Revival Review (4 of 5)

It's now March, but the spiritual glow from the Congregational Church's February revival is still with us.

Dr. J.B. Hixson, Executive Director of the Free Grace Alliance, was our featured speaker, five consecutive times, from February 10-13. In the first half of our time together, Dr. Hixson spoke on the "gift." Solely by His lavish kindness, God offers us grace and eternal security. We can do nothing to earn such gifts. We can only receive them--accepting them by putting our faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus.

The second half of our conference focused on the "prize." How should believers in Jesus respond to the gifts given them? By pursuing the call God has put on our life. By walking with God and imitating his character.

On Tuesday evening, Dr. Hixson reminded us that an essential part of our pursuit of Christ is studying the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Dr. Hixson said the Bible is useful for teaching us what to believe (teaching), what not to believe (rebuking), how not to live (correcting), and how to live (training in righteousness). All of this is so you can become fully mature and ready for every good work.

So how would you describe your Bible reading habits? If you don't have a routine, try making an appointment with God's Word three times a week. Read one day in the psalms. Another day in Proverbs. And the third day reading through one of the gospels.

God's Word? It's our spiritual food.

Revival Review (3 of 5)

Eternal security-- the doctrine that once you trust Christ for salvation you cannot lose it-- was the topic of discussion on the third night of our church's revival conference, February 10-13.

Dr. J.B. Hixson, Executive Director of the Free Grace Alliance, and our conference speaker, offered seven reasons why once a person is saved by Christ, they are always saved:

Logical Proof-- John 3:16 promises "everlasting life" to whoever believes. But if salvation can be lost, eternal life is really conditional, temporary life, and not everlasting.

Biblical Proof-- Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, John 10:28-30, Romans 8:31-39.

Theological Proof-- Eternal salvation is a work of God (Eph 1:13-14). Eternal salvation is thus dependent upon the work of God and not the works of men (Rom 5:12-21). Works are not a requirement for eternal salvation (Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Eternal salvation cannot be earned (cf. Matt 5:20; Rom 9:30-10:4).

Legal Proof-- Justification, a term Paul uses often in Romans, describes how the believing sinner is credited with the righteousness of Jesus Christ (Rom 4:5; 5:1; 10:4). To say that someone could become unsaved after being saved would be to say that God changed His mind or reneged on His ruling.

Divine Declarative Proof-- Eternal life is staked upon the promises made by God the Son and God the Father, who does not lie (Titus 1:2).

Exegetical Proof-- In Romans 8:31, Paul refers to all those who have been justified as having also been glorified (aorist tense). The aorist tense in Greek (the original language of the New Testament) speaks of a past action with a continuing effect. Yet, the actual glorification of Christians does not take place until they arrive in heaven. By using the aorist tense, Paul is assuring the arrival of all Christians in heaven.

Hereditary Proof-- The moment a person believes the gospel, he is adopted into the family of God (Rom 8:15-17; Gal 4:4-5). He becomes a child of God (1 John 3:1). To say that salvation can be lost is to speak of disowning a member of the family.

The bottom line? Salvation does not depend on us, but rests in the promises of God.

Revival Review (2 of 5)

"What's so amazing about grace?"

Author Philip Yancy once asked this question, in the form of a book title, in response to John Newton's famous song, "Amazing Grace." Helping my church family answer the question was Dr. J.B. Hixson, Executive Director of the Free Grace Alliance. J.B. was guest speaker at our Revival Conference, February 10-13.

What is grace? A great place to start biblically is Ephesians 2. J.B. described it in a number of ways, but here is the most memorable:

God's Riches At Christ's Expense.

God's-- Grace originates with God
Riches-- Grace is extremely valuable
Christ-- Grace comes through Jesus Christ
Expense-- Grace is expensive.

Grace is amazing because God makes salvation available as a free gift. In fact, God delights in giving His gift of eternal life to those who don't deserve it. The gift is free to us, but it cost Jesus his life on the cross.

Amazing indeed!

Revival Review (1 of 5)

What is the Gospel? How is this "good news" being presented today?

That was the subject of the first in a series of revival messages at the Little River Congregational Church, February 10-13, presented by Dr. J.B. Hixson, Executive Director of the Free Grace Alliance.

In a message entitled, "The Gospel: Kaleidoscope or Microscope?" Dr. Hixson outlined six mistaken gospel models that are propagated in our postmodern society:

The Purpose Gospel-- The hope of this gospel focuses exclusively on the present age, like better relationships, less stress, more meaningful purpose, etc. Good stuff, but there's no mention of the afterlife-- heaven or hell-- nor emphasis on personal accountability to God.

The Puzzling Gospel-- What people should believe in order to be a Christian is not really made clear or is presented in contradictory ways. A lot of people live in this muddy puddle. Are you a Christian? The best they can answer is, "I'm trying."

The Prosperity Gospel-- A popular message that promises material riches with "name it and claim it" formulas. Again, it focuses on this world alone and obligates God to things He doesn't promise.

The Pluralistic Gospel-- All religions are equally valid pathways to heaven. Jesus is the normal path to heaven, but not the necessary path.

The Performance Gospel-- Believing in Jesus requires you either clean up your life before you believe or you must demonstrate a certain number of good works after you believe. Either way, salvation is in part dependent upon what you do.

The Promise-Only Gospel-- This gospel invites people to believe in Jesus, but without explaining who Jesus is and what He did. Knowing who He is and what He did isn't essential.

Finally, Dr. Hixson explained the "good news" message that best summarizes all the biblical data:

The Pure Gospel-- This gospel proclaims these essential elements:

• Jesus Christ-- This person is at the center of the Gospel message.

• Jesus' Identity-- He is the Son of God. In other words, deity with a unique relationship to God.
  

• Jesus' Work-- He died on the cross and rose again on the third day.

• Jesus' Accomplishment-- His death and resurrection pays your personal sin penalty and makes available to you the righteousness of God.

• Jesus' Offer-- He offers you the free gift of eternal life, which you may receive by putting your faith in Him.
  

The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 declares that the gospel that saves is the message about the death and resurrection of Jesus. More than 160 times, the Bible calls us to "believe" this good news. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone (Ephesians 2).

So why did this exposition start off our revival conference?

Simply this.

When you know and appreciate what God did for you in Christ, then you can really rejoice, give thanks, and be revived.

Revival Conference Concludes

Last night our church concluded our revival conference with my friend Dr. J.B. Hixson, Executive Director of the Free Grace Alliance.

We talked about grace, eternal security, getting into God's Word, and eternal rewards.

Church family, your support for the revival was so wonderful-- from dinners drop off at the house to outstanding attendance each night.

