How Should the Church Respond to the Exodus of Our Youth (Part 2)

The video above was produced by Teen Mania which is headed up Ron Luce.

Last post I surfaced the issue of young people leaving the church by providing excerpts form a NY Times article. Someone pointed out that the poll from Denis Rainey used by Ron Luce and others and cited in the article is somewhat suspect. I am still tracking that down, but I did find a more trustworthy poll done by the Barna group that indicates a similar trend. Below are some excerpts from a Barna Group report entitled "Most Twentysomethings Put Christianity on the Shelf Following Spiritually Active Teen Years."

A new study by The Barna Group (Ventura, California) shows that despite strong levels of spiritual activity during the teen years, most twentysomethings disengage from active participation in the Christian faith during their young adult years - and often beyond that. In total, six out of ten twentysomethings were involved in a church during their teen years, but have failed to translate that into active spirituality during their early adulthood.

the most potent data regarding disengagement is that a majority of twentysomethings - 61% of today’s young adults - had been churched at one point during their teen years but they are now spiritually disengaged (i.e., not actively attending church, reading the Bible, or praying). Only one-fifth of twentysomethings (20%) have maintained a level of spiritual activity consistent with their high school experiences. Another one-fifth of teens (19%) were never significantly reached by a Christian community of faith during their teens and have remained disconnected from the Christian faith.

"When and if young adults do return to churches, it is difficult to convince them that a passionate pursuit of Christ is anything more than a nice add-on to their cluttered lifestyle."

Loyalty to congregations is one of the casualties of young adulthood: twentysomethings were nearly 70% more likely than older adults to strongly assert that if they "cannot find a local church that will help them become more like Christ, then they will find people and groups that will, and connect with them instead of a local church." They are also significantly less likely to believe that "a person’s faith in God is meant to be developed by involvement in a local church."

This survey might be skewed a bit as well because it represents and examination of "churched" or "unchurched" people and did not necessarily focus on evangelicals. However, as we look around and ask where are the youth that were active in our youth groups 5 & 10 years ago, we are likely to find that many have left the church. The questions is what, if anything, we should do about it? Ron Luce and Teen Mania have responded to the statistics in the video above by launching a nation wide campaign focused on empowering Christian youth to take a stand in their culture. As I mentioned last time, though I feel that Ron Luce's efforts are valiant, I question the big teen rally approach. However, I am more concerned with how we should handle this in the local church.

Since the industrial revolution father's have by enlarge worked away from their homes. With the influence of feminism now many mothers are also out of the homes. This has left children to be raised in great part by schools and day care institutions and extra curricular school programs. In the last 100 years many well meaning folks have reached out to teens whose parents left them behind. In doing so they created a whole new teen culture. The result is that we have a large segment of the adult population (teenagers) segregated from the rest of the adults. Hence the youth culture of our day. In our society adolescence has been embraced as an age between childhood and adulthood. For this time period not much is expected out of these young adults. Rick Holland of Grace community Church in Sun Valley, CA has written a great article on this called "The Myth of Adolescence."

I think that when we treat teenagers as neither children or adults we do them a great disservice. In other words when we ask ourselves how we should reach teens, we should be asking how do we reach young adults. If we think of them as adolescents then we will always be trying to figure out what adolescents need, what they want, what they are in to and we will be trying to structure our youth groups around them. However, if we think of them as young adults we will evangelize them, disciple them, instruct them, equip them for service, and engage them in service. They will become and important part of the adult congregation. Then when they graduate from HS the adult services and the older adults will not be foreign to them.

As we search the scriptures we find nothing that looks anything like the youth ministries that are prevalent in our day (we don't even find the title "youth pastor!"), but we do find a clear picture of how we should reach adults. As I have been thinking about this I believe that their are some key biblical principles that will guide us as we minister to any adult group. All of these principles indicate that the simple, straightforward, systematic teaching of God's word should be central to all that we do. This is the only means of discipleship that we have been given. This teaching is done through instruction and example.

1. The church should be God centered and not man centered. Even youth groups should be God centered and not youth centered. This is why we call our youth group a youth ministry. Human need is not the central purpose of the church. The central purpose is God’s glory.

