Tuesday Miscellanea

A collection of the interesting, useful, and beautiful from this week on the web. Enjoy.

1. Though undoubtedly an incredible performer and artist, the National Review Online asks if we should be comfortable calling Michael Jackson an American “Icon.” Good question.

Jonah Goldberg writes:

But let’s pause for a moment on that word “icon.” It seemed the consensus adjective for the news networks…. Every cable network used the word “icon” to describe him as if this was some sort of safe harbor, a word everyone could agree on. “Love him or hate him,” the implied logic went, “he was an ‘icon.’”

Even though the term sounds neutral, it isn’t. An icon, technically speaking, is a religious symbol deserving of reverence and adoration.

Calling Michael Jackson an icon doesn’t let him off the hook for anything. But to listen to the news anchors you’d think it absolves him of everything.

2. Possibly the best site on the entire web has yet another great collection of photos to share: “Recent scenes from the International Space Station”
















3. Mark Driscoll has made available another free e-book. “Pastor Dad” is a (very) short book – about 40 pages – offering scriptural insights on fatherhood. I found it helpful, focusing, and very very practical in its application to the everyday life of Christian dads. As always with Driscoll it is worth a laugh every few pages. (Download the pdf version here.)

4.US men's soccer team looses in a heart-breaker to Brazil after going ahead 2-0 in the Confederations Cup Final on Sunday. The US team beat Spain (the #1 ranked team in the world) in the semi-final to advance to the first FIFA tournament final the US men's team has ever played in. Congratulations on a good showing and a turning point for soccer in America. (Hey, if I don't mention it, who else around here will?) Some great goals were scored by the way, watch below.




5. Again, a great resource for dudes that I read this week is a short sermon series on Biblical Masculinity from a pastor in Dallas, Matt Chandler.

Part 1 - Defining Masculinity
Part 2 - Men as Husbands
Part 3 - Men as Fathers

(HT: JT)

Have a great week.

Theology and Its Abuses (2)

It is not enough to write about value of theology without speaking about certain dangers that are inherent in the process because we live in a fallen world and are capable of twisting even something like the knowledge of God. So I wanted to take some time on the blog to speak about the limitations and dangers of theology.

1. We are finite and so is our knowledge: What we do not know about God will always be more than what we do know about God because he is infinite and we are finite. God has revealed things truly and we can have a certainty of them, but it must always be a humble certainty. Knowing is like digging a furrow to reach fertile soil for the seed to live on. A humble heart knows that there it is always in need of help to dig deeper and that there are treasures of God's that it does not yet have access to, they are yet to rich for it. This doesn't mean that we must enter the work of knowing with doubt and fear, as if maintaining ignorance was a good in and of itself, but it does mean that we ought to remove our shoes before we enter, for we are walking on holy ground. A humble heart, sure of its finiteness, practices theology with joy and love and never stops learning.

2. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies: St. Paul knew of human's tendency to grasp at whatever bits of glory they can find and wear them around like tin crowns, and he knew enough to know that it is so easy for us to do that with our knowledge. Theology has come to take on a negative connotation because people learn the knowledge but not the gospel, which means that they really have not learned the knowledge at all. If you can pass a theology multiple choice test but do not love others, then you need to go back and learn the lesson again. Love edifies, but knowledge puffs up. If our theology makes us proud, then we can be sure we do not know what Jesus knew.

3. No knowledge comes except by grace: Sometimes it is easy to forget, as we learn and solidify opinions and especially as we teach others, how long a journey it took for us to come to the opinions we now hold. We forget how slow and rebellious we were, how much God has to condescend to lead us by the hand. It is easy to forget, when we hold's God's jewels in our heads and hearts, that it was not our hands that put them there.

