Pillars that are Built to Last

I’m presently reading the book “Built to Last.” It’s one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. I’ll just be honest and say it is really shaping my worldview right now. In it we are presented with some of the greatest “visionary” companies created. I won’t go into it all, and I will probably blog on it more later, but one of the main points was that as an organization, “We must preserve our Core Values and Core Purposes while allowing fluid change in our Cultural & Operating Practices as well as our Specific Goals and Strategies.” Now that is not an exact quote, but it’s close.
So I’ve been thinking, in the church what are our CORE VAULES and CORE PURPOSES. To keep up the pillars theme what can we not change? These are mine … you may not agree … but that’s ok.

1) The Oneness of God: The Trinity is the crux of our message really. There is one God somehow in three persons. Each person of the trinity is equally God, but is not the other person of the Trinity. I love the Greek word used to describe how the Trinity “dances with oneself.” BEEEE-UUUUU-TIIIII-FULLLLL. I will never compromise on this.

2) The Divinity of Jesus: While this seems like a no-brainer, I think I should put it up anyway. Christ was Fully man and Fully God. We can’t explain it or understand it but we must believe it and preach it. Within this I put that he literally died and literally and physically rose from the dead.

3) The Power/Personhood of the Spirit: Some have called the Holy Spirit the stepchild of the Trinity in American Evangelicalism. We don’t really talk about Him, nor do we even call Him a Him. We cannot survive or move without the indwelling of the Spirit. This includes guidance from Him, Healings, The Fuits of the Spirit (see how that works), and allowing Him to freely move in our lives and worship services.

4) The Wesleyan/Arminian Perspective: Sorry to all of my 5 pointer friends, but I can’t let this go. I totally believe that I have free will, and that God’s sovereignty does not over-rule that. I believe that I can only move towards God at his wooing, but that all are wooed. Also, that the Cross of Christ is more powerful than the choices of man. Adam Sinned … yes … we all have to deal with that. Christ died … now sin has to deal with that. I believe we can live above the drive to sin, not of ourselves but through the power of the Spirit of God (see above).

(Side note I have no reason to feel that we have to use the phrases “second definite work of grace” “Entirely sanctified” or other phrases that may not work or may be flawed. But that is for the next post.)

5) The Church is important: I realize that the Church is flawed and dirty. I realize that the Church has done much wrong in the “name” of God. I recognize many of my generation think it should be torn down …. I REFUSE. Barna’s Revolution is heresy. We can’t just abandon the institution that God set in place to be his people and Jesus said would be his body. In “Built to Last” Jim Colins says that we must be ready to

“Be prepared to kill, revise, or evolve and idea, but never give up on the company”

I think that is right on. The Church must and will live on!

So those are my five for now. There are others I’m sure and as soon as I post this I will think of them. Thoughts? Have I included ones I shouldn’t? Or leave out some that should be in? What are yours?

Pillars ... another way to hold up the ceiling?

As I sat through the revival service I was a bit perturbed. I was stuck right behind a pillar and I could not see the speaker. I leaned up, back, left, and right, pretty much attempting anything I could to look around this stupid blockage. The Preacher made a facial expression and everyone laughed … but not me … I couldn’t see his face. Only his left ear and a bit of his collar could be viewed from my vantage point. Now don’t get me wrong, it was a nice pillar (for you folks in the south that really is Pillar, like the structure that holds up the ceiling, not the thing you lay your head on at night.). As older pillars go I’m sure it was a sturdy one as well. However, it was really impeding my view of not only the speaker but much of the stage, choir, and cross as well.

Now I like pillars just as much as the next guy. They are functional, pretty, sturdy, and they keep the ceiling from falling in. However, what if there was another way? What if we could throw in a flying buttress or something? Isn’t there some other way to hold up the ceiling without encumbering the sight of everyone behind it? Granted the people that had been there a while had gotten used to it, perhaps even their grandparents had paid for it to be erected when the sanctuary was expanded. I don’t really know what all the logistics were for this particular obstruction, all I know is it was in the way. These objects had held up the ceiling for a long time, but it didn’t look like they were changing, or moving anytime soon.

How many times do pillars in the church show up? Those things, doctrines, objects, or people, which may have held up the ceiling for a long time, but now, are impeding the view of others, and perhaps even the progress of the Gospel.

I’ve seen so many of my friends entering ministry for the first time and the run directly into a pillar. Perhaps they want to move youth group from Wednesday night to Thursday. One wanted to use a projector instead of the “youth hymnals” that someone’s parents had invested in. One suggested that his students research the multiple interpretations of Revelation … that didn’t go over very well. How about using a video series instead of preaching all of the time? NOT IN THIS CHURCH!

