Thomas Hears Pope's Rebuke

UCC President Rev. John Thomas and Ecumenical Officer Lydia Veliko were among an ecumenical contingency of 200 Christian leaders who gathered in New York City to hear Pope Benedict XVI at an evening ecumenical prayer service on April 18.

In a press release leading up to the meeting, Thomas expressed optimism about what the Pope might say:

"As participants in many rounds of theological dialogue between Reformed Christians and Roman Catholics in the United States, we are committed to a vision of unity that can overcome the many differences that still inhibit a fully shared participation in God's mission here and throughout the world. I look forward to hearing a word of ecumenical hope from Pope Benedict that can be lived out between UCC churches and Catholic parishes around the country."

While it's nice that Rev. Thomas offered polite words about going to hear to the Pope, Thomas is no fan of Benedict XVI, an opinion he made quite clear in 2005:

"Today as the conclave announces its decision, the offering of prayers for this new pontificate is the most appropriate response from other Christian leaders," the Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC general minister and president, said in a written statement to United Church News. "Nevertheless, I acknowledge that I personally greet Cardinal Ratzinger's selection with profound disappointment. Cardinal Ratzinger's long tenure in the Vatican has been marked by a theological tone that is rigid, conservative and confrontational."

With this in mind, I'm sure that Rev. Thomas didn't enjoy hearing this veiled, but clear rebuke:

"Too often those who are not Christians, as they observe the splintering of Christian communities, are understandably confused about the Gospel message itself. Fundamental Christian beliefs and practices are sometimes changed within communities by so-called "prophetic actions" that are based on a hermeneutic not always consonant with the datum of Scripture and Tradition. Communities consequently give up the attempt to act as a unified body, choosing instead to function according to the idea of "local options". Somewhere in this process the need for diachronic koinonia – communion with the Church in every age – is lost, just at the time when the world is losing its bearings and needs a persuasive common witness to the saving power of the Gospel (cf. Rom 1:18-23)."

Translation: That's not an endorsement of the "God Is Still Speaking" campaign.

At least Rev. Thomas went to hear someone he doesn't agree with.

But if he didn't go, what would that have said?

I'll bet the conversation over hors d’oeuvres with colleagues afterwards was interesting.

Obama Worships at UCC Church

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Sunday worshiped at a church that's part of his denomination, St. Mark's UCC in Lebanon, Pennsylvania:

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama paid a surprise visit to Lebanon County when he attended Sunday morning's worship service at St. Mark's United Church of Christ.

About 200 people gathered in the 426 N. Eighth St. church's sanctuary afterward to catch a glimpse of the Democratic presidential hopeful... For almost an hour, Obama shook hands, posed for pictures and signed autographs at the front of the sanctuary for everyone who patiently waited to greet him.

Since everything a politician does is carefully scripted, we'll do our part here as media hacks to over analyze Obama's steps.

A member of the Penn Central conference, St. Mark's is one of six UCC churches in Lebanon. Two UCC churches in Lebanon were "Five for Five" churches in 2006, but St. Mark's wasn't one of them. "Five for Five" churches are those who give to all of the UCC's one time yearly offerings. While the UCC Coalition doesn't list them, UCC.org's "Find a Church" reports that St. Mark's is an ONA church, or open and affirming, meaning that the church welcomes into their full life and ministry persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities. As we reported earlier, Pennsylvania is thick with UCC churches, so Obama inevitably had to pass over several possibilities. St. Mark's doesn't have a website, so here's guessing that Obama's campaign sought the advice of Penn Central Conference Minister, Rev. Dr. Marja Coons-Torn.

In all likelihood, Obama's appearance was designed to garner some "Obama At Church" photos and headlines to hopefully take the sting out of his "bitter" comment, when he privately told a San Francisco fund raiser audience that rural people cling to guns and religion. Lebanon County has one third class city and is 54% farm land, so Obama decided to go into the bitter heartland.

Pennsylvania's primary vote is Tuesday. Obama and Hillary Clinton are neck and neck in the polls.

Was this the first time that Obama stepped foot inside any church or a UCC church since the Jeremiah Wright controversy broke out?

Obama Keeps Backing Away from Wright

Speaking to Jewish community leaders yesterday at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama continues to back away from the rhetoric of his pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr.:

The Illinois senator has been working to reassure Jewish voters nervous about his candidacy after publicity about anti-Israel sentiments expressed by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and criticism from Hillary Rodham Clinton during a February debate that he hadn't immediately rejected an endorsement from black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan. Obama responded that he already denounced Farrakhan, but would reject his support as well.

Obama told the group he had not been aware of Wright's more incendiary speeches before launching his presidential campaign last year, even though he had been a member of Wright's congregation for nearly 20 years. Obama said he had spoken to Wright and privately conveyed his concerns about some of the sermons once he learned of their content. But he acknowledged that he had declined to be more public in his criticism until recently, since Wright was preparing to retire from ministry at Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ.

"You make a decision about how are you going to handle it," Obama said. "Do you publicly denounce his comments? Do you privately express concern but recognize you are still part of a broader church community that is going to be transitioning? I chose the latter."

But do Obama's remarks contradict what he said earlier in his well-known race speech on March 18?

