Metaphors matter. Are you committed to a culture war or to the conversion of the lost? Is our battle against the people who disagree with us or against the spiritual powers that work to enslave humanity (flesh and blood or powers and principalities)? Do we succeed through power or by God's Spirit? Are we for the world or against it? Our images of success shape the way we live our lives, and they affect our message to the next generation.
How do we deal with a world that opposes God and destroys lives? This was the question in Jesus' day. Rome had conquered God's people and were occupying Jerusalem. They represented both spiritual and moral evil. How were they to be dealt with? The Zealots chose violence. The leadership of Israel favored resistance ranging from cautious bureaucratic maneuvering to outright rebellion.
God's answer has always been different. When Babylon conquered Israel and took them into exile, the Israelites acknowledged God's judgment but decided they were going to make life difficult for the Babylonians. They would separate themselves, do as little as possible, and become an irritation the Babylonians would long to be free of. But God had different plans. He commanded the Israelites to move into the city, mingle with the people, and serve them so that Babylon would prosper and miss them when they were gone. (Jeremiah 29)
God not only loved Israel, He loved Babylon as well. He had always intended Israel to be a light to all people. Israel needed discipline for its own good. He hoped Babylon would benefit as well. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) Is God for or against the world? Are we to be for or against the world? We do not agree with the world's philosophies, systems, or behavior that separates people from God and destroys lives, but we are for the people who live in the world. Do we want to see our enemies redeemed or disgraced? The answer to that question determines whether we are with Jesus or not.
We are told that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save it. The world was already condemned for its rebellion. If God wanted us destroyed, then he didn't have to do anything. Instead, he intervened in love. He won life, freedom, and dignity for us. He was, and still is, for us.
We need to take our cues from God and not the headlines. This is the age of grace. The weeds and the wheat will not be separated until Jesus returns. Paul's words might startle us today: "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside." (1 Cor 5:12,13) Jesus pushes us to extremes: "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:27-28) Do we bless those who curse us, or do we curse them right back? And do we make heroes of the spiritually obnoxious? Have we become the new Pharisees? If so, what does that say of our allegiance to Christ?
Is our view of reform based on Scripture or a social gospel? The question is important. A social gospel is shaped by a human perception of current events. It is often a reaction based on cultural hopes and beliefs, like the liberal social gospel, or based on our fears and self-protection like the new conservative social gospel. Both had a little truth, but relied on culture more than Christ for their guidance.
Why is this important? Because social gospels are poison for our youth. We need to stop blaming the world for our failures. The world will always work against us. It always has. The reason we are losing our youth is not because the world has changed. It's because we have changed. I don't choose to be liberal or conservative. I choose to be a disciple of Jesus. If we want to save our youth, if we want to save the world, we need to follow Jesus and repent from our social gospels.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Political Disgrace
Youth learn more from our example than our teachings. Why? Because our actions reveal what we actually believe. Consciously or unconsciously we all know this. What does this have to do with politics? With a new political season beginning (there seems to be little rest between each race), our behavior will demonstrate to the next generation what we really believe.
Political discussion has become divisive, polarizing, and downright mean. We are told that there is so much at stake that we can't afford to be civil. The ends justify the means, and that's the problem. Jesus taught a very different message. The means are the end according to Jesus. He declared himself to be the way. He came to do more than point us toward a destination. He told us the way we journey is important.
Love is more important than who is in the White House. The fact that we might even question this demonstrates how far we have fallen from God's will. We are not to grumble or complain as we join in Jesus work of reaching the world (Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life... - Phil 2:14-16). We are called to avoid the lifestyle of the mocker (Psalm 1:1). That should challenge us if we are adherents to radio shock jocks of either the right or the left. And we are called to explain our hope with gentleness and respect (But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. - I Peter 3:15-17).
Peter's words take us right to the heart of the issue. What is our hope based on? Is our hope built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness? To listen to many Christians speak today, you would have to question this. There seems to be more talk of politics than evangelism. Political power is exalted over the Holy Spirit's power. And love and civility seems to be a casualty. If we are called to love our enemies, those trying to do active harm to us, then how are we to treat those who merely disagree about this year's candidate?
Jesus really is the answer before all other things. My political involvement is secondary at best. My party right or wrong is a dangerous form of idolatry. I belong to God's kingdom before I belong to this country.