Oh let’s be honest though, this isn’t a new thing. A preacher friend told me he almost got voted out of a church because he used candles for advent and that was “too catholic.” Or perhaps the pastor that put the cross up in front of the pulpit and the decorating committee got mad because the cross “didn’t’ fit the décor.” These types of things make me want to scream “ISN’T THERE A BETTER WAY TO HOLD UP THE CEILING?!?”

It’s sad to watch old buildings be torn down. Recently I walked through the gutted student center at OCU (formally CBC). I had some great memories in the building, and I was sad to see it torn down. But when I turned around I saw a massive structure now dwarfing the old one. This was the new ministry center, and for it to be built, the other had to go.

Dr. Keith Drury wrote an article once that you had to decipher what to write theology in. You see some theology and doctrine is important but can be changed, that stuff is written in pencil. Other stuff was written in ink, it can be blotted out, but only after much more thought and deliberation. The final category was blood. There is some theology that is written in blood and should not ever be changed or taken away.

Is it possible that not only doctrine and theology, but church practice, church function, and maybe even people, are put into these categories. Are hymnals a pencil issue? Is carpet color even on the radar? Is communion an ink or blood? And more so is there really someone that your church can’t live without? Does the time come when the pillars in the church need to step aside?

Thoughts?

I am not, but I AM is

So I realize that I’ve been slacking hardcore, and I want to apologize. I have however been working on my thoughts on Peter so I thought I’d give another installment.

“Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were troubled saying “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But Immediately Jesus spoke to them saying “Be of good cheer it is I; do not be afraid.”

The fourth watch of the night is someplace between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM. If the feeding of the 5000 had happened around 6:00 PM the evening before, the disciples had been rowing for perhaps six to nine hours! The had to have been totally exhausted, for they had rowed “many furlongs” away from the land (each furlong is about 2 football fields) and still had much to row. And then out of nowhere an apparition starts moving its way across the water towards them. And the passage says “and they were troubled.”


I can remember my first “horror flick.” I was 16 years old and a group of us wanted to watch Scream. It was the big hit that year and anyone that was anyone was watching it. Yes I realize that I wasn’t 17 yet, and yes I realize I had been forbidden to watch these types of movies, and especially if I was not yet of age. So with much guilt, yet excitement, we turned it on. The first scene is still burned into my brain: the girl making popcorn, the phone rings, that raspy voice asking “what’s your favorite horror movie.”

I even remember that I was laying on the top part of the couch because there wasn’t enough space to go around. Slowly the plot started to weave its way through, mystery here-murder there, slow scary music sprinkled as appropriate. Each of us only left the room to grab a quick Mountain Dew, or to release one we had partaken of earlier in the evening. Suddenly, the movie took a turn, the girl was running away, the killer hot in pursuit, the music starts to climax and there is a knock on the window beside me!!!

I scream; flip off of the couch (busting my lip and bruising my arm) and take off up the stairs (typical scary movie move, going upstairs when I should be going out the front door). Now we all know what happened … I don’t even have to tell you, one of the guys thought it would be funny to scare the others. However, for the rest of the night I was convinced that there was something out there. My brain started playing tricks on me. Every movement was a killer, every sound a monster, every light a threat to my very existence.


That, I believe, is the state of the disciples as we enter into this part of the passage. They are tired, their arms are hurting, their minds are weary, and they look to see something walking towards them. They were more than troubled. They were petrified, horrified, stupefied, any other “--fied” that means freaking out! As if their problem of the storm wasn’t bad enough there is a ghost out to get them. And then come these words …

“It is I; do not be afraid.” Or perhaps translated “I AM!” This was more than just a simple “Hello” this was a declaration that God had come upon the scene.

We can go back to Ex 3:11-17. Moses is about to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and he asks God what He is to tell the people when asked “what is the name of this God?” And God responds “I AM WHO I AM.” You will tell them “I AM has sent me to you.” Once again a declaration has been made. This name is wrapped around the verb “to be”. The “present one” the one “who is.” What an exhilarating thought to the Israelites, their GOD is present! Even in Egypt “He is!” Even at their low times, their tough times, their times of fear and persecution “He is.” And at the times that we are not strong enough “I AM is.” And when things are going crazy and we don’t know who is in control “I AM”. When waves are crashing down on us and our boat is being tipped and we don’t know who is strong enough to keep us moving forward, “I am not, but I AM is!”

