Thoughts after the elections

20161109_122711Going into Election Day 2016, I was convinced that scriptural believing Christianity is a minority worldview in our country. I continue to be of that opinion. And it’s not because I’m a democrat – I’m actually a small government, social conservative, so I have no party. I voted for a lot of people who lost yesterday. Just like I have done for the past several years. I’m used to my guys/gals losing politically. But here is the thing: politics is not my primary identity. My political leaning does not define who I am. I hope that my faith does. And, as I stated in a sermon several weeks ago, the simple fact that we had the two major party candidates for President that we did, was further evidence that our country is not a “Christian nation.” In fact, it holds our values in contempt. I continue to believe that, and I knew that the day after the election would feel this way for me, because I knew that, regardless of who won, I was going to have a President with whom I very deeply disagreed. Continue reading “Thoughts after the elections”

The Last Horror

all-hallows-eve-gravesIt is a happy coincidence on this Feast of All Saints, after just experiencing the frivolity of Halloween with my children last night, that I am working through CS Lewis’ brilliant little book, “The Great Divorce.” It is even happier, that I am working on chapter 9, and find in it, some interesting commentary on “ghosts.”

The contrast from the horror of All Hallow’s Eve to the celebration of the Feast Day of All Saints is also a tension. It’s interesting to think about the purpose of Horror. Peter Leithart just wrote a quick piece on that in “First Things.” He takes time to reflect on Terrence Rafferty’s review in The Atlantic of a Guillermo del Torro movie. He wrote: Continue reading “The Last Horror”

Why Lent?

pray and fastYesterday was Ash Wednesday which marked the beginning of the Lenten season. The United Methodist Church describes Lent this way:

During Lent, we enter into a season of preparation, self-reflection and repentance when we seek to literally “turn around” and realign our lives and focus toward God. It is a time to give up things as well as take on new life-giving practices, helping us rid ourselves of distractions and our own selfish desires. By doing so, we seek to live and love as more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

You can check out the page I took that quote from here.

Lent is a penitential season (thus the ‘turning around’) and is a time when historically, the church has fasted. So, why do I participate in Lenten fasting and prayer? Here are three reasons. Continue reading “Why Lent?”

Advent readings with children

I’ve tried to stress Advent season for our church this year, which may be a new thing for some folks. One question that may come up is how to observe this as a family – and with that, how do you include children?

One thing we have done this year is to use one of my favorite children’s books, “The Jesus Storybook Bible” at bedtime. I begin by asking the kids what season we are in, and then asking what we do during Advent. The answer, by the way, is that we prepare and watch for Jesus. Then we read a story from the Jesus storybook bible.

Anne found a great little resource to help with this on the blog of Adriel Booker, where she lays out a schedule matching a reading from the Jesus Storybook Bible with each day in December leading up to Christmas. She even has a pdf file you can open and print out (as we did).

If you have young children, or even if you don’t, the Jesus Storybook Bible is a terrific resource. It intentionally shows how the stories of scripture point towards Christ. The subtitle of the book is “Every story whispers his name,” and the power of this particular storybook bible is that it does this in a powerful way. This easily leads to a few simple questions you can have with your children in order to both teach and anticipate together the coming of Christ.

Holy Hairstyles

Should you be forced to cut your hair?

I was talking with someone just the other day who had been raised in a pretty extreme holiness church.  What I mean is that particular church, or stream of the Christian church, tends to focus a great deal on the different rules you must follow to be holy.  If you do not do these certain things (or if you do other things) then you are not Christian.  One of the rules that ought to be followed is in regards to hair length for men (and women).  What is the rule?  Why would a Christian church teach that men cannot have long hair?  What is the scriptural mandate for this?

I have worn my hair both long and short.  It is currently on the longer side, so I thought these would be interesting questions to explore, especially since the current sermon series is on holiness.

What is the rule?

The rule is that men cannot have long hair.  “Long” is a subjective term.  Is it covering the ears?  Is it to the nape of the neck?  Is it to the shoulders?  The follow up rule is that women ought to have long hair, and while that does not seem to cause as much trouble, there are those extreme holiness churches that, God bless them, strive to be entirely consistent on this.  Under this rule men cannot have long hair.  It is a “disgrace,” or “unnatural” and a man cannot have long hair and be a Christian.  Admittedly, there are more “liberal” churches that may not question your salvation on account of your hair length, but they would still certainly not consider it proper or the thing that a Christian man ought to do. Continue reading “Holy Hairstyles”

Thoughts behind a sermon 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

A graphic from the sermon: the believer as consumer, the church as institution

Before I post my podcast of this week’s sermon, I thought I’d post some of my study notes and thinking that went behind it this week. I really enjoyed studying 1 Corinthians 1 this week, it’s a blessing of my job that I am expected to do this, and it was an unexpected blessing and surprise the way it worked out this week. To be honest, I did not expect much from 1 Corinthians 1. Anyway, here are some thoughts that went behind this week’s sermon.

Thoughts behind the sermon

1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5 for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— 6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Continue reading “Thoughts behind a sermon 1 Corinthians 1:1-9”