Jesus calls us to a way of life that seems like foolishness to those around us. Self-protection and fear rule our culture at the moment. Is there room for God's love, service, and sacrifice? The way we answer that question reveals what we really believe about life. Truth is important, but when it is conveyed in anger and self-righteousness, it becomes false. Our culture is currently suffering from a lack of grace. We will solve nothing by following our culture. There is a better way offered by Jesus, a life seasoned with love, truth, and grace, and it is a disgrace to Jesus if we abandon God's eternal way for the concerns of the moment.
The next generation is watching, and many of them are already turned off. With Jesus the means are as important as the ends. We could gain the White House and lose our youth.
Political discussion has become divisive, polarizing, and downright mean. We are told that there is so much at stake that we can't afford to be civil. The ends justify the means, and that's the problem. Jesus taught a very different message. The means are the end according to Jesus. He declared himself to be the way. He came to do more than point us toward a destination. He told us the way we journey is important.
Love is more important than who is in the White House. The fact that we might even question this demonstrates how far we have fallen from God's will. We are not to grumble or complain as we join in Jesus work of reaching the world (Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life... - Phil 2:14-16). We are called to avoid the lifestyle of the mocker (Psalm 1:1). That should challenge us if we are adherents to radio shock jocks of either the right or the left. And we are called to explain our hope with gentleness and respect (But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. - I Peter 3:15-17).
Peter's words take us right to the heart of the issue. What is our hope based on? Is our hope built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness? To listen to many Christians speak today, you would have to question this. There seems to be more talk of politics than evangelism. Political power is exalted over the Holy Spirit's power. And love and civility seems to be a casualty. If we are called to love our enemies, those trying to do active harm to us, then how are we to treat those who merely disagree about this year's candidate?
Jesus really is the answer before all other things. My political involvement is secondary at best. My party right or wrong is a dangerous form of idolatry. I belong to God's kingdom before I belong to this country.
Jesus calls us to a way of life that seems like foolishness to those around us. Self-protection and fear rule our culture at the moment. Is there room for God's love, service, and sacrifice? The way we answer that question reveals what we really believe about life. Truth is important, but when it is conveyed in anger and self-righteousness, it becomes false. Our culture is currently suffering from a lack of grace. We will solve nothing by following our culture. There is a better way offered by Jesus, a life seasoned with love, truth, and grace, and it is a disgrace to Jesus if we abandon God's eternal way for the concerns of the moment.
The next generation is watching, and many of them are already turned off. With Jesus the means are as important as the ends. We could gain the White House and lose our youth.
Monday, April 4, 2011
What a Host is and Isn't
First of all, a host is other-centered. The host is concerned that strangers feel welcome. An outsider feels like an outsider until we bring them inside. The first way we do this is by letting them know we are glad they came. This is the first obstacle for preChristians. The way we talk, the assumptions we make, and our actions can push people away. If my conversation is laced with prejudicial remarks about preChristians, about how difficult my life is because of unbelievers, and sweeping comments about the beliefs and actions of nonChristians, then a stranger is not going to feel comfortable around me. They will not feel welcome.
Many Christians today mix their faith in God with other parts of their lives, giving them equal value. You may be a Republican or Tea Party member or a Democrat. That's fine. You should be involved, but when we equate political affiliation with the will of God, we do two things. First, we sin because equating that political movement with the Word of God is idolatry. Second, we alienate people based on something other than Christ. The gatekeeper judges people on secondary issues, using these issues to erect a barrier between them and Jesus. This reflects the self-righteousness of the Pharisees and needs to be avoided as the sin it is.
A host connects people. It is difficult to be the stranger, to not know anyone in the room, to be ignored. The host does not need to do all the relating. Instead, he or she puts people together, introduces the outsider to others, and helps start the conversation. I am always watching for the people at the edges. I need to go to them and help them enter enter the group.
A host doesn't wait for someone else to make the first move. I have no problem that churches give badges to a small group of people and calls them greeters. I do have a problem if we think that fills the need. We are all hosts. We are to be witnesses to Jesus and his character, and Jesus was the ultimate host.
This makes a huge difference to students. They don't want to be the fish out of water, and they don't like to feel overexposed. If they do, don't expect to see them again.