So Christ walks out, the very problems that seemed over their head were now laying at his feet. Those monstrous waves looked little more than a kiddie pool. The wind was nothing more than a soft breath. For God had shown up. Life is not easy, especially when things get out of control and I’m at my lowest points, and I don’t know who can help. I have found that I cannot … but I AM can.

The totalling of tea

The discussion is bound to come up at some time in most theological discussions. Specifically in groups that contain college or high school students, it rears its ugly head. “Is drinking wrong?”, “Can I be a Christian and socially drink?” and other various forms of this question are asked in Sunday school classes, small groups, and youth meetings all over America every night. Each night someone scrambles to proof text this or that verse as to why it is or is not permissible. Everyone tells stories of their own experiences as to why they do or do not partake in the fermented fruits of the vine.

I’m always fascinated as to the passion that this issue brings to the front. Those who drink seem to defend their choice with more fervor than I defend my choice to be single right now (and that is a lot of fervor). Those who choose to not drink seem shocked to think that any Christian could ignore the clear teachings of the Church on the subject (nudge nudge wink wink).

Well I know you all are DYING for my take on it. Many smarter than me (i.e. Doug Thompson, Ken Schenk, Keith Drury, Kevin Wright, and Mike Cline) have written on this subject, and have probably done it much better than I. However, that being said, I’m gonna throw my half cent in (probably not worth two) and see how it flies.


“The Bible doesn’t say it’s wrong”

You are absolutely right. There is nothing in the Bible that says you should not drink, UNLESS you were taking a vow. However, there are many verses about not getting drunk and Eph. seems to have the best “And be not drunk with wine”. So there you have it, end of discussion, drink but don’t get drunk. Ehhhh… I’m not sure I’ll buy that. The Bible does not say that pedophilia nor polygamy nor slavery are wrong either. Don’t believe me? Well check it. It says a man should lay only with his own wife, but not that he couldn’t lay with all of his own wives. The Bible discusses not having sex with your own children, but says nothing of marrying someone else’s child. Check it. Also slavery is not only condoned, but Colossians 4:1, and Ephesians 6:9 actually explain how to treat slaves.

Yet, we say all of these are wrong now in the church. Wanna turn some heads? Try bringing up in your next small group that you think pedophilia is ok, or that you are taking on multiple wives, or that you are thinking about buying a slave, and see what happens. We have recognized through progressive revelation, and through the changing of our hearts that these things aren’t good. That as Christians we should try and be separate from these actions. (And by the way next time someone tells you that the government can’t legislate morality, bring up slavery and polygamy and pedophilia, and ask why do we legislate those morals?)

Now you could say that slavery was different back then, and so was polygamy, and you would be right. Slaves were treated better, and were not picked by their race, but because they sold themselves into slavery to pay off debts. Well my question would be: was drinking different then. Did the biblical writers understand alcoholics? Did they foresee the thousands of people who would be killed in drunken driving accidents? Did they understand an 86 proof whiskey, 80 proof vodkas, 100 proof bourbons that contain 40-50% alcohol? This I doubt.


“It is healthy to drink red wine in moderation.”

You are absolutely right, again. Drinking red wine in moderation has been attributed to reducing the risk of heart disease, most likely due to antioxidants called flavonoids found in red wine. Red wine also contains a substance called resveratrol, which may reduce the risk of blood clots. Resveratrol is found in the skin and seeds of grapes. But it isn't known if grapes provide enough resveratrol to have a significant health benefit. Wanna know what else has these things? Red grape juice!! HA!! Yeah I’m serious. Mayo Clinic cardiologist Martha Grogan, M.D, says so. Wanna know what else she says?

“The American Heart Association doesn't recommend that anyone start drinking alcohol just to prevent heart disease. If you already drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Keep in mind that drinking too much alcohol can increase the risk of:
§ High blood pressure
§ Obesity
§ Stroke
§ Cancer
In addition, even light drinking can lead to alcohol addiction.”

So why drink the alcohol which can lead to all those things, when red grape juice has very similar if not identical effects? You know what really helps your heart? Olive oil. Drinking about two tablespoons a day, or eating foods that contain at least six grams of oil in them, will produce this effect. Odd though, I don’t hear a ton of people clamoring to get to the olive bar. Or bragging about the new bottle of olive oil they have in the oil cellar. Also, you can crack open a bottle of fish, for your twice weekly serving of omega three.

Do I drink?