4. Learning is a process: Building on the last point, it takes a long time for us to learn things, and the process can often be spoilt and set back by forcing things to early. Currently I am learning a world of new things about God's work in creation. In the sense that I started connecting the dots and having new conversations about creation, the learning process started about 3 months ago. But the more time goes by the more I realize how this is a stage of growth that God has been preparing me to undertake as far back as my earliest memories. All the time I am combing through my past life with what feel like new eyes and seeing things I never saw before. The same lessons that I feel so enriched by now have been parading past my eyes for a decade and I failed to see them, yet, had they not, who knows if I would be seeing them now. Old conversations, journal entries, thoughts are all coming back now and feel as though the are speaking with new life. God guides the process of all of our growth and it is foolish to think that we can make it happen for ourselves or for other exclusively on our time table. We are not the Holy Spirit and should not step into his role in others lives. So much damage can be done when we forget to understand that everyone is riding the wave of the past. It may not be your role to be there when that wave becomes a breaker. Your role is to be where you are and love people faithfully wherever they are at.

5. Theology matters, but it also doesn't matter: There are two opposite things that are simultaneously true. The first is that what a person believes about God is the most important thing about them. It is the baseline from which all other lines in a persons life draw their plumb. The second is there is a basic theology, a mere Christianity, and beyond that core the importance is lessened. If you hold tightly to either one of these without holding both of them you are in danger the pendulum swinging to far in one direction. The first has been spoken of a lot on this blog, so I want to say some things about the second. There will not be a quiz on predestination at the gates of heaven. If our salvation were based on perfect knowledge, then literally none of us but Christ would be saved. But God, through his Son, is enlightening us to understand and love the truths of the gospel. We won't be asked about infralapsarianism, but we will be asked about Christ, if we knew him, and if he knew us. It is easy to make every little bit of doctrine a hill we die on, but in doing so we can win the battle and lose the war.

6. People can become not people, but the ideas they represent: Zeal for God's truth is a wonderful thing, but it goes wrong when it leads us to relate to people not as people created in God's image and precious to Him no matter what, but instead when we relate to them through what we think of their ideas. It is dehumanizing and it is unloving. We ought to want people to know and love the truth, but we can counteract that purpose by the way we think of them and speak to them. If the first thing you think about when you think about someone you disagree with is what you disagree about then you will only be able to act towards them through that wall. Doing so, you will create that wall, which is exactly what one who loves the truth must not do. The first thing that we think about when we think about anyone ought to be the image of God that they bear inside them and the inherent glory that they bear as a result. That creates a love that breaks down every barrier and makes us to treat one another as humans first, not as ideas. That is why Jesus was so irrestistible, he refused to speak or treat anyone with anything less than the honor and dignity which they, as image bearers of God, deserved.

7. Theology is not about canned answers: We will fail if we think that theology is abotu handing people textbook answers. Theology that is all bones and no flesh is of little use to most people. What people need is a theology that they can see. If you want to help someone, if you can, win them without saying a word. Make a bed of integrity first and then your words will possess a weight they never would have before. Sometimes people do not need answers. They need a friend, they need silence, they need a movie, they need compassion. Our theology ought to make us people who know the difference and love well enough to live it out. Dead orthodoxy can be as ugly as bare unbelief.

The Senior High's Trip to Jamaica

This blog's been a little dead as of late. Lots of vacations for many of the guys, but for Luke and I, we were in Jamaica for about 8 days. Sounds like a vacation, sure. But it wasn't. It was a mission trip where we took 18 students and 7 adults to Harmons, Jamaica.

Many of you supported many of the students who went. Some of you sent along money, some of you donated items to be left, or helped decorate bags at Kids Club to give away to Jamaican kids (which, by the way, were a huge hit).

So here's some insight into the trip.

First, I don't think one person who went wasn't deeply impacted by what we saw and participated in. That's a cliched statement, no doubt, but I really believe it to be true. I'd never been there before, and now many of the images and memories are burned in my brain. The people of Harmons live in a way and at an economic level that we can't fathom as Americans. Won By One, the organization we went with, pays their workers $15 to $25 a day, which is apparently more than what security guards make in the Kingston airport. Electricity can be had for some residents, but it's terribly expensive (the Won By One building, which is not air conditioned and uses hardly any electronics or lights, costs around $650 a month).