In this Sunday's message, I'll summarize our time and answer the question, "What now." And here on this blog, I'll post on what we discussed each session.

Until then, here's a funny story.

On Tuesday I took J.B. to the Kansas Underground Museum. He really enjoyed the chance to go down 650 feet into the earth and discover the history of salt mining in Hutchinson.

Afterwards, we went to a Mexican restaurant for lunch. As we got out of the car, J.B. said, "I'm paying." I replied, "No, I am." When we ordered, we each told the waitress that we were to get the ticket.

After the meal, the waitress gave the bill to J.B. I asked him, "Why did she give the bill to you?" He answered, "I told her to give the check to the best looking guy." So I retorted, "That's funny. Because I told her to give it to the ugliest guy at the table."

I guess we'll never know who the waitress listened to.

Powers Meet

Here's a pretty amazing picture from the Daily Mail.

This is the largest statue of Jesus in the world-- located in Brazil.

The power of nature and the power of Christ meet!

Revival Conference Weekend

This weekend, the Little River Congregational Church is holding a revival conference, starting Sunday and continuing through Wednesday.

Dr. J.B. Hixson, Executive Director of the Free Grace Alliance and a former classmate of mine at Dallas Theological Seminary, will answer the question, "What's so amazing about grace" and show us how grace is central to our relationship and walk with Jesus Christ.

If you live in the area, this my personal invitation for you to attend.

The other week, a church member confessed that he was somewhat spooked about our upcoming revival. He asked, "What's going to happen?"

I honestly had to say, "I really don't know." I know that over the next few nights, we'll do some singing, praying, and listening to God's Word. Humanly speaking, I know what we're doing. But how it impacts us-- that I don't know. That's up to God. My prayer is that when we eventually look back on the revival, we'll know that it was historically significant in our church's life.

I also told my friend that I hope being "spooked" means a willingness to be vulnerable before God. Jesus says in John 3:8 that "the wind blows wherever it wills... so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." As Kansans, we know that wind is unpredictable. Likewise, while God's ways are always biblical, they are not always predictable. When He surprises us, my guess is He's trying to get our attention and draw us closer to Him.

In C.S. Lewis' masterpiece, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Lucy is about to meet Aslan, the hero who saves the Kingdom of Narnia. When Lucy learns from Mrs. Beaver that Aslan is a lion, she utters, "Ooh! I thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion." Mrs. Beaver replies, "Nervous you will be dearie, make no mistake. Who said anything about being safe. Course he isn't safe. But he is good."

Who knows what God will do during a revival conference. One thing is for sure though. Whatever happens, it'll be good.

The Paper Shredder

Recently I bought a paper shredder for the church office. It's now my favorite toy.

The box said the machine would shred up to 8 pieces of paper at a time. What it didn't say-- and I have since discovered-- is that a paper shredder offers free therapy.

Frustrated about something? Run a piece of paper through the shredder.

The whirl of the motor, the grinding of the blades, and the sound of paper getting destroyed is sweet music to the ears. With the shredder, you get a passive-aggressive moment with your problems. If those annoying situations won't go away, at least you can visualize their eventual end.

God and His Word is the first place to go when you have a problem.

But the next place I'm going to is the shredder.

Links to the Intergoogle

Good News-- Notorious late term abortionist George Tiller has been ordered to turn over redacted medical records to a grand jury investigating whether he broke Kansas law. And the judge is none too happy about Tiller's continued stall tactics.

More Delays-- The Kansas Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the grand jury's access to redacted medical records. What's Tiller hiding?

Thought Provoking-- Professor Walter Berns of Georgetown University argues that support of the death penalty is tied to belief in God.

Funny-- This winter has made Idaho resident Douglas Wilson tired of shoveling global warming.

Interesting-- A map of the world that's sized not according to land mass, but population size.

Influential-- C.J. Mahaney discusses 4 books that have influenced his understanding of the cross.

Getting Better-- Suicide bombings in Israel are down for a reason.

Great Game, Boring Commercials

Yep, Super Bowl XLII lived up to the hype.

Since the Bengals weren't playing, all I hoped for was a close and entertaining game. We got that.

Manning's Houdini-like escape and David Tyree's 32 yard leaping catch was incredible.

The Super Bowl commercials were pretty boring. My favorite though was the Charles Barkley - Dwayne Wade one, where Barkley constantly calls and talks off Wade's ear.

Local Coach Picks Up Win # 500

Congratulations to Shane Cordell, girls basketball coach of Little River High School. He won his 500th game last night, when Little River defeated Peabody-Burns, 54-29. Video highlights of the game and the celebration afterwards are available here.

Cordell told CatchItKansas:

"It's kind of the milestone you think about," he said. "It means a lot to finally do it. It was never a goal I had. But I've been here quite a while, and when you just do your job, some things start to happen. When I reflect back on all the girls who played and all the people who helped the program for years - I hope they got some enjoyment out of it too."

The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame credits Cordell's Little River teams with numerous state records. Among them:

* Most consecutive wins - 91 from 1994 to 1998.
* Most wins in a season - 28 in 1997.
* Most consecutive undefeated seasons - three from 1995 to 1997.
* Most consecutive state championships - four from 1995 to 1998.
* Widest average margin of victory for a season - 40.9 points a game in 1996.

Cordell's basketball coaching record is 500-183.

Shane is a class act who has blessed our community for a number of years.

I hope he's still coaching when my kids get to high school!

Parable of the Race

In an article expressing concerns about properly applying the doctrine, "once saved, always saved," C. Michael Patton at Parchment and Pen tells this memorable story:

“In a town of boredom called Mundane, there was a great announcement. It was the announcement of a race. A great race that all could enter. A race that would rescue them from boredom. Most people did not believe that such an event would be held in Mundane so they scoffed. Others immediately prepared with great enthusiasm and joy.

Both the scoffers and the enthusiasts arrived at the appointed place on the day of the race. The scoffers sat and watched while the others prepared to run by stretching and making sure their shoes were tied. They lined up looking ahead with the intensity, fear, and excitement that accompanied such an event.

The gun sounded and off they went. Yet something very curious and unexplainable happened. They all stopped running after they had passed the starting line. Not only this, but they acted very peculiar. One person fell on his knees crying, thanking God that he crossed the starting line. Others gave each other high fives and hugs shouting, “Hooray, we are now race runners, we are now race runners.” Some shook hands and congratulated each other. One group relaxed and complemented one another on how well they crossed the starting line. Five or six others all gathered together and formed a prayer circle. They prayed that others would cross the starting line as they had.