I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy and in some cases pain For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in the church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely – just as I’m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.

You decide.

Obama Insults His Own

You know that Presidential candidate Barack Obama is under heavy criticism after uttering the following put down about rural Pennsylvanians:

"You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them... And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

You know too that Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ. But do you know, and ironically, does Obama realize how many of these rural and religious Pennsylvanians he insulted are members of his own denomination?

According to the Center for Rural Pennsylvania and their report, "Religious Establishments in Rural Pennsylvania":

The religious establishments with the most congregations in Pennsylvania’s rural counties were: the United Methodist Church, the Catholic Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., and the United Church of Christ. These same congregations were also the top five congregations in urban counties.

Looking at the delegate distribution from the 26th General Synod, nearly 15% of the United Church of Christ's 1.2 million members reside in Pennsylvania. That's 182,779 people. In fact, the UCC is so big in Pennsylvania it has not two, four Conferences in the state-- Penn Central, Pennsylvania Northeast, Pennsylvania Southeast, and Pennsylvania West. With the exception of Penn West, each of these conferences are among the top 10 in delegate ranks at Synod.

Obama's unguarded words, spoken at a closed fund raiser in San Francisco on April 6, likely hit the intended target of dipping into the pockets of some rich elitist Democrats. But the spray of the buckshot has at least one Pennsylvania UCC member fretting.

The UCC Pennsylvanians who are fans of the "God Is Still Speaking" commercials likely won't take offense. They understand Obama is talking about those other churches-- the ones with bouncers and ejector seats. However, it was the UCC that once had on its rolls a historic church in rural Kansas called Beecher Rifle & Bible Church.

Obama knows his words have hurt him politically-- he's still spinning what he meant to say.

He's certainly learned one thing:

The tongue is like a rifle-- you can always reload, but once you pull the trigger, you can never put that shot back into the barrel.

A Lesson for the Media

Here's a lesson, given by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr. and the UCC national office, that the media will understand:

March 21 and 23:
Writing for the The New Yorker magazine, reporter Kelefa Sanneh visits Trinity United Church of Christ for Good Friday and Easter services.

April 3:
Trinity United Church of Christ tells the media "no more" at the "Sacred Conversations" press conference and establishes rules for any reporters inside the sanctuary.

April 7:
Time stamp for Sanneh's The New Yorker story, "Project Trinity: The Perilous Mission of Obama's Church."

April 12:
UCC.org has a link to The New Yorker article prominently featured on its home page.

April 12:
Rev. Jeremiah Wright, in his first public sermon since the firestorm over his remarks began, fiercely criticized the media in a funeral message:

Reflecting on the late [appellate judge R. Eugene] Pincham, Wright said his faith “was not the jingoistic, chauvinistic ‘you’re either with us or against us’ demonizing kind of faith.” Wright said Pincham was friends with “Jews, Muslims, rabbis, imams, fathers in the Catholic church and [Louis] Farrakhan in the Islamic faith.”

Escalating into full-preaching mode, Wright thundered, “Fox News can’t understand that. [Bill] O’Reilly will never get that. Sean Hannity’s stupid fantasy will keep him forever stuck on stupid when it comes to comprehending how you can love a brother who does not believe what you believe. [Pincham’s] faith was a faith in a God who loved the whole world not just one country or one creed.”

At that point, congregants nearly drowned Wright out with a booming standing ovation.

Wright also referred to Fox News as “Fix News.”

So much for encouraging the media to take its spotlight somewhere else.

"Let's Talk About Race" Ad

Coming in the Friday, April 11 edition of USA Today is another full page ad from the United Church of Christ.

In an advance mass e-mail, UCC President John Thomas writes:

Our ad invites the nation to enter a sacred conversation on race and asks other communities of faith to join our preach-in scheduled for Trinity Sunday, May 18.

Together, as we ready ourselves for this important preaching opportunity and the intentional dialogues that must follow in the months to come, this ad clearly puts the UCC on public record as a church willing to grapple forthrightly with difficult issues. Ours is a risk-taking church.

This newest one, which comes on the heels of last week's New York Times ad, is entitled, "Let's Talk About Race."

OK. I accept.

Let's talk about how this ad frames the question and sets the agenda.

First, notice how this ad doesn't mention the Barack Obama-Jeremiah Wright flap and more importantly, the UCC's relationship to it. Why is boldness suddenly shy? It's like the parent talking to their child about the birds and the bees, but too embarrassed to admit the part they played in bringing little johnny into the world.

If Obama and Wright were members of another denomination, there's no way the UCC jumps into the fray and places this ad.

So really. Why are we calling for a dialogue on race? And doing so now?

The ad's lack of full disclosure is telling. It suggests that one motive for keeping silent is denominational self-preservation.

Try saying with a straight face that you're Jeremiah Wright's denomination, you won't scold his outrageous statements, nor condemn his award to Louis Farrakhan, all the while insisting on the need to discuss race.

Difficult, huh? The general public won't buy it and I think our leaders realize this. Better then to avoid the connection and instead say this:

Sacred conversations are never easy, especially when honest talk confronts our nation's painful past and speaks directly to the injustices of the present day. Yet sacred conversations can, and often do, honor the value of diverse life experiences, requiring an openness to hear each others' viewpoints.

