Leaning Forward

Choosing a Candidate

In his book Imagine! A God-blessed America, Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC, dedicates a portion of chapter 8 to a discussion of the areas of disagreement that often separate people and cause dissension between them. Land indicates three areas of disagreement---

1. Primary Disagreement        Areas of faith and practice where there can be no compromise.

2. Secondary Disagreement    Those beliefs and practices where some compromise is possible.

    3.   Tertiary Disagreement       Stances that you hold but will not try to impress on others.

Examples of these may include, among many others---

1. The resurrection of Jesus            A core doctrinal truth that cannot be compromised

2. The Practice of Baptism              A strongly held Biblical position not essential to salvation

    3.   Calvinism versus Armenianism    Strongly held beliefs open to interpretation

Now, this kind of doctrinal differentiation may prove helpful as we encounter the clash of systems apparent in a highly pluralistic culture. Many theologians have devised similar assessment tools to assist us in guarding the good deposit entrusted to us and holding sound doctrinal positions in the face of competing systems. Still, there may be even a more practical and timely use of this process.

In praying for the 2008 election it occurred to me that such a system may prove useful in selecting the candidates worthy of my vote. So, I have gathered the voter guides that so many organizations have produced, and ranked the politician's stance on the issues as either primary, secondary, or tertiary positions. Although I resist being a single-issue voter, this exercise offers a tangible way to evaluate where they stand on the issues that are most important to me. I will vote for the one who scores highest in the primary position---that is, the candidate who reflects my views on issues that are unarguable to me.

OK, there is a flaw here! The word "me" is used a lot. This is not objective decision making, but is subject to my understanding, prejudices and biases included. That is why I include a disclaimer of sorts in this exercise. To whit, these decisions are based on the truth of Scripture and the character of the Lord Jesus Christ as best as I can determine them.

Voting our values means having core beliefs that are not driven by the culture, the whims of a very fickle population, or the leanings of talking heads. Furthermore, voting values moves beyond the mere clarification of what we believe---although that is crucial---to knowing how to apply that system of belief to something as significant as choosing a candidate.

OK, so what are the primary issues, those that are the most significant to me? They are:

1. The Sanctity of Human Life

2. Marriage as Defined in the Bible, Male and Female
3. The Family as God's Redemptive Institution
4. Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States as written by the framers
5. Appointment of Supreme Court Justices who are pro-life

There are many campaign issues. These, however, will decide this man's personal vote. These will be the five predominate themes that have informed my choice of candidates in the 2008 election.

How will you decide? Sound bites? Flip a coin? Use a Ouija Board? Jump on the bandwagon? Follow the crowd? Commercials? Endorsements? Eeenie meenie minie moe?

Please go deeper!

Oh no! Not Subjectile Dysfunction?

Sadly, pastors and church leaders have been intimidated to the point that few of them will actually speak to the crucial issues of the November 4 election. Of course, fear is the underlying factor in this holy silence. To be sure, a good many ministers are simply afraid to offend their congregants. Most congregations represent both sides of the political aisle and ministers are compelled, by a long list of forces, to straddle the fine lines that separate them.

This was affirmed by a fellow pastor recently. Quoting Proverbs 4:27, "Do not swerve to the right or to the left...", he stood with his feet firmly planted in mid-air under the mandate of Scripture. And, of course, this is a comfortable place to hide, behind Scripture! I mean, here, personal waffling is God's fault, getting us off the hook. Further probing unveiled the real reason for his reticence. The two most prominent men in the church were elected officials from differing political persuasions. Hold it! Did I say prominent men, as in best dressed, biggest, most influential, drives the most expensive car, lives in the nicest part of town? Biggest financial supporter?

This is another of those dysfunction maladies---subjectile dysfunction, a reluctance to tackle certain subjects from the pulpit. And, there are many, many topics that comprise the "don't touch" list here.

In the movie The Patriot, (2000), Rene Auberjonois played the part of Reverend Oliver the local parson. When the little village recruited a militia to fight the Redcoats, Reverend Oliver took off his clerical collar, took up his musket, and mounted to join the fight. One of his congregants asked, "Reverend?", meaning, "where are you going". He said something like this: "The Shepherd has to protect his sheep, and sometimes that means running off some wolves."

History affirms the voice of God's leaders in stressful political times. The prophets spoke boldly to the spiritual and political alliances that characterized Israel's infidelity, often at great risk, just as often against the conventional wisdom of the day. During the American Revolution, preachers addressed the injustice of British rule, always under the threat of treason, and the dire consequences of such a charge. During the civil war, church men spoke out against slavery, offending their own community constituents, but standing firm on the Word of God nonetheless. In World War II German pastors participated in the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, at the cost of their lives. Don't tell me that the middle ground is where pastor's are supposed to stand! History defies that logic.