Many others wanted to experience this joy so they decided to start the race as well. They were immediately stopped by the well-wishers who had started before them. They decided to stay as well. After a few days, there were people handing out pamphlets along with a certificate to all those who crossed the starting line. The pamphlet told them that once they had started the race they were guaranteed to finish. The certificate was to recognize their achievement in finishing the race even before they finished.

After a month or so, there were so many who had crossed the starting line that they decided to build a town right there. They called this town “Starting Line.”

The spectators were confused. “I thought a race had to be finished,” they said to one another. They interviewed the people of Starting Line. “Why did you start the race and not continue?” they would ask. This made the people of Starting Line very uncomfortable. They would immediately show their certificate saying that they were guaranteed to finish. When people would encourage them to run the rest of the race, they would be ridiculed for not trusting God. They were called legalists and were accused of trusting too much in their own ability to finish the race.

Finally, many in the crowd became fed up with those in Starting Line and began to run the race without them.”

I'm There! Kansas State 84 Kansas 75

Yours truly had the privilege last night of attending one of the greatest basketball games in Kansas State history as the Wildcats beat the second ranked Kansas Jayhawks, 84-75.

The K-State win broke a 24 game home losing streak to the Jayhawks and 35 of the last 36 overall. As the game ended, the student section spilled out onto the floor and created a mayhem of jubilee.

The difference maker for K-State was its guard play. To my amazement, they outplayed Kansas with their outstanding ball control-- only 10 turnovers to Kansas' 16. Wildcat freshman guard Jacob Pullen had his biggest game off the bench with 20 points, 4 assists, and only 1 turnover. K-State star Bill Walker led the team early on and Michael Beasley made some critical shots in the second half to maintain the lead. After a back and forth first half, K-State never gave up the lead in the second half.

And the hoopla about Michael Beasley? That guy is the real deal-- a head and shoulders superstar. He was constantly doubled and tripled teamed, yet he scored 25 points and had 6 rebounds. And when bodies fell to the floor, and towels had to be brought out to wipe up the sweat, there was Beasley down on the ground, cleaning the floor-- twice. He's a class act. And first time head coach Frank Martin? Tip the hat to him. The Wildcats controlled the tempo the entire game.

All in all, definitely the greatest college basketball game I've ever witnessed.

Samuel Backs Out of Soulforce Campaign

A prominent United Church of Christ pastor has decided his conscience will not allow him to participate in an aggressive dialogue campaign led by Soulforce, a gay civil rights group.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Samuel-- Senior Pastor of Victory for the World Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia-- was originally scheduled to be a clergy leader for Soulforce's national campaign this spring and summer. The campaign will target the 2008 United Methodist General Conference in Ft. Worth, Texas, and also a number of well known churches and pastors-- Rev. Joel Osteen, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Bishop Harry Jackson Jr., Bishop Eddie Long, Rev. Bill Hybels, and Rev. Rick Warren.

In a January 11 Soulforce press release, Samuel said, "Homophobia and heterosexism directly contradict the principles of equality and justice for all God's children, and I think that the younger generation of evangelicals are beginning more and more to see this contradiction."

But four days later, Samuel told the Southern Voice that he's decided not to participate because, "pastors have the right to believe as they wish." In good conscience, he couldn't "violate another pastor's space" who happens to disagree with his own position.

Samuel's decision to back away from the Soulforce campaign was influenced by his own church's experience of getting picketed by Rev. Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church:

"I cannot in good faith do something similar," Samuel said. "The best way to combat bigotry is from the pulpit, to educate the members themselves. It’s rather intrusive for a pastor to come onto another pastor’s sacred space."

If Phelps had asked Samuel to sit down and talk, Samuel acknowledged he would have said no.

And while he supports Soulforce’s mission, Samuel said he believes "intruding" on another’s sacred space can be counter-productive. "I respect Soulforce for raising the issue. My prayer is the members take this message back to their pastors and tell them how their messages are impacting them," he said.

Samuel will surely face criticism in the GLBT community. If homophobia is wrong, especially in the religious community that exerts moral influence over society, how can he stand idle on the sidelines? How can he allow other influential pastors and churches to continue spreading intolerant views? Would Samuel passively allow another pastor or church to espouse hatred toward blacks during the civil rights movement?

And yet, Samuel's decision is a tacit admission of two things:

First, Soulforce's methods to create "dialogue" are essentially bullying tactics. Their ways even resemble those of the loathsome Westboro Church. Notice that Samuel says he couldn't do something similar. Soulforce will deny this description of their methods, but Executive Director Jeff Lutes says his organization has already written "100 letters to these six [above mentioned] churches and several dozen to Bishop Eddie Long’s church," adding the group still plans to show up at Long's congregation on June 1. Samuel's choice to back away is a sign that he prefers the kind of dialogue that is more in line with the tradition of the United Church Christ-- where two parties willingly agree to gather around a common table, without undue coercion.

Second, religious people are legitimately entitled to believe that GLBT behavior is wrong and grieves the heart of God. No doubt, Samuel takes the other side of the issue, yet he believes a measure of tolerance is owed to those with whom he disagrees. At the least, disagreeing pastors and churches should not be intimated by those who show up to their sacred space uninvited, pushing an agenda. Again, Samuel's decision reflects in application the polity of the United Church of Christ-- which gives autonomy to individual congregation to decide their own beliefs.

The question of whether GLBT behavior is morally legitimate will continue indefinitely. In the meantime, Samuel's decision shows that dialogue about this sensitive issue is best when two parties meet willingly and without intimidation.

Links to the Intergoogle

Columnist Ann Coulter writes a tribute to her late father.

Albert Mohler and Peter Gomes illustrate the difference in perspective between the evangelical and mainline churches-- and so does this.

For those considering suicide. The post and the comments drove me to tears. There's a lot of hurt in the world.

Malaysia has banned Christian books that have the faces of Jesus, Moses, and Abraham. And this is a "moderate" Muslim country?

Go ahead. Wrestle with a paradox. The website of the great creativity teacher, Roger Von Oech.

What if Martin Luther were starting out in ministry today? Some interesting questions from Dan Kimball.

Entertainment Through Other's Misery

The other night I was flossing my teeth and flipping through TV channels when I came upon one of those crime shows featured on a network news channel.

On this particular night, the host was on-site at a crime scene, where a gruesome murder took place. The host was walking around the site interviewing the lead detective.

The host asked, "Was blood found here?" Then the host asked again, "And did the luminal test show blood?" And it went on and on. "Blood here?" "Blood there?"

After a few moments of this, I got to thinking, "Do I really need to be watching this?"

And then I thought, "Well, somebody sure needs to look at this. A terrible crime took place. The victim and the family need justice. Someone needs to examine the evidence. God sure sees it all."

Then I wondered: "But what about the dignity of the victim and the families? They are suffering badly. Why is it necessary for me to see this evidence?"