People there make decisions we aren't forced to make. Do I send my kid to school or do I feed myself? How long can I put off getting this prescription for my sick daughter, because I literally have no money to fill it?

All who went got something of a reality check. Life is so different for us in Columbia, Missouri. We have worries and concerns that when held along side the Jamaican's worries and concerns, are found rather absurd. They often seem to be imprisoned by their circumstances and suffering. But we often seem imprisoned by our comfort.

While there we built a few foundations so that houses could go up next week. We built one house from the foundation up (something near 13' x 26', no water, no electricity). We helped in the store, where locals can fill up two Wal-Mart bags plus 3 pairs of shoes for $1 USD. We also visited a place called "The Infirmary," where mentally and physically handicapped people are left by their families because they can not be cared for.

There is more to say about the people there, the projects we helped with, and the impact it had on us than there is room in this blog. But we were all honored to be a part of some amazing things that God is doing in a place very different than we are familiar with. We are also extremely grateful to all of you who supported us financially, with donations, or with prayer. You were a part of a wonderful week...so we thank you.

Theology and Its Abuses (1)

The value of theology is a topic seen before on this blog, but I want to take two posts to speak to the dangers surrounding theology, both in neglecting it on the one hand, and abusing it on the other. The first post will make a case for why theology is something every believer should love dearly. The next will point out some ways that theology can be abused and cause our love to fail.

It can be a difficult topic. Especially right now, when so often you hear the word theology used as if it were a dirty word, as if the Christian life were really about things that theology couldn't help the believer attain. On the other hand, in making the case for a love for theology, it is easy to fall into the opposite distortion, that of believing that the Christian life is solely about bare knowledge and little else. Theology is the knowledge of God, but in a fallen world even it can be twisted in the hearts of sinful people.

But an answer can be given. The point is not to err on either side, but find the theology that Jesus knew, that made him both incredibly loving and incredibly committed to truth. Living where we do it is easy to forget that those two things are not mutually exclusive, but in the gospel they are not. So pursue that theology. Here are a few other reasons to love theology:

1. We are "bent inwards": We are fallen people living in a fallen world. We not only sin, but we tend to sin. Left alone we will not remain static, we will slowly deteriorate. It is because of this that the Christian life is meant to be one of repentance, one of constant correction, one of continuous seeking to know the Lord better and more deeply. To stop is to fail. As Jesus said, he is the vine and we are the branches. The only vines that live are the ones that remain in him. In part, this means remaining in theology. Learning to know the Lord better and come to understand his revelation of himself to a greater degree. In a sense, we are living in a river and to stop swimming is to be swept along. Theology is no different.

2. We don't know what we don't know: Everyone thinks what they know presently is everything there is to know. Sure we "know" we don't know everything, but it is easy to think we have basically enough. Then we learn and realize how much we have been missing. The new knowledge really does change the way we live in ways that we are happy to have. It is like living in a large, dark room with a narrow spotlight above you. The light illuminates a circle of ground around you and you make the mistake of thinking that this is all you need, but there are things out there in the darkness that you really need. Then you leave the room and go and live your life, love, suffer, and grow, and then when you return the circle of light has expanded and there are all sorts of wonderful things that you did not know about that are now illuminated. In a sense, you don't know what you don't know until you know it. The same is true of God, who is infinite and who every new bit of knowledge is our delight. If this is really our human position, why would we not continue pursuing knowledge of the Lord, and trying to make the how much of him we can see expand?

3. Theology is not an abstract concept: The word "theology" is so often synonymous with the word "obsolete" or "elitist." It is used as a catch all for ideas and concepts that are esoteric or unnecessary. But this is an unfortunate glitch in the language, saying more about us than about theology. Theology is not abstract, it is incredibly practical. To take an example, when I learned more about the sovereignty of God in salvation (sometimes the classic example of theology that doesn't connect to real life) it changed the way I forgive, the way I pray, the way I suffer, love, date, conflict, hope, plan, shop, etc. It changed everything. There was a connection for me between things that are true of God and the way I could live my life.