Instead of acting like the Old Testament prophets-- who told it like it was and willingly took the hit to their reputation-- the ad takes the soft sell route.

Never mind that we're the religious body that's home to this race controversy. Ignore the fact that none of our national leaders have the courage of Obama, who said in his race speech that Wright remarks were distorted and divisive. Forget that.

Instead, simply present yourself as the denomination that calls for a sacred conversation about race. That strategy raises the odds of the denomination looking much better in the public eye. We look spiritual, reasonable, and hip all at the same time.

If the average irreligious USA Today reader doesn't recognize the UCC connection to the Obama-Wright controversy, the strategy of the ad just might work to enhance our reputation.

Image is certainly on the mind of our President:

No single newspaper ad will ever fully capture our denomination's diverse story or our justice legacy, but as the media spotlight continues to focus on the UCC like never before, it is imperative that we be proactive in sharing who we are and what we're about, lest others continue to define us in narrow and distorted ways.

But for those in the general public who do know the UCC connection, who've read or seen Rev. Thomas' defense of Wright, and don't approve of Wright's remarks, the ad won't work.

The effect will come off like this: "A UCC pastor makes outrageous claims about race and then the UCC tells me that I'm the one who needs to have a dialogue about race? I'm the one who needs to be lectured? It's like being the innocent bystander who sees a fight on the school playground, but instead of the bully going to the Principal's office, I get sent."

Despite the flaws and motives of this ad, the truth remains that, "we have an opportunity to make America a better nation." Sometimes, when the family of an alcoholic is asked to sit down for treatment, they protest saying, "But I'm not the one who needs therapy!" And yet, if they choose to sit down and talk, they too can learn something valuable.

The American public may not feel like they have to sit down and talk about race. But if they do, I'm sure they'd learn something good.

Meanwhile, Rev. Thomas should be proactive in taking this risk-- the Friday before Trinity Sunday, May 18, go and talk about race on the O'Reilly Factor or Hannity & Colmes, and state clearly that Wright was wrong.

Words for True Love Waits

The following are words I shared at Wednesday's True Love Waits ceremony. 10 students made first time commitments and 12 students renewed their commitments. The True Love Waits program is one the ecumenical activities of Little River's Congregational, Catholic, and United Methodist churches. Thanks to Holy Trinity Catholic Church for your leadership!

"Dirty," "used," "regretful," "empty," "disgusted," "ashamed," "duped" and "abused."

What do all these words have in common? These are the responses given by college students who reported what it was like to have a one-night stand “hook-up.”

In an article that appeared just this week on the Wall Street Journal online, Donna Freitas conducted a national college study with over 2,500 students about their attitudes and actions about sex.

When it comes to attitudes, 45% of students at Catholic schools and 36% of students at nonreligious private and public schools say that their peers are too casual about sex. Not a single person at these schools said that their peers valued saving sex for marriage.

When it comes to sex, the world says loud and clear, “If it feels right, do it.” But after they do it, 41% of college students reported that are profoundly upset with their hook up behavior. Profoundly upset.

Dear friends, the decisions you make about your body have a profound impact on your heart and mind. It’s for this reason, the Apostle Paul teaches us in 1 Thessalonians 4:

3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Now those are strong words. But they are words of life. To you who are recommitting yourselves tonight, here’s what you’re saying, “Lord, I again declare that I trust in you and I will follow you—for you are a God who protects and provides.”

In a world does not view sex as holy and sacred, you need to remind yourself of God’s truth over and over and over.

And when you complete practicing true love waits, when you get married, these are the words you will use:

"Wow." "Wonderful." "Right." "No guilt." "No regrets."

Pope Decries Divorce, Abortion

Over the weekend, the influential Drudge Report carried a link to this syndicated AFP news story:

Divorce and abortion are offences in the sight of God, Pope Benedict XVI charged Saturday, while calling on the Catholic Church to be merciful to those who had experienced such events.

"The ethical judgment of the Church on divorce and abortion is clear and well-known," he told participants in a Catholic congress on marriage and the family.

"They are serious offenses... which violate human dignity, inflict deep injustice on human and social relations and offend God himself, guarantor of conjugal peace and origin of life," he said.

However he added that there were people who had committed such "errors" but "suffered from wounds to the soul" and "sought peace."

This is standard, orthodox Christian ethics. Has been for hundreds of years. Jesus and Paul both called for no divorce. Psalm 139 affirms the dignity of unborn human beings.

So why is this non-story a story?

Is it because whenever the Pope speaks, a story needs to be filed?

Is this Drudge's way of promoting morals, through a third party?

Is it because our culture's moral compass is so skewed that the Pope's claims are looked upon as radical?

I'm grateful for the Pope's clarity.

Tale of Two Salesmen

Recent events in my life have me thinking of this story.

Two salesmen were getting off the plane after landing in Africa.

The first one looked out and said, "Oh no, nobody here wears shoes!"

But second one said, "Wow! Nobody wears shoes. What an opportunity!"

What's your response to the challenges you face?