As a host, you want people to feel welcome, I want to help them connect with others, I want to help them navigate expectations so that they will not be embarrassed, and I want to be myself. I am to adjust to my surroundings (be all things to all people), but I should not apologize for my faith or for Jesus being the focus of Christian instruction. Being a host doesn't change my goals.
This is important. As a host, I am helping other people fit in; I am helping them become comfortable; but I am not trying to win their approval by trying to match their expectations. I am not trying to diminish the call of Christ or pretend that Jesus asks for just a subtle course correction for our life. I meet people where they live, understand them where they are, and welcome them with open arms because God loves them (Jesus met us where we live, understands us, and welcomes us) and in the hope that Jesus can use my life and service to bring them into new life.
I am not just a host for an event that I have to put on. I am a host for Jesus. If I am a host for a party I did not throw, then part of my task is to make sure that everyone who comes through the door meets the master of the ball, the one who threw the party. As a host, I don't want to meet people's expectation. I want to exceed them. I want them to meet Jesus. I don't want to get so wrapped up in the job of host that I forget why the event is taking place in the first place.
Many Christians today mix their faith in God with other parts of their lives, giving them equal value. You may be a Republican or Tea Party member or a Democrat. That's fine. You should be involved, but when we equate political affiliation with the will of God, we do two things. First, we sin because equating that political movement with the Word of God is idolatry. Second, we alienate people based on something other than Christ. The gatekeeper judges people on secondary issues, using these issues to erect a barrier between them and Jesus. This reflects the self-righteousness of the Pharisees and needs to be avoided as the sin it is.
A host connects people. It is difficult to be the stranger, to not know anyone in the room, to be ignored. The host does not need to do all the relating. Instead, he or she puts people together, introduces the outsider to others, and helps start the conversation. I am always watching for the people at the edges. I need to go to them and help them enter enter the group.
A host doesn't wait for someone else to make the first move. I have no problem that churches give badges to a small group of people and calls them greeters. I do have a problem if we think that fills the need. We are all hosts. We are to be witnesses to Jesus and his character, and Jesus was the ultimate host.
This makes a huge difference to students. They don't want to be the fish out of water, and they don't like to feel overexposed. If they do, don't expect to see them again.
As a host, you want people to feel welcome, I want to help them connect with others, I want to help them navigate expectations so that they will not be embarrassed, and I want to be myself. I am to adjust to my surroundings (be all things to all people), but I should not apologize for my faith or for Jesus being the focus of Christian instruction. Being a host doesn't change my goals.
This is important. As a host, I am helping other people fit in; I am helping them become comfortable; but I am not trying to win their approval by trying to match their expectations. I am not trying to diminish the call of Christ or pretend that Jesus asks for just a subtle course correction for our life. I meet people where they live, understand them where they are, and welcome them with open arms because God loves them (Jesus met us where we live, understands us, and welcomes us) and in the hope that Jesus can use my life and service to bring them into new life.
I am not just a host for an event that I have to put on. I am a host for Jesus. If I am a host for a party I did not throw, then part of my task is to make sure that everyone who comes through the door meets the master of the ball, the one who threw the party. As a host, I don't want to meet people's expectation. I want to exceed them. I want them to meet Jesus. I don't want to get so wrapped up in the job of host that I forget why the event is taking place in the first place.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Gatekeeper or Host?
Are you a gatekeeper or a host? The way you answer this question will mark your interaction with students, the way they interact with the world, and finally whether your ministry will bring those far from Christ closer to him.
Gatekeeping is about... gates, really. Gates, fences and barriers. The job of a gatekeeper is to make sure the wrong people don't get in. They have the task of checking people's papers--peoples dress, behaviors and beliefs--before allowing entry. A gatekeeper's job is to be suspicious. After all, you don't want the people inside to mingle or associate with the wrong sort.
A host has a different task. A host throws a party and then invites all to attend. A host's job is to make people welcome and make sure the experience, as much as it is in their power, a positive one. When a host is combined with a teacher or an evangelist, then the goal is to create a welcoming environment that brings in all sorts, so that growth and transformation can take place.