4. You cannot avoid making a theological statement: Sometimes just "loving Jesus" is offered as an alternative to getting immersed in theological debates, but even "just loving Jesus" is a theological statement. The point is to follow Jesus, but Jesus is only the starting point and all the 360 degrees to move from that point are only determined by theology. How can you even begin to answer the question of what it means to following Jesus without entering the realm of theology? If you are going to have to do it anyway, you may as well be as sure as possible where you are following him is where he is actually going. Or to put it another way, how could you possibly hope to know how to follow without knowing the beliefs about God that he was following?

5. Theology is reality: 90% of the problem people have with theology and doctrine comes in the definition. It is easy to simply define theology as impractical things that theologians argue about. How many angels can fit on the head of a pin? Infralapsarian? Supralapsarian? Etc. However, if you define theology as the Bible seems to most of the problems vanish. The Bible puts theology for as simply the knowledge of the way the world actually is. Theology is reality. If that's true then it makes no more sense to stop pursuing it than an ostrich putting its head in the sand and imagining it is safe.

6. You can know truly without knowing fully: No, you cannot know everything there is to know about God. Yes, there are areas of theology that are mystery. What else is there to expect when you are dealing with an infinite being and doing your reasoning with a finite mind? This is not a reason not to love theology. Because the sidewalk ends is no reason not to walk to the end of it, especially if your right worship of God depends on going as far as you can. Sometimes you will even be asked to take a step over the edge and trust that, though the jurisdiction of your reasoning has come to an end, you will still be upheld. Because we cannot know God fully does not mean that we cannot know God truly. I would say that I know my friends, but not that I know everything there is to know about them. God has revealed himself to us in our own language. He speaks to us in ways we can understand and tells us things that we can trust are true.

7. We are commanded to: Simply put, the Bible is full of commands to persevere in our effort to understand God better. It is filled with warnings of the danger to those who do not. It calls those who would teach lies wolves hungry to devour the flock. It calls those who would teach faithfully shepherds willing to lay down their lives for the flock. Paul warns Timothy to persevere in his doctrine because doing so would save himself and his hearers. It is difficult to put it in higher terms than the Bible puts it.

8. Theology is a mosaic: If theology is reality and it is practical, then theology is a mosaic. It is not about "accessories" vs. "the basics." Rather, each piece, like a mosaic, brings us closer to seeing more clearly the face of the father. Because theology is practical the shape of the theology is the shape of your life, because your life flows down out of your picture of God. We spend our lives placing bits of understanding on that mosaic and growing in our understanding of who God is. That is the work of theology and the grace of it. It is the promise that God has revealed himself and when we come to know and worship him rightly our lives will flourish.

Have You Learned The Secret?

Peter G. Peterson, now 83, has led a rather public and distinguished life. It started in Kearney, Nebraska as the son of Greek immigrants who owned a 24 hour diner. From there he went to Northwestern University and then to the University of Chicago where he earned an MBA. In 1972 Peterson became the first Greek cabinet officer when he was named Secretary of Commerce by Richard Nixon.

In the June 8 issue of Newsweek Peterson wrote in the My Turn column about his decision to give away $1 billion that he earned through founding the Blackstone Group, a financial services company. Why give that much money away? Why not spend it on yourself or leave it to family members? After getting the "big payday" that most people long for, Peterson discovered that it wasn't all that he'd hoped. After climbing to the top of his profession and the top of the financial ladder, Peterson discovered that he'd placed his ladder next to the wrong thing.

Uninterested in purchasing big ticket items and bored by the inactivity of retirement, Peterson began to look for opportunities to be a part of something more significant. As he looked at other billionaires, he couldn't help but notice that the ones he admired most had found the "pleasure of giving their money away." Here's another story that motivated him...