The Baseball Card Photographer

A new season of baseball has started. I'm not exactly sure why, but I'm excited about it. Maybe it's because my favorite team, the Cincinnati Reds, may finally have a winning record. Or maybe its because our local high school, Little River, has just started its baseball program. And yes, I have to mention this: the high school played the community in a scrimmage game. I walked, stole a base, and scored a run. Sore the next day? Yep, but I proved to myself I can still play.

I don't know about you, but when I was a kid, collecting baseball cards was one of my favorite childhood hobbies.

Whenever I could scrape up a quarter-- either by begging my parents, or find enough empty glass bottles to redeem-- I'd immediately go around the block to the little Mom and Pop grocery store to get a pack of baseball cards.

The cards were always kept on the left side of the check out counter. My strategy to get the best cards was to go to the far right side of the card box and dig down for the last pack of cards at the bottom of that row. That always seemed to yield the most coveted cards-- anyone from the Cincinnati Reds.

One day I implemented my strategy and opened the pack in front of the lady at the check out counter who was always amused by my ritual. I complained, "Golly, all these cards are bad! The bottom right pack is always the best." The lady replied, "Oh, I'm sorry. Since you always have to work so hard to get to the bottom, I dumped all the cards out of the box and put the bottom cards on the top, so you wouldn't have to dig so hard."

Wish she told me that before I bought that bad pack!

I spent hours with those cards. The pictures on the front. The information on the back. I still have a big box of cards safely stashed away from those years in the 70's.

What got me thinking of all this is ESPN has a great piece on the guy who takes those baseball card photographs.

A couple years ago I saw the man who was my childhood pastor at the Lutheran Church, which was not far from that grocery store. I hadn't seen him in years. He said, "Ted, I remember how in Confirmation Class you had trouble memorizing Luther's small catechism, but you had no problem rattling off to me all the statistics from your baseball cards."

The Lighter Side of ETS

Over the weekend I attended the Midwest meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society in Chicago at Moody Bible College. The society, for those who affirm biblical inerrancy and the Trinity, offers the opportunity to get together and discuss the latest theological ideas and trends in the evangelical world.

I presented a paper that was well received: "The Rhetorical Use of Isaiah 7:14 in Matthew 1:18-25." I also enjoy meeting several new friends.

This year's theme was, "The Church Convergent, Divergent, and Emergent: 21st Century Ecclesiology." Living out in rural America, the emergent church movement hasn't made its way out here, but it was interesting to learn about some of the issues surrounding the movement.

Some of the discussion was a wee bit too philosophical for me and went over my head. So when a few lower shelf comments got made, I took note. Here's a sampling of some things I heard over the weekend:

After lunch, the Bible students said to one another, "Let's make like a Baptist church and split."

"If you find the perfect church, don't join it. You'll ruin it."

Responding to a student's paper, the professor said, "This is both good and original. However, what is good isn't original and what is original isn't good."

"I believe in a theology of loose ends." --John Franke, Biblical Seminary

"Defining the Emergent church is like trying to nail jello to the wall."

"Justice is easier to fight for than to define." --Ron Sider

But the funniest moment I thought was during the award ceremony for the student paper competition. Each year the society awards books to every participant and then gives an extra stack of books to the winning papers. Derek Hostetter of Cedarville College wrote the winning undergraduate paper, entitled, "Essentials of the Emerging Conversation: Understanding the Movement Rather Than the Controversy."

Among the winning stack of books he received?

Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck's, "Why We're Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be)."

Mr. Peanut Butter

The following story is about one of my good friends from around here. He's pictured to the left of me, taken when we served together at a camp for those with developmental disabilities. Thanks to the Little River Monitor Journal and Denice Dater for this article. All of it is true!

Warren Rostine of Windom, sometimes known as Mr. Peanut Butter, has reached a milestone in his peanut butter consumption. According to records that he keeps, on December 5, 2007, he had eaten 2,500 pounds of peanut butter.

According to Rostine he began eating peanut butter in the 1970’s and has been keeping an ongoing record of his consumption for many years. He earned the title of Mr. Peanut Butter in January 1981. At that time he had eaten 671 pounds of peanut butter. His favorite brands are Skippy and ShurFine and his favorite way to eat peanut butter is all by itself.

"I eat peanut butter everyday," said Rostine. "It gives me enough energy to ride my bicycle, and I usually ride between 70 and 80 miles a week. Besides just plain peanut butter, I most often eat it in a sandwich, as a cake, pie, on celery and carrots, and sometimes on ice cream. I also like Reeces Peanut Butter Cups."

Warren said that he usually makes his own cakes and pies and sometimes eats his favorite flavor at a restaurant. "One day I bought a book called the Peanut Butter Diet just for fun, but it hasn’t changed my way of eating," commented Rostine.

Congratulations on your achievement Warren, happy eating to you.

Lost Tomb of Jesus Revisited

Last year about this time, a big brouhaha was created when the Discovery Channel aired a special called, "The Lost Tomb of Jesus," claiming the place of Jesus' burial had been uncovered.

The "facts" of the special were pretty outrageous then and remain so now.

What's happened since then is the subject of an article by Thomas Madden, called, "Not Dead Yet." It's an easy to read summary about the disputed Jerusalem tomb and a report of a January, 2008 Princeton Seminary symposium where scholars gathered to discuss the evidence.