Ephesians 1:5-6 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.NASB95

1 Corinthians 6:20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.NASB95

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.NASB95

2. God has not commanded us to preach to felt needs. He has commanded us to preach His Word.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.NASB95

2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.NASB95

2 Timothy 4:2-5 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.NASB95

2 Corinthians 4:1-2 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.NASB95

Ephesians 4:11-13 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.NASB95

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.NASB95

1 Timothy 4:11-16 Prescribe and teach these things. Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.NASB95

1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.NASB95

1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—NASB95

Hebrews 13:7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.NASB95

3. The great commission tells us to make disciples. The only way to make disciples is to faithfully teach God’s word.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.NASB95

1 Thessalonians 2:13-14 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,NASB95

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.NASB95

2 Timothy 2:2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.NASB95

James 1:18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.NASB95

1 Peter 1:2-3 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,NASB95

Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.NASB95

4. The Bible is supremely relevant and addresses every genuine need.

2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.NASB95

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;NASB95

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.NASB95

Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.NASB95

Psalm 19:7-19 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.NASB95

Psalm 1:2-5 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.NASB95

1 John 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.NASB95

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.NASB95

5. The Bible teaches that we don’t go to the world to find out how we need to relate to people. Instead the Bible tells us to bring the wisdom of God to the world.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.NASB95

2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,NASB95

6. Making disciples and instructing believers involves intensive teaching over long periods of time.

Acts 20:18-21 And when they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.NASB95

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.NASB95

1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.NASB95

Titus 1:9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.NASB95

Hebrews 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.NASB95

7. Every person’s one true need is Christ Himself.

Colossians 1:28-29 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.NASB95

Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”NASB95

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.NASB95

Colossians 3:1-4 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.NASB95

James 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.NASB95

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,NASB95

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.NASB95

Philippians 1:19-21 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.NASB95

In Part 3 we will begin to flesh out each of these principles as they pertain to young adults and we will begin looking at the role of the family in these things.

Please share your thoughts.

How Should the Church Respond to the Exodus of Our Youth (Part 1)

There is an alarming trend in the evangelical church that has been going on for over 25 years, but has sharply increased of late: many of our teens are graduating from their youth groups and leaving the church never to return. I would like to host an online discussion about how we should respond to this. Here are some of the statistics and comments that have come out about this.

Last October the NY times published an article called "Evangelicals Fear the Loss of Their Teenagers". Here are some excerpts from the article.

Despite their packed megachurches, their political clout and their increasing visibility on the national stage, evangelical Christian leaders are warning one another that their teenagers are abandoning the faith in droves.

Their alarm has been stoked by a highly suspect claim that if current trends continue, only 4 percent of teenagers will be “Bible-believing Christians” as adults. That would be a sharp decline compared with 35 percent of the current generation of baby boomers, and before that, 65 percent of the World War II generation.

“I’m looking at the data,” said Ron Luce, who organized the meetings and founded Teen Mania, a 20-year-old youth ministry, “and we’ve become post-Christian America, like post-Christian Europe. We’ve been working as hard as we know how to work — everyone in youth ministry is working hard — but we’re losing.”

To break the isolation and bolster the teenagers’ commitment to a conservative lifestyle, Mr. Luce has been organizing these stadium extravaganzas for 15 years. The event in Amherst was the first of 40 that Teen Mania is putting on between now and May, on a breakneck schedule that resembles a road trip for a major touring band. The “roadies” are 700 teenagers who have interned for a year at Teen Mania’s “Honor Academy” in Garden Valley, Tex.

More than two million teenagers have attended in the last 15 years, said Mr. Luce, a 45-year-old, mop-headed father of three with a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Business Administration at Harvard and the star power of an aging rock guitarist.

“That’s more than Paul McCartney has pulled in,” Mr. Luce asserted, before bounding onstage for the opening pyrotechnics and a prayer.

For the next two days, the teenagers in the arena pogoed to Christian bands, pledged to lead their friends to Christ and sang an anthem with the chorus, “We won’t be silent.” Hundreds streamed down the aisles for the altar call and knelt in front of the stage, some weeping openly as they prayed to give their lives to God.

The 4 percent is cited in the book “The Bridger Generation” by Thom S. Rainer, a Southern Baptist and a former professor of ministry. Mr. Rainer said in an interview that it came from a poll he had commissioned, and that while he thought the methodology was reliable, the poll was 10 years old.

