When Ecology Replaces Theology

Posted: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 at 2:22 am ET on www.albertmohler.com

Is saving the earth what remains when liberal churches are no longer concerned for the salvation of souls? Have these churches replaced theology with ecology?

Frank Furedi is a British sociologist who teaches at the University of Kent. He is also a controversialist and a public intellectual. In a recent article published at Spike, Furedi suggests that some religious institutions are "busy reinventing themselves by promoting ecological virtues and preaching against the eco-sins of polluters." He offers a most interesting argument.

Furedi contends that a crisis of authority has shaken many churches, and that modern societies the have largely given up on saving traditional morality. In his words:

Sometime back in the 1980s, Western societies gave up on the project of rescuing 'traditional values' and morality. From time to time, conservative politicians and moral entrepreneurs have attempted to launch back-to-basics crusades promoting 'family values'. However, their lack of popular appeal has only exposed society's estrangement from these traditions. Indeed by the Eighties, even religious institutions found it difficult to uphold their own authority with conviction. Instead of influencing society many churches began to internalise the attitudes associated with the lifestyles of their increasingly individualised consumerist flock. The last quarter century has seen a steady diminishing of religious authority in Western societies. Debates about the role of women priests, homosexuality and marriage indicated that religious institutions have become confused about their own relationship to traditional values.

Furedi suggests that these churches are now seeking to find a new platform in order to assert a new claim to authority within the culture. This new platform appears to be ecology and the goal of saving the earth.

His argument is compelling:

In recent years, some in the church have sought to gain the public's ear through the greening of traditional doctrines, and Christ the Saviour is fast becoming Christ the environmental activist. Western society is continually in search of rituals and symbols through which moral probity can be affirmed. It appears that, for many church leaders, the project of saving the planet offers more opportunities for reconstituting rituals and symbols than the saving of souls.

It is not just the odd priest offering absolution through the ritual of eco-confession. Church leaders have embraced the rituals of eco-morality to demonstrate their commitment to a higher good. Absolution through carbon offsets appears to be the way forward.

An observer of church life today, especially within the shrinking domain of liberal Protestantism, will find plenty of evidence for Furedi's hypothesis. Ecological concerns appear to serve as a replacement for abandoned doctrines and outdated concerns -- such as evangelism.

Furedi finds plenty of support for his argument within contemporary Roman Catholicism, but here is his analysis of the situation within the Church of England:

In 2006, the Church of England launched an eco-crusade entitled 'Shrinking the Footprint'. The Archbishop of Canterbury complained that 'early modern religion contributed to the idea that the fate of nature is for it to be bossed around by a detached sovereign will, whether divine or human'. It seems possible that those misguided early modern religionists received that idea from the Book of Genesis, where God gives Man dominion 'over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth'. Now the head of the Anglican church protests about nature being 'bossed around' not only by Man, but by God. This year, the Church of England launched a booklet of green tips for the faithful entitled How Many Christians Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb? Its eco-commandments include: share cars on the road to church, use virtuous low-energy lightbulbs but cast out junk mail, and do not flush the loo at night.

So is Christ the Savior is fast becoming Christ the environmental activist? Furedi's argument is both insightful and troubling. There can be no doubt that his argument is true with respect to many churches and denominations. And there is a clear warning here. When churches abandon or marginalize the central doctrines of the Christian faith, another religion soon takes its place. That religion might be a religion of therapy, social action, or ecology -- or any number of other substitutes for the Gospel.

As Furedi explains, this particular temptation can be traced to "the powerful influence that environmentalism exercises over contemporary culture." When churches lose confidence that they can speak to other issues in terms of right and wrong (sex, personal behavior, etc), environmentalism remains. In effect, it is the only socially acceptable form of moralism.

Nevertheless, Furedi believes that this is a losing strategy for the church in terms of social and cultural influence. As he explains, "eco-spirituality cannot really compensate for the loss of traditional moral authority."

Furthermore, once a church embraces environmentalism as its central mission, its authority suffers and even greater loss because the society considers the true authorities for ecology to be scientists, not church leaders. "The shift away from God towards nature inevitably leads to a world where the pronouncements of environmentalist experts trump those of the priesthood," he explains. "It will be interesting to see what will remain of traditional religion as prophecy and revelation is displaced by computerised climate models."

Christians do bear a responsibility to be good stewards of the earth. This is not an easy responsibility to bear in the confusing context of modern ecological debates. But the church of Jesus Christ bears the responsibility to be the steward of the Gospel above all other concerns. The temptation to turn to this-worldly concerns at the expense of spiritual concerns is very strong. Beyond this, human beings will worship either the Creator or the creation. When the authority of the Bible is undermined and confidence that we can know the Creator is compromised, the creation itself looms larger and larger as a central passion.

When a passion for seeing sinners converted to faith in Christ declines, a passion for converting people into environmentalists can appear as a replacement purpose and a culturally-attractive mission.

We should take note when a sociologist like Frank Furedi sees the picture so clearly. Why does he see what so many others miss? When a church forfeits its God-given mission, no other mission matters.

Is It Worth It?

I've talked and written a good bit lately on evangelism, especially of those to whom you are closest. One thing that I have not mentioned is that sharing the gospel with our friends and family is not easy. Thankfully we do not live in a country where we will be imprisoned, tortured, or even killed for our faith, but that is not to say that sharing our faith does not have costs related.

Let's be honest, the gospel, by definintion, involves the conviction of sin. To share the gospel with a person is to tell them they are wrong and sinful and that they need to repent and believe in Jesus. No matter how you slice it, that can be a little sticky for some folks. The question, however, is not whether or not there are risks involved. Instead, ask yourself if the risk of the gospel is worth the rewards.

The potential is that you might make a family member or friend mad at you (though, in my experience this is rarely the case), or at the very least put them into an awkward situation. That is uncomfortable, but is it worth your discomfort to give them the opportunity to experience the Savior of the world? Think about it, Jesus died and we don't want to be uncomfortable. It's pretty selfish on our parts isn't it? It's worth it, so get to it!

Problem for Church Soundsystems?

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) is considering a new law that would allow new devices (PDA's, cell phones, etc.) broader access to existing wireless channels - a move that would put every church wireless microphone or hearing assistance system in jeopardy of major interference. This will be in front of the FCC within two weeks, so time is short.
Several of my peers in the industry have been following this even more closely than I have. My friend Doug Gould of Shure, has forwarded me a letter for churches to sign and send to the FCC urging a change in this potential law. There are other frequencies that could easily be utilized that would not affect wireless audio systems.

Click here for more information: http://www.anthonycoppedge.com/blogs/index.php?p=341

Morning Devotion for You!

In trying to constantly keep my blog worth reading, this morning I post a prayer that I believe we should all be praying daily. Angela and I had this in our wedding, it is without a doubt my favorite version of this song! Sing and pray this morning.

It's Nothing Personal...

I have no doubt that a personal relationship with the Lord is essential to the Christian faith. As a matter of fact, I believe it is the cornerstone of Christianity. However, I believe that the emphasis on "personal" faith has hindered the evangelical church. I have a 15 pound dumbbell sitting on my desk with a plaque that has Proverbs 27:17 written on it: "As iron sharpens iron, so wome man sharpens another." Who ever said that the Christian faith was supposed to be lived alone?

I encourage you to be careful that you do not so personalize your faith that it ceases to grow through the outside influence of others. We've got to sharpen our skills regularly and that happens through the influence of others in our lives. In other words, relationships are key to spiritual growth. You must surround yourself with people who are going to challenge you to be more spiritual every day. And, in turn, you must present the challenge of deeper spirituality to others as well.

Growing in the Lord is, at the same time, personal and communal. It is imperative that you grow personally, but that growth is going to be the greatest when it is influenced by other people. Find some folks you can lean on, let them lean on you, and then get to sharpening. It's OK if sparks fly, it just makes a sharper edge!

Your FRAN'S

It is safe to say that Johnny Hunt is one of the most amazing pastors and preachers in the world; and I love to listen to him. Yesterday, I listened to one of his sermons and not only was it great, but he reminded me of some things that I had not thought about in a while (On a side note, that's one of the great things about preaching and teaching. Even when you don't learn something new, you get reminded and re-energized about something you knew already). Here's what Johnny said, 97% of people who come to Christ do so because they were contacted by one of the following people:

Friend

Relative

Associate

Neighbor

What does that mean? That means that if you really want your brother, or your sister, your boss or your employee, your workout partner or your neighbor to come to the Lord, there's only a three percent chance that a stranger will introduce them to Jesus. People come to the Lord because one of their FRAN's either shares the gospel with them or loves them enough to invite them to church. So, don't go to your pastor and ask him to witness to your sister, it probably won't work. But, if you grab her by the hand, tell her you love her, and invite her to church, you just might get the opportunity to hold her hand as she accepts Jesus.