The TV show isn't sleazy. It's well respected. And I like the host. But the program left me feeling like I was looking at something that wasn't any of my business.

It was entertainment through other's misery.

I turned it off.

Idols (Part Two)

Someone in the Old Testament who was serious about getting rid of idols was Josiah.

Josiah was King of Judah-- the southern portion of Israel after its civil war in 931 B.C. Josiah took over in 640 B.C. when he was only eight years old. He was the last good King of Judah during a time when the spiritual life of God's people was seriously declining.

At age 16, Josiah started seeking the Lord. Then at 20 years old, 2 Chronicles 34:3-7 tells us he "began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of its high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images."

Notice all the verbs that follow in 2 Chronicles-- that describe the removal of idols:

Tore down (2x)

Cut to pieces (2x)

Smashed

Broke to pieces

Scattered

Burned

Crushed to powder

Do you think Josiah was serious about cleaning house and getting rid of idols?

How serious are you about getting rid of your idols?

Idols (Part One)

Once there was a man who worked hard all his life and got very rich.

When he was about to die, he told his wife, "Bury me with all my money." At his funeral, the wife dutifully complied.

Later, the new widow and a friend got together for coffee. The friend said, "You didn't really bury him with all his money." The widow replied, "How could I deny his final wish? When his casket was closed for the final time, I made sure all his money was with him."

The friend was quiet. She couldn't believe it. And the widow added: "Yes, I buried him with all his money. And I did it by writing him a check."

Sometimes, people try to hang onto things that can't help them. For the living, that often takes the form of idols-- things that rob the rightful place of God.

In Old Testament days, idols were obvious to spot. They were figured statues carved out of stone or wood. In our day, idols are tougher to detect, yet they're plentiful in number-- power, fame, money, sex. And things more benign-- kids, gardens, cars, etc.

One reason idols can be hard to detect is they often are things that God has rightly given us to enjoy. For example, everyone needs food. And good food, delightfully prepared, is fun to eat. But if I continually gorge on food to make me feel better when life gets too stressful, food becomes an idol.

When I cease to rely on God for my happiness, security, and provision and replace God with something or someone that isn't intended to take God's rightful place in my life, I create an idol.

Lately, I've seen the need to examine myself and clean house.

What's dwelling in your house? Anything need cleaning out?

What Roe and King Share in Common

This is Sanctity of Life Sunday. Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

The two days have a lot in common, yet those who are passionate about life rarely come in contact with those passionate about civil rights. Rev. David Stokes at Townhall says that needs to change:

So, here we are again, in another January – decades after a killing and a ruling - still marching about Roe v. Wade and honoring Dr. King - but seldom in the same room. The two constituencies, both fierce about the importance of faith, seldom find, much less look for, ways to reach out to the other choir.

As churches get ready for this Sunday some will highlight “SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE SUNDAY.” Others will talk a lot about Dr. King and his dream. Usually it will be one or the other.

Some of us WILL try to do both – because there ought to be an affinity between the two.

When Martin Luther King talked about a dream he had for his four little children and how he longed for them to grow up in a nation “where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” – beyond the “amens” and applause of the crowd around the Lincoln Memorial far too many Americans ignored what he had to say. Or worse – they mobilized to polarize and oppose.

Those opponents were wrong. No matter how much they went to church, read their Bibles, or professed the religion of Jesus. It was wrong for good, God-fearing, Americans NOT to see how important it was, from a faith-based point of view, that a nation truly walk the walk it had long talked about.

And, it is wrong for some people of faith today not to see the “pro-life” cause as very much a civil and human rights issue.

We should have a dream that welcomes all to the table.

We should have a dream that welcomes all to life itself.

May the two visions become one and win the hearts and minds of our country.

Celebrity Name Roster

I just finished watching the Kansas State women's basketball team defeat the University of Colorado, 67-60.

It's funny. On Colorado's roster are two celebrity names:

Whitney Houston and Brittany Spears.

Each one made a contribution. Spears started and had 16 points and 8 rebounds. Houston had 2 points off the bench.

How often do you see that on a sports team?

The Flu Bug

Yesterday I got a call from the elementary school: "Your daughter has a low grade fever and isn't feeling well. Would you pick her up?"

So I stopped what I was doing, went to school, and found a puny feeling kid eager to go home.

Once in the house, my feverish child put on pajamas and then asked, "Would you read me a story?"

So we found a familiar book, settled into a comfortable couch, and quickly falling asleep was...

Me.

I slept for a half hour.

The bug is going around.

The Book of Nehemiah Comes Alive in 2008

The Jerusalem Post reports:

A stone seal bearing the name of one of the families who acted as servants in the First Temple and then returned to Jerusalem after being exiled to Babylonia has been uncovered in an archeological excavation in Jerusalem's City of David, a prominent Israeli archeologist said Wednesday.

The 2,500-year-old black stone seal, which has the name "Temech" engraved on it, was found earlier this week amid stratified debris in the excavation under way just outside the Old City walls near the Dung Gate, said archeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar, who is leading the dig.

According to (chapter 7 of) the Book of Nehemiah, the Temech family were servants of the First Temple and were sent into exile to Babylon following its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BCE.

The family was among those who later returned to Jerusalem, the Bible recounts.

An artifact like this confirms (once again) the historical accuracy of Scripture. While it doesn't prove the theology of the Old Testament, it certainly increases the credibility of its message-- about a gracious God who saves people through faith in Himself.

Excerpt from a Funeral Sermon

In Luke 7:36-50, we find a lady who is sitting at Jesus’ feet. She brought with her a pretty thing—perfume. Crying, Luke the gospel writer tells us that the lady, “began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them” (Luke 7:38).

Now the man who was hosting Jesus for dinner was a very religious man—a Pharisee. He was brim and proper. And I’m sure he was surprised when this down-and-out woman comes up to Jesus.

Back in the first century, when important people at a meal together, they often ate in the center of an open courtyard—and people would gather around—at the outer edges—to watch. So when this lady leaves the outer edges, breaks the social norms, and sits down by Jesus’ toes, at the celebrity table, he’s a bit offended. And he says to himself, “If this man Jesus were really a prophet know-it-all, he’d know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a low down sinner.”

The religious man is saying all this to himself, but Jesus knows what he’s thinking, and so he says to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have a story to tell you. Two men owed money to a lender. One owed 500. The other owed 50. Neither of them could repay the money, so the lender canceled the debt.” Then Jesus asked, “Which one will love him more?” Simon gets the point and replies, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” And Jesus says, “Yes, you got it.”