“I would have to, with integrity, say there has been no significant follow-up to see if the numbers are still valid,” Mr. Rainer said.

Mr. Luce seems weary of criticism that his message is overly alarmist. He said that a current poll by the well-known evangelical pollster George Barna found that 5 percent of teenagers were Bible-believing Christians. Some criticize Mr. Barna’s methodology, however, for defining “Bible-believing” so narrowly that it excludes most people who consider themselves Christians.

Since the 4-5% figure maybe off a little bit off let's grant that up to 10% of evangelical teens might stay with their evangelical churches. This is still very alarming, but what I find just as alarming is that it seems that most evangelicals who are pointing this out are advocating the same tactics that have been used for the past 20-25 years only repackaged with an alarmist tone.

The big teen rally is not new! Youth for Christ has been doing this for well over 50 years. But don't get me wrong I am not really for something new. I am for something very old. I am for returning to simply focusing on the preaching of the word and discipleship. I don't think that youth ministry should look much different than adult ministry. After all teens are really just young adults. I think that the reason that teens often leave the church is because they have never been to church. Instead they have always been a part of a program that was something less than church. They have often been entertained, often had their felt needs massaged, often been encouraged to do radical things, often even loved, but seldom have they been exposed to straightforward teaching from God's word. In other words there has been alot of buzz , but not a lot of Bible. I do apreciate Ron Luce's desire to move towards something more substantive for teens, but are we doing them a favor by packaging it in hip teen culture? The old saying that "what it takes to get them there is what it takes to keep them there applies." If we are going to package youth ministry in pop teen culture then we will also have to package every other ministry in the pop culture of its age group. This means that corporate services will also have to look more and more like prime time TV and less and less like simple Christianity. This does not seem to fit Paul's admonition to Timothy in 2 Tim. 4.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.NASB95


What principles from scripture will guide the evangelical church through this dilemna. More later.

Mohler "Lessons Learned in a Crisis of Life"

Check out Al Mohler's commentary on his recent illness and hospital bout. He has been teaching us how to view the culture through the lens of scripture, and now he teaches us to view our own trials through the lens of scripture.

The Exit Sign For The Episcopal Church

The Washington Post has published an article by Rev. John Yates and Os Guinness about why they left the Episcopal church of America. In it we find a fully justifiable reason for leaving any denomination.

Caribou Coffe--mmmmmmmmmmmm

On this the morning after Christmas Day there is but one thing on my mind at the moment--Spicy, Heavy Caribou Coffee (Thanks to whoever bequeathed it to me anonymously this Christmas). If it were not for this coffee on my desk I would be sleeping right now. Christmas celebrations were grand, but they have taken a toll as I'm sure your celebrations have. Saturday we enjoyed Christmas celebrations with extended family in Madison. Sunday we worshipped together with our church and then visited with family in town. Yesterday we had a wonderful time retelling our Savior's birth, singing hymns and opening presents with our little family at home. Then it was on to the Christmas dinner at our church where we were able to share both physical food and spiritual food with folks in need. Finally we celebrated with my wife's family last night. Much eggnog, turkey, cookies and other goodies have been consumed. Many presents have been opened.
So now what? As we catch our breath and prepare for the New Year I have one thought on my mind-- clarity of focus. May God give us all clear thinking to pause for a moment and consider what God has given to us and consider how we might offer it back to Him as a sweet smelling sacrifice of service. Moses' reflections are helpful at this point:

Psalm 90 A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. You turn man back into dust And say, "Return, O children of men." For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night. You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep; In the morning they are like grass which sprouts anew. In the morning it flourishes and sprouts anew; Toward evening it fades and withers away. For we have been consumed by Your anger And by Your wrath we have been dismayed. You have placed our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your presence. For all our days have declined in Your fury; We have finished our years like a sigh. As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away. Who understands the power of Your anger And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You? So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. Do return, O Lord; how long will it be? And be sorry for Your servants. O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us, And the years we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants And Your majesty to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands.NASB95