So, let's make every Sunday a "bring a FRAN" day. Can you imagine how the churches of America would explode if Christians would do simple things like inviting people to church?

The Formula For Success

I do not know who left the comment on yesterday's blog, but it is worthy of further extrapolation (big word of the day). God is ultimately responsible for salvation. I think we could all agree with that statement. It is also true that God is ultimately responsible for sanctification, for church growth, and for healthy churches. The Bible makes it plain that God is in control and God is sovereign.

The Bible also makes it clear that we are responsible. We are responsible for all of the things mentioned above as well. God alone saves, but God requires us to repent and believe. Regardless of your theological convictions about election, everyone should be able to agree with that brief statement. But the same is true of growth (spiritual and numerical) as well. Both God and we are completely responsible for seeing the church grow.

The Bible really does not sort out this complicated scenario for us, we just take it at its word knowing that God is in control, but we are his hands and feet in the world responsible to make a difference in his name. So, to quote my anonymous friend (I would love to know who posted this, so send me an email) "If we pursue every challenge in life and work as if every aspect relies solely on ourselves and pray everyday as if every aspect relies on God, the results are astounding. Personal accountability and drive matched with the power of God and the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ - the formula for success"

Pursue Excellence

When I was in college, I had a professor for history that really got on my nerves with the tests he would give. First, he would never call them tests, but rather, opportunities to show what we had learned. Next, at the top of every test was the phrase, "pursue excellence." And did I say that the tests were grueling?

Well, even though in my slacker college days, I was not always in the business of pursuing excellence, I now see great value in those words. As a Senior Pastor, it is my job to pursue excellence in all that I do. It is also my job to push others to pursue excellence in all that they do. Notice I didn't say pursue excellence in our "Christian lives."

Often, that is the problem with Christians. Our lives are segmented into the "Christian" parts and the other parts (business, family, etc...). The result is what people outside the church call, hypocrisy. Galatians says that we are to die to ourselves and live only in Christ. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Pursue excellence in everything you do and you might just be amazed at how quickly people begin to notice your love for God oozing out of your life. It's not going to be easy, but who said it was supposed to be. Jesus had to go to the cross, why should we expect to get to sit comfortably on our couches?

Bluetooth Technology

OK, so let me brag. I have a new Blackberry Curve and I love it! I've been a Blackberry guy for a while now, but I had no idea how much fun the Curve would be...it plays music and videos! But, one of the coolest features is the Bluetooth. I've had phones with Bluetooth before, but never one that would play music wirelessly like the curve will, I think that is awesome.

Not to be cliche` or goofy, but I got to thinking this morning about how that relates to our communication with God. Bluetooth is good for a distance of like thirty feet, but the Bible tells us that we can't get away from God no matter where we go. He is always there with us. I know that the metaphor does not work out perfectly, but thats fine. After all, who would want to serve a God that could be reduced to a headset?

Our Heavenly Father has promised to never leave us or forsake us. You know, regardless of your situation in life, you are never out of God's range. He is always as close as a whisper. Call out to God today, I promise he's listening.

Britney Spears

OK, so this definitely goes down in history as the one blog title I never thought I would use. I seriously never thought I would write a blog about Britney Spears, but I just can't resist it. If you have watched news recently, then you have definitely heard that Britney bombed at the MTV Video Music Awards the other night. I did not see the show, but I did catch some highlights on foxnews.com, and she did miss some dance steps, but that's not what I'm writing about. I have great concern over the fact that commentators had as much to say about Britney's body as they did about her missteps.

What did they have to say about Britney’s body? Not some trashy lust-filled garbage, instead, commentators were talking about just how “out of shape” she looked on stage. Let’s be honest, she had no business wearing the clothes she was wearing, but it was not because she was fat, it was because she looked trashy. I guess most women who have had two children would love to have her body.

Our media has created a culture of “skinny” for young girls that is incredibly dangerous. Angela (my wife) and I were appalled that a woman in the physical condition of Britney Spears would be considered fat or “out of shape.” So, it is worth saying, Britney is not fat, Paris is WAYYYYY TOO SKINNY, and it is not healthy to be bony.

What does all of this mean for Christian women? Buck the system and be who you were created to be. Your body is not a sex symbol; it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Treat it that way. Find godly men who are interested in loving you because of your love for the Father. Stay in shape, but don’t buy into the mess the media is trying to sell you, Paris Hilton is not normal and neither are Victoria’s Secret models. If you don’t wear a size zero, you aren’t fat, you are normal, and that's not bad!

Oh yeah, and for you guys, let's help out a little here. Girls like fries and burgers too and they should get to enjoy them. We have a responsibility to turn the tide. Be bold and take a girl to eat ice cream instead of salad, sure there are more calories, but it is also twice as fun, and fun is gorgeous!

I could get into a lot of other stuff here, but let’s just leave it at this. If you looked at Britney and thought “gross, fat,” you have been brainwashed by the media. She is smaller than Marilyn Monroe and no one ever called her gross. If you are interested, I could scream about this, but I won’t. And for the record, when you get to have an adorable child (like Wyatt), he or she will appreciate you for being healthy rather than depriving yourself of the nutrition needed for you and for that child.

You Gotta Work Out!

I am really excited. I've found a home gym on E-Bay that I can afford and I should be able to get it to my house in the next couple of weeks. I am in desperate need of some serious strength training. Since Wyatt was born and we moved I've not had access to a gym so I've begun to shrink...and yes, even get a little flabby. I know I'm weak as water now, but gimme some time and I'll be back to my fighting shape.

As I was thinking about that this morning, I was reminded of just how necessary it is for us to be working out spiritually as well or we will become spiritually flabby. In strength training, it is necessary to increase weight to get stronger, similarly, it is necessary to push yourself spiritually to grow spiritually. Don't expect to grow in your faith because you say "God is Great, God is Good," before every meal. Get in there and sweat with your Bible and in your prayer life.

Three Essentials

Of course We could make an incredibly long list of the essentials for Christ followers, but I've chosen to reduce my list to three items that are of absolute necessity. Of course, a personal relationship with Christ is the beginning point and is the mark of a Christian, but from there, here are the three essentials; they also happen to be our three areas of focus here at Malvern Hill.

1. WORSHIP--Bob Dylan once wrote a song with these words: "You're gonna serve somebody...it might be the devil or it might be the Lord, but you're going to serve somebody." Bob Dylan is definitely not on my top ten list of theologians, but in this case his words ring true as starkly biblical. The Bible shows us that worship is not only something we should do, it is something we will do...worship is what we were created for. God is the only proper object of our worship. You will worship something, it might be your bank account or your work-out schedule if it isn't God, but if you claim to be a Christian, the number one essential of your faith is worship. That is why we are committed to creating excellent worship experiences at Malvern Hill, because God deserves our best and he desires our worship.

2. WORD-- Christians should be people of one book. I'm not advocating ignorance or illiteracy here, you can read things other than the Bible and I encourage you to do so, but Christians should be biblical people. The only way you can hope to be biblical is by understanding what the Bible says and the only way that will happen is by studying God's word. At Malvern Hill, we encourage everyone to be involved in study of the Word through Sunday School and other Word Study opportunities.

3. WORLD-- Christianity is meant to grow. When new churches start, we use the term "plant" because churches (all churches, not just "new church plants") are intended to grow. Jesus gave the great commission so that we would obey it. If we are not working to reach our world, we are not honoring God fully. Understand, that does not necessarily mean packing up and heading to the African Bush (it might, and if God calls you to that, then praise His name), but it does mean that we should all be intentional about sharing the love of Christ within our own world. The Bible tells us that it is God's will that all should be saved and he chooses to use us to carry the gospel message so that people can be saved. At Malvern Hill, we are serious about reaching our world and we will do more than give lip-service to this idea.

So, there you have it, my three essentials and the three basic building blocks for our church. I hope that this helps you as much as it helps me to keep my priorites properly ordered.