It's all about contamination. The Gatekeeper wants to protect weak, vulnerable Christian's from contamination. The host believes that Jesus has unleashed a new kind of love and power (new to us, but eternal with God) and hopes to contaminate the whole world with it. The gatekeeper believes that God's work is fragile, the Holy Spirit easily intimidated, and the world is stronger. The host is confident that God's Spirit within believers is greater than the spirits in the world, that Jesus really meant it when he told us to go out into the world and make disciples, and that the Holy Spirit is strong and active, and that God's people can be a greater influence than the voice of this age--provided that God's people are close enough to the world to be heard, their service felt, and their love experienced.
There is a tragic difference between a gatekeeper and a host. A gatekeeper not only keeps the world out but keeps believers in. The fence, the wall, and the barrier work both ways. This work of keeping the world out and believers in has more to do with Satan's goals than it does with God's. In fact, it flys in the face of God's commands and conflicts with Jesus' work on the cross.
There is a graciousness in Jesus that is not always seen in his people today. Outsiders should know more about what we are for than what we are against. This does not mean we ignore or demean the warnings of Scripture, but it is a matter of focus. We should major in the good news and minor in the bad news. Inspiration is more powerful than fear and dread.
The gatekeeper really calls into question whether Jesus won on the cross. There is much that could be said about fear and self-protection (and I will return to this soon), but what is important here is that fear and self-protection imply weakness and defeat. This is not the stance of the host. The host works from the confidence that Jesus has made us more than conquerers and that his Spirit in us is greater than the spirit in the world. A host is not arrogant because he or she knows that the greatest in the Kingdom of God is the servant of all. A host works with God inviting all who will listen to the great banquet that God has laid out for us.
In the end, we disciple through our lives. If we are gatekeepers, then we teach students that God is weak and that we have much to fear. If we are hosts, we teach students to share the gracious gift of God and teach them that perfect love casts out fear. But most of all, we choose to let the greatest host build his character in us.
Gatekeeping is about... gates, really. Gates, fences and barriers. The job of a gatekeeper is to make sure the wrong people don't get in. They have the task of checking people's papers--peoples dress, behaviors and beliefs--before allowing entry. A gatekeeper's job is to be suspicious. After all, you don't want the people inside to mingle or associate with the wrong sort.
A host has a different task. A host throws a party and then invites all to attend. A host's job is to make people welcome and make sure the experience, as much as it is in their power, a positive one. When a host is combined with a teacher or an evangelist, then the goal is to create a welcoming environment that brings in all sorts, so that growth and transformation can take place.
It's all about contamination. The Gatekeeper wants to protect weak, vulnerable Christian's from contamination. The host believes that Jesus has unleashed a new kind of love and power (new to us, but eternal with God) and hopes to contaminate the whole world with it. The gatekeeper believes that God's work is fragile, the Holy Spirit easily intimidated, and the world is stronger. The host is confident that God's Spirit within believers is greater than the spirits in the world, that Jesus really meant it when he told us to go out into the world and make disciples, and that the Holy Spirit is strong and active, and that God's people can be a greater influence than the voice of this age--provided that God's people are close enough to the world to be heard, their service felt, and their love experienced.
There is a tragic difference between a gatekeeper and a host. A gatekeeper not only keeps the world out but keeps believers in. The fence, the wall, and the barrier work both ways. This work of keeping the world out and believers in has more to do with Satan's goals than it does with God's. In fact, it flys in the face of God's commands and conflicts with Jesus' work on the cross.
There is a graciousness in Jesus that is not always seen in his people today. Outsiders should know more about what we are for than what we are against. This does not mean we ignore or demean the warnings of Scripture, but it is a matter of focus. We should major in the good news and minor in the bad news. Inspiration is more powerful than fear and dread.
The gatekeeper really calls into question whether Jesus won on the cross. There is much that could be said about fear and self-protection (and I will return to this soon), but what is important here is that fear and self-protection imply weakness and defeat. This is not the stance of the host. The host works from the confidence that Jesus has made us more than conquerers and that his Spirit in us is greater than the spirit in the world. A host is not arrogant because he or she knows that the greatest in the Kingdom of God is the servant of all. A host works with God inviting all who will listen to the great banquet that God has laid out for us.