On Sunday, November 2, 2008, after a great deal of prayer and evaluation, I will personally endorse several candidates, local and national, seeking office in the November balloting. Everyone in our church family will not agree with these endorsements, and some perhaps will be offended. This is not my desire, to get in anyone's face about my own political views. However, the stances of the candidates and the parties have been carefully weighed, and evaluated on the a scale of personal priority---a topic I will tackle tomorrow.

The legitimacy of taking such a stance can be argued from just about every political and spiritual angle till Jesus comes again. For me, it is no contest.

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Am I trying to please men? If I were trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Colossians 1:10). A pretty decent argument against subjecile dysfunction, if you ask me.

The Danger of Praying God's Will

Harriet and I have been learning to pray. Yes, it is a growth process that continues in our lives even today. For thirty-five years we have explored Scripture and purchased just about every book written on the subject of prayer, such is our desire to be effective prayers. Of the disciplines of grace, prayer is the most elusive, that is, the most difficult to grasp. To know what constitutes an effective prayer is really the issue, at least for me, to reduce all of the Biblical instruction to a few truths that connect us without doubt to the Father.

Lately this quest has taken me with Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane. His prayer there was simple and profound. He said, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39). OK, there are some troubling aspects of this prayer, most visibly the "if it is possible" part. Since all things are possible with God, Jesus couldn't have been questioning the power or abilities of God the Father. Truly, the specificity of this request was the humble submission of God the Son to God the Father, a heartfelt plea regarding the passion that was coming.

What strikes me most here, though, is the contrast between the actual request, "May this cup be taken from me", which by the way, is not presented as a question, and the total surrender, "Yet not as I will, but as you will." It seems to me that the pattern here is a good one for us to use in any life circumstance: a specific request followed by an acceptance of God's will. Jesus prayed the prayer and then went straight to the cross to do the Father's will part of that request. Gladly, I might add.

Of course, this is where we often hedge, this God's will part. We pray as if we have some inkling about the content of God's will, and usually expect Him to do what we ask. We are typically arrogant enough to believe that our request is what is in His will to start with. Praying, we most often expect Him to grant our petition. Too often we accept Plan B, the God's Will part, reluctantly, maybe grudgingly.

Like the election, 2008, for example. I know who I want to win, and somewhere in the chambers of my stubborn heart I believe my candidate is God's candidate, anointed to lead us because we share stances on several important issues. The fallacy of this is that I cannot know for certain what God's will is, what He is trying to teach us, what devices He may use to discipline us, how He wishes to work through the government and leaders that He permits to guide us. If I pray specifically for the election of candidate_______________, and then offer the Father a limp-wristed "not my will but your will" addendum to my prayer, I am guilty of a duplicity far worse than backing the wrong candidate.

Praying God's will is dangerous. This kind of prayer acknowledges His supremacy over all things and our total subjection to Him. It means we rejoice and eagerly fulfill our Biblical mandate to support whoever is elected by the citizens of this country---prayer, submission, and eager obedience, all included. Whatever the request, if we subordinate the specific to the accomplishment of His will, we better be genuine.

God is not mocked! Remember that as you pray this week.

I Left It in the Car

One day a few months ago I actually went into the bank for a couple of transactions that I could not accomplish at the drive-in window or on-line. As strange as it may seem, I was forced to stand in a long, slow line of check-cashers and corporate accounts to take care of my personal business. Of course, being the patient person that I am this was not a problem, unless talking under your breath and glaring at the tellers is in fact, a problem. Huffing and puffing may be an indication also.

When I finally arrived at the teller station and explained what I needed to do, the teller went straight to work. In a flurry of activity she made my transfers, took my payments, accepted my deposit, processed mounds of paper, did a bevy of cash-in and cash-out slips, debits and credits, and finally got around to the final transaction: cashing a check someone had given me. After all of this she said, "I'll need to see your ID."

Now, I had just accessed several accounts, moved some money around between them, made a car payment, and conducted some pretty intricate banking business. Remember, I used to work for a bank and I know all about rules and regulations, the FDIC, federal bank examiners, bait money, and bad checks. Remember also that Harriet and I have banked with this bank for more than twenty-five years. By the way, let me also confess that I had left my wallet in the car. My ID was in the wallet, in the car. This means move to the back of the line. Do not pass go. Arghhhhhhh! Or perhaps #%@&*!!