And then, Jesus does something bold. In fact, what Jesus does next is what makes him unique and worthy of our attention. Jesus takes Simon deeper. He reveals to Simon—a religious man—what true spiritual need looks like. He points to the woman at his feet and says, “Simon, this is what real spirituality looks like. It’s admitting your need.”

... Our greatest need is a Savior— someone who will forgive our sins— and restore us to a right relationship with God.

The lady who kneeled at Jesus’ feet— she found the right person. And when you admit your need and kneel at his feet— you too find the right person—for in Jesus, you find God himself.

And at the feet of Jesus, you too can hear these words: “Your sins are forgiven... Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Dear friend, the Bible declares that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Three days later, he rose again. In doing so, he showed the world that God indeed has forgiven us.

Has there ever been a time in your life when you have humbly confessed to Jesus your need—for His forgiveness—of your sins? If so, let this be a day of rejoicing. If you have not yet made this decision, the arms of Jesus are open. He welcomes anyone who will trust in Him. For God delights in forgiving the debt that none of us can repay. Amen.

Iranian Movie Presents "Islamic Jesus"

Do Christianity and Islam have anything in common when it comes to Jesus? A new movie, produced in Iran and funded by state broadcasting, is making the case.

Nader Talebzadeh is director of "Jesus, the Spirit of God," winner of an award at the 2007 Religion Today Film Festival in Italy. He says his film is the first to give an Islamic view of Jesus Christ. Iranian actor Ahmad Soleimani Nia plays the role of Jesus.

According to AFP:

Talebzadeh insists (the movie) aims to bridge differences between Christianity and Islam, despite the stark divergence from Christian doctrine about Christ's final hours on earth.

"It is fascinating for Christians to know that Islam gives such devotion to and has so much knowledge about Jesus," Talebzadeh told AFP.

"By making this film I wanted to make a bridge between Christianity and Islam, to open the door for dialogue since there is much common ground between Islam and Christianity," he said.

In these days, where religious conviction is fueling violence, dialogue between religions is a good thing. If people of different faiths can respectfully talk with one another, it humanizes each side, breaks down suspicions, and paves the way for living together in peace.

So to have a dialogue-- via film-- between Muslims and Christians about Jesus is a positive development. In fact, Jesus welcomes the scrutiny, for he asks, "Who do people say that I am?"

In the spirit of dialogue, let's consider what the earliest accounts of Jesus say-- the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. All of them were composed within 30-60 years after Jesus' earthly life. Here's what they testify:

Jesus was a Jew. This is an obvious fact, but it's significant to mention here because we're talking about a film financed by the state of Iran, led by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who regularly espouses the destruction of Israel. Does anyone believe that Jesus desires the complete obliteration of the Jewish state? It just so happens, "Jesus, the Spirit of God" asserts a central belief of President Ahmadinejad-- that when Jesus returns to earth, he'll be accompanied by the Imam Mahdi.

Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised again on the third day. The AFP articles says the movie, "faithfully follows the traditional tale of Jesus as recounted in the New Testament Gospels, a narrative reproduced in the Koran and accepted by Muslims." But when it comes to the last few hours of Jesus' life-- particularly, his crucifixion, the film switches sources and goes to the Koran, where it is said that Jesus was never crucified, but taken up into heaven. Question: The film thinks the Gospels are a reliable source for Jesus' life. Why then, when it comes to the final hours of Jesus' life, does the film suddenly switch from a first century source (the Gospels) to a much later seventh century source (the Koran)? The earliest and best historical documents of Jesus' life-- the Gospels-- say Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised to life on the third day. The Gospels are so convinced of these facts that they each devote a significant portion of their book reporting these events! The final few hours of Jesus' life isn't a minor difference of division between Christians and Muslims. It's the major difference, for we believe the crucifixion of Jesus was necessary in order for God to forgive the sins of humanity-- again, another early Christian belief (see 1 Corinthians 15).

Jesus is God in human form. Again, this a major difference in belief between Christians and Muslims. In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus claims the right to forgive sins, something only God can do. In Mark 14:57-65, Jesus says that he is the Son of Man who sits at God's right hand and comes on the clouds of heaven, something only God does. The religious leaders clearly understood Jesus' claim. They accused him of blasphemy and sentenced him to death. In John 8:58, Jesus says, "Before Abraham was born, I am." Jesus claims to be a prophet not on par with Abraham, but greater, for he always existed-- again, a characteristic of God. Christians do not worship three gods. We worship one God who has revealed Himself in three ways-- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The movie, "Jesus: the Spirit of God" seeks to show what Christians and Muslims have in common about Jesus. However, the differences between the two religions are vast. Still, art that makes Jesus its subject-- particularly film making-- is a great way to start a dialogue and answer Jesus' question, "Who do you say that I am?"

"White Knuckle" Spirituality

The ladies at our church are studying Beth Moore's excellent series, Breaking Free.

Yesterday in the video, Moore said:

"We must not only come under the authority of Christ, we must learn to enjoy that authority over us."

Her point is that believers must come to the place where we relish God's sovereignty and protection over our lives and in turn joyfully submit ourselves to the Lord again and again.

The remark reminded me of something a friend once told me. He said a lot of alcoholics resist drinking by "white knuckling" it. These folks are depending on their own strength. They don't seek the help and power of God. Consequently, they're clenching tight their fists-- desperately trying on their own to not drink.

I think Christians can believe they've given their life to Christ, but often "white knuckle" it because they don't enjoy or relish God's authority over them. The opposite I think is being "filled by the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18)-- where you want to the Lord's strength and actively seek it.

How are your knuckles?

The Nature of Pastoral Ministry

I don't know how many books there are on what it means to be a plumber or an engineer, but there are lots of books that talk about the essence of being a pastor.

These books on pastoring say that being a minister is a special calling. God's call sets you apart. You're in the center of God's action. While our work in the pulpit is very public, most of our labors go unseen. We labor for results that are evident to all-- changed lives. But that requires focusing our energies on what is often unseen-- the human soul.

I have a lot of respect for the Christian plumber, farmer, teacher, etc. They're "out in the world" everyday, rubbing shoulders with all sorts of people. Like pastors, they too have their own special burdens, something veteran pastor, Warren Wiersbe demonstrates here:

"Caring for people in pastoral ministry is more than you deserve and more than you can handle."

I'm especially feeling that burden lately. Pray for me. And pray for your pastor.

Some of My Favorite Blogs

You like blogs. Which may explain why you're reading this blog. Blogs are great way to share information.

I have over 50 lnks to blogs that I read and enjoy. Today, I'd like to share with you a couple of my favorites.

• UCCTruths-- Alternative news and opinion about the United Church of Christ denomination. I contribute articles here on an irregular basis.
  