Choices Revisited

You might not always realize it, but much of your Christian life (your life in general) has more to do with the choices you make than anything else. Yesterday, we talkeda bout how choices and Spiritual Warfare go hand-in-hand, but choices also have much to do with your Christian maturity and many other facets of your life. Just as you make conscious decisions to engage in sin, which has a negative affect on your life, you also can make conscious decisions to seek God and to engage in Spiritual disciplines that will benefit your life and your relationship with God.

Of course, I'm not trying to remove the supernatural aspect from the Christian life, God is the author and perfector of our faith, but we have responsibility as well. Do you want a closer relationship with God, then pursue God through prayer and Bible study. Do you want to understand worship better, then engage in worship and tithe to your local church. Do you want to have a godly marriage, then work with all of your heart to be a godly husband or wife and trust God to work in your partner's life.

Life takes work. If you want great relationships, then work to be certain that you are an equal partner in all of your relationships. If you want great friends, then don't sit at home and wait for the phone to ring, become pro-active. If you want to know God better than you ever have, then get to work. No one ever said it would be easy, but if you will make the right choices and choose to pursue God, guess what, you will find him and you will find greater fulfillment than you ever thought possible. So, as I ended yesterday, I end today, Choose Life!

Are You Sure You Are Being Attacked?

I was talking with a friend yesterday about Spiritual Warfare. You know, that's one of those concepts that we kinda tiptoe around because we don't always know what to do with it. We know its real because the Bible speaks of it, but we also know that it is not what alot of people make it out to be...There's not a demon behind every bush.

As real as I know Spiritual Warfare to be, however, I am convinced that many things that get labeled as Spiritual Warfare are really not that at all. Let me give you some examples. If you choose to cheat on your wife and that ruins your marriage, you cannot say "the devil just ruined our marriage." The devil did not cheat on your wife, you did. If you do not do your job properly and you lay out of work for three days in a row, you do not have the privilege of saying "I'm just under attack," when you get fired. You are not under attack, you are reaping the rewards of your actions.


So, you see, a large part of any war doesn't involve guns and a large part of spiritual warfare does not even involve the Enemy. A large part of Spiritual warfare is simply choices...putting up a great defense (and defense, I might add, wins championships). So, make wise choices. Protect your marriage by being smart about where you spend your time. Do your job and you won't get fired. Choose to obey God's Word and you will find yourself in the middle of his will. Moses said it this way, Choose life or death.

I choose life.

You Can Be Invisible Too!!!

I heard someone say this morning, that when we get wrapped up inside our own little world, we assume that it is so big that no one on the outside could miss it...but instead we are almost invisible to the outside world. You see, something going on in your life can seem so huge that no one could miss it, but to the outside world, it's just another day. It's like having the greatest hair day of your life and getting zero compliments.

Well, the same can absolutely be true of our church and even our Christian lives. You see, we've convinced ourselves that because of the awesome things going on inside of our lives through the love of Christ, that people see us mowing our lawn and automatically assume that Christ has transformed our lives and our church rocks our world. WRONG!!! Folks, face reality, unless you are blunt honest and transparent with people, they rarely figure out whats going on in your life, good or bad.

We've got to find ways to tell the world how Christ changed us. We've got to be blunt honest about why people need to be in church. Watching you go through the doors on Sunday will not convince them to be there, but hearing you rave about it on Monday might spark an interest. So...mow your lawn to the glory of the Lord, but don't assume that cutting a cross into your grass will convince anyone to be in church or to follow Christ. But, if you put down that weed eater long enough to share with your neighbor how awesome things are at Malvern Hill (or wherever your respective chruch is) they might discover that they need the Lord too.

Talent is Never Enough

Talent is Never Enough is the name of John Maxwell's latest book. I started reading it last night (which, for those interested, is about the sixth book I am currently reading). Though I am just into the very beginning of the book, I was reminded of something that I probably need to be reminded of very often...Good enough is never good enough.

Maxwell presents a stark reminder that it doesn't matter how good you are at anything if you are unwilling to put in hard work. The same is definitely true of God's church, regardless of where it is that you are serving. We should never settle for mediocre churches because we do not serve a mediocre God.

What does all of that mean? It means that you better be working your tail off if you plan to be better than average. Your talents/skills/strategic location might give you the head start you need to be the best, but unless you are willing to work harder than the rest, you will simply be one more waste of talent.

Potential is what you aint done yet. So, let's get busy making potential a reality.

Should We Be Innovative?

Well, most of you who know me know my answer to this question, but I discovered this morning that Perry Noble has a better answer to this question than I could have provided. Instead of ripping off his ideas and plagiarizing his blog, I'm just gonna post a link to it. If you don't go and read Perry's article, at least read these Scriptures:

Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.-- Isaiah 42:9

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. --Isaiah 43:18-19

If God is willing to make rivers in the desert, shouldn't we be at least willing to do something new in our churches...after all, nothing we could do would be as dramatic as a river flowing through the Sahara.

Click Here for Perry Noble's blog

Big News

OK, so maybe its not all that big, but for anyone interested in subscribing to my blog, you can now have it emailed directly into your inbox when there is a new post. Subscribe using the box on the left (<-- It's over there). Just my attempt to make life a little easier for those of you interested.

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I Can't See...

It's raining outside right now and that reminded me of the drainage problems here in Camden. I've only lived here for a few months, of course, but the main road leading to the church is a nightmare when it rains. Water stands (well, it doesn't actually stand, it more or less runs like a river) so deep that when you run through it, it covers your windshield and you can't see. I personally like doing it, I guess its the little boy in me still trying to get out, but my wife reminds me that its dangerous--I guess she's right, but it is still fun.

Now, raise your hand if you've done anything like that in your Christian life lately...You know, stepped out on faith into a puddle where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I know, its scary, what if there's something there that you were not anticipating. But, it's also invigorating. It's like the thrill of a roller coaster, you aren't sure what comes next and while its happening you might not even be sure if you like it. That rock that sits in your stomach that makes you think about puking because you are so nervous can drive some people to never set foot on a roller coaster, but for everyone who has ridden a roller coaster, the nervousness is well worth the pay off. During the ride, you scream that you'll never do it again, but when its over...you will stand in line for an hour just to experience the thrill one more time.

It's like that with God and faith. You step out on faith to tell someone about Jesus and you think about puking and you really don't want to do it because it makes you so nervous. In fact, it makes you so nervous that you might not even do it...but if you do, and that person listens, or comes to church with you, or comes to know Christ as their Savior, then you will know that the puking was well worth it. Who knows, you might even stand in a roller coaster line one day and be more excited about the thrill of sharing Jesus with the guy behind you than the excitement of the ride!

Whats It All About?

I mean, seriously, have you asked yourself that question? What is church all about? What is Malvern Hill supposed to be about? Obviously, the glory of God, Jesus, and all of that stuff, but is that all? Is it about preaching and singing...yes! But surely, there must be more.

There is more! Church, THE church is all about changed lives. Its all about people who are far away from God being drawn closer to God. Thats it...it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it all out. We NEED to be about changing the world, one life at a time. So, who has been changed recently? Seriously, who have you reached, who has been impacted so dramatically by your testimony and your witness that they have come to know the Lord. Maybe you brought them to church and they heard the pastor or maybe ya'll prayed in a parking lot. It doesn't matter how it happens, it only matters that it happens.

IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS SAVING PEOPLE AND PEOPLE FALLING IN LOVE WITH JESUS!!!!

Encouragement...it's Godly

Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself." As great as it is for us to apply that to all the big things in life, like poverty and injustices, but what about the smaller thigns in life? You know, loving your neighbor as yourself means doing to your neighbor the things you would want your neighbor to do for you.

What in the world am I talking about? Hey, why not making loving our neighbor our mantra in all of the aspects of life? Give a pat on the back or a word of encouragement, thats a great way to love your neighbor and you will be shocked to discover how impactful that will be. Drop a card in the mail, give a call, do the squishy stuff of telling someone how much you appreciate them.

I know I talk alot about how we love people by being serious about church discipline, but there's more to love than that. Don't just talk about love, live it out in the small things of life. Take it old school and remember DC Talk...Love Is A Verb. So, what can you do? Be creative, bake a cake, visit a shut-in, send a note to your teacher or your favorite Sunday morning vocalist. Watch how love can take over the church when you live it out.

Be Honest...It IS Almost Unbelievable

Angela and I were talking the other night, and I was reminded of just how out there Christianity really is. We talk alot about how much "faith" it takes to believe in evolution, or how insane it seems to be to believe all that is claimed about mormon theology. Of course, for our western mindset, the beliefs of hindus and buddhists seem way out in left field, but just how plausible do the claims of Christianity seem to be against a scientific and rational backdrop.