Here's the connection, and I've gone the long way to get there. Next Tuesday we're going to the polls. It will be perhaps the most important election of our lifetime, the most significant polarities in history between the parties and the candidates. Never before have the differences been so alarming, so starkly contrasted. When you go, don't leave your ID in the car.

Now, I'm not talking about your driver's license or voter registration card. I'm talking about your personal identity, your faith. The secular media and the people way over there on the left have argued that faith actually has no place in the electoral processes. Truly, they would prefer that people of faith leave their core values and belief systems in the car, go to the voting booth without convictions, violate our most cherished personal ideals by ignoring the spiritual dimensions of it all. 

Of a truth, this cannot be done. According to the Word of God, Christ is our life (Colossians 3:4). He is the most significant component of our personal identity, central to our understanding of self.  When we go to the polling place we cannot leave our identity in the car.

If you can, there's a problem! And the consequences of this problem are much worse than electing the wrong national and local leaders. Need to talk about it?

Thanks Mom

Fifty nine years ago today Esther Mae Owens Holmes gave me the gift of life! We all know that the male gender of our species has something to do with this miracle and that life is the God-designed product of both of their genes. So, dad deserves a good bit of credit in this endeavor as well. Still,  mom was in the labor and delivery room alone, and with the assistance of a couple of nurses and the ob-gyn, with great effort and excruciating pain, she brought me into this world kicking and screaming. Today, I celebrate her!

Back in the dark ages us men were prohibited from entering the sanctified world of child-birth. When our daughter Elizabeth was born I was segregated in the Father's Waiting Room with one other expectant dad, watching the telephone through clouds of cigarette smoke. The telephone was a direct line to the labor room. So, I could talk to Harriet between contractions. I called her every two minutes: "How's it going? Anything happening? Is the baby here yet?" I remember her saying, through gritted teeth and in that Exorcist evil voice, perhaps head spinning, "How can I ever have this baby with you calling every two minutes. It's your fault I'm going through this anyway----!" I thought it best to hang up and wait for them to call me. Sure enough, a little while later they called to announce Elizabeth's birth. What a blessing. Such joy! Still, I was not there to witness it, so the ordeals of the labor and delivery rooms remained a foreign experience.

It was different when Brian was born just two years later. The Ob-Gyn Floor was no longer off-limits and I was permitted to to be in the labor and delivery room when he came into the world, as Harriet's husband and trained Lamaze coach. Standing at her head, my job was to encourage her and guide her through the breathing exercises in natural birth. Of course, she ended up doing the coaching---I was barely able to stand, woozy from all the reality escalating around me, pale as a ghost, sweating like a mule, hardly able to breathe myself. To see what she did to bring these two beautiful children into this world touched a place in my heart that has never been the same. What a miracle! When the doctor held him up for us to see he let loose with nine months of urine all over my dear wife. She didn't care. We both cried.

That was the day God taught me a few lessons about the labor and delivery process, about the pains of childbirth, about Eve's curse, about what it means to give life to another. It was also the day He impressed me to thank mother on my birthday each year. As an adult, since the birth of our son Brian, I have always given my mother a small gift on my birthday to thank her for the gift of life. I mean, get real! I didn't do anything that day. She did all the work. It was her blood on the OR sheets, the sweat of her brow, and her groans that pushed me forth into this world.

Today, my fifty-ninth birthday, she is in heaven. She lives, eternally, the ultimate gift from God. But, she lives in Christie, Michael, and me, and our families too, the beneficiaries of her labor, the recipients of the gift of life that she and Chester conspired to give us. 

It would be a blessing to take her a gift today. As the day moves through its motions, though, I will look to heaven very often and say, "Thanks, Mom!"

Empty

One of the disadvantages of being a preacher is that most of us don't get to sit under the ministry of other preachers very often. Only when we attend conferences or meetings, host a pulpit guest, listen to an occasional podcast or CD, do we have the privilege of hearing a message. 

A couple of weeks ago, while attending a meeting out of state, I was able to hear a message and observe one of the premier expositors in the church today. I will not use his name here. He maintains  a high profile in our denomination and leads one of our institutions. His message was a profound exposition of one of the most memorable Old Testament texts. It tugged at my heart and engaged my mind!  

The message is not what impressed me most, however, probing as it was! Before the message, I focused on this well-known leader and watched him during those moments leading up to his time at the pulpit. His eyes were closed for a few moments, he physically sagged, even paled right there on the platform. He did nothing to draw attention to himself. Then, from the bottom up, something filled and energized him as he stood taller, and the color returned to his face, and his eyes opened.