Madden's piece includes a link to this fascinating article by Jodi Magness, where she discusses Jewish burial customs in 1st century Jerusalem and then slams the door shut on Lost Tomb theory.

Bottom line? The tomb of Jesus is still empty!

Easter

I need Easter. I was reminded of that again this year.

I woke up plenty early to get ready for the 7:00am community sunrise service at Windom. The night before, I put everything I needed in the dining room-- my computer, computer speakers, guitar, guitar stand, guitar strap, sheet music, and Bible. I was playing some media clips off my computer and leading worship with my guitar. Everything was in place, so I didn't have to panic early in the morning getting ready. And I arrived at the church at 6:20am. Again, in plenty of time to casually set up the computer and guitar.

And then I realized that I left home without the computer speakers.

With 20 minutes left before service time, I saw my family van go faster than it ever did. On the way, I was steaming mad. How could I be so stupid leaving those speakers behind? They were sitting with all the other stuff I grabbed.

I made it back with 2 minutes until service time. I got everything set up and led the first song on my guitar. On the outside, I'm smiling and leading "He's Lives." But inside, I was burning mad, furious at myself. The last thing I wanted to do was lead worship.

It was a simple mistake. You forgot something. Big deal. But I was enraged.

We kept singing. "Up from the grave He arose..." And somewhere in the music, I remembered the purpose of Easter. It's about a Savior who died for sinners-- angry control-freak sinners like me. He suffered, died, and rose again to save me and make me into something new.

Saved I am. But the transformation is taking time.

Thomas: "Wished He'd Edited Out"

Speaking to World Magazine about recent news that has the United Church of Christ in the headlines, General Minister and President John Thomas expressed regret over Barack Obama telling a General Synod audience this past June that he was running for President.

In it's March 22/29, 2008 issue, page 43, and also reported on its website:

UCC president John Thomas told WORLD he had personally invited Obama to speak about the relationship between personal faith and public life long before the senator was a presidential candidate: "We took great care to make sure we stayed within the legal boundaries, and I believe we did." Thomas said that although there was one point in Obama's speech that "I would have wished he'd edited out"-- a brief reference to the Obama presidential campaign-- "otherwise he spoke about the topic we'd asked him to speak about. Any campaign activity took place outside on public property where we have no control."

Obama spoke of his candidacy twice. Once at the beginning of his speech and later in the middle, in the form of a campaign promise. Unfortunately, those couple of seconds turned the entire address into a presidential candidate speech.

Trinity, Wright, and Context

Trinity United Church of Christ, the home church of Presidential candidate Barack Obama, vigorously defended itself and its past minister Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr. on Sunday, accusing its critics of character assassination.

According to the Politico, Trinity's new pastor Rev. Otis Moss III:

...delivered a fiery sermon Sunday, defending the African-American church’s right to speak out about social issues. He stressed Trinity's work in its still-impoverished community, mentioning the church's scholarship programs, drug counseling, SAT prep classes, and missions to Africa.

"Our very sanity is connected to the church. If it hadn't been for the church we would have lost our minds in the insanity of racism," he said, in a sermon titled, "Why the Black Church Won't Shut Up."

The church also issued a statement (scroll to bottom) with the heading, "An Attack on Our Senior Pastor and the History of the African American Church":

Nearly three weeks before the 40th commemorative anniversary of the murder of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.’s character is being assassinated in the public sphere because he has preached a social gospel on behalf of oppressed women, children and men in America and around the globe.

“Dr. Wright has preached 207,792 minutes on Sunday for the past 36 years at Trinity United Church of Christ. This does not include weekday worship services, revivals and preaching engagements across America and around the globe, to ecumenical and interfaith communities. It is an indictment on Dr. Wright’s ministerial legacy to present his global ministry within a 15- or 30-second sound bite,” said the Reverend Otis Moss III, pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ...

...Trinity United Church of Christ’s ministry is inclusive and global. The following ministries have been developed under Dr. Wright’s ministerial tutelage for social justice: assisted living facilities for senior citizens, day care for children, pastoral care and counseling, health care, ministries for persons living with HIV/AIDS, hospice training, prison ministry, scholarships for thousands of students to attend historically black colleges, youth ministries, tutorial and computer programs, a church library, domestic violence programs and scholarships and fellowships for women and men attending seminary...

...Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached the Christian tenet, “love thy neighbor as thyself.” Before Dr. King was murdered on April 4, 1968, he preached, “The 11 o’clock hour is the most segregated hour in America.” Forty years later, the African American Church community continues to face bomb threats, death threats, and their ministers’ characters are assassinated because they teach and preach prophetic social concerns for social justice. Sunday is still the most segregated hour in America.

Obviously, Trinity isn't apologizing for anything-- about itself or Rev. Wright's over-the-top pulpit words.

Their response also seeks to explain itself in broader context.

The church-- and our denominational leaders-- put into context Rev. Wright's strengths: 36 years of preaching, a vibrant church, and dozens of social service programs. Yet none of these good works excuse Rev. Wright's now famous remarks. In fact, spotlighting the good works makes one wonder even more why Pastor Wright spoke so inflammatory.

The church is also putting its situation in the broader context of American black history, as seen in the church's press release. 40 years ago, it says, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was murdered. Now, they say, Rev. Wright's "character is being assassinated in the public sphere because he has preached a social gospel..."