Let's see...the Red Sea parts and then closes up over a whole army, the walls of Jericho fall because the Israelites march around them for seven days, a child is born of a virgin and that child becomes a man who we discover to be the Son, not of Joseph, but of God, who is eventually crucified and buried and rises from the grave three days later. Honestly, that stuff is just about unbelievable as well. Why then do we believe, and what is our basis?

Hebrews gives us the answer, For without faith it is impossible to please God. God is not pleased for us to have all of the answers, but rather in that we beleive without always having adequate explanations. So, I go out on a limb and say that what I beleive does not make good sense to the world in which I live, but I do not care. I did not make this up, as an old song says, it is this belief in my God that is making me more into his image everyday. So...step on out there, trust God even when it does not make sense to you. God has been doing things that seemed impossible ever since he SPOKE the world into creation.

PROBLEMS!

With hurricane season upon us, I am inclined to write about problems.

What is a problem? That question could be answered in many different ways, but at MHBC we strive to answer that question like this: A problem is an opportunity for God to work. Do we have problems, of course we have problems, but I'm glad for it. When we do not have the answers, we are forced to turn where we should have been looking all along, to God.

Right now, I'm most excited about the space problem that we have. We are not running out of space for our children, we are out of space for our children! But, what an exciting opportunity to watch God work as we strive to open up more space in our facilities. But for those of you wondering, what is our plan for the future?

Well, I anticipate many more problems in the future and I pray that we will soon have space issues driving us crazy. I hope that we continue to run out of space. But, having faith that God will bless us as we strive to offer him our best, we must work now to put systems in place to handle the blessing that God has in store for our church.

Back to the hurricane--of course, when a hurricane is predicted, people board up their windows and leave town. It's time for us to prepare for the storm of God's blessings, but we're not boarding up our windows and leaving town, we are preparing to handle the overflow of people that we expect to join us soon.

Mark Teixeira!

Because I am an avid Braves Fan, this is my contribution to the blogosphere today. Enjoy!!


LYRICS:
VERSE 1
Four and a half games back and I don't Te-care-a
You know why we got Mark Teixeira
Got a new Braves jersey that I'm gonna wear-a
And written on the back is Mark Teixeira
The Mets are scared cause their lead's gonna narr-a
They're lookin' over their shoulder at Mark Teixeira

Chorus:
We got Fred McGriff back in '93
Hampton's out cause of injury
Schuerholz smiles cause he is happy and Bobby says,
"Let's go Mark T."

The National League it just ain't fair-a
The Atlanta Braves got Mark Teixeira
Chipper and Andruw make a mighty nice pair-a
Let's make it a trio add Mark Teixeira
A side effect is mild hysteria
The medical reason is Mark Teixeira

Chorus

Bridge:
Scott Thorman stinks and Julio is old
What did Shuerholz do? Must've sold his Sooouuulll

Pitchers beware cause he's gonna scare ya
Throw him a strike now if you dare-a
He could probably steal on Yogi Berra(NOT Yogi Bear-a)
Biggest thing in Georgia since Scarlet O'Hara
If I were a woman I'd probably Marry ya.

And that's not Gay cause its Mark Teixeira (more)

Ya Gotta Believe...

I think it is probably human nature to doubt and question. We doubt ourselves, we doubt others, we even doubt God. Some doubt that God exists, others doubt that he is all he claims to be in the Bible. Of course, Christians deny this doubt, but I believe the doubt often continues to exist. We say we believe, but we believe in a limited way...believe as much as is comfortable to believe. But, that's not God's way.

The book of Mark gives us a great example of a man who doubted the ability of Jesus to heal his child. The man looked at Jesus and said if you can do anything... I love Jesus' response, If you can! All things are possible for one who believes. Tom Hanks is famous for saying "There's no crying in baseball," but we need to remember that there is no "if you can" in God. God is capable of all things, and the minute we say "if you can," we reveal our own doubts of God's ability.

God is capable of healing, of blessing, and of growing a church. God is capable of saving the souls of thousands, if we will just believe and live like we believe it. I heard a pastor the other day say that we should not be surprised if the number of baptisms continue to drop..."eschatologically speaking, it is just a sign of the times. A drop in baptisms shows us that the end time is near." PLEASE!!!

I wish this guy would act more like the dad Mark's account. When his unbelief was uncovered, he did not try to cover it with theological jargon or make big excuses, he was just honest. I believe, help my unbelif, he said. In other words, Jesus, I believe in you, I have faith in you, help me to beleive even more. Christians, you already believe in Jesus, that's why you are a Christian, now pray that he would help your unbelief when you are tempted to believe that the world is right and the church can't grow. Pray that he would help you to believe even when others in your own church tempt you to doubt, pray that God would help your unbelief and change the world!

True To The Word

I'm always searching for things about which to write on my blog. Today, I want to take just a minute to emphasize the importance of being true to the Word of God. As we strive to honor God and to reach others, we must be certain that God's Word, the Bible, is the centerpiece for our efforts. It is never enough to look into a text of Scripture to determine "what is it saying to me?" The most important aspect of Scripture is not "What is it saying to me," but rather, "what is this saying to everyone? "

The Bible is objective truth, not subjective truth. The very minute we reduce the truths of the Bible to what they mean to individuals rather than what they mean universally, we undermine the overarching authority of the Bible. Let's all work to be sure that we are true to Scripture, not merely our version of Scripture.

Don't Lose Focus

I heard someone say something yesterday that is worth posting here. He said, "Churches that are really focused on missions and evangelism avoid many problems that churches not focused on those activities face." Imagine that, when we focus on God's directives and when we have clear purpose, people tend to line up behind that purpose and get busy about changing their world rather than pursuing their own purpose and staying busy trying to change God's church to suit their own whims.

It's a challenge for all Christians, but I say especially for pastors. We have to keep our focus, no matter what else may happen. Just because the world may seem to be falling down around us does not mean that we abandon our vision and lose our focus. Our God is the only answer to this dying world, so when it seems to be falling down around us, we have the answer if we will simply remain focused.

Don't get so busy putting out fires that you forget to sow the seed and fertilize the soil.

Props

I try to give credit where credit is due, and I think that Steven Furtick at Elevation in Charlotte hit the nail on the head with a few things in this post. Check it out for the things they are doing to grow a church...and by the way, they are growing HUGE!!

One thing that might strike a chord for some of my readers, and maybe some of his, is the number five thing on his top five list of things they are doing right. "It's all about the numbers." I gotta admit, I get pretty tired of hearing "Well, i'm not really worried about numbers, just about spiritual growth." I wonder if we are going to get to heaven one day and hear God say, "Well, Craig, nobody got saved, but everybody stayed while you were at Malvern Hill...Good Job." I don't think so, it's all about the numbers! It's all about the number of people we take with us to meet the Lord, and so, by extension, it is all about the number of people we bring into our church.

The "it's not about the numbers," game is a cop-out. Pastors don't like to say it is about the numbers because then there is a definitive way to hold them accountable for their goals. Well, I guess if I say its about the numbers and we don't grow, I'll fail. I believe we all fail if we don't take folks with us to meet the Lord. Let's be successful.

Bring 'em in!!!!

Evidence Continues to Support the Bible

So, everyone who knows me knows that I am not a world-reknown scientist. I did consider majoring in biology in college, but after responding to God's call to ministry I went with Christian Ed. instead. And, as a Christian, I admit a certain level of bias. However, recently published scientific findins relating to so-called pre-historic man will certainly upset the theory of evolution in our society today.

AP reports that according to the old theory of evolution Homo habilis evolved into Homo erectus, which according to the old theory of evolution was supposed to be direct links from knuckle dragging apes to brief case toting men as depicted in illustrations in science books for years. However, the new evidence proves that Homo habilis did not evolve into Homo erectus because the two different species existed simultaneously. Fossils of each species dating from the same period have been found in close proximity to one another in Africa. Specifically, the report says:

those two earlier species lived side-by-side about 1.5 million years ago in parts of Kenya for at least half a million years, Leakey and colleagues report in a paper published in Thursday's journal Nature.

What does this mean? In the words of the researchers, It's the equivalent of finding that your grandmother and great-grandmother were sisters rather than mother-daughter, said study co-author Fred Spoor, a professor of evolutionary anatomy at the University College in London.