Have I ever drank alcohol? Yes I have, twice actually. The first time was in a bottle of pop while I was in Europe. I had downed 90% of the bottle when I looked at the label and realized that it had some alcohol in it. Roughly the same amount that would be downed if you took four spoons of cough syrup instead of the normal two. The other time as later that week. In communion. I took a thimble full of real wine and drank it as Jesus’ blood shed for me. It was quite the partying weekend as you can plainly see.

No I don’t drink. For a few reason’s actually. My denomination asks me to not drink. So I don’t. I believe in submitting yourself to the authority which you are under. Most of the denominations that I would ever be a part of do not allow drinking either. I could be an alcoholic. I don’t really know. How many sips does it take to figure out that you are addicted? I don’t particularly want to find out to be honest. So for me the safest bet is to step back and say “I don’t think the risk is worth figuring it out.” (side note, it is my understanding that the salvation army didn’t use alcohol in their communion because they dealt with so many alcoholics and didn’t want to cause anyone to start up again)

So is it wrong to drink? I’m not going to tell you. I hate discussing things in “right” and “wrong”. If you are an alcoholic, or you could be one and don’t know yet, then I say it’s VERY unwise. As I have gotten older I’ve begun to ask myself a few questions. One being “is the action that I am doing bringing glory to God.” Obviously that can be asked of a lot of my actions: video games, blogging, and facebook. However, I’ve yet to hear of anyone who got so addicted to these that they killed someone while under the influence of them, or spent all of their money to get some at the local pub. (and I’m sure some of you have heard of that, and I know to refute my point you are going to bring up said story).

Fact is I don’t drink. I don’t think it’s wise. I don’t think it brings me closer to God. I think I can drink other things, and do other things to have fun in a more constructive way. And I’ve yet to hear a good reason as to why I should start.

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists.
Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan
93%
Neo orthodox
79%
Classical Liberal
54%
Emergent/Postmodern
50%
Roman Catholic
50%
Reformed Evangelical
46%
Fundamentalist
25%
Charismatic/Pentecostal
21%
Modern Liberal
18%
What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

I had taken one of these a few years back, so I thought I'd try it again. I got pretty close to the same score. Not surprisingly I'm still VERY wesleyan, and still not very fundy ... Ironically enought the 3 at the bottom are pretty much my three least favorite. I thought I'd be a bit less liberal and a bit more emergent, but I suppose it's my mood for the day.
Ok well it's back to the studying for me.

My strip club experience

Last night Michael Tipton took me to a strip club. Well, that is not totally true; I will rephrase. Last night Michael Tipton took me to three strip clubs. Now before you shut down my blog and remove it from your “favorites” list, let me give you a bit of an explanation.

Last semester a Prof. from Wesley College started standing in front of a strip club in Jackson, Mississippi. She would tell the men walking in that she was praying for them. She would walk around the parking lot and pray. One of the managers asked her to leave … she didn’t. The next week she brought some students. Throughout the next few weeks each Thursday, they were there … and reactions were mixed to say the least. One student has been punched in the face, a dog was released on a few students, the head professor was kicked, and many threats of “bad things” that were/are going to happen.

So Last night at 10:00 PM The Right Rev. Tipton and I took a trip to downtown Jackson, across the bridge of no return (cause the railroad tracks are so jacked up the almost blow your tire out… but that’s a story for another day). We then parked in a used car lot, and met with about 14 other students who were there for the same task. We split up and went to three different “adult clubs”. Tipton and I walked across the street to the closest one, and immediately a man in an orange shirt came out the door and started walking right towards us. “Looks like some new faces today,” he exclaimed, “you guys bringing in recruits?” Everyone laughed as he, Terry*, walked around and shook hands with the students. Each asked him how his family was, what was going on in his life, and other various questions. I found that this particular guy had asked the group to pray for his family a few weeks back. He then brought his truck around and said, “Hey I got my MercyMe CD back, I’ll play it for ya while you pray.” With that, he turned on the music and walked back into the club, letting me know it was nice to meet me before he disappeared back into the smoke filled building.

Michael and I then walked down to the next club. We were greeted by a student who explained to us the situation. While the previous clubs head manager (the dog releasing guy) was pretty mean, this clubs bouncer was really nice. Apparently, on one exceptionally cold and rainy night, Ray* came out to the students and said, “I am standing out here cause I’m gonna make $500, but you guys are out here cause you believe in something … I admire that.” I was able to talk with Ray* a little bit, and hear his story. He’s been bouncing for 20 years. He has two children, both under ten years of age, and he is only addicted to cigarettes now. He cautioned me to “watch out for drunk drivers,” and to “stand on the curb if they get too close.”