Ultimately, I decided to commit $1 billion to the Peter G. Peterson foundation—the vast majority of my net proceeds from Blackstone. Why so much? Kurt Vonnegut once told a story about seeing Joseph Heller at a wealthy hedge-fund manager's party at a beach house in the Hamptons. Casting his eye around the luxurious setting, Vonnegut said, "Joe, doesn't it bother you that this guy makes more in a day than you ever made from Catch-22?" "No, not really," Heller said. "I have something that he doesn't have: I know the meaning of enough." I have far more than enough.

So Peter Peterson realized that he has enough. That's great. It's a lesson that we all need to learn. But do you have to be on the Forbes 400 to learn that? Do you have to have enough money to give away $1 billion before you have enough? Isn't it easy to learn that you have enough when you have so much?

The answer to the last question is "No." No, it is never easy for anyone to learn contentment in this world. That's because the secret of contentment has nothing to do with how much you have. At a time in which the apostle Paul was in prison for his faith, he wrote:

Philippians 4:11-13 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

A few concluding observations:

1. No one is born content and contentment doesn't come naturally for any of us. Paul learned how to be content.

2. Contentment isn't based on your circumstances. Whether you are poor or wealthy or somewhere in between discontentment is always lurking. So to believe that you will be content when you get that house you've wanted, move into that neighborhood, land that job, finish that degree, find a spouse, improve your marriage, lose that weight, or get one more raise is to believe a lie.

3. According to Paul, the secret of contentment is Jesus. He says that he can do all things (live in plenty or in want, being well fed or hungry) through Christ. What's the secret if not that the only thing that truly satisfies and therefore brings contentment to our life is Jesus.

The Son of Man

I had to cut this from my sermon last Sunday, but I think this is pretty cool…

When you read the gospels, you discover that Jesus referred to himself as “the Son of Man” more than any other title. And so when we get to the first chapter of the Book of Revelation, we again see “son of man” as a description of Jesus. And then we get a better idea why Jesus used that term for himself so often. Because in Revelation 1 we discover that what Jesus had in mind all along was what’s written in the Old Testament book of Daniel.

Let’s first remind ourselves what John writes in Revelation 1:12-18 (TNIV)—

“I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double–edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.’”

When we read these description of Jesus in Revelation 1, we see that the descriptions of God in the Old Testament are now used of Jesus.

Let’s take a look at some of the verses from Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, 18 (TNIV)—

“As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. …I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. …But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.”

Stick with me here. There are several things that are really cool from the above verses. Here we see that the son of man in Dan. 7:13 is a divine being dwelling in heaven with the Ancient of Days. And he is worshiped (only God is rightly worshiped!). And one thing I really like is that this passage is what Jesus had in mind when referring to himself as the “son of man.” We know that because when Jesus stood trial before the High Priest, he quotes the Daniel passage above, and let’s the High Priest (who knew the Daniel passage well) draw the implications for himself.

Here’s how it’s recorded in Mark 14:61-64 TNIV—

“Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’ ‘I am,’ said Jesus. ‘And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ The high priest tore his clothes. ‘Why do we need any more witnesses?’ he asked. ‘You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?’ They all condemned him as worthy of death.”

Jesus claims he will fulfill this role as Daniel’s “Son of Man” when he comes at the end of the age to judge the world, and rule the restored earth in his kingdom—a kingdom that he will share rule with those who are his—they will be raised from death and possess it for ever and ever.

At the end of Jesus' ministry, when he claimed to be this heavenly “son of man” predicted in Daniel's vision, his opponents said he had committed blasphemy. That's why they had him crucified. What do YOU think? What's YOUR answer? Are you really living your life with all the true implications of your answer?

Salt and Light, Chameleon and Musk Ox

Christ's teaching on salt and light is probably quite familiar to all of us. It has been to me since I was a boy in Sunday School. But I've always grouped them together, seeing them as two ways of saying the same thing. Here's the passage from Matthew 5:13-16:

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

I'm currently re-reading a book that I first picked up years ago, entitled Chameleon Christianity by Dick Keyes (Luke Miedema and I had a brief conversation about it the other day...we both agreed that the first half of the book is excellent, while the second half isn't quite as good...feel free to pick it up, however, if you wish). In it, Keyes describes the sociological reaction of dissonant groups. They either "compromise their distinctive beliefs and way of life and so reduce their conflict with society" or they "keep their dissonance and tribalize, retreating within their own group and thus losing contact with society." It is easy to see that we Christians often are tempted to do the same thing.