And so, what for the old classic theory of evolution? Of course the religion of evolution is not willing to abandon their belief systems just yet. A religion!? you may ask, isn't evolution science? In his book Darwin on Trial, Phillip E. Johnson quotes Stephen Jay Gould's quotations of Teilhard's "inspiring vision" this way:

Is evolution a theory, a system, or a hypothesis? it is much more--it is a general postulate to which all theories, all hypotheses, all systems must henceforth blow and which they must satisfy in order to be thinkable and true. Evolution is a light which illuminates all facts, a trajectory which all lines of thought must follow--this is what evolution is.

So, based on that definition, I assert whole-heartedly that for man, evolution is not merely a scientific theory, but is the "god" to which the universe must bow. Of course, if my God were proven futile, I might look elsewhere for the true God, but fear not, the church of evoltionary science is different. As the AP report cites, Overall what it paints for human evolution is a "chaotic kind of looking evolutionary tree rather than this heroic march that you see with the cartoons of an early ancestor evolving into some intermediate and eventually unto us.

All the changes to human evolutionary thought should not be considered a weakness in the theory of evolution, Kimbel said. Rather, those are the predictable results of getting more evidence, asking smarter questions and forming better theories, he said.

But, hey, don't take my word for it...read it for yourself here and form your own opinion.

Which Part?

You know, it seems like there are so many people who do nothing but complain about their church (thankfully thats not the case at Malvern Hill for the most part). But for those of you who might want to complain, I've got a word for you.

You are either part of the solution or part of the problem. And, chances are, if you are complaining, you are part of the problem. If the church has too much gossip and you are talking about it...then guess what, you are part of the gossip. But, if there is too much gossip and you refuse to listen to the gossip, then you have just done your part to begin the process of fixing that problem in the church. Of course there are probably a million examples I could share, but I wont.

I know that nothing in this short post is world-shattering knowledge, I just want you to think about it. Which part of the church are you, the problem part or the solution part?

The Heart

What drives a great church? I've often thought about that. Some say prayer, others preaching, and the list could go on and on. However, I believe there is more to the equation. Most churches pray, some better than others. The Brookly Tabernacle is known for its extended prayer meetings. So, is it the preaching? Well, just as prayer is an integral part of any great church, good preachign is a necessity. However, I think that the answer may be a little more simple than even those things.

A great church is made up of great people. God has chosen in his infininte wisdom to use people to accomplish his purposes. He uses the prayers of his people to bring about his intended ends. He uses the sermons of his people to bring about changed lives. And he uses the services of his people to grow the kingdom of God and make his church great.

So, do you want to have and be a part of a great church? The answer is simple, work hard to be a great church member and encourage those around you to do the same. A great church is made up of great people of God. Never succomb to the belief that a great church makes great people...no no, great people in love with God make a great church that glorifies his name!

Firemen

OK, time to be a dork. In 1951 Ray Bradbury wrote "Farenheit 451." It is a science fiction book about the future that focuses primarily on firemen. However, the firement it portrays are very different from the firemen that we have grown to respect an appreciate. In his novel, the firemen do not put out fire, they spew fuel onto fires to burn houses that contain books.

I'm not going to outline or critique the book. You can go read it if you'd like, its a quick read. What I do want to do here today is to talk about the church. Unfortunately, in most churches, we have plenty of firemen who work to stoke the flame rather than put it out. You know how it goes, we do it under the guise of "informing" or requesting that an issue be put on the prayer list. For the record, "Johnny and Susie need prayer b/c they couldn't pay their bills and had their cable cut off yesterday," is usually gossip and not a prayer request.

Don't indulge in the fires in your church, work to be an extinguisher. The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of unity, so rest assured, as you work to quelch gossip and extinguish harmful fires in your church, God will be pleased.

It's Contagious

I was at a wedding on Saturday night when an old friend came to tell me goodbye. "I think I may have the flu," he said, "I'm need to get to bed." Rather than embracing him, I stepped away. As glad as I was to see him, there was no way that I wanted what he had, and we all know how contagious the flu can be.

But, did you know that attitudes are contagious as well? Think about it, when you get around a group of people who are really excited about what God is doing in the church, it is easy to get swept away in the excitment. As a matter of fact, when I get around those people, I sometimes find that I need to tame my excitment before it gets out of control...I'll have us going to Timbuktu on a mission trip next month, for instance, if I'm not careful.

However, the wrong kind of attitude is contagious as well. The old saying goes, "one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel." Well, I don't know much about apples and barrels, but I am learning more and more about people every day, and one bad attitude can definitely spoil a whole group of people. You see, bad attitudes are probably more contagious than good ones, and if we aren't careful we find ourselves wallowing in the feeling of accomplishment we receive by spreading a bad attitude.

An old Aerosmith song said, "sometimes it kinda gets like feelin bad looks good." Well, if we aren't careful we will find that doing the bad thing in the church begins to feel really good. Gossiping, backbiting, and generally doing everything you can to spread a negative attitude causes division and hampers the growth of the church, not to mention it is not Godly.


The Bible tells us that the Spirit of Christ is the spirit of unity. Let us seek to be contagious Christians who spread positive attitudes faster than flu patients spread germs. Glorify God in your speech, and all of your conduct, it will be amazing how much you will be blessed.

The Brand

In an on-going (all-be-it new) attempt to brand our church, you now have the opportunity to visit here. Please enjoy!

www.cafepress.com/malvernhill

God, More Than The Nice Guy in the Sky

This is not my forum for preaching. Most of that comes on Sunday mornings, but it is a wonderful forum for teaching. In my reading this morning, I could not help but be moved by a passage in Zechariah 10:3. God says, "My anger is hot against the shepherds." Here, God is speaking of his anger toward the leaders of Israel because they had not led as God desired. However, God's anger is not limited to the leaders of Israel.

God, because he is God, is holy and righteous and detests anything that is not holy and righteous. For that reason, it is absolutely proper and appropriate for us to speak of God's anger--even hatred--toward sin and sinners. Scripture itself testifies to God's wrath and to the eternal punishment that all who do not call on the name of the Lord will experience. Our society is bent against punishment and responsibility for wrong actions, but society's bent does not change God's eternal decree.

We live in a world that likes to refer often to God's love, and we should always refer to God as a God of love, for he is love according to 1 John. But, Jesus is more than our "homeboy" as hats and t-shirts claim today. God is more than a nice guy in the sky or a genie in a bottle. God is holy and righteous. The gospel is good news only because it is the means by which men, women, boys, and girls can be saved from God's wrath.

Though we like to be loved and to know a God of love, we as the church must never lose sight of the God of wrath. Without a just and wrathful God, there is no need for salvation. When we refuse to teach and focus on the wrath of God, we refuse to teach the gospel as it is taught in the Scriptures. We speak of hell and God's wrath, not because we are fire-breathing dragons, but because we love God and people. We love God enough to speak of him as he truly is and we love people enough to warn them of God's justified punishment for their sin. God is more than a nice guy, and we should all be glad. A God who is nice and nothing else could never be holy and a God who is not holy is no God at all.

Who Would Have Guessed?

It never fails. If I haven't found enough application for a sermon in my life in the week leading up to the preacching of it, I always find plenty of application later. Last night, I talked alot about fighting for joy and to maintain the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. I believe I even talked about the necessity of fighting for joy when you did not even feel like getting out of bed. Lo and Behold (to use some of my parents terminlogy), this morning getting out of bed was nearly torture. I just could hardly pry my body from under the sheets.

So, for those of you who may think that fighting the fight is only difficult for people who aren't pastors, let me just tell you from my personal experience today that living a sermon is sometimes more difficult than preaching it. I am a fellow sojourner with you on this journey of faith, and I struggle with you in the constant battle to bear the fruit of the Spirit abundantly. May God bless and help each of us as we labor together to see his glory displayed in our lives daily.

Awesome

I've just got to brag a little on our church. Yesterday we had amazing services. Even though we were without half of our regular praise team, we had plenty of people to step in and fill the gaps. It is a blessing to know that there are so many people ready and willing to serve the Lord in our church.

Of course, it was also exciting to have our World Changers group back with us last night. It was awesome to hear of all the work that our group was able to do last week and of all the work that God did through them.

I'm already enjoying my vacation, but it was great to have such a wonderful send-off yesterday. Malvern Hill, you guys are all amazing! Thanks.

Don't Stop Praying!!!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 commands us, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing." So, I say to you, keep on praying. Never stop praying for your church. Never stop praying for your pastor. Never stop praying for your family. Never stop praying for fellow Christians, here and around the world. Never stop praying for God to continue to help you grow in your own life.