After that discussion, we walked to another establishment. This particular one was where one of the students had been punched a few weeks ago. I enquired about that particular story and he explained. He had been talking to a potential customer, and the manager Ted* took exception to it. Soooo…..what was Ted* to do other than punch a student. The action was much less hopping at this place, but just as I was leaving, a dancer came out. One of the guys asked her if she needed help loading stuff into her car, and she smiled and said no she could handle it herself. It was here that my heart started breaking. These girls, this situation, everything going on took a face, was given flesh, just walked outside. One of the female students told me they had brought the other manager a Christmas gift before they had left for Christmas, and said it seemed like he was warming up to them.

As Michael and I returned to the club we started at the students were in a fairly heated discussion with a man that had just left the club. At one point he said something about his sister being a lesbian, at that moment Terry* said something I will never forget “So is mine, and I’m glad. I see what guys are like here every night, and they are jerks. They’re bad news.” What a statement. This man would rather his sister be with a girl because he saw how poorly men acted at this club. Terry* then told the group that the girls had forgotten they were coming, however next week were going to bring out coffee and donuts to the group. As Terry* and I discussed his random piercing, his affinity for pain and suspension, and his statements “when I die I’ll become dust, but these piercings will still be there…. That’s all I’m leaving this world” and “I like pain… it helps me remember that I’m still alive …. Here in ‘paradise’.”

I left a different person. My mind has not stopped working since I came back. How do people like Terry* and Ray* hear the gospel. What does it take to have them think about their lives? What does it take to get them to contemplate a better life? Apparently, it takes a group of brave students and Christians walking around the outside the parking lot ... praying.

Sin, God, Us

Sin has marred everything. That’s what I started this journey explaining. Sin has messed up everything. It’s infected as a virus, as a pungent smell of rancid meat, feel free to come up with your own illustration, whatever it is for you the fact remains it marred the face of creation.

Our relationships with everything changed the moment that sin entered the world. Our relationship with God, self, nature, and others all changed.

God.

Genesis 3:9-10 “Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ So he said, ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.’”

How had the relationship changed so badly? This was Adam, the one who had walked with God, who had communed with him, who got to hang out in God’s creation, and now he was hiding from his friend, his creator … his God. What a shift. It feels like my last date ;-) … you know the kind ... things are great and poof it turns on ya, and your like “what changed??” God had to be hurt at the shift of relationship. His creation had turned on him seemingly instantaneously. But this was worse than “Aaron you’re a great guy but I just want to be friends …” no this was “God you’re ok, but we want to control our own lives.

And now Adam is scared of God. He’s naked and hiding from the one who sees him more clearly than anyone else. The relationship is suffering because Adam is pulling away, and it starts in motion the dangerous effects of sin. This really is the root of our problems. We have a marred image of God. Look a few verses earlier as Satan tries to get eve to eat the fruit, what does he use? He tries to change her image of God. When our view of God is messed up, then our are quick to follow.

Self

Genesis 3:11-12 “And he (God) said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?’
Adam finally realized that he was naked. He noticed that there was something wrong with this state. Odd that it didn’t bother him before sin, but now he was shamed and he hid. This is the second state that sin corrupts. We first have a corrupted view of God and we subsequently have a tarnished view of self. No one had to tell Adam that he was naked now, he just knew it. And something inside of him said he should hide because God was coming.
So many “worm theologies” want to show us how small we are, and how big God is. And in a sense they are right, however there must be a balance. We were created in the image of God, and we are something special. We are the only beings I am aware of that get to commune with God of our own free will. We get to love him and have him love us. We get to worship him and have him inhabit our praise. I am not advocating a false sense of grandeur for humans, nor am I advocating we all run around naked; however I am advocating a healthy sense of self worth. Not only were we created by God to be in his image but when that image was marred he crafted an elaborate plan to bring us back.
When our concept of God is marred, then we immediately move to a poor concept of self. At this point the sin cycle is out of control. God becomes this judgmental, all-powerful, all-judging critic. He is the all-seeing eye of Mordor from Tolkien’s Ring trilogy, looking for one sin so he can smite us as the all-mighty smiter. Once we start to view God like in this way, we become these little slugs who always have to look over our shoulder for our salt wielding creator. Any time our view of God becomes marred we immediately have a marred view of his creation, starting with ourselves.


(Next post Creation and others.)