• Denny Burk-- Professor at Criswell College in Dallas, I like the variety of subjects that Denny discusses-- theology, politics, sports, and more.
  

• Parchment and Pen-- The blog of Reclaiming the Mind ministries, founded by Michael Patton. RTM offers the best online theological education you can find, at a very reasonable price. The blog features thoughtful posts about theology and features weekly posts from Dr. Dan Wallace, a former profession of mine at Dallas Seminary. Dan has a sharp and fertile mind. I always like knowing what he's thinking about.
  

• Swerve-- This is the blog of Pastor Craig Groeschel and LifeChurch.tv, based in Edmund, Oklahoma. Craig's articles models outstanding simplicity. He packs more wisdom in less words than anyone I know. Often he writes on a theme for the week. Each entry ends with a question for reflection.

Michael Vick Coming to Kansas

Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick is coming to Kansas.

The ex Atlanta Falcon QB, who pled guilty in August to dog fighting charges, was transfered from a Virginia prison to a federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas to enter a drug treatment program.

If he successfully completes his program, Vick could be released a year early, although he still faces state charges on dog fighting in Virginia.

How God Uses Our Longings

Yesterday in the first worship service of the New Year, I asked the congregation to cup their hands together. Imagine that your greatest longing lays in your palms. Present them to the Lord as an act of trust and worship.

Why does God give us burdens in the first place? Here's what I've learned:

• The Lord gives us longings to remind us our weakness. We are needy. We are not self-sufficient, try as we may.
  

• God uses our longings to remind us of our greater need for God himself. When we forget God, He sends problems our way to drive us back to Him.
  

• God uses our longings to show us His greatness and power. Through our struggle, God works, and in a very real way, we see that God is alive.

• Sometimes, our longings need revising. Either we want the wrong things, want it for the wrong reasons, or at the wrong time. Trusting God with our desires means that we're willing to let God reshape our wants.

What need or longing is in your hands? Bring it before the Lord. In doing so, you live out this word:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

The Mingling of Private and Public Life

It's often said, "What someone does in private has no bearing on their public life." Usually you hear this when a public official admits to some moral indiscretion and then insists they can still do their job well.

That axiom got tested recently when Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison admitted having an affair-- while running for office and into his first term. Initially, he said he would remain in office. He could still "do his job." But quickly, political pressures forced him to resign.

So what was Morrison doing on the job? Today, Steve McIntosh of KNSS Radio-1330 Wichita reports:

Records show Morrison spent nearly eleven-thousand minutes on the phone with his mistress over the first ten months of this year. That’s 35 minutes a day talking to Linda Carter, his former employee. She’s the one who filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Morrison. He resigned … admitting an affair but nothing more.

Paul Morrison spent 75 work hours on the phone with his girlfriend. That’s more time than many workers get for vacation in a year. Sure makes you wonder about the Attorney General’s productivity. Anyone who can spend that much time on personal phone calls must have a pretty laid-back appointment schedule.

35 minutes a day! I guess that means Ms Carter is “high maintenance”. Or maybe Morrison is a terrible time manager. Or maybe he simply lacked respect for his employers, the people of Kansas.

Your private life? It matters. And it does affect your public work.

I'm For Mitt

Tonight is the Iowa caucus. Finally, the rhetoric starts turning into decisions.

As a Republican, I've read and listened to the views of Huckabee, McCain, Paul, Giuliani, and Romney. Here's how I've sorted them out:

• Paul is too libertarian for me. I don't support his foreign policy of total isolation.

• Giuliani is strong on defense and sensible spending, but too liberal on social policy, particularly on abortion.

• McCain is a war hero who has my deep respect, yet I won't overlook his role in limiting free speech in campaigns (McCain-Feinberg), nor his political maneuvers in the Senate that kept good judges from being confirmed.

• Huckabee is an evangelical Christian. For this, I am glad, but that in itself is not enough to garner my support. In particular, Huckabee has raised taxes too much in Arkansas, is ignorantly critical of Bush's foreign policy, and won't protect our borders, thus continuing the problem of illegal immigration.

That leaves me with Mitt Romney. Not that I support him because he's "the least of two evils." Actually, I think he's well qualified.

In short, Romney is a fiscal and social conservative. He's strong on defense. He supports border patrol and legal immigration. He's presidential. He handles himself well. He's been a very successful business leader. While I don't share his Mormon faith (nor do I believe that Mormonism is Christian), it's evident from Scripture that God superintends the leaders He raises up to govern the nations.

Here then is my choice. You won't hear about it in my pulpit, just on this blog.

Let's see what happens.

Adrian Belew

I'm beginning the New Year thinking about music. Here's a profile of one of my favorite musicians, Adrian Belew.

What a guitarist! He's played with people and bands I really enjoy, plus he's a Cincinnati guy.

What he says at the end of this short documentary sums up the start of 2008, "I can't wait to see what happens next."

2007 Year in Review

The sun is setting on 2007. Because of you, it's been a good year here at Living the Biblios. Thanks for your readership!

2007 was balanced with its share of serious and not so serious entries--critical analysis and light hearted humor. This year the blog gained a few more readers and comments. This site isn't a heavy weight in terms of traffic, but I've certainly enjoyed writing and reflecting here with you.

The purpose of God is that we'd live out his story, or "biblios," the Greek word for book-Bible. May the entries on this blog encourage you to live out God's story!

Favorite Posts of 2007

• How well do you know the master? A story. This really hit me between the eyes.
  

• R.I.P Joe Nuxhall (1928-2007)-- You hear the voices of your youth forever.

• Kids Joke-- Wow. I actually made up a joke.

• What's right and wrong about the mainline church.

• "My" beliefs among "our" beliefs-- What happens when personal faith mingles with the personal faith of others in a denomination.

• Kathy Griffin un-thanks Jesus-- Does God laugh when comedians slander Jesus?

• Wounding the Wound-- Sometimes, a problem needs to get worse in order to get better.

• Why Jesus tells parables-- A story that explains Jesus' use of stories.

• How to witness without really witnessing-- Stories are a great way to share your faith.

• Parable of Wesley's Quadrilateral-- What happens when Biblical truth is no longer the first and final authority.

• Six word stories-- "This story starts with six words..."

• A song about Jesus to the tune of B-I-N-G-O-- An original composition.

• Choking the life out of the gospel-- The day I heard a real live Pharisee and got mad.

• What is success?-- The world's version isn't God's definition.

• Ascension balloons--The evangelical church needs to focus more on Jesus' ascension.

• When our eyes cheat us-- Sometimes, the sight of suffering blinds us to its meaning and purpose.

• The hidden advantage of taking a parenting class-- This is funny.

