I pray that every blood-washed Christian will continue to speak the truth in love and ask God to send revival to the spiritual wasteland that our country has become.

Evolution, Adam & Eve, and the Age of the Earth

LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the educational arms of the Southern Baptist Convention, recently released a study that is worthy of some consideration.  LifeWay surveyed 1,000 Protestant (non-Catholic) pastors to gauge their views on evolution, Adam & Eve, and the age of the earth.  As with most surveys, some results were expected while others were nothing short of shocking.  In assessing the results I'd like to deal with  the previously-mentioned issues one at a time.  My ultimate desire is to share what God's Word has to say about each of the subjects in question.

Let's start with the issue of evolution.  According to the survey, 64% of pastors strongly disagree that God used evolution to create human beings.  8% of pastors somewhat disagreed that God used evolution to create humans, so you might say that almost 75% (3 out of 4) pastors are fairly convinced that God didn't use evolution to create humans.  On the other hand, 24% of pastors either somewhat or strongly agree that God used evolution to create humans.

While it's encouraging to see that most pastors believe the biblical account of creation, it's still alarming to me that 1 of 4 pastors either leans toward or is convinced of evolution.  You might not think there is cause to be alarmed but I beg to differ.  For starters, the plain testimony of Scripture is that God created the world in six days, and that on the sixth day He created man and woman in His own image (Gen. 1:26).  To suggest that God used  evolution to create humans is to contradict the truth of Scripture.

Since we've already mentioned the "image of God," I've got a question for those who would suggest that humans evolved:  Where along the way did humans pick up the image of God in the evolutionary process?  Was it in the transition from sea to land?  Or perhaps it was in the evolution from ape to man.  No evolutionist could ever answer these questions because there is no answer.

Let's move to Adam and Eve.  74% of Protestant pastors strongly agree that Adam and Eve were literal people, and 8% somewhat agree.  That leaves 17% who either strongly or somewhat disagree that Adam and Eve were real humans.  While I'm encouraged that the overwhelming majority of pastors affirm Adam and Eve's existence, it's still hard to imagine that almost 1 in every 5 Protestant pastors doesn't think that the two actually lived.

Of course, this is nothing new.  Liberal college, universities, and schools of theology have been teaching for years that the first 11 chapters of Genesis are not literal.  They've told us that the stories concerning Adam & Eve, Noah, etc., were just allegorical accounts borrowed from other cultures.  In other words, they were just bed-time stories that people from all over the ancient world used to tell their kids when they tucked them in at night.

Here's the problem with that viewpoint.  If Adam and Eve were not literal people, then there was no Garden of Eden.  If there was no Garden of Eden, then there was never a time when man was first tempted and fell into sin.  If there was no fall into sin, then there was no need for Savior.  And of course, no need for a Savior means no need of a cross, a tomb, or a resurrection.  Simply stated, if you're willing to take Adam and Eve out of the picture, you may as well remove Christ too.  That may get  you an "A" in your college Religion course, but that worldview is clearly not Christianity.  So then, 1 of 5 Protestant pastors possesses a worldview that's not even Christian.  Ouch!  No wonder we're in the mess we're in.

Finally, let's consider the age of the earth.  43% of the pastors either somewhat or strongly disagreed that the earth is approximately 6,000 years old, while 46% to the opposing view.  As you can see, pastors are clearly more divided on this issue than the others.  I think it has to do with the fact that many well-meaning pastors are attempting to harmonize the precepts of modern science with the truths of Scripture.

To that end, a good number of pastors believe in some form of theistic evolution, whether it be day-age theories of creation, gap theories, etc.  The idea is that God created everything that exists about 13.8 billion years ago.  They believe that God either used evolution as His creation process, or they are forced to reinterpret the Bible to say that the six days of creation are actually eons of time that may have lasted billions of years instead of 24 hours.

Time will not permit me to provide all the reasons that I feel those well-meaning pastors are wrong, but I think it is very clear that the Bible is not on their side.  The greatest problem with day-age theories, gap theories, and the like is that they attempt to use God as a bookend that they place in front of an atheistic worldview.  To be frank, saying you believe the Bible while also declaring that the world is billions of years old is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole - it just won't work.