"The Mystery of Christmas" 48 hours

Last Saturday night 48 hours aired a show called "The Mystery of Christmas." While watching the first half I became sick to my stomach as "Christian Scholars" did their best destroy the record of the New Testament. What was so amazing, and I should expect this by now, is that they never once considered the possibility that the New Testament could have accurately recorded the birth of Christ. Their presupposition was all too obvious. They had decided at the outset that the witness of scripture could not be true because it deals with the supernatural and miraculous. It was almost hilarious to see them try to reconstruct the story of Christ without the text of scripture. It was pure guess work. The amazing thing is how arrogant they were as they touted their own opinions as real history and ignored the text of scripture which was completely written within 100 years of Christ's birth. John Dominic Crossan makes some amazing statements:

“We would like there to be records of all of this. And instead, what we have is Gospels...The interesting thing is, of the four gospels, Mark and John of course have no nativity story. Only Matthew and Luke...They agree that Mary and Joseph are the parents. They agree about a virgin birth. They agree about a birth in Bethlehem. But pretty much apart from that, the stories go completely their own way.”

Crossan mentions that the gospel writers had specific purposes in writing, but he claims that because of their purposes they created their stories to prove their points. However, there is no thought of the idea that the gospel writers might selectively choose what details of actual history to include based on what they were trying to teach. For example Luke sets out to give and orderly account of the things that took place. He is the historian (Luke 1:1-4). So we would expect that Luke would have the fullest account of the birth of Christ. Crossan also does not mention that nothing in the gospel accounts is contradictory. Any differences can easily be explained by considering that the writers selected details for a reason and that they represented different witnesses to the same events. If there were a car accident there would be various accounts as to what happened. The accounts would be different, but not neccasarily wrong. Each person would be able to share from their perspective what happened. The difference is that scripture claims to be sourced in God Himself (2 Tim. 3:16). So when we read scripture we find absolute coherence and absolute accuracy. We find absolute truth.

Crossan, Michael White and Elaine Pagels don't belive the testimony of scripture. The Jesus of the Bible is to them an invention of the writers of scripture, and yet they try to say that the metaphor of Chirst still has significant meaning and value for Christians. However, as C. S. Lewis said, "He is either liar or lunatic or Lord." Their is no middle ground. If the message of the Bible is false then their is no use in anyone being a Christian.

Thankfully, Ben Witherington from Asbury Theological Seminary was featured in the last part of the show. He simply took the witness of the 4 gospels as being absolutely true and then toured around the Holy land showing that everything that was said fits with what we can see. He shows that there are no huge dilemmas to overcome.

However, there is one huge dilemma. One must embrace scripture by faith. It is not blind faith because scripture is very reasonable. In fact, scripture if perfect reason, but because of sin people will not except the wisdom of God unless God opens their eyes. But when one with eyes wide open reads scripture and looks at the world things begin to come into focus. With focused eyes one can then look at the simple beauty of the birth of Christ and see the profound reality that He was in fact conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, the promised Messiah, the descendant of David, the eternal King, Yahweh Himself, the Son of the Most High, the Savior of the world! And what's more we can fall on our faces and worship our risen Lord and Savior today!

An Unfortunate Burn Out

The London Times reports that on November 3rd a man named Michael Ritscher burned himself to death in Chicago in protest of the War on terror in Iraq. He meant it to be a public protest, but ironically people thought he was just a burning statue and took little notice of him at the time. Here is what he said in a suicide note:

"If I am required to pay for your barbaric war, I choose not to live in your world. I refuse to finance the mass murder of innocent civilians, who did nothing to threaten our country...Maybe some will be scared enough to wake from their walking dream state am I therefore a martyr or a terrorist? I would prefer to be thought of as a spiritual warrior."

Death is always tragic, but when someone takes their own life it is incredibly tragic. Death is always a product of sin (Romans 5:12). It is not that death is a direct cause of a particular sin that brings about the demise of the deceased. Instead because man sinned against God and because men are sinners the penalty of this is death (Romans 3:23). This death is physical, spiritual and eternal. However, when one commits suicide he brings about his own death by his own direct sin. There is nothing bold, brave or heroic about self murder. Let's just call it what it is: a violation of the 6th commandment. It is rebellion against God. We are made in the image of God for His glory. Everywhere in scripture the sanctity and preciousnessnes of life is upheld. When God says "you shall not murder" He is telling us that the taking of life without due cause is against His law and against His holiness.

