A Tribute to Christian Artists

Sometimes I wonder in awe of how God put people and circumstances in my life during the formative part of my Christian experience. I was brought to Christ in an amazing time... discipleship was the buzz word in publishing, Dan Dehaan was teaching on "Knowing God", and I was led into the relatively unknown world of Christian music.

Yet, I have to say that it was the great music that went soul deep and helped me to focus on God throughout the day as my heart leapt to catchy tunes and deep emotions. No doubt that musical critics will find fault and even call 'cheesy' some of the songs that I listened to. I guess that was the saddest part of my Nashville experience was the  'music snobbery' where I rarely heard someone compliment the music of another. One friend finally admitted to it, "Yeah, I guess we hear every missed note".

My high school girlfriend thought I was weird and at times would laugh at me about the cassettes that played through my Audiovox equalizer. Even my dad was worried about the strange music I listened to!

My years in Nashville from 2004 to 2010 was an amazing time to meet some of these musical heroes to me- Glenn Garrett, David Meece, Steven Curtis Chapman, Steve Camp, Amy Grant, John Elefante, Michael W. Smith and Terry Warren all put a warm human face and even some friendships to an amazing time in my life.

So if I can, please let me say 'Thank-you' to the music that sunk deep in my soul and made my walk with Jesus sweeter!

I'm going to go in alphabetical order... and I'm sorry, I know I will leave some out!

2nd Chapter of Acts- I saw them in concert and when Matthew Ward sang "It's All Right" I was blown away!

Bob Bennett- never met Bob, but his song 'Man of the Tombs' is one of my all time favorites!

Steve Camp- I had the pleasure of meeting Steve a few times... his songs were powerful. "Looks like the boy's in trouble again" was a gospel revelation! Many many great lyrics- 'Ambassador in Chains' is one amazing song! But good grief- they are all good!

Michael Card- blown away by his lyrics! "Love Crucified Arose" was incredible- but his album on the crucifixion "Known by the Scars" is pure worship!

Steven Curtis Chapman- the man and his family are the real deal! I had both boys in Bible class and who has ever had Steven Curtis play at a football banquet? But he did it for me! And he dedicated a song for coach! I was blown away! His song "Beauty Will Rise" is he most inspirational song I have ever listened to- the story of that song is beyond words!

Bob Dylan- "Saved"- I still don't know wha to make of Bob's experience..but I will tell you this- his songs are the ones that just pop in my mind every so often. Sometimes in the shower I will sing out- "If you find it in your heart, can I be forgiven? I guess I owe you some kind of apology- I've escaped death so many times- that I know I'm only living- by your saving grace that is over me"

John Elefante- I almost give him more credit as a producer of music..groups like Petra in his world famous 'Sound Kitchen' studios. I was also blown away to have John dedicate one of his live Kansas songs to me in concert at Brentwood Country Club one night- but his heart and solo music is awesome!

Glenn Garrett- How can I pick one Glenn Garrett song? But it was the song 'Born Again' that brought the two of us into a God moment in the CPA gym in 2005. Glenn sang "Born Again' in my Sunday School class in Nashville and I cried as he was singing it. "Prophet Among Them" is powerful- but I loved all of his songs!

Amy Grant- Every time I saw Amy Grant in Nashville I felt like I was in the presence of royalty! Her "Sing Your Praise to the Lord" , especially the intro, was worn out on my cassette player. I bought everything she ever sang. But her rendition of Rich Mullins "Nothing Beyond You" is one of the greatest songs ever in my opinion- I listen to it ALL the time!

Keith Green- My goodness- how can you not include this guy? He broke my righteousness everyday! "Jesus rose from the dead- and you can't get out of the bed!" The man who did the documentary on Keith Green- Daren Thomas- is a great brother in the Lord!

Imperials/Russ Taff-  The album "Very Best of the Imperials" was gold to me. Russ Taff was amazing. The story of the group spans 50 years!