Keyes parallells the first reaction with "saltless salt" and the second with "hidden light." There are two other images he uses that resonated with me. He sees those who are "saltless salt" as chameleons, creatures that blend in with their environment so perfectly that they are indistinguishable from those around them who hold different beliefs. He points out that when attempting to blend in with culture, the first ideas that Christians let go of are Christ's uniqueness and anything that would suggest intolerance.

Those who are "hidden light" he sees as musk oxen, which are arctic animals who spend much of their time huddled up in a tight circle with their horns pointed outward. They represent "tribal Christians" who are so caught up in their Christian bubble that they no longer interact with the culture at all. The light that they have been given by God can't be seen by others ("Live such good lives among the pagans that...they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." - 1 Pet 2:12).

These two common responses to being a Christian are not what God intends or wants. But of course, most of us don't become chameleons or musk oxen consciously. Months ago Dave preached a sermon in which he challenged us to not only have Christian friends. As I was listening I nodded along in agreement, for I could think of lots of friends who wouldn't associate with non-Christians because they might be led astray or adversely affected in some way...but then on my way home I realized that compared to my college years, my contact with non-Christians had plummeted. I wasn't intentionally or consciously only spending time with Christians. But I was essentially doing so nevertheless.

We all do similar things. We begin using the same words, or are conversations begin bordering on the inappropriate, or we tell bawdy jokes. Maybe we drink a little bit more than we should, to make sure we fit in with our friends. Sometimes our spending habits begin to mirror our peers, not because we are following God's lead, but because our proclivity for materialism has been fed by those around us. Is it possible that we've unconsciously acted like saltless salt and chameleons?

Or maybe we distance ourselves from friends who don't believe in Jesus. Sure, we're cordial to them for the most part, but we've ceased being real parts of their lives because we think we have so little in common. Or maybe we've stopped being around such non-Christians because we're so terribly offended by their language or values, or we're worried that they'll taint us in some way. It's much safer to be a tight knit tribe. Is it possible that we've subconsciously acted like hidden light or musk ox?

An Excercise in Engaging with the Arts: U2 in Concert

This summer, I’ve had a great opportunity to participate in a weekly discussion group with a handful of college students participating in Veritas’ Project Columbia. The goal of the group is to develop a biblical appreciation of the arts—something that happens to be a significant interest of mine. Needless to say, I’ve really enjoyed the process of thinking through various biblical passages, readings, and works of art for the group to consider. And it’s always interesting and rewarding to discuss these things with other people. With that in mind, I thought I’d let those of you who were interested come a long for a bit of the ride by engaging one of the works we’ve looked at in our group.

Owing to the fact that I’m a huge fan of the rock group U2, I couldn’t resist bringing in a in a clip from their 2001 Elevation Tour for this week’s discussion. Occurring at the conclusion of the concert’s main set, it consists of two full songs bridged by the (partial) chorus of a third. The first song, “Bad,” addresses someone struggling with drug addiction, a reality the band saw often enough growing up in Dublin. The connecting chorus is taken from “40," and the final song is one of the bands most enduring anthems, “Where the Streets Have No Name.”

I managed to find a couple of YouTube clips that, when watched in sequence, give you gist of the experience, though the continuity suffers just a bit. I've embedded them below, but the quality isn't the greatest, so it might be better if you go to YouTube directly and search for the videos yourself.

A few things to keep in mind as you view them:

1. How would you describe the “mood” of each of the three segments of the sequence?

2. How is the change communicated? Consider a number of factors in addition to lyrics and musical expression, including lighting, the physical expression and posture of the band (particularly Bono, the band's lead singer), and how the scene is actually filmed (the framing and editing of the shots, etc.).