Now, I don't know what was actually happening. It could have been indigestion, or stage fright, or collecting his final thoughts. But, in my heart of hearts I believe this famous man was becoming empty before God, and was being filled by God for the awesome responsibility of preaching the Word of God to that gathered assembly. Maybe it was just my imagination, some kind of heart wish to learn something from this man, a projection of something I would like to see in me. It registered, though.

What we do is significant! It is awesome. All to often self gets in the way. I am asking to God to help me, ever more and more, to "...deny myself..." (Luke 9:23), to become empty of self, so that people will only see Jesus when I preach or teach.

Electile Dysfunction Part 2

On Wednesday, October 29, 2008, Bob Menges, a member of our Christians in Action ministry team, will lead an election information session titled The 2008 Election: A Christian Worldview Primer on the Electoral Process during the midweek LIFT segment at 6:30 p.m. Let me clarify this once more to be sure you know what he will be talking about in this session. Please know that this is not a theological exposition on the Biblical doctrine of election. Dr. Peter Beck taught the doctrine of election during our XCav 8 reformation study during the second quarter of this year.  

Instead, Bob Menges will discuss the presidential election, November 4, 2008, and the candidates positions on issues important to people of faith. As a member of the Christians in Action Team Bob is well-informed on the wide spectrum of topics that should shape our approach to this election and our choice of candidates. Furthermore, Bob is a passionate advocate of our republican form of government and the responsibilities of citizenship. I know this will be an informative time.

"Electile Dysfunction" includes the belief that our population is basically uninformed in exercising the franchise of the vote! Sadly, many citizens will make voting decisions based on the superficial data offered to them by the mainstream media, who are totally biased in their presentation of material. In the information age, however, more comprehensive studies are available to provide a deeper view of the candidates, their positions, associations, voting records, experience, financial integrity, and personal lives, all germane to our support of them.

Many pastors and church officials are fearful of becoming entangled in political intrigues or anything that may approach endorsing candidates. This is another symptom of "electile dysfunction", the over-application of a supposed wall of separation between church and state. Yes, there is a fine line here, and we must learn to walk it. At the same time, believers must engage and impact the culture. This means that spiritual leaders must speak on the issues that touch a Biblical worldview and encourage not only participation in the electoral processes but wise stewardship of the vote. Therefore, pastors and church leaders must educate and inform their congregations when the contrast of these views is so starkly evident among the candidates, but camouflaged by the press.

There's no pill for "electile dysfunction". But, there is a cure. Be informed. That's a start.

Connectile Dysfunction

OK, so we're on a roll with this dysfunction stuff and the word play from the television commercials getting so much play time these days. Please know that I am not trying to be rude, crude,or socially unacceptable in the use of this language. Instead, my heart's desire is to use contemporary images to communicate spiritual truth that connects, word pictures that vividly describe real life situations for which there are Biblical answers.

The new angle on this pun is a revelation I had in the wee hours of the night as I contemplated the final installment of the current message series The Church that Jesus is Building. Of course, the premise of this entire series follow a specific path:

1. The church belongs to Jesus
2. Jesus is building his church
3. The church Jesus is building is not in fact a building
4. The nature of the church was in Jesus' heart before the Book of Acts 
5. He revealed the nature of the church in many of his teachings

Each Sunday I have reminded our congregation that our new worship center and preschool/children's facility are not the church Jesus is building. Each of us is the church. It is apparent from Scripture that Jesus envisioned and empowered a church that is vitally connected to this lost world. Obviously he commissioned us to be in it and not of it, to influence our world like salt and light.

Today, sadly, many believers suffer from "connectile dysfunction", and this malady from at least two distinct disconnects. As improbable as it many seem, many are disconnected from Christ. This is the new wave theology of Christless Christianity, purported by Michael Horton in his recent book by the same name. Yes, we can argue that faith without Christ is not Christianity and rightly so. His point, however, is that contemporary evangelicalism, as expressed in many Christian churches, are espousing new age agendas that trivialize Christ. Of course, a disconnect from Christ is a serious health matter, "connectile dysfunction" with mortal consequences. Read Colossians 2 for more.

At the same time, this dread malfunction is manifest in extreme separation from the world, another variety of "connectile dysfunction". No wonder the world is going to you know where in a hand basket, if the worldwide fellowship of believers is secreted away from it in cloisters. This fortress mentality is designed to protect us from worldly influences that may compromise our message. Of course, when we fail to take this message to that lost world it is already compromised. Whatever happened to the confession that the one that is in us is greater than the one that is in the world?