When you put something into broader context, the goal is to bring something into greater clarity. But when the church press release brings up Dr. King's death and associates that event with Dr. Wright's character assassination by the media, that's not contextual clarity, that's contextual confusion. Dr. Wright isn't suffering because he, like Dr. King preached a social gospel. Dr. Wright is suffering because he's uttered ridiculous remarks.

Context, particularly the failure to put things in proper context, is the reason why Rev. Wright is under so much criticism. For example, his assertion that America got what it deserved on 9/11-- because of what our country did to the Japanese, Palestinians, and black South Africans-- is contextualizing that most people don't buy, and for good reason.

Meanwhile, as the church unapologetically stands behind Rev. Wright, the context that Senator Obama will face is this: He'll remain under pressure to keep emphasizing that he condemns Wright's remarks. And the church's stance may force Obama to distance himself even further from a congregation and minister that he obviously loves.

Pundits Position on Politics

Anytime you see a letter in your mailbox with the words "IRS" on the return address, that'll get your attention pretty fast. In like fashion, four influential pundits are weighing in on the question of whether the United Church of Christ violated IRS regulations because of Barack Obama's General Synod speech.

The Hartford Courant, the Connecticut newspaper that provided good coverage of Synod events, makes a pretty passionate statement, evident in its editorial by-line: "IRS Goes Overboard":

The IRS is out of line. It is investigating the tax-exempt status of the United Church of Christ solely because its most famous member, Sen. Barack Obama, spoke at the church's annual conference last summer.

Tax laws bar nonprofits from supporting candidates, but not from listening to them. That right is protected by the same First Amendment that forbids government sponsorship of a religion...

(Obama's) few "my first term as president"-type slips were not great enough to warrant the IRS threat that followed eight months later...

(The IRS letter) to the church questioned whether "political activities" at the conference "could jeopardize" the UCC's tax exemption. Isn't that a bit excessive? The IRS should be policing nonprofits suspected of funneling money from donors skirting contribution limits, not stifling speech at houses of worship.

Seems like what really bothers the Courant is the strict line that prohibits politicians from making candidate speeches before church groups. Instead of railing against the IRS, they need to direct their wrath at Americans United or changing IRS tax code.

Raising suspicions too of IRS motives is Rev. Susan Thistlethwaite, President of Chicago Theological Seminary. Writing at the Washington Post's "On Faith" site, she charges the IRS is investigating the UCC simply because Obama gave a speech to them:

The IRS is accusing the UCC of engaging in "political activities." I believe the "political activities" are on the other foot. The UCC General Synod was in June of 2007... It is only now fully nine months later, when Senator Obama has become the front-runner in the race for President, that this investigation is launched.

I was present when Senator Obama gave this speech at General Synod... It was an extraordinary speech... The narrative structure of the speech was to take the audience with him as he went from his conversion to a personal faith in Jesus Christ to the broad theme of meaning and purpose in human life... If anyone could think that’s engaging in "political activities" than I have a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you...

Read the full text of the speech and all the relevant documents by going to the UCC website and judge for yourself.

The "narrative arc" of this speech tracks the "narrative arc" of how we as Americans respect our Constitution and also passionately engage in public service as a higher calling.

Thistlethwaite dismisses the IRS charge because the heart of Obama's speech was one man's view of how faith works in the public square. Her speech analysis is technically correct. But with Obama mentioning his presidential candidacy--not once, but twice-- Thistlethwaite overlooks where the pinnacle of that "narrative arc" ultimately leads: straight to the Oval Office.

Being involved in the public arena is part of the UCC's DNA, so writes Rev. Davida Foy Crabtree, Conference Minister for Connecticut, in a Hartford Courant guest column. She says the denomination went to great lengths to insure everything was done properly. In lieu of this, she worries about the chilling effect the IRS' actions might have on people of faith:

Our members are expected to apply the faith to their work and daily life and are encouraged to enter the public arena as civil servants, political leaders and government officials. So our inviting a prominent UCC senator to speak about how his faith informs his public responsibility is in keeping with a long tradition of engaging personal faith and public life.

Any attempt by government through the IRS and other agencies to define what is appropriate religious practice must be resisted. For the United Church of Christ and similar denominations, our work on universal health care, the elimination of poverty and numerous other social justice issues is absolutely intrinsic to our faith practice. So we have to talk to political figures and we need them to talk to us, especially when they are members of our denomination.

The Internal Revenue Service has normatively been even-handed in its enforcement of these regulations. I believe the agency needs to revisit its process. A simple dialogue with our leaders would have established that the facts contradict the complaint. Instead, given the facts in this case, by issuing this letter the agency risks encumbering the free practice of religion.

Rev. Crabtree is muddying the issue. This isn't about the "free practice of religion," or whether people of faith can engage in politics, or even who a denomination can invite to its meetings. The question is specifically: Did the United Church of Christ illegally promote the candidacy of Barack Obama and did Obama illegally give a candidate speech to a religious body?