In the end, we disciple through our lives. If we are gatekeepers, then we teach students that God is weak and that we have much to fear. If we are hosts, we teach students to share the gracious gift of God and teach them that perfect love casts out fear. But most of all, we choose to let the greatest host build his character in us.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Heroes Matter: Expanding the List
Here are some additional examples of Christians who have reshaped our world. This is by no means an exhaustive list. These names will lead to others.
I am always looking for ordinary people who made an extraordinary difference through the power of Christ. In a culture that is always highlighting the mistakes made in Jesus name, we need to be ready to show the very real difference Jesus has made through his people. I never want to sweep the mistakes under the rug, but the good far outweighs the mistakes. Your students should have many real-world examples of Christ's work to carry with them.
Health Care
Saint Basil - established the first hospital in Caesarea 369 AD. This was the first of many resulting from a decree from the Council of Nicea. In the end, the work the Council began lead to hospitals throughout Europe and eventually to our modern system of hospitals.
Florence Nightingale and the founding of the Red Cross.
Prison Reform
Elizabeth Fry worked with women in prisons and led the way to major reform.
Chuck Colson's work in prisons. Colson began his prison experience as an inmate after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges during the Nixon administration. This led to his conversion to Christianity and a life-time devotion to bringing the gospel to prisoners.
Artists
Rembrandt, Michelangelo, and Rubens.
Writers such as Annie Dillard, Walker Percy, Flannery O'Conner, Leo Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams, Madeline L'Engles.
Music
Avoid the modern Christian contemporary music scene if you want to make your point. Musicians who create for a general audience are the ones who have made the greater difference in the world.
Bach, Handel, Mendelssohn, Haydn.
On the contemporary scene, Bruce Cockburn is a great example of a popular musician who has added to the art while influencing a new generation of musicians and at the same time expressing his faith and its application to modern events and politics.
There are so many Christians we could choose from, but this is a good start. As you explore these names you will discover many more.
None of these people are perfect. That quality is reserved for God. I am not looking for perfect people, but flawed people that God did good things through. A good thing too. Since I am not perfect, it gives me hope that God can work through people like me.
I would highly recommend two books by Rodney Stark. The Victory of Reason and The Rise of Christianity give many examples of Christian virtue. The modern, cultural explanation for the growth of Christianity is that it came through military violence. That was not the case and these two books give an accurate picture of the spread of Christianity.
I am always looking for ordinary people who made an extraordinary difference through the power of Christ. In a culture that is always highlighting the mistakes made in Jesus name, we need to be ready to show the very real difference Jesus has made through his people. I never want to sweep the mistakes under the rug, but the good far outweighs the mistakes. Your students should have many real-world examples of Christ's work to carry with them.
Health Care
Saint Basil - established the first hospital in Caesarea 369 AD. This was the first of many resulting from a decree from the Council of Nicea. In the end, the work the Council began lead to hospitals throughout Europe and eventually to our modern system of hospitals.
Florence Nightingale and the founding of the Red Cross.
Prison Reform
Elizabeth Fry worked with women in prisons and led the way to major reform.
Chuck Colson's work in prisons. Colson began his prison experience as an inmate after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges during the Nixon administration. This led to his conversion to Christianity and a life-time devotion to bringing the gospel to prisoners.
Artists
Rembrandt, Michelangelo, and Rubens.
Writers such as Annie Dillard, Walker Percy, Flannery O'Conner, Leo Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams, Madeline L'Engles.
Music
Avoid the modern Christian contemporary music scene if you want to make your point. Musicians who create for a general audience are the ones who have made the greater difference in the world.
Bach, Handel, Mendelssohn, Haydn.
On the contemporary scene, Bruce Cockburn is a great example of a popular musician who has added to the art while influencing a new generation of musicians and at the same time expressing his faith and its application to modern events and politics.
There are so many Christians we could choose from, but this is a good start. As you explore these names you will discover many more.
None of these people are perfect. That quality is reserved for God. I am not looking for perfect people, but flawed people that God did good things through. A good thing too. Since I am not perfect, it gives me hope that God can work through people like me.
I would highly recommend two books by Rodney Stark. The Victory of Reason and The Rise of Christianity give many examples of Christian virtue. The modern, cultural explanation for the growth of Christianity is that it came through military violence. That was not the case and these two books give an accurate picture of the spread of Christianity.