So, the dysfunction languages and images that are so prevalent in our world are just about used up! Enough of that, unless, of course, there is another light bulb late in the dark night. The fact is, however, The Church Jesus that is Building is not dysfunctional at all, except for the reality that, miraculously he chose to live is people like us.

What is that? Objectile Dysfunction? You got to be kidding me!

Egonomics

Some time ago Michael Bell showed me a video clip on Sermon Spice that captures the heart of pop religion in American today. It's a satire---that means, it is a joke---of the music collections sold on late night TV info-mercials. The CD being hawked in the clip is titled It's All About Me, The Greatest Collection of Me Worship Ever Recorded on One CD. For a good laugh to start the day, check it out here: http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/592/its-all-about-me

Of course, satire is funny because it mimics reality and resonates with us in a way that reflects truth via the funny bone. The sting of this kind of humor is that it is usually right on target. So, Chevy Chase did a mean Gerald Ford, Tina Fey has captured Sarah Palin to a tee, and this video clip announces, through the medium of absurdity, the truth about us. Sadly, much of our worship and teaching and preaching is about us. So the hits continue---I Lift My Name on High, I Exalt Me, There is None Like Me, I am Why I Sing, and the all time favorite, How Great I am.

What a collection! Of course, this is the worship music of the gospel according to _________________(you fill in the blank: Oprah, Dr. Phil, Joel, Benny, Kenneth, Robert, et.al.). It is egocentric, shallow, totally unbiblical, and representative of the superficial theology that drives the ever-popular Word of Faith movement and the gospel of prosperity.

OK, so it is satire, meaning that it is a stretch! People really don't sing songs like that. And, here, precisely here, is one of the problems. Everything about the Word of Faith crowd seems so main-stream, so normal, so, how do you say, churchy. Underneath the songs about Jesus, the glories of the Father, and the wonders of creation, is a slippery foundation of biblical mis-interpretation, use of Scripture out of context, flimsy translation, and therefore, faulty theology.

It is the gospel of self! And, any student of the Word knows what the Bible says about self. Spend a few minutes in Romans 7 this morning if you want to see the truth about us humans. Paul writes, "I know that nothing good lives in me..."(verse 18).

And that's the poverty that is really striking America today, you know, ego-nomics. 

Worm Theology

While on a field trip to the seminary bookstore at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary last week a title caught my eye. Christless Christianity posed enough of an anomaly for me to pick up a copy, scroll through the chapter titles, read the opening paragraph, then cough up the cash to purchase it.  Written by Michael Horton, professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California, the title wasn't the only enigma that riveted my attention. The forward was written by William Willimon, United Methodist Bishop in Birmingham, Alabama, and the endorsements included other individuals that I would not usually include in a list of theological conservatives.

Horton's thesis is bold: he suggests that faith and Christian practice in the United States is more American than Christian, that is, a product of the unique American culture rather than deriving from traditional Biblical faith. With more candor than I expected, Horton critiques many of the more popular so-called evangelical churches and preachers, giving them a new descriptive label that seems to be spot on. Referencing the extensive research of Christian Smith and Martha Witten at the University of North Carolina, he indicates that the prevailing theological position of many ministries is what he calls moralistic, therapeutic deism. It goes something like this:

1. God created the world.

2. God wants people to be good, nice and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and most other world religions.

3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.

4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when needed to resolve a problem.

5. Good people go to heaven when they die.

Sounds good, right? Wrong. This stuff is the seedbed of Christless Christianity, an oxymoron if there ever was one! This is faith without sin and therefore the need of redeemer or Savior, a "smooth talk and flattery" kind of religion that triggers the divine spark in all of us, compelling us to do our best, and gives us the ultimate spiritual hall pass by reminding us that God loves us anyway. It is truly a  moralistic, therapeutic deism that sells books and draws crowds because it feels so good.

Maybe it is the geezer in me, the years poking through, but more and more my personal faith takes me to Jesus, the author and perfector, the one who died to redeem a miserable worm like me! Yes, its the worm theology thing again, and the longer I live and serve him, the more I realize how true it is. This admission is not a slam against my fragile male ego or a mortal injury to my precious self esteem. Really, it is just the opposite. Yes, I know he loves me, and I don't mean anyway. He loves me period, exclamation point. He didn't send me flowers though, or provide mere words to lift my fallen spirit. No sir, he died for me, a bona fide worm.

OK, sorry about that! I got to preaching. You know what makes me really feel good? Knowing him, and what he did for me. Worm theology, you know, not some therapeutic tonic or moral salve to cover up my flaws, but a Savior who covered my sin.