Sadly this man who made himself a human torch does not offer any true light to the world, but only hopelessness. Not only was his opportunity for public protest wasted, but his suicide is an incredible waste of life. We find hope and light in Christ alone. There is something worth living for! We proclaim faith in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and the redemptionion of mankind!

1 Timothy 4:10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially believersB95

Kramer's Racist Tirade

USA TODAY Reports:

Comedian Michael Richards, better known as the character Kramer from TV's Seinfeld, apologized Monday night for a racist tirade at a West Los Angeles comedy club that was
captured in a grainy cellphone video and seen by millions of people on the Internet Monday.

"I lost my temper on stage," Richards, 57, said on Late Night With David Letterman. Excerpts
were shown on CBS Evening News.

"I was at a comedy club trying to do my act, and I got heckled and I took it badly and went
into a rage," Richards said. "For me to be at a comedy club and flip out and say this crap —
you know, I'm deeply, deeply sorry. I'm not a racist. That's what is so insane about this."

Does the "I lost my temper...I was in a rage" excuse really cut it? Someone has said what comes out of you when you are shoved is what was inside of you all along. But Jesus said it better:

Mark 7:14-23 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. [“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”] When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”NASB95

So what we have in all of this is a window into Michael Richards' heart. What comes out of our heart when we are bumped? We all have the same fundamental problem. Our hearts are wicked. The only solution is that God gives us new hearts. Thankfully God is in the business of doing just that!

Ezekiel 36:25-27 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.NASB95

This is called the New Covenant and it is only possible for those who turn away from their sin and turn to Christ as their Savior and Lord.

"On Faith" Online Discussion

The Washington post is hosting a discussion amongst religious panelests about faith called "On Faith". The first question is this: "If some religious people believe they have a monopoly on truth, then are conversation and common ground possible? If so, what would be the difficulties and benefits of such a conversation?"

Al Mohler has given a response that is worth checking out. It is also very interesting to follow the discussion and see what kinf od responses Mohler gets.

Here is the comment that I left on Mohler's response page:

You hit the nail right on the head Dr. Mohler. There is no point in having a discussion about what we believe unless we really believe it. The best thing to do is just be honest about what you believe. Why must everyone become offended when one says that he simply believes the Bible? Everyone, no matter what they say, has a standard of truth. That standard may simply be their own opinion, or it may be the consensus of scholarship, or it may be the holy book of their religion, or it may be an institution. But the fact remains that everyone appeals to something to define their reality. The question is what truth is really true? A good discussion, then, cannot take place on a superficial level. Instead it must begin with ones standard of truth. The question then is: Does your standard of truth give you the capability of understand life as it really is. I am a born again Christian. I only understand myself, the world, God, others, the future because God's word defines reality. It is only because of this that I can make sense of anything. These are the questions that need to be asked: How do you make sense of everything? Does it really make sense? Do you have answers to ultimate questions?

The Apple Has Rolled Down The Hill

Tony Campolo has grown more liberal over the years. He has joined in with the emergent church crowd which claims that the message of scripture is often fuzzy so we need to give much latitude for various doctrines. Well, the apple has not fallen far from the tree, but it has rolled down the hill a ways. His son Bart has popped off recently. He has decided that he doesn't want any God except one he can fashion for himself. As Justin Taylor says, this would make him an idolater. If we hold the truth loosely our children may just let it go altogether.

Hmmmmm Do You Think He Did It?

Well, if there was every any question as to if O. J. did it, those questions must now be answered. Simpson is to do an interview with FOX called "If I did it." This is to be followed by a book by the same title. Let's just be honest here. If somone were to murder a loved one of yours and you were to be wrongly accused of the murder, would you ever, ever, ever consider writing a book discussing how you would have committed the murder even though you didn't? Come on now. This is too much! I hope that Simpson some how perjures himself and he is brought to justice.

But do be sure that you know that a day of justice is coming.

Ecclesiastes 3:16-17 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.NASB95

Changing Your Sex Is Getting Easier

In NY City at least it is going to be as simple as having a note from your doctor. Once you have that all important note, your birth certificate can be altered to identify you as the opposite sex. This is such a testimony to the confusion of our times. If you an one specialist think that you are a man instead of a woman or vice versa then it is so. What if I think I am a lion and one specialist agrees, can I change my birth record to read "lion."