Monday, March 7, 2011
A Few Heroes
Students need examples of people who have made a difference for Christ in the world. These examples should come from all walks of life. Here are a few examples and resources connected with them.
The Internet has some excellent resources but always take them with a grain of salt. Make sure you can back up claims made on Web sites. Wikipedia remains an excellent source for biographical information.
Vocational Ministry
J. Hudson Taylor - missionary to China.
Books: Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, by Dr. And Mrs. Howard Taylor. Taylor's autobiography is available at amazon.com for digital download for $1.00.
William and Catherine Booth - founders of the Salvation Army. The founding of the Salvation Army is a story of faith and social justice. The couple realized that their evangelism trips into poverty ridden neighborhoods were ineffective. In order to minister effectively, they needed to share the lives of the people they hoped to reach. The result was an effective worldwide ministry. There are many surprises in this story. I found the Salvation Army's roll in World War I and India especially interesting. Catherine's work is a good example of women in ministry.
Science
Galileo Galilei - his story highlight the conflict between faith and science. While placed under house arrest for claiming that the earth orbited the sun (many theologians believed the earth was the center of the universe due to bad Bible study and the adoption of Aristotle's writings), he maintained his faith and described many features needed for a good relationship between faith and science. Amazingly the same mistakes that forced his house arrest still exist today.
Books: Science Held Hostage: The Galileo Connection, Charles E. Hummel
What's Wrong With Creation Science and Evolutionism by Howard J. Van Till, Davis A. Young and Clarence Menninga
Francis Collins - a good contemporary example of a healthy pursuit of faith and science. He headed up the Human Genome Project and is now the Director of National Institutes of Health as well as an outspoken believer.
Books: The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief, Francis Collins
Website: biologos.org
Miscellaneous:
John R. Mott - Involved in the early days of the Student Volunteer Movement and the YMCA (when it was still a Christian outreach), he gave his life to organizing world missions. He also used his contacts to help with relief work during and after World War I. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work for the gospel.
Resources: His Wikipedia entry is a good place to start. From there you can find entries concerning his Nobel Peace Prize. His Nobel Peace Prize speech is of special interest.
I'll add a few more next time.
The Internet has some excellent resources but always take them with a grain of salt. Make sure you can back up claims made on Web sites. Wikipedia remains an excellent source for biographical information.
Vocational Ministry
J. Hudson Taylor - missionary to China.
Books: Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, by Dr. And Mrs. Howard Taylor. Taylor's autobiography is available at amazon.com for digital download for $1.00.
William and Catherine Booth - founders of the Salvation Army. The founding of the Salvation Army is a story of faith and social justice. The couple realized that their evangelism trips into poverty ridden neighborhoods were ineffective. In order to minister effectively, they needed to share the lives of the people they hoped to reach. The result was an effective worldwide ministry. There are many surprises in this story. I found the Salvation Army's roll in World War I and India especially interesting. Catherine's work is a good example of women in ministry.
Science
Galileo Galilei - his story highlight the conflict between faith and science. While placed under house arrest for claiming that the earth orbited the sun (many theologians believed the earth was the center of the universe due to bad Bible study and the adoption of Aristotle's writings), he maintained his faith and described many features needed for a good relationship between faith and science. Amazingly the same mistakes that forced his house arrest still exist today.
Books: Science Held Hostage: The Galileo Connection, Charles E. Hummel
What's Wrong With Creation Science and Evolutionism by Howard J. Van Till, Davis A. Young and Clarence Menninga
Francis Collins - a good contemporary example of a healthy pursuit of faith and science. He headed up the Human Genome Project and is now the Director of National Institutes of Health as well as an outspoken believer.
Books: The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief, Francis Collins
Website: biologos.org
Miscellaneous:
John R. Mott - Involved in the early days of the Student Volunteer Movement and the YMCA (when it was still a Christian outreach), he gave his life to organizing world missions. He also used his contacts to help with relief work during and after World War I. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work for the gospel.
Resources: His Wikipedia entry is a good place to start. From there you can find entries concerning his Nobel Peace Prize. His Nobel Peace Prize speech is of special interest.