I've got an idea.  Why don't we just believe God's Word and go on?  The Bible says that man was created in the image of God, so forget evolution.  The Bible says that Adam & Eve were real humans with real sins who needed a real Savior to set them free.  And in providing the genealogies of our Savior, the Bible confirms that the earth is not 13.8 billion years old.  It is much younger than the modern prophets of science would have us to believe.

We've got a choice to make.  Either we can believe God's Word, or we can accept the arguments of the secular humanists.  But whatever we do, we can't ride two horses.  It's time for us to get with God or go with the world.  I think Joshua said it best:  "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15).

No Worship Service on Christmas Day? Really?

Something has been bothering me for a while, but until now I haven't had a chance to write about it.  Prior to Christmas I was told that several churches across the country, and even some in my own community, were not going to have any worship services on Christmas Day.  Honestly, when I first heard and read of those stories I thought it was a joke. Wouldn't that be like the beaches closing during the summer or the mountains closing during the fall? But sadly I found that the stories were true.  I passed a couple of empty church parking lots on Christmas Sunday morning.

What I'm going to say next will  not sit well with some, but I'm convinced that enough is enough. Frankly, I'm not concerned with who this might offend.  I mean, what's next?  No service on Easter Sunday?  Doesn't that make sense?  If you would cancel services on the day we've set aside to celebrate Christ's birth, why not cancel services on the day we've set aside to celebrate His resurrection?

What really gets under my skin are some of the lame excuses that were offered up to justify the Christmas cancellations.  The most prominent one I heard is "we want to give our people some time to spend with their families."  I'm sorry, but that's one of the most selfish things I've ever heard.  Have we become so preoccupied with our own lives, families, and possessions that we can't find a few minutes to come and worship at God's house on Christmas?

By the way, I wonder what kind of testimony we set before the world when some of us chose to cancel worship.  I can just imagine the irony in a lost person's mind as he/she considered that the Waffle House and Walgreens were open on Christmas but the church chose to close.  For the last several years our culture has started to treat Christmas as just another day.  Judging by the actions of some of our churches, perhaps the culture is right.  Maybe Christmas is just another day.

I could be wrong, but I think the cancellation of services at Christmas was really done to give us a morning off so we could open gifts and play with our new toys.  Maybe the greatest damage was done to our kids.  What lesson did they learn by staying home on Christmas morning?  Perhaps they got the impression that me and my gifts are more important than the Heavenly Father and His greatest Gift.  The next time Christmas falls on a Sunday, I genuinely hope that every house of God will remain open for business.

Segregated Churches and Separated Truths

You've heard of "different strokes for different folks," but have you ever heard of different sermons for different shades?  A recent experience brought that question to mind.  One of the tools our church's website uses is Google Analytics.  It is basically used to tell you who visited your website and how they got there.  One of the features I enjoy is that it will tell you exactly what keywords someone entered to find your website.

While doing a recent study of our Analytics results, I noticed that someone from Oklahoma actually entered this phrase into the search engine:  "2 Chronicles 20:1-30 black pastor sermons" (emphasis mine).  I'll have to confess that I was taken back for a few minutes.  Someone was not just searching for a sermon on that particular text - they were searching for a "black pastor" sermon on that text.

It caused me to wonder, "Does God's truth now come in different colors?"  I mean, isn't it bad enough that our churches are already as segregated as they are?  We're no longer satisfied with worshiping apart from one another based on categories of race, economics, etc.  Apparently, even our messages need some semblance of segregation - one message for the white man, and yet another for the black man.  What next?  One message for the poor man and another for the rich man?  One message for men and another for women?  Why not one message for republicans and another for democrats?

My point is very simple: God's truth is universal.  While there may be different applications for different audiences, I think we've got a problem when we start trying to discern and communicate God's truth through the filters of our own flawed preferences and categories.  I'm certainly no super-Christian, but never once has it crossed my mind to do a search for a "white pastor" sermon.  What would that even mean?

Rather than going to God with our biases, agendas, and preferences, perhaps we should go to God's Word as little children ready to receive what the Father has prepared for us.  His truth requires no biases or subdivisions - not one set of truths for this audience and yet another set of truths for that audience.  His truth transcends race, gender, economics, and any other category we'd like to throw over it.  Rather than molding God's truth into our image, I hope we'll all allow His truth to mold our lives into the image of His Son.  Maybe then our churches will look much less segregated and much more like heaven.