Isn't it a bit more simple to just accept ourselves the way that God has made us?

Genesis 1:27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.NASB95

Anything less is really just rebellion aginst the creator. Christians call that sin, but there is an answer to the problem: Christ.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.NASB95

Are Disabled Babies Worth Saving?

Al Mohler has posted a blog today entitled "Overriding the Protection of Life? A Shocking Development in England."

The Church of England is now suggesting that their are some babies whose lives are not worth saving! Perhaps they should have consulted Jesus first.

Luke 18:15-17 And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”NASB95

Not a Lone Wolf

Al Mohler posted a blog last Friday about the new presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church USA, who just happens to be a woman! Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori exemplifies the utter lack integrity that has plagued pulpits around our country under the name of "Christianity." When you read Mohler's blog you will see that she is clearly preaching another gospel (Gal. 1:8-9). What is more is that in doing so she is dishonest because the contradicts her own church's Articles of Faith:

Article XVIII:

They also are to be had accursed that presume to say, That every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law, and the light of Nature. For Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.

This would then make Schori a wolf in sheep’s clothing, would it not? She runs with quite a pack.

These are interesting times that we live in today. We have a woman pastor leading a Christian denomination violating (1 Tim. 2:12) who is accursed because she is preaching another gospel (Gal. 1:8-9) and who is lying to the whole world by serving a church whose confession she does not agree with.

I wish she would just have enough honesty to go and start a new religion.

The Key Of Knowledge

As I was thinking about the results of the elections I was reminded again that our hope is not in government. Some will see the loss to so many conservatives as a crushing blow. What is so ironic is that people place there hope and trust in government and yet again and again government lets people down. Historically in America whatever party has been leading the nation is ousted the very next term in favor of the other party who people think will fix everything.

Look at what our Lord Jesus said in Luke 11:52

Luke 11:52 "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering."NASB95

The experts in the Law of God had failed to understand and apply the true meaning of God's Word. They held people in bondage to their sin rather than teach the life giving truth of the Messiah. Now they were rejecting Christ and carrying on the awful legacy of their wicked fathers who killed the prophets from Abel to Zechariah. Notice that when the did not teach the truth of God's word they took away the key of knowledge.

Well God has committed the key of knowledge to His church today: His Word! The answer to all of the problems in our country will not be found in government. It is found only when Christ's church clearly teaches His Word: the Gospel! May we not fall under the condemnation of Christ as the scribes did.

May we take the key of knowledge and unlock the door to paradise through His Spirit for the lost world around us!

Happy Reformation Day!

Go to the Ligonier Ministry Website to celebrate reformation day by enjoying a soul stiring audio rendition of Martin Luther's great reformation stand!

Hey Man Check Out Naaman

So I was reading a Bible story about Naaman with my boys this morning and I was just struck by Naaman in a way I had never been before. If you know the story Naaman is a Syrian captain who has leprosy. One of the servant girls of the king of Syria is an Israelite. She tells the king about a prophet who can heal leprosy and so the king sends Naaman down to look for him. He comes to the King of Israel, Joram, who has no clue what to do and thinks it's a trap. Elisha the prophet of God sends word for Naaman to come to him. Now Naaman is a great captain so he expects a warm and fitting reception from the prophet for his entourage, but instead Elisha sends his servant to tell Naaman to go dip in the Jordan river 7 times and he will be cleansed. Naaman gets mad because he was thinking their would be some great ceremony where the prophet waves his hands over the great Naaman to take his leprosy away. Because of his pride Naaman heads for home where he says he could take a dip in a river quite easily. Finally his servants talk him into obeying the prophet. Since he would have done a great task if the prophet had asked, why not this? Naaman realizes that his pride has gotten the better of him and remembers his need for healing and his hopeless situation. He goes and dips in the Jordan seven times and on the seventh time his leprous white skin turns to normal healthy skin! He is healed. he realizes that the God of Israel has saved him. he goes back to Elisha and promises to worship the God of Israel and even takes dirt from Israel to Syria to build and altar unto this God!
But as I though about this I couldn't help but see the parallel to present the present day. There are people all over the world who need healing from a horrible disease. The disease is sin and it goes down to the soul. Mankind has no cure and people look for answers. Sometimes they come to church for the answers, but when they see the simple message of the gospel (turn from your sin and trust in Christ Jesus as Lord because of what He has done for you) they get angry and prideful and think that this is below them. They would gladly rise to a challenge of works, but simply to plunge into the life giving fountain that Christ offers--to fall upon His grace--this they will not do. But let us be like Naaman's servants who say why not take the plunge? And let us pray that the Spirit of God would open their eyes!