3. What is significant about the order of the sequence? Another way to think of this might be to consider where we start as viewers and where we end.

4. I would argue strongly that a biblical view of art insists that art doesn’t have to always communicate overt messages (it’s entirely appropriate simply to enjoy a picture of a beautiful sunset, for example). Nevertheless, art can and often does express ideas in powerful ways. With that in mind, what do you think is communicated by the overall presentation of these songs?





If you like, you can find the lyrics here: Bad, 40, Streets (though I should note that Bono makes an important lyric change in the midst of the final song).

Next week I hope to offer a few thoughts of my own.

Kids Club 09

By any measure Kids Club 09 has been a fantastic success. The theme this week is Quest and the kids (preschool through 5th grade) are knights and ladies-in-training searching together for the one true king. Through skits, Bible stories, games, and crafts, the kids are learning that King Jesus is the only true King that is worthy of their love and devotion.

Fun Facts:
1. Almost 450 kids signed up and participated in the week long event.
2. Over 300 volunteers served on a variety of teams.
3. Over 1000 people have already RSVP'd for the Friday night finale.
4. The crafts included medieval tunics, tiaras, and medallions.
5. As a service project the kids made backpacks for children in Jamaica and food mixes to be distributed in the Douglass Park area of Columbia.

One of the best things about this week is that hundreds of people from The Crossing volunteer their time and talents to make this week a success. Some people built and painted huge, elaborate sets, some have selflessly served food, some have prayerfully prepared Bible stories, some have patiently worked registration, some have helped kids put together crafts, then there's the music/dance team, the skit team, the tech team, the set up team, the first aid team, and more. Everyone has worked hard and been very flexible but more importantly they've had a great attitude.

One of the groups that makes the week special for the kids are the team leaders who stay with the same group of kids all week. These leaders make the week fun as they get to know kids, create team cheers, dress up in crazy outfits and do whatever else the kids want.

I know that all the volunteers will be worn out by the end of the week, but I hope that it's that good kind of worn out feeling. I hope that it is the kind of worn out feeling that comes knowing that you spent your time well, you invested in kids' spiritual lives, and you were a part of a team that served God together.

A Real Devil and Real Demons in the Bible - Part Two

As weird as it seems for us moderns, Satan and his demons are a biblical reality. Reading through the gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), you can’t avoid the fact that Jesus unquestionably believed in the reality of Satan and demons, and he taught and warned about their reality to his followers. There are simply too many places to cite them all here, but a few passages in just Matthew alone are 8:28-34; 10:1, 8; 12:43-45; 13:19 (see parallel account in Mark 4:15); 17:18; 25:41. So take a look for yourself.

Last week I discussed a few key passages in the letters written by the apostle Paul that tell us, as believers, to be aware of and warned by and active in resisting the very real efforts of demonic spirits to ensnare us and destroy us, and those to whom we minister. Read that first if you missed it.

The very real presence of Satan and his demons are a sobering and critical fact for you and me as we live out our faith. They are part of the reality we tend to overlook because of our materialistic way of seeing the world. But we ignore them and their intelligent schemes to our own serious peril.

But do YOU believe that? Is that part of YOUR worldview—your view of the Christian faith? Do you believe what God is telling you—warning you—in his word?

The apostle Peter quotes Proverbs 3:34, and warns believers in 1 Peter 5:5-9—

“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith….”

Here the apostle Peter is clearly saying that our pride and our anxiety and our spiritual apathy open a window in our lives for the devil (and his demonic forces) to devour us in some real way. And, it’s also true, that our pride, anxiety, and spiritual apathy may be key indicators that we’re already being devoured or ensnared in some way. He depicts the devil (the Greek word the New Testament authors used for “the devil” means “the Slanderer”) as prowling around your life like a hungry lion, looking for a way to devour or ensnare you, or a way to use you to devour someone else.