Posts with Most Hits in 2007

• Rev. Barry Lynn's Liberal Silence-- Lynn and his AU organization rails against evangelical behavior in politics, but conveniently, Rev. Lynn ignores religious liberals doing the same, or worse.

• VBS Son Force Kids-- tips and closing rally script

• Crow-ing about Toilet Paper-- My parody piece in response to pop-rock singer Sheryl Crow's suggestion that everyone use only one sheet of toilet paper in order to help save the planet from global warming.

• Bible verses in Matt Redman's "You Never Let Go"-- Lots of direct and indirect Bible references in this great song.

Articles Written for UCCtruths in 2007

• Sacred Space as Public Space-- Sometimes, church buildings get used irresponsibly.

• Historic Kansas Church Leaves UCC

• Barack Obama Facing Concert Critique from Gay Rights Groups

• A Kingdom Right Here on Earth-- Analysis of Barack Obama's religious rhetoric on the campaign trail

• $85,000-- What a small church needs each year to keep going.

• What's right and wrong about the mainline church.

• May Israel Defend Itself?-- A UCC executive won't say.

Blog Highlights from the Year 2007

December

• Electric power in Little River goes Out for a week and what I learned from the experience.

November

• Fire in nearby Windom, KS claims one life.

• Distinguish what's most important about your beliefs and the advantages of doing so.

October

• My view of justification

• Understanding 1 Corinthians 8-10 and applying the message.

September

• The battle we face-- spiritual warfare explained in everyday language.

• Two members of Congress visit Little River

• The problem of wisdom in 1 Corinthians 4, how Paul handled the problem, and how 1 Corinthians 4 applies to our lives today.

• Three tenses of our salvation-- The Bible speaks of salvation as a past completed work, a current ongoing work, and a work to be completed in the future.

August

• A humorous view of the end times.

• A sermon about sleeping. Too often preachers neglect the fact that we're humans with real physical needs. You will spend about 1/3 of your life sleeping. So why haven't you heard a sermon about that?

July

• This sermon is on vacation. Are vacations spiritual? Sure are.

• I went 650 feet underground. The Kansas Underground Museum is a real treat to visit. Unfortunately, it's really struggled since opening. Go and visit! It's great.

• What I saw in the night sky. Clear summer nights in Kansas are awesome.

• A funny DDA prayer. the joys of working with the disabled at summer camp.

June

• Presidential candidate and United Church of Christ member Barack Obama believes religious conviction should inform and motivate one's political action. An analysis of Obama's foundational speech at the United Church of Christ General Synod. Parts one, two, and three, and four.

• Purpose statements of Jesus, purpose statements of the Apostle Paul, and biblical purpose statements for you and me.

May

• Douglas Wilson replies to atheist Christopher Hitchens and his book, "God Is Not Great." While Wilson has much to say, he starts by answering Hitchens with just one word.

• Mothers of grace. Thoughts from Mother's Day.

• The Little River Congregational Church celebrates its 53rd annual church sale.

• Greensburg, Kansas is flattened by a tornado. It's quickly apparent though that the town is filled with dedicated and sacrificial people, something that President Bush sees when he visits.

April

• The Little River Congregational Church formally joins Faithful & Welcoming Churches, a renewal movement within the United Church of Christ.

• The Gospel of Thomas compared to the Gospels, followed by a critique that shows Thomas doesn't reveal much about Jesus compared to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

March

• Hell of a statement. The doctrine of hell has fallen on hard times.

• A baptized imagination. When our thoughts are immersed in the Lord.

• A lesson to contemplate from the sham TV special, "Lost Tomb of Jesus."

• The Little River Congregational Church stays in the UCC by the closest of margins.

February

• My tribute to a great man who devoted his life to scholarly study of the Bible, Dr. Bruce Metzger.

• Conversation with a cologne bottle. The insanity of marketing exposed.

• Theology growing up. How I came to believe that the end of God's program is not heaven in the sky, but heaven on earth in a renewed creation.

January

• Generational blind spots. An excellent guest column by FWC President Bob Thompson about the ways Christians in each generation seem blind to obvious biblical truth.

• Pictures of Phil Keaggy in Wichita. What an amazing guitarist.

• What the life of the late President Gerald Ford teaches us.

R.I.P. 2007

Ingar Bergman, Benazir Bhutto, Art Buchwald, Liz Claiborne, Jerry Falwell, Dan Folgelberg, Ernest Gallo, Robert Goulet, Ruth Bell Graham, Merv Griffin, Johnny Hart, Leona Helmsley, Don Ho, Molly Ivans, Lady Bird Johnson, D. James Kennedy, Evel Knievel, Norman Mailer, Tammy Faye Bakker Messner, Benny Parsons, Luciano Pavarotti, Oscar Petersen, Eddie Robinson, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., Beverly Sills, Anna Nicole Smith, Tom Synder, Hank Thompson, Ike Turner, Kurt Vonnegut, Porter Wagoner, Bill Walsh, Jane Wyman, and Boris Yeltsin.

All these people achieved fame, fortune, and success. All of them died in 2007.

No measure of accomplishment will save us from the grave. Not you. Not me. Not them.

"Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24)

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39).

Starbucks "Starbucked"

Late one night I couldn't sleep, so I turned on the TV and happened upon C-Span 2's "Book TV" program. Pontificating in Portland's Powell's Bookstore was someone talking about Starbucks. What followed was caffeinated talk that kept me up and watching.

Taylor Clark is the author of Starbucked, a book that examines Starbucks from a business and cultural perspective. While Clark isn't a big fan of Starbucks (he thinks they're the McDonald's of coffee), he shared some fascinating Starbucks facts in his TV lecture:

• When the very first Starbucks opened in 1971, it didn't sell coffee by the cup-- only beans.

• Starbucks' largest store is a five-story building in South Korea.

• The average Starbucks store makes $1 million a year.

• Starbucks' biggest market is in China, a country where people generally don't drink coffee.

• Initially, Starbucks' management was staunchly against adding the Frappuccino to its menu; today, its their biggest selling drink.

People sure are passionate about their coffee, which is why coffee is trendy and political. Starbucks has transformed the industry.

My favorite cup of coffee? It's definitely Starbucks Espresso Roast.

Money and Debt

Balancing the checkbook is a constant challenge in our house. Radio talk show host Dave Ramsey has made working with money a little more fun... and so does this video.

Merry Christmas

The Christmas Story from The Bible Experience New Testament (www.zondervan.com/tbe), the 2007 Audio Book of the Year, blended with beautiful artwork by Michael Dudash (http://www.cmdudash.com/).

My Favorite Christmas Site

Christmas is just on the horizon. Here's a little gift for you-- my favorite Christmas website.