USA Today Reports that Claudia Mitchell ("The Four Million Dollar Woman") is the first woman to have a truly bionic arm!

This is amazing. Every kid probably thinks of how cool it would be to have bionic parts. Of course they don't think of the cost of losing the real ones! Now the idea of replacing Luke Skywalker's hand slashed off by Darth Vader is a real one. This is going to be wonderful for many amputees in the future. Hopefully they can bring the cost down just a little.

It will be interesting to see what stories come out of this. Will the next Professional Baseball dilemna be that Jim Abbott has returned with a 150 mph bionic fastball with his opposite hand?

This little article also made me think of the real flesh and blood arms that we have been given. We marvel at this bionic wonder, and yet the technology that most of us all walk and wave with everyday will never be duplicated!

Psalm 139:13-14 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.NASB95

Topics We are Studying

During our teaching times at Living Proof, the Junior High-High School ministry at Bethel Baptist Church, we will devoting on Wednesday Session a month to a key topic in addition to our exposition of the book of Philippians. Here are some topic ideas I am thinking of: The value of godly friends, Being a Witness in Your School and Community, Relativism, Spiritual Gifts. For my students, what are some other topics you would like to have me speak on from a biblical perspective? For other, what are some topics you would recommend for teens today?

God's Sovereignty & Man's Responsibility

Yesterday I taught a JH/HS SS class on Phil. 2:12-13.

The Main Point: Believers must strive to work out their salvation because the same God who worked in Christ Jesus is working in them! The specific application to the Philippians is to take on the mindset of Christ in pouring themselves out for others knowing that God was working in it to bring them to final glory. This is the obedience—Phil. 2:8. The trouble was that they were seeking their own interest to the exclusion of others. This was not in concert with them being citizens fitting to the gospel they proclaimed. They should be obeying reverently, fearfully, quakingly knowing that they are citizens of heaven whom God pleases to dwell in work in cooperate with for His pleasure and glory.

Here are some illustrations of God's Soveriegnty working with man's responsibility in scripture:


God told Adam & Eve to have dominion over all the earth, to be fruitful and multiply, to name all of the animals, and to tend the garden, but they wouldn’t be able to do these things unless, God subjected the earth to him, gave them children, gave them wisdom, and gave them increase in their garden.
--why didn’t God just run the earth, name the animals, make the garden maintenance free, and create a world full of people?

God told Noah to build a gigantic boat and put all the animals on it, but God would have had to send him all of the animals.
--why didn’t God just supernaturally protect the animals w/out Noah?

God told Abraham to have a child with Sarah, but unless God worked a special miracle that would never happen.
--why didn’t God just send a baby down or give them a child naturally when they were younger.

God told Moses to stretch his rod over the red sea to part it, to hit the rock, to raise the serpent, to talk to the rock etc.
--why didn’t he just part the sea, make water flow automatically, make a serpent in the sky?

God told the children of Israel to take the promised land, but they weren’t strong enough to do it. So God gave them miraculous victories as they fought.
--why didn’t God just drive the wicked people out w/out Israel?

= God did all of these things because He delights in working out His soveriegn will by granting faith and ability to people who will then respond and accomplish His desires!

Application:

• God wants you to evangelize your friends and yet they won’t believe unless God opens their hearts:

Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?NIV
Acts 16:14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.NIV

• God wants you to grow spiritually.

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,NIV
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.NIV
2 Peter 1:4-10 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,NIV

• God wants you to serve in the church.

Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. NASB95
Romans 12:6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; NASB95

• God’s wants you to be pure and unspotted with sin.

Colossians 3:5-11 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. NASB95
Jude 24-25 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.NASB95