To pray without ceasing does not necessarily mean that you are praying 24/7, it means that your default mindset is one of prayer. When nothing else is going on, you are talking to God. It means that you regularly and consistently pray and that you never give up.

Fleetwood Mac sang, "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow." Well, they were right. We must never stop thinking about tomorrow, but more importantly, let's pray for tomorrow, and today. Only great things can come from prayer, so keep up the good work. Please, DON'T STOP PRAYING!

Thanks!

Well, I don't usually even open forwards, but since this one came from my mother-in-law, I gave her the benefit of the doubt on this one. I think it's worth reading so I pasted it here for today.

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners .
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with .

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care. The people who make the largest difference in our churches aren't the big names either. Rick Warren has done wonderful things at his church, but I can't find him anywhere in Camden. I can, however, find greeters who meet 3 and 4 year olds at the door on their way to Sunday school. I can find members who visit nursing homes and hospitals. I see praise team members who stay late and come early to practice and prepare for worship. The list could go on and on, but the point is still the same. YOU make the difference in our church as you work and volunteer to accomplish God's purposes through our church. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO!

Late...again

Well, I'm late to the office. Here it is, 8:33 on Tuesday morning and believe it or not, my blog is the first thing I'm attending to this morning. Why am I late? Well, the truth is that I just couldn't let Wyatt go. I love that kid, he is absolutely amazing. I wish I could bring him into the office with me and just hang out with him while I work. Of course, the largest problem with that is that I would get nothing done; I would just hold him and stare at him (It's amazing how you can stare at your child for hours on end).

However, all of this talk brings me to an important point in the life of our church and in the life of individual Christians. I have to admit to you that this morning I am a bit off schedule. As a matter of fact, that seems to happen to me a lot lately since Angela and I have been in transition, but I have to move beyond that. You see, just as I wrote about last week in Samurai Christians, discipline is one of the key ingredients in the Christian life.

Somehow, we as Americans have dummed down the Christian life to be nothing more than showing up on Sunday mornings. We have even dummed down the church on many occasions, reducing it to a series of meetings throughout the week with no real commitment outside of those scheduled services (Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, and various meetings of course). Instead of reducing the church to a series of meetings, what if we began to see church involvement as our life...the way that we related to Christ and others, not the country club to which we are a part.

The Normal Christian Life, as Chinese author, Watchman Nee wrote about many years ago, is not the lackadaisical life of many Christians today who warm the pews of our church. The normal Christian life is one of self-sacrifice for the kingdom of God. So, what in the world am I talking about in all of my "jibba jabba" (as Mr. T used to say) this morning? How much time have you spent alone in the Word of God in the past week, or on your knees in prayer? I'm sure that many of you have spent time in your church this week, but how much time have you spent trying to bring others through the doors with you? Have you shared your faith in the last month, year...ever? Where's the discipline and the commitment?

We must tread lightly lest we begin to equate church membership and attendance with commitment. You see, the committed church members aren't just the one's who show up, they are the ones who SHOW OUT for the KOG (Kingdom of God). But remember, showing out will only be possible when you have been disciplined in the little things...look here at what Jesus had to say. Do the small things first, and then watch how they affect the big things in your life. I've got to stop looking at Wyatt some of the time and get busy about the Father's business. What do you need to do...or stop doing?

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What Are Friends For?

You know, I've been pondering all day what to blog about, and then it came to me. I just got off the phone with a friend and I was reminded how much trust we invest in those people closest to us. The book of Proverbs 27:6 says "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." Thats the epitome of trust right there. Good godly friends are so trustworthy that even when they hurt you, it can be a good thing. We need more friends like that.

The Bible talks about friends all the time. David and Jonathan were the closest of friends; (and no, they weren't gay no matter what your college professor might have told you) their relationship serves as an example of what true friendship should be. Jonathan even opposed his father, the king, to protect David when David had done no wrong. Even more amazing, David had such faith in his friend that he was willing to trust Jonathan's commitment even when he opposed his father.

We all need a few friends like that. You know, the kind who will get up out of bed to meet you somewhere in the middle of the night when you need them. But even more important than meeting you in the middle of the night when you need them, they will confront you in the middle of the day when you don't even realize that you need them. You know, that guy who will call you out to your face when its necessary, even when they know it will make you mad. How many people do you love enough to hurt their feelings if it is in their best interest? Better yet, how many people love you enough to hurt your feelings when it needs to happen?

If you can't name friends that close, you need to work to be a better friend and to become a better friend. Cultivate friendship, it's not politics, its love and it is godly. How awesome would God's church be if we were more than brothers and sisters in Christ, but were truly friends to the end?

Samurai Christians

So, it’s time for an off the wall entry. Last night I spent (wasted?) a couple of hours watching The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise. Obviously, recent history has turned me off to Tom Cruise, but I really got caught up in this movie. Well, regardless of all that mess, let me just let you know that these Samurai warriors in the movie were incredibly disciplined. They were people of one thing…discipline. Incidentally, the Samurai comes from a word that originally meant "to serve." The Samurai warrior was disciplined to serve their rulers. Their discipline enabled them to become all that they wanted to be, and all they wanted to be was available to their lord, the emperor.

Strange as it may seem, as I watched the movie, I was struck with the overwhelming sense of conviction that my life is not one of incredible discipline. The apostle Paul says, “So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” The Christian life must be one of discipline. If you are like me, you still have a long way to go.

But, I’ll issue a challenge for you as I have issued for myself. We must pursue discipline. You can be a Christian Samurai (if you like that analogy), but it will not happen without work. A Christian is called to service of his or her Lord above all else as well, but our Lord is intrinsically greater than any earthly ruler. Discipline brings about freedom; especially freedom in Christ when we live in obedience to his authority, allowing his rule to rightly restrain us. Essentially, when we submit wholly to Christ, we experience all that Christ has to offer.

July Sermon Series

No Time better than July to take a deep dip in God's love and mercy. Come join us this week and throughout the month of July for our latest sermon series at Malvern Hill. In Flood, I will help you to explore God's desire to overwhelm you with his love in a flood of his grace. He desires more for you than the parched heart that we tend to settle for, come get washed away with us this week!

Big Word of the Day

I just learned a new word…a big theological term. The word is Aseity, and essentially it means that God does not need us. God created us, not because he needed us, but because he wanted to create us to display his glory. But you know, that aspect of God goes even further than God’s act of creation.
God does not need us even today. God, if he so chose, could bring about the salvation of the world miraculous acts that involve no one but himself. However, God loves us so much that he chooses to use us as his agents for bringing salvation to the world. We are God’s messengers of hope. WOW, for those of you who continue to believe that Christianity is some sort of stiff and stodgy religion, consider the relationship that we share with the Creator of the universe. God desires to redeem the world, and he uses his relationship with us, the redeemed, to carry hope to the world.
I know my readership is small, but I do hope that as you read today, or whenever, that you will be blown away by the opportunities that God graciously gives to his people. For goodness sakes, I sometimes don’t even trust other people to take care of my dog, and God trusts us to deliver his plan to the world. Don’t tell me that Jesus isn’t the most extreme leader the world has ever seen; he has enabled us to carry his message across the globe. He did not and does not need us, but God chooses to use us.

Somebody scream…this is awesome!

How Do We Get There?

I am still so very excited to be a part of everything that is going on at Malvern Hill, but I’m not satisfied with where we are. I have to admit that I am a blog junky. I read blogs for fun and for information. Many of the blogs I read are of other pastors and even church planters. Reading these blogs, I have to admit that I get a little jealous sometimes at the number of people some people are reaching.

I just read about a church that had more than forty people give their lives to Christ this past Sunday. WOW! That assures me that it is possible. God is still working in our day and he desires, just as he always has, to draw sinners unto himself. God is an awesome God, let’s get as many people to him as possible.

How do we get there? We get excited, stay excited, and keep working for our church, sharing the great news of Christ and sharing the story of the exciting things going on at our church. I’m convinced that our greatest responsibility as a church is living out the Great Commission—that means winning people to Jesus, not anything else. Regardless of where we’ve been, where we need to be is winning people to the Lord. So, how do we get there? Open your mouth, practice what you preach, take Jesus to the world and bring the world to Malvern Hill, and then hang on for God’s blessing, it is going to blow you away!