I'll add a few more next time.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Heroes Matter
Too often the Christian faith is presented as a series of mistakes. The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials, and angry evangelists yelling insults on the corner are offered as typical examples of the fruit of Christian faith. But that is far from the whole story. It is our responsibility that students get a bigger picture of what God has done through the life of his people.
I have heroes who are not Christian, and I don't discourage that. Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Steve Jobs have been an inspiration on many levels. Heroes are not perfect. Only God fits that description. These people all have flaws, just like I do, but that doesn't negate those parts of their lives that have made me dream bigger dreams.
That said, we need to teach each generation that great things have been done in Jesus' name. There is much to be admired in both Saint Patrick's very New Testament approach to mission work as well as the fruit that came from the effort he inspired. The commitment, struggles, and insights of J. Hudson Taylor are inspirational. As are William and Catherine Booth, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thomas Aquinas, and many others.
While it is important to pass on the stories of missionaries and clergy, I think it is vital that we give even more examples of Christians who were not clergy and made a difference in the world. Galileo had many faults, but his Biblical defense of science in the face of persecution was brilliant. Elizabeth Fry reformed the British penal system and returned hope to many who had been cast aside. That reform helped shape American Law. William Wilberforce used his political position to work for the abolishment of slavery in Britain based on Biblical grounds. It took most of his life to accomplish, but in the end success was achieved without a shot being fired. George Washington Carver started his life as a slave and ended it as an advisor to Presidents. He used his gifts to make discoveries so that fewer people would go hungry. His ethics, his understanding of science, the way he spent his life were all directed by the God he overheard white people talking about. The God that he was so intrigued by that he taught himself to read so he could read the Bible for himself. These are only a few of the people who were not clergy but used their gifts to help establish the kingdom of God.
Too often, vocational ministry is the model held up to students as a way to serve Christ powerfully. We may remind them occasionally that God uses everyone, but unless we have examples to give them, to feed them regularly, that message seems to be little more than an afterthought.
Our students are given a few examples of evil done in the name of Jesus. It's our job to supply them with the bigger picture, with all the good God has been able to do through us in spite of our shortcomings. They need specific examples, though, rather than vague statements. Our mistakes are exposed in excruciating detail, as they should be. The good deserves just as much attention to detail.
In the next blog, I'll offer some names and materials to help you introduce students to some heroes of faith.
I have heroes who are not Christian, and I don't discourage that. Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Steve Jobs have been an inspiration on many levels. Heroes are not perfect. Only God fits that description. These people all have flaws, just like I do, but that doesn't negate those parts of their lives that have made me dream bigger dreams.
That said, we need to teach each generation that great things have been done in Jesus' name. There is much to be admired in both Saint Patrick's very New Testament approach to mission work as well as the fruit that came from the effort he inspired. The commitment, struggles, and insights of J. Hudson Taylor are inspirational. As are William and Catherine Booth, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thomas Aquinas, and many others.
While it is important to pass on the stories of missionaries and clergy, I think it is vital that we give even more examples of Christians who were not clergy and made a difference in the world. Galileo had many faults, but his Biblical defense of science in the face of persecution was brilliant. Elizabeth Fry reformed the British penal system and returned hope to many who had been cast aside. That reform helped shape American Law. William Wilberforce used his political position to work for the abolishment of slavery in Britain based on Biblical grounds. It took most of his life to accomplish, but in the end success was achieved without a shot being fired. George Washington Carver started his life as a slave and ended it as an advisor to Presidents. He used his gifts to make discoveries so that fewer people would go hungry. His ethics, his understanding of science, the way he spent his life were all directed by the God he overheard white people talking about. The God that he was so intrigued by that he taught himself to read so he could read the Bible for himself. These are only a few of the people who were not clergy but used their gifts to help establish the kingdom of God.
Too often, vocational ministry is the model held up to students as a way to serve Christ powerfully. We may remind them occasionally that God uses everyone, but unless we have examples to give them, to feed them regularly, that message seems to be little more than an afterthought.
Our students are given a few examples of evil done in the name of Jesus. It's our job to supply them with the bigger picture, with all the good God has been able to do through us in spite of our shortcomings. They need specific examples, though, rather than vague statements. Our mistakes are exposed in excruciating detail, as they should be. The good deserves just as much attention to detail.
In the next blog, I'll offer some names and materials to help you introduce students to some heroes of faith.
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