And he ensnares and devours primarily through slander. First, he slanders God and his word and his will in your thoughts. This is always the ultimate cause of anxiety in our lives. We’re failing to trust that God is always sovereign over all things in our lives, and we’re failing to trust in the goodness of God’s will for us in some way.

Second, he slanders others in your thoughts (your spouse, your church, your friends, your co-workers, etc.). This is the result of pride in our lives. Beyond not seeing who God truly is, and who we truly are, pride is also emphasizing and dwelling on and condemning and being offended by the failings and shortcomings and sins of others. Pride is our aspiration to rise above others so we look better. Pride makes us feel justified in our accusations and qualms and quarrels and our anger and resentment and defensiveness and unforgiveness and lack of grace toward others. Pride makes us easily offended by others. Pride prevents us from being able to overlook an offense and makes us dwell on and hurt by every perceived insult. And pride gets energized in our lives by our slanderous thoughts toward others—thoughts often breathed into our minds by the Slanderer.

And third, he slanders us in our thoughts. This is often a cause of our spiritual apathy. We only see our shortcomings and failures of faith and our repeated sin, so that we become cynical of our own spiritual growth and joy in the gospel. The gospel seems unreal to us because of our failing to see its fruit in our lives. Our efforts of belief and obedience in the past seemed pointless, so we gave up. But that’s because the Slanderer has deceived us. We stopped seeing that there really was growth and joy at times—that we really did have faith that was slowly changing our lives—but we gave up the fight of faith that all Christians must persevere in. And we let spiritual apathy rob us of what we had/have in Christ. We’ve let ourselves be ensnared by the Slanderer.

Are there areas in these three ways that the devil slanders where you’re letting yourself be ensnared by the Slanderer? Or do you not believe in a real devil and real demonic spirits speaking slanderous thoughts in your mind and heart.

So, Peter says, (1) humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, (2) cast all your anxiety on God because he cares for you, and (3) be alert and sober minded—be spiritually awake—to this reality. That’s how we resist the devil.

But make no mistake, there IS a devil and he IS presently scheming to ensnare and devour you in very real and painful ways. And he will crawl in any open windows of your pride, or your anxiety, or your spiritual apathy. And you won’t even know he did it. You'll just think that God let you down in some way, or it’s someone else’s fault that let you down in some way, or that you just suck. Period. That’s what the Slanderer does. Are you letting him?

So James quotes the same Proverb that Peter did when he writes in James 4:6-8—

“That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

Like Peter, James is telling us that our unchecked pride gives the devil an open window to our lives. But when we submit ourselves to God—when we stop doubting God’s sovereignty and stop rejecting God’s perfect will for our lives—we are then able also to resist the devil and his slanderous schemes. We’ll find that Satan will be more and more de-clawed in his slanderous accusations, and God will draw nearer and nearer to us in real ways. This is the crux of how we fight in this very real spiritual warfare we’re all in—the spiritual struggle God tells us about and warns us about in so many biblical passages. We must aggressively submit to God and his will and aggressively resist the devil and his slander by drawing near to God daily and believing his promises to us in Christ and resisting slander in all its deceptive forms.

A very powerful and practical way to fight your spiritual warfare:
Many years ago, I started praying daily through a prayer that I found and have adapted from several books I read on spiritual warfare. I now call it “A Daily Prayer,” because we need to intentionally submit to God and resist the devil on a daily basis. I would suggest to you that you pray this prayer now and then—even daily for a while—but especially if or when you feel like you're going through spiritual struggles in your life or your family’s lives. There are places in this prayer where you can intercede for others, especially for your family members. And it would be awesome if members of The Crossing used this to intercede for our church community and its pastors and staff. I highly recommend that you get alone somewhere where you can pray through this pray aloud. That will help your concentration, and also help you engage more aggressively in your fighting this spiritual warfare. Note that there is intentional repetition in this prayer. That is to help you focus better on crucial areas of submission to God and resistance of the devil's typical schemes.

You can view this prayer here, or you can right click here to download a pdf version.