Dallas Holm- a high school friend of mine Greg Landers played and sang "Rise Again"on an old piano about a month before he died in a construction accident! Two songs of Dallas will never leave me "Rise Again" and "I Saw the Lord"- I heard him sing both in Nashville. He is the real deal!

Mylon LeFevre- in some ways, this guy may be the originator of Christian rock along with Phil Keaggy. Mylon hits my heart so deeply with "Stranger to Danger"- "More (of Jesus)" and "The Warrior"- but he has some great uptempo as well! The man is still on fire for the Lord!

David Meece- David is another guy whose songs just stuck with me. "Are You Ready"and "We were the Reason" were great favorites. His wife , Debbie, is a terrific piano teacher and we loved saying hello to her after each lesson and at recitals.

Matt Papa- I only know of 1 of his songs- but I saw him sing it in 2012 in Decatur- "Open Hands"- what an amazing song! He gave a passionate performance and the students loved it.

Sandy Patti- Oh My!  She sang "They Could Not" at my request at a Twilight concert in the late 80's. "We Shall Behold Him" is chilling!

Leon Patillo- His album "I'll Never Stop Loving You" has to be my favorite of all time. I sing "John 3:17" all the time- even 30 years later! Leon was fun!

Petra- The song "Judas Kiss" with the clever back-masking at the beginning was a cool song! But with the "Coloring Song' and "More Power to You" showed that these guys were talented!

Michael W. Smith- his kids came through my Nashville school just before I got there, but I did get to visit with him a few times- amazing man- amazing talent- amazing songs. His song "Blessed Is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord" lit up Bryant Hall in Tuscaloosa for 2 years! His worship music spread to the globe!

Randy Stonehill- I follow him on Facebook. He faithfully sings for the lord all over the place! I LOVED 'Shut De Door"

Steve Taylor- I don't know why he is listed except his album "Meltdown" was an obsession for a long time- and somehow "I only drink milk from a Christian cow' is a constant quote!

Pat Terry- I loved Pat Terry! He is hard to find on the web.  I bet he had 10 songs that just went deep with me! I remember Mike Dolinger playing the beginning of the "Humanity Gangsters" and I was mesmerized. I heard Pat perform his Travis Trill #1 country hit "Help Me Hold On" at the Sold Rock in Hoover in front of about 10 people- but I could list 15 songs of the Pat Terry group that I loved! I often think of 'Round and round".

Terry Warren: A voice that pierces you in such a deep way. My friend was already gone when I wrote this- so sad he missed it!

Darlene Zschech- Her song "Call Upon His Name" may be my favorite of all time- the piano notes go deep and ministered to me in a time where I desperately needed it!

Go to "You Tube" or "Spotify" and be blessed by these guys! They mean eternal fruit for me!
THANK-YOU!

One last shout out! David McDonald and Kevin Erwin played a deep cut for me in the 80's by sharing a Kerry Livgren album, "Whiskey Seed"- it may be the most evangelical album ever produced because Livgren reached out to so many!

Lord- thank you for these eternal tunes in my heart!

Responding to Accurate Charges of Atrocity in the History of Christendom

This week, there has been a lot of debate about a historical (some called moral) equivalency when comparing atrocities in the history of Christianity with those within the religion of Islam.

Most of this is coming from remarks made by President Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 5.

No one can deny the truth that horrible things have been done in the name of Christ. The harshest critics and the honest followers of Christ must admit that there are sad blights in the long history of the Christian faith.

My list (though not exhaustive) includes: the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Salem Witch trials, exploitation and mistakes made by missionaries, anti-Semitic attitudes and actions, the child abuse cases found within Roman Catholicism, and consistent violations of Christian teaching including everything from torture, killing, sexual immorality, false teaching.....

Some of my favorite heroes of the faith have dark stains within their biographies and writings- Martin Luther, John Calvin included.

The greatest men of faith, even those listed in the 'Hebrews Hall of Fame- Chapter 11' have times of failure and sin listed in the very passages that extol their faith. These include Noah (drunkenness), Abraham (lying), Moses (murder), Jacob (deceit), Samson (lust), David (adultery, murder).... the Bible records the highs and the lows. 