The Hymns and Carols of Christmas is a site managed by Douglas D. Anderson. Pulling together hundreds of sources to one clearing house site of information, Anderson documents the long and rich tradition of Christmas music and poetry better than anyone.

Learn the fascinating history of Christmas favorites like, "Silent Night." Read Shakespeare's Christmas verses entitled, "Holly Song."

Poetry, carols, and hymns. It's all there. Enjoy.

What I Learned When the Lights Went Out

Have you ever gone a week without electricity? I never did. Until last week that is. Many in our Little River, Kansas community who live out in the country are still out and probably won't get help until after the New Year.

But now that the power at my house and town are back on, here's a few lessons I've realized:

I value routine more than I imagined. Sure it's nice to bust out and try something different, but when the power goes out, it changes all your routines. We always struggle to get our kids in bed by 8:30pm, but the first night of no electricity, we were all in bed by 7:00pm. When the house and town is utterly pitch black, there's not much else to do.

It's nice to have relatives. That is, relatives who are close by and ones you get along with. If it wasn't for my sister-in-law's family in Wichita letting us camp out at there place, our uncomfortable situation would have been much worse. Be nice to your extended family. You might need them one day!

It was bad, but not that bad. When you lose something you take for granted, you begin to count your blessings about other basics you do have. We still had a roof over our head, warm blankets, and food to eat. Many cities in foreign countries constantly deal with inconsistent electric supplies. And the early Kansas settlers never had it either. But they still managed. And so did we.

You can still worship the Lord. On the one Sunday that Little River didn't have power, our church met with the United Methodists for a joint service at the Catholic Parish Hall, which was hooked up with a generator. 52 people came to sing, pray, and hear God's Word. In the middle of hardship, we found encouragement from the Lord and each other.

The bottom line lesson: Even without, God still provides.

Power Back On

After nearly a week of no electricity, the city of Little River, Kansas got power yesterday afternoon. Yippee! Thanks to all the linemen who made it possible.

Outside of town, its still lights out. Some rural customers have been told it could be after the New Year before they get their electric service back.

Meanwhile, I'm appreciating electricity a little more.

No Electric Power in Little River

I now have a better feel for what it was like to be an original Kansas settler in the 1800's--my entire town of Little River, Kansas has no electricity.

The power went out early Tuesday morning. It's still out. No one really knows when it'll come back on. As KAKE-TV reports, the power outage is affecting our school district, USD 444.
As of this writing, more than 73,000 people in Kansas are still without power.

Have you ever spent time in total darkness? The kind where its so dark, you can't see your hand two inches from your nose? It's a creepy feeling.

I've been in total darkness before-- inside a cave and underground-- but both times I knew the lights were coming back on quickly. But on Tuesday night, I woke up at 10:00pm and realized, "It's going to be completely dark for another 8-10 hours." That thought freaked me out: "If this is what hell is like Lord, I sure don't want to go there."

My family is resettled, so we have shelter, heat, and electricity. Many folks around town are running gas powered generators. People are looking out for one another.

A power outage certainly isn't as bad as a tornado, but it is a pain.

On Romney's Freedom and Religion

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney gave an interesting speech last week about the role of religion in public life. This quote is generating a lot of comments:

Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone.

Religion without freedom? Just look at Islam in Saudi Arabia.

Freedom without religion? That's moral and social anarchy.

Romney is right on the money--and gaining my attention as a voter.

Don't Be Afraid to Make Mistakes

Photographer Dewitt Jones observes:

Do you know that the average National Geographic article is shot in 400 rolls of film? 14,000 rolls to get the 30 pictures that go into an article. I'm not worrying about mistakes. I'm looking for the next right answer.

From the DVD "Everyday Creativity."

Sacred Space as Public Space

Characteristic of the mainline church tradition, the United Church of Christ (UCC) is a denomination committed to freedom of thought, social justice, and understanding others. So when you enter the doors of a local UCC church, it's possible to hear advocacy on a whole host of social issues, from many viewpoints-- at a worship service, a Sunday School class, or a community event.

The free exchange and consideration of ideas is essential in order for an individual or group to decide beliefs and direct actions. To this end, United Church of Christ congregations often act as a public square. Their rooms, tables, and chairs provide the literal space for issues to get hashed out. But in contrast to secular community buildings, the space of a church is unique. In subtle and not so subtle ways, religious spaces are infused with the presence of the divine.

Which leads to a question: What degree of accountability should a local church incur when it hosts an outside group that espouses controversial, dare I say, unbiblical views?

Consider this example. On Thursday, November 29, Congregational United Church of Christ in Iowa City, Iowa hosted a noon luncheon of the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, a non-profit association affiliated with the University of Iowa's International Programs. Ms. Sue Simon, of the George Soros funded Open Society Institute, spoke on, "The Global Movement for Sex Worker Health and Rights: Only Rights Can Stop the Wrongs."

Inside a UCC church, Simon argued that society should legalize prostitution. Daily Iowan reporter Shawn Gude writes:

Iowa City native and City High graduate Sue Simon argued for increased rights and an end to negative stereotyping for sex workers around the world Thursday afternoon at the Congregational United Church of Christ in an Iowa City Foreign Relations Council-sponsored event.

Making the distinction between sex workers and human sex trafficking - two things too commonly equated with each other, Simon said - she argued that many individuals she has come in contact with through her international work have been in the profession willingly, whether it's for personal, economic, or social reasons.

"Many believe there is no good reason to get into or remain in sex work," Simon said. "The reality is that for a lot of people, sex work is their best or only opportunity to earn enough money to support their families."

...Asserting the validity of the sex-worker profession, Simon decried the treatment such workers receive and "right-wing conservatives and prohibitionists … who believe they can and should end sex work because of their religions or moral beliefs."

...She also advocated for the complete decriminalization of the sex-worker profession throughout the world. And instead of state discrimination against prostitutes, governments should advocate for the ethical treatment of sex workers, she asserted.

"No one should lose their human rights because of the work they do," she told the crowd of approximately 60, who sat around 11 tablecloth-covered tables.

It's protocol to report the facts of an event, but it's interesting we read about the "11 tablecloth- covered tables." Could it be the reporter found it a tad odd that, of all places, it was in a "sacred place" he heard an uncontested argument for legalized prostitution?

When a church hosts an outside group, it's easy for the church to say, "The views expressed do not necessarily represent the opinions of ... blah, blah, blah."

Frankly, that's a cop out excuse.

Church leaders should be savvy enough to know that whenever they lend out their sacred space as an "impartial" public square, it can easily become an advocacy forum-- one that carries with it the church's implicit endorsement.

Lending sacred space for this kind of radical advocacy is tragically unfaithful.