How To Get There

Jerry Clower, one of my favorite comedians of all time, once did a bit entitled, "Where Will You Be, When You Get Where You Are Going?" I think that is a great question for the church to ask itself, but since I know that many churches and church members will not ask themselves that question, please allow me the honor. Church, where will you be when you get where you're going?

If we are not careful, the church will get wherever it is going in its goals and discover that it has gotten nowhere. What a disappointment it would be as a church to look in the mirror 1,2,5,or 10 years down the road and realize that we've been doing nothing but spinning our tires. Its important to realize that the church is going exactly where the money and programs of the church take it. A careful look at the direction of the church will show the destination of the church. Step back, take a look, where is your church headed...where is our church headed?

Just remember, you are either growing or dying. There is no in between stage for the church. Some write about the "plateau" stage of growth, but remember that the other side of a plateau is a steep cliff...whew, scary!

What Got You Here Won't Take You There

I'm stealing the title for this blog from another guy who pastors a huge church in Charlotte, Steven Furtick at Elevation Church (www.elevationchurch.org). They are reaching people left and right, its pretty amazing to see all that God has done and is continuing to do in that church in less than two years now (if my math is right).

God is blessing their church and I pray for them regularly, but for now, I just have to give credit where credit is due as it concerns his blog post. He absolutely hit the nail on the head with this one. I read recently that a tree grows and changes as long as it lives, and the same is true for a church. If we are to grow, we must change. Change is inevitable...change is life.

I know that as the new guy on the block here, the young pastor fresh out of the blocks, I might not need to push too hard yet, but I can't help but get excited about what God could do through us if we allow him. But that means that we have to be willing to change, we can't just continue to do everything the same way we have always done things.

Just take me for instance, I'm fresh out of a seven year stint in Youth Ministry. If I tried to do everything as a pastor the way I did as a youth minister, I'm probably going to struggle to be completely relevant to everyone. Even more, if I try to do everything in my pastorate the same way that people pastored 25 years ago, I will absolutely lose my relevance for the current generation. The same is true of our church.

If we are to grow as a church, we absolutely must make a decision about what is most important. Is it most important to keep up with the status quo, or is it most important to reach the world for Jesus Christ. Or, if you would rather, is doing church the same way we did church 20 years ago or even 2 years ago as important as reaching the kid you sit beside in class or the man you share an office with for Christ? I'm hoping that everyone is getting the point here.

Malvern Hill is 75 years old, but one thing is absolutely certain. The things that got us here as a church are not the same things that will get us to the next level. We must continue to bend and flex and do all that we can to apply the Word of God to the church and to the lives of everyone we encounter. Paul was willing to become all things for all people so that he might save some of them...for him that meant going back on his Jewish roots and upbringing. Paul even started worshipping on Sundays instead of Saturdays (woah, this was huge). Are we as willing as Paul to do whatever it takes to reach the world with the gospel?

Stem Cell Research

I know that I have written about Stem cell research here before and I don't want to jump on that train too much again. I don't want to use this as my bully pulpit for politics either, but I would like to direct your attention to a story on www.foxnews.com, Bush Set To Veto Stem Cell Research Bill. The title isn't completely accurate for the president is not opposed to stem cell research, only embryonic stem cell research.

This should be a hot issue for all Christians. Adult stem cells and stem cells taken from amniotic fluid show great promise for future cures for disease (see my post Hopes Falsely Tied to Embryonic Stem Cell Research). Whether you completely agree with our president or not, he needs to be supported in this issue. He is standing firm in his rightly held convictions though they are not popular. I thank our president for standing firm on this issue of serious concern in our world.

Who Rejects JFK?

In his book, The 360 Degree Leader, John Maxwell writes:

Author Bennet Cerf wrote that J. William Stanton, who served many years as a representative from Ohio in the United States Congress, treasured a letter he received from the Chamber of Commerce in Painesville, Ohio, dated 1949. The letter declined Stanton's offer to bring a new congressman as the featured speaker for a fund-raising dinner. The missive reades: "We feel that this year we really need a big-name speaker who'll be a drawing card so we're hoping to bag the head football coach at John Carroll University. Thanks anyhow for suggesting Representative John F. Kennedy." Do you have any idea who that coach might have been? I certainly dont.

And the moral of the story? Potential is what you "ain't done yet." No one knew who John F. Kennedy was because he had not yet become one of the most influential presidents in American History. Obviously if Kennedy knew about this rejection, he did not let it stop him from pursuing his dreams and living up to his potential. In due time, however, John F. Kennedy's potential would be realized.

Now, you probably aren't the next JFK, but who knows, you might be. The important thing for us as Christians, however, is to be certain that we live up to our potential individually and corporately as a church. As I said, for those of you MHBC members out there, this Sunday I'm going to lay out my vision for our church. God has great plans for us, he has given us great big goals and great big jobs to do. We have tons of potential, but right now, thats all it is..."what we ain't done yet." Wouldn't it be great for us to look back on this moment, to look back one day on This Sunday's sermon and say, "we are doing it!"

Hey, don't let rejection hold you down or the past negatively affect the future of your personal life, your business life, or the life of your church. The past is over and the future is yet to be embraced; let's make it happen!

Vision!!

Where there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint...

-Proverbs 29:18a

Though I love the ESV translation of the Bible, some other renderings of this verse are interesting. One translation renders this verse this way, where there is no vision, the people perish. Regardless of how it is translated, one thing stands out about this passage. Without vision, God's people are in a desperate state of affairs.

Based on that logic, we can also say that with vision, there is hope for the people of God. God's vision for the 21st Century is not a hidden vision. God has laid out his vision for his church in the Bible, we need to own it and narrow it down for our particular situations. Though prophecy has ceased, God still speaks through his word and his preachers.

This Sunday, I plan to lay out my vision for Malvern Hill Baptist Church. The vision is nothing new, but it is exciting! God needs not do a new thing, we as God's people need only get on board with God's plan. It will be exciting to see the new things that we will do when we invest in the age old plan that God has developed for his church.

Keep reading this week for more hints about Sundays service!!!

Excellence Does Matter

I am still very excited about Sunday morning's service. My excitement for Malvern Hill seems to grow every day. I am confident that God is going to do a great work through us as we endeavor to lead, learn, worship, and live all aspects of our lives with excellence. God is looking for more than our leftovers, let's all be sure that we give Him our very best. After all, he deserves it, desires it, and demands it!

On another note, I still think its a good thing that I "don't look like a pastor." I am so excited that God is using me to minister to everyone here, even if I don't look the part. Who knows, maybe thats just what Malvern Hill needs, a pastor who doesn't look like a pastor. Invite your friends, maybe thats just the kind of church they have been looking for and never knew existed.

United Methodists Approve Transgendered Pastor

A recent article in Baptist Press carries disturbing news about the approval of a transgendered pastor in the St. John's United Methodist Church in Baltimore Maryland. The article, which can be seen here describes how the pastor underwent an operation a year ago to have her sex changed from female to male. She also legally changed her name from Ann Gordin to Drew Phoenix. On May 25th she was reassigned as pastor of St. John's Church.

Disturbingly, Phoenix, who is supposed to be a beacon of truth based on the Word of God, distorts the sovereignty and foreknowledge of God by saying, "The gender I was assigned at birth has never matched my own true authentic God-given gender identity, how I know myself," Phoenix, 48, said, according to The Baltimore Sun. "Fortunately today God's gift of medical science is enabling me to bring my physical body in alignment with my true gender."

It is worth repeating that the good news of Jesus Christ is the news of transformation, but not gender transformation. Romans 12:2 commands us, "do not conform any longer to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." The transformation is one of conforming to God's standards, not the world's standards. God is responsible for creation, and the Psalmist makes it very clear that God knew us as He knit us together in the womb. Our God is a God who does not make mistakes, the claim by pop-psychology and liberal theology is that gender is not biological, but that is not the true claim of the Scripture.

Erin Roach, the BP reporter covering this story summarizes the event well. Leaders in the United Methodist Church apparently have no problem with a transgender pastor leading one of their congregations, and in fact, they applauded the pastor's bravery in charting new territory within the denomination. Unfortunatly, Ms. Roach did not go quite far enough, for the heart-breaking issue is that in applauding this sinful action, UMC leaders have spat upon the Word of God.

Mark Tooley, director of a conservative UMC action group has spoken out against this action. "Once again, liberal church elites, presiding over dwindling churches, are making decisions without regard for historic Christian teaching or a wider consensus among the church's membership," Tooley said in a news release May 25. "Rev. Phoenix merits compassion for a lifelong struggle over gender identity issues, as related at the conference. But the church helps no one when it fails to faithfully transmit the Gospel of hope and transformation."