The only person to completely live according the the Holy requirements of God is the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

So what do we say in response to the charges of sin and hypocrisy?

And is there an equivalence when looking at these shortcomings of Christianity and other faiths?

But before I go further, there has to always be an important point made about the comparison of Christianity to any other faith.

Our default mode in human religion is to create a 'works' salvation... one where man must live GOOD enough to receive God's acceptance. The basic tenets of almost all human religion is to have our good deeds and virtue surpass our sin and vice.

The reason the Bible records the evil of man is to always shine the glorious light of the Christian gospel and the loving gift of Christ as the atoning sacrifice for sin. Man is not saved by his good works, and he doesn't HAVE to be condemned by his sin.... Jesus Christ is offered as God's provision for the reality of sin and the 'problem' of God's holiness.

If I were a truly brave man... I would gladly list all my current sins one by one where you could see how 'guilty' I am.... my thoughts, deeds, actions, and inactions place my life in danger of the fires of hell. I only have one option.... I cling to the cross of Jesus.. His death is my only hope... that is how good the gospel is!

The Christian gospel is unlike ANY other religion... Religion is man's best attempt to get to God. Christianity is God's successful plan to get to us!

I find it sad that our society portrays all 'faith' systems as the same.....

All religions are not the same. They have different systems and practices. I do believe that jihadist Islam poses a violent danger to our world today. All religions have the possibility of perpetrating great oppression and harm. One has to look no farther than the Crusades to see the destruction that misguided human beings can cause in the name of religious belief.

But even in the case of the Crusades, there are fundamental differences in belief.

The Crusades demonstrate followers of Islam doing what their faith requires them to do and followers of Christ ignoring what their Savior requires them to do. The Crusades represent Islam at its best and Christianity at its worst.

THE CASE FOR FAITH

I want to recommend a chapter in an excellent book- The Case for Faith, by Lee Strobel. Strobel takes on this issue along with other issues and questions Christians are asked.

Chapter 7 is entitled, 'Church History is Littered with Oppression and Violence'. Strobel looks at the history of the errors I listed and asks historian, Dr. John D. Woodbridge, to respond to these questions.

I will summarize his argument and list a few key quotes from the chapter: 

"CHRISTIANITY has been a boon to mankind... (and) has had a beneficent effect upon the human race... Most people today who live in an ostensibly Christian environment with Christian ethics do not realize how much we owe to Jesus of Nazareth... What goodness and mercy there is in this world has come in a large measure from Him."  Dr. D. James Kennedy

Christians tend to see the instances of church abuse and violence through the centuries as anomalies in an otherwise positive situation. Critics, however, are more apt to see the travesties.....

Some of Woodbridge (some paraphrasing):

We always have to be careful when attributing sin to the 'church'. We must always make a point to show the line of demarcation... there are 'true' Christians and 'false' Christians. Sheep and Wolves in sheep's clothing.. cultural Christians and authentic Christians.. in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus speaks of those who say "Lord, Lord" but Jesus says "Depart from Me, I never knew you".

"there are misleading stereotypes about what Christians have done and haven't done based on the reality that some critics fail to notice a difference in a cultural Christian and an authentic one." 

It is not the teachings of Jesus that are fault here.. it is (the inability of His followers to follow Him.)
'for whatever reason...they greatly strayed away from what he (Jesus) clearly taught.

We often think of Christians as the imposing majority when history does not bear that out....

"The typical Christian lives in a developing country, speaks a non-European language, and exists in the constant threat of persecution"

We must never downplay the tragedy of these terrible moments in history......

but, at the same  time, we must also recognize that in most cases... it was Christians who played key roles in righting the wrongs. And this often came from re-discovering the unchanging truth of God's Word and applying it accurately.

You can name and count many of the atrocities.... but there have been innumerable acts of charity that have been God-honoring.

A CALL TO THOSE LIVING ACCORDING TO NON-CHRSITIAN FAITHS

As I close, let me make one final plea:

Christianity makes a 'call' to the world.... we echo the call of Jesus.... 'sinner come unto Me'. 