Jeffrey Lord, writing at the American Spectator, gives some interesting background on why we have the strict IRS rules currently in place. He lays blame for the UCC's mess squarely in the lap of the one who stood before the General Synod and said he's running for President:

Dear Senator Obama: Our common denomination, the United Church of Christ, has a suddenly serious legal and financial problem with the Internal Revenue Service. You, personally, are the cause of this problem. Candidly? I think you owe it to those of us who are your fellow congregants to help repair the damage that you have done...

Frankly, Senator, this is shameful. You are a United States Senator. A potential President of the United States. You are conducting a campaign making judgment an issue -- and this was exactly an issue of judgment and understanding. You of all people should have understood that your appearance in Hartford once you were an announced candidate for president would cause the UCC severe problems with the IRS.

Mr. Lord, a former official in the Reagan administration, goes a bit overboard with fears that Obama's actions could result in his small Pennsylvania church losing its tax-exempt status. And apparently, he wrote his piece before it was announced that the UCC secured free legal representation.

However, Lord is the only commentator who understands that Obama crossed the legal line when he said he's running for President. And, he the only one looking squarely at the UCC's questionable actions, like the press release quoting an Obama official saying that the speech was a "major address on faith and politics as a presidential candidate."

As these four illustrate, whenever you get a letter from the IRS, you're right to be afraid.
Meantime, I'd like to see IRS rules relaxed, so churches and candidates need not fear one another, nor the IRS.

The Deleted "Spirit Cafe" Devotional

The following is the devotional post written by Rev. Randall Forester that was recently deleted from "Spirit Cafe Blog" by the i.ucc website administrator. Details of that action are described in the previous post.

Lent can sound scary and daunting for people. Discipline--ugg. Denial--oof. Service--yuck. The season begins with Ashes and somber reflection and ends at the foot of a cross--who really wants to fall crawl in the muck and mire of sin and self-denial and introspection, when we could just jump from the hedonism of Fat Tuesday to the celebration of the cross?

After all, doesn't the old hymn that Jesus loves me just as I am? So, if I'm a fun-loving, hedonistic, stuff-my-face- with-Granny's- ham-and-biscuits- til-I-pass out, shouldn't I just stay that way?

Well...that's the whole point of Lent.

Yes, Jesus loves me just as I am, but He came that I might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10.10). And to know that life, I need to grow into His image of me that He prepared for me. One way to know that life is to live according to the godly attributes. For instance, there are the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5.22-25:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Joy is love exalting and peace is love at rest. Patience, love enduring in every trial and test. Gentleness, love yielding to all that is not sin. Goodness, love in actions that flow from Christ within. Faith is love's eyes opened, the loving Christ to see. Meekness, love not fighting but bowed at Calvary. Temperance, love in harness and under Christ's control. The Christ is love in person, and love, Christ in the soul. *

The reason there's no law against these attributes, is because if we lived according to them, there would be no need of the Law, as we would be walking in step with the Holy Spirit. A good discipline during Lent that I have is to simply pray through these attributes, one a day, and ask how to manifest that fruit in my life in a godly way. A concordance helps to find a verse or verses that will guide me on this journey.

It is a vital journey because just as God calls us to the pursuit of the good fruit, there is the tease and temptation of bad fruit. Paul talks about these sinful distortions of the good fruit in Galatians 5 as well in verses 19-21:

19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

These sound like some of my Mardi Gras moments past before I truly invited Jesus into the center of my life, and I recognize how the lure to the bad seed can still be just as strong. And so ... I need the rhythm of Lent to come around every year to continue that good work begun in me, having faith and confidence that God will bring it to completion (Philippians 1.6).

There are always signs of how this good work is continuing in the world. In fact, it's a revolution that is continuing in our midst. Following the path of Christ has always been counter cultural, but there are signs of the kingdom of God breaking into this age.

“People are hungry for a hopeful message about homosexuality that encompasses God's truth, as well as His compassionate heart,” Exodus International President Alan Chambers said. “We are thrilled to be a small part of what God is doing to reach a new generation with His liberating truth.”

Indeed, Exodus International and other ministries are seeing people freed from the bondage of immorality that Paul speaks of in Galatians 5 and born to the freedom to according to the fruit of the Spirit. Seeing others gain their freedom gives me hope to live freely as well.

Join with me in praying through Galatians 5 this Lent that we might out be fruitful for God in His Spirit.

Amen.

your fellow companion on the journey,
revrandawg


---
* Missionary Dr. Kenneth Moyner, quoted by John Stott, "A Vision for Holiness," Preaching Today, Tape No. 94

Post Deleted at the UCC Spirit Cafe Blog

In her introduction of Barack Obama at General Synod 26, remarks recently posted on YouTube, Associate General Minister Edith Guffey declares about the United Church of Christ (UCC): "We are a diverse church with many different perspectives and opinions."

That's true when you compare one local UCC church to another. But at the national level, finding expressions of the "diverse church," are darn near impossible.

Here's an example. An evangelical United Church of Christ pastor blogging at the denomination's "Spirit Cafe" had his Lenten devotional removed by the the site administrator in mid February after he wrote that homosexual behavior was immoral and claimed people have left the lifestyle with the help of Exodus International.