May it be that this situation causes us all to fall to our knees and pray for revival across our land.

Avoiding "Nature-Deficit Disorder" -- It's About Theology, Not Therapy

The post below is copied directly from www.albertmohler.com for your reading enjoyment.

Welcome to summer 2007 and the latest diagnosis of a problem among the younger set -- "nature-deficit disorder." A generation of children is growing up without much contact with nature, or the outdoor world in general.
Leave it to Americans to explain this problem in therapeutic terms. The invention of "nature-deficit disorder" implies that the issue is basically one of psychology and therapy. But, in this case, the problem is kids who have little contact with the outdoor world. The therapeutic intervention is fairly simple -- turn off the Nintendo, the television, and the computer and send the kids outdoors.
Two years ago, Richard Louv addressed this problem in his book, Last Child in the Woods [see my review here]. "Our society is teaching young people to avoid direct experience in nature," Louv explained "That lesson is delivered in schools, families, even organizations devoted to the outdoors, and codified into the legal and regulatory structures of many of our communities."
More to the point, many parents allow their kids to stay indoors all day, with what precious free time many kids enjoy devoted to digital entertainment and electronic appliances. A generation of boys now knows more about video games than the local woods. Both girls and boys seem perplexed when confronted with nature and many know the outdoors only through participation in athletic or sporting activities on courts or playing fields. They never wander in the woods or sit by a creek watching tadpoles. What they know of nature they get from the Discovery Channel.
Today, a report in The Guardian [London] indicates that British children are experiencing the same alientation from nature. Stephen Moss writes:
Nowadays, not only has children's time become more pressured, but they are also expected to use it constructively: every pastime must have a purpose. But if everything in a child's life is organised, interactive and based on supervised "experiences", then there isn't much room left for spontaneous, unmediated activities such as fishing for tiddlers, building a den or simply mooching around aimlessly on the nearest bit of waste ground.
As Moss explains, "We have therefore severely restricted our children's access to the natural world, with serious consequences for their health and wellbeing."
There is a great loss here, and not just to a child's sense of wellbeing or knowledge of nature. Christians celebrate the fact that God created the cosmos as a display of His glory. A child who experiences the sense of wonder in the face of creation is learning, not only about nature, but about the glory of God.
Put simply, the child is not going to have that experience while sitting in front of a digital screen. No video game can replace the wonder of a mountain sunset, a cascading river, or a spider's web covered with morning dew. As the Psalmist declared, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork" [Psalm 19:1].
In the closing chapters of the Book of Job, God speaks to Job about His Lordship over all the earth. The Creator exults in goats, donkeys, wild oxen, ostriches, and hawks. The Creator expresses His good pleasure in the fact that the "majestic snorting" of the horse is terrifying and in the eagle's ability to set its nest so far above the ground.
Children (and adults) who have no contact with the outdoor world are robbed of devotional knowledge, not just of natural interests.
The secular world increasingly sees "nature-deficit disorder" as a therapeutic problem. Christians should see it as a theological problem. Don't let the summer pass without spending some serious time in the natural world -- and teach your kids to see the supernatural meaning of nature all around them.
_________________
After warning against letting kids sit for hours in front of the television screen, let me suggest a couple of resources that are more than worthy of your time with the kids. Both of these series will captivate both children and adults, and the impression they leave is amazing. Christian parents can use both of these series to start great conversations with their children and to reach a deeper understanding of the glory of God in creation.
Blue Planet is an incredible BBC series that takes viewers into amazing underwater worlds most human beings will never see. Planet Earth, also a project of the BBC, does the same for the entire planet. Together, these two series redefine nature documentaries. Both offer great opportunties for parents to teach and explain the significance of creation to their children.

Sad Day For Public Education

World Net Daily, along with other outlets, is reporting on a forum held in a Boulder, Colorado high school that directed teenagers to 'Have sex, do drugs,' speaker tells students'Men with men, women and women, whatever combination you would like.' Nowhere in this secular presentation was abstinence even suggested. As a matter of fact, it seems as though even so called "safe sex" through the use of condoms was laughed at by the presenters at this high school.

There is really no need for me to say much about this, for anyone who knows my I believe that my opinion is already understood, but I do encourage all of you to read the article linked to above. It is pitiful.

Romans 1 says that God will give blatent sinners over to their sinful desires, I wonder if America is experiencing the wrath of God today.

Christianity...A Religion of Extremes

In his book, Orthodoxy (written around the turn of the Twentieth Century), G.K. Chesterton makes some claims about Christianity that are worth repeating today. In a church culture that seeks often to soften the edges of Christianity to make it more viable to an increasingly unchurched culture, Chesterton's views seem radical, but maybe it is this perspective that could resound as a fresh sound to secular America.

Rather than try to explain away the paradoxes that exist in Christianity, why not embrace them radically and excitedly. Christ and his religion is not one for the weak at heart, for it was Christ who introduced a new morality. Christianity has divided the criminal from the crime. "The Crimiinal we must forgive unto seventy time seven. The crime we must not forgive at all." It is this paradox in Christianity that makes it possible for Christians to speak truthfully about loving a sinner and at the same time hating the sin of which that person is a part.

So, though you are a sinner, I will love you and forgive you as often as you sin, but I will never erase the wrongness of your sin. In other words, I will love you excessively and hate your sin with a passion, and I will do it all in the glorious name of Christ so that you might experience His love and grace.

So, to those of you who may read this with utter disdain for Christianity, or to those who may know someone in that place in life I say this: "Let us love you for who you are even as we hate the sin that has made you to hate us." Give Christ a chance, He will love you more than you have ever been loved before and will fight with His own life against the sin that has enslaved you! What a God...What a Savior!

Traditional to Transformational

I just read an article that really sparked my attention. Well, actually it wasn't the entire article, but just part of one sentence in the article. A pastor, in describing the process of his church over the past 18 years said this, "we've taken the church rom traditional to typical to transformational." That's a great statement!

Everything in life runs in processes. For churches, and any organization really, if processes do not grow and change, then the end result is not health, but death. Many people argue over whether churches should be traditional or contemporary, but who can argue over whether a church should or should not be transformational. The gospel transforms lives and "be transformed" is the command of Romans 12:2, therefore, in discussions over worship style and church structure, I would like to suggest a new vocabulary today.

Let us no longer ask if our churches are contemporary or traditional, let us instead ask if our churches are performing or transforming. If we are merely performing because that is the way we have always performed, then rest assured we are not transforming our world for Christ. If instead we focus on the transforming nature of the gospel and the need for all to be transformed, I wonder how our churches would change to reach the world for Christ!

I'm Back

I have discovered that having a child is a huge experience. For those of you out there who already have a child, this is nothing new, but for me it was mind-blowing. Wyatt is the greatest gift the Lord has ever given to me and Angela, but he is also the most challenging responsibility. But, having finally caught up on some of my sleep and having made it to my office at a decent time today, I am able to attend to my blog for the first time in quite a while. Hopefully, I am back to a pattern.

I am thankful for the few readers that I do have, and for those of you from Malvern Hill, stay tuned because this blog is going to be a great place for you to connect with your new pastor. I look forward to leading you and to growing together in the Lord. I know that God has great things in store for us. It is our responsibility now to be certain that we live our vision to the world around us so that Malvern Hill does continue to become a place where people feel can comfortably belong to a community of believers and excitedly become a more devoted follower of Christ!

I'm Back

I know, its been a while since my last post, but there have been quite a few things going on in my life. Most importantly, my first child, Wyatt Connor Thompson, was born on Sunday, May 13. It is amazing how much a person can love another person who has really done nothing to deserve it. I am convinced that having a child and loving that child is about as close to understanding God's grace toward human beings as we can possibly get. When I look into Wyatt's eyes, I have nothing but unbridled love for that child.

Where, you may ask, is the grace in loving your own child? If we understand grace to be the giving of an undeserved gift, then it becomes clear. Wyatt has done nothing to earn or deserve my love. As a matter of fact, he has done much to the contrary to earn my derision. He has deprived me of sleep, personal financial gain, and some degree of freedom. Most horrific of his offenses is the pain through which he put Angela, my wife. For all intensive purposes, Wyatt should have earned my scourn, but instead I love him in a way that I can not really explain. God is so amazing to give us such wonderful gifts and to love us though we are unloveable.