Rev. Randall Forester, pastor of St. Paul's Community Church in Chicora, Pennsylvania, had been posting articles at the Spirit Cafe blog since its inception two years ago. But apparently, his last article crossed some invisible line. i.UCC site administrator Andy Lang quickly deleted the post and justified his action to Forester, saying:

I've unpublished your blog in the Spirit Cafe until we can have a conversation about what you wrote. i.UCC is an open and affirming community. It is designed to be a safe place for lesbian and gay Christians. It is not a place where Exodus International, which, believe me, has done more harm than you can imagine, will be lifted up by a representative of the community as an example of faithful discipleship, or where homosexuality will be described as an example of the bondage of immorality...

If you feel that this is an unwarranted interference with your continued participation as an i.Guide, we can talk about it. Frankly, I am disappointed, because I thought that as an evangelical with a dialogical spirit you would understand that such a comment from an i.guide would be inappropriate. I am equally disappointed that you did not have the good judgment to consult with me first before writing a blog on this subject. As I said, I'll be glad to talk about it.

On the UCCtruths discussion board, some have said Lang is properly doing his job. He is reinforcing and upholding the convictions of General Synod delegates, who dictate the direction of the national church, and General Synod has a long tradition of welcoming and affirming the gay community.

Yes, General Synod has declared its will and the national office is carrying out its wishes. However, it's amazing that once an issue gets decided, any expression of dissent on a national stage is rarely permitted-- and in this case, snuffed out.

But also, this summer's General Synod said they acknowledge, "the existence of a broad spectrum of thought on contemporary issues of theology and ethics, and advocates fair representation of all points of view in all settings of the United Church of Christ" (lines 36-39 from the resolution, "Covenantal Relationships").

So how will that get worked out?

When it comes to sex, religious liberals like to tout how tolerant they are compared to those intolerant religious conservatives. But this incident illustrates that liberals have borders just as real as their conservative counterparts. It's just that liberals and conservatives have their fence posts in radically different places. Liberals believe homosexual relationships are blessed by God. Conservatives believe these relationships are sinful and grieve the heart of God. Theologically, there is no middle ground. Apparently, there's no common table at the Spirit Cafe to discuss it either.

The United Church of Christ is a grand ecclesiastical experiment of "unity amidst diversity." Is it possible?

Yes.

But not when the majority silences the minority.


Next time: The "forbidden" devotional.

Inclusio and the Gospels

Bookends.

They're useful. They hold books upright. They also make stylish statements with their fancy designs.

This semester I'm teaching RP 103-- Survey of the New Testament-- at nearby Sterling College. Last Monday night we finished looking at the Gospels and we took note of the bookends, or inclusios, that "frame" the Gospel messages.

An inclusio is a literary device where the writer states a theme or idea at both the beginning and end of a story. It's intended to introduce and conclude a main point. Everything in-between is to be read with the inclusio theme in mind. When you think of inclusio, think bookends.

Each Gospel in the New Testament contains an inclusio:

Matthew
Inclusio Theme: God is present with us in the person of Jesus Christ

1:18, 22-23
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about...All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."

28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."


Mark
Inclusio Theme: The identity of Jesus-- He is the Son of God

1:1
The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

15:39
And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"


Luke
Inclusio Theme: The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah fulfills what was promised in the Old Testament

1:1-4
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

24:44-47
Jesus said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

John
Inclusio Theme: Anyone who puts their faith and trust in Jesus will receive eternal life

1:12
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

20:30-31
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

An inclusio is also an effective speech tool. Introduce an idea or word picture at the beginning of your talk and then wrap up your speech with that same concept. It's a powerful way to summarize your message and remind your audience of your main thought.

The Gospels not only tell about the greatest person who ever lived, they also tell his story with great literary skill.

Revival Review (5 of 5)

If Christians are saved by grace, if good works don't earn God's favor, or obligate Him to let you into heaven, then what should motivate Christians to do good works?

That was the question answered by Dr. J.B. Hixson, Executive Director of the Free Grace Alliance and featured guest at the Little River Congregational Church's February revival.

In Luke 19:11-27, the Parable of the Minas, Jesus speaks directly to believers today about what we should be doing and why. In short, we should be busy doing God's business. Dr. Hixson emphasized five points:

Be patient (vv. 11-12)
The Kingdom of God has not yet arrived. It will arrive, but not now. Jesus has gone away.

Be busy (v. 13)
God has given us work to do. Preach the Gospel of sin and salvation. Love God and your neighbor.

Be aware (v. 14)
Some people are opposed to God. They live by their own agenda.

Be ready (v. 15)
The King will eventually return. Jesus will come back. He will ask us to give an account for how we lived on His behalf-- how we used the mina given to us by Him.

• Rewards gained (vv. 16-19). Here the motivation for good works. God will give his faithful servants eternal rewards. On Dr. Hixson's website, read 30 biblical reasons why believers should pursue good works.
  
• Rewards lost (vv. 20-24). Here is the negative motivation. Some who are saved failed to be busy while Jesus was gone.
• Summary principle (vv. 25-26). God will reward his servants as He sees fit. Here, Dr. Hixson explains in detail the doctrine of eternal rewards.
  

Be in awe (v. 27)
What Jesus says here is shocking. Unbelievers who oppose Him will be killed.

Jesus is away, but soon he will return. The King is coming. Be ready. And get busy!

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.”