True Christianity will never subjugate others with threat of sword... the True Church of Jesus is compelled to humbly serve and love... even those who do not believe.

We have never done it as well as we should... we often look 'no different' that the world... but we cry out.. do not judge this message based on our failures... judge the message on the ONE who gave it and the ONE who lived it and the ONE who demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Jesus died for us.

All who are oppressed under a yoke of man made religion.. the fear and pressure to live perfectly and a zeal to kill... walk away from that and enter into forgiveness and peace.

All faiths are not the same......

Come to Jesus... the One who conquered the grave... the One who is alive and offers grace and mercy.

Lay down the arms of Jihad and embrace the sweetness of being a child of the King!

Book Review (Plug)- 50 Years of Crimson Tide Faith

Book review:

FIFTY YEARS OF CRIMSON TIDE FAITH
BY WAYNE ATCHESON

I remember picking up my phone in October of 2013 and hearing the distinct greeting that immediately registered 'Mr. A'. Wayne Atcheson's voice is always full of energy, warmth, and joy.

He was writing a book and wanted me to tell about my experiences in FCA.

When I first got to Alabama (1982), Dr. Gary White was faithfully continuing the amazing ministry that Alabama's FCA has always had. When Mr. Atcheson returned to campus to become the head of  athletic media relations, he and his wife, Barbara, jumped right in where they had left off.

Where would I be without Alabama's FCA? I just don't know... 

I do know that getting a chance to walk away from football practice/workouts/studying and walk into the annex of Bryant Hall on Wednesday nights was an oasis for my time at Alabama.

Mr. Atcheson called me and told me he was writing a book on the 50th anniversary of the ministry that was started in 1964 and continues to this day. The University of Alabama has deep tradition and noteworthy achievements.... but to me... having the longest, continuing FCA on campus ministry is a special achievement.

 When I first started going to the meetings- it had already achieved that status. 

In the early days, it took some convincing to Coach Bryant to start the FCA meetings. As I have documented on my Coach Bryant blog (Bear Bryant Memories), Coach Bryant had a logical concern when it came to the mixing of faith and football.

Coach Bryant told us on more than one occasion about the 3 toughest linebackers he ever coached against were 3 guys at Baylor who went on the be Baptist preachers!

And Mr. A told us how early on Coach Bryant was worried that FCA was going to be the worst thing that happened to his program, but after just a few years.. he realized the opposite. He told Mr. A that FCA was one of the best things that ever happened to his football team.

THE BOOK:

I received my first copy of the book when I went to a book signing ceremony where Mr. A, Wesley Britt, and Bobby Humphrey all greeted eager Tide fans and signed a good number of books.

It is outstanding! Mr. Atcheson knows the right way to present the stories.

I have given away about 5 copies of the book and what has been cool is the response I have received. The way the chapters are written makes it very pleasurable to read in intervals... each story being its own testimony to God's faithfulness and grace.

IMPACT WITHOUT MEASURE

When I finished the last page, I paused and was overwhelmed with one thought that stuck with me for many days....

Lives!....... Souls! The great number of people who were connected and blessed!

God's kingdom has a ministry that multiplies.

Like the parables that Jesus told where the smallest things grow to enormous things (example of the Mustard seed), I 'saw' thousands and thousands of lives that had been touched by the men and women who had contact with the ministry of FCA.

In the early 60's.. Mr. A would type a unique 'newsletter'..it had quotes, verses, kind of a Christian version of Poor Richard's Almanac. He would then walk down the hall of green doors and put that flyer into each room.

The book chronicles all the tangible lives we do see..... I believe the impact of the ministry is even more in the realm of the unseen and unknown.

Like the guys who read the flyer and maybe never came to a meeting, but a seed was planted for a time in the future.

Or those who gave money to buy drinks, funds for retreats....

Those who prayed.... I can't wait to watch the replay of prayer impact  when we get to eternity!

Or all the players who traveled to small towns throughout the state and gave testimonies to crowds of young people.

50 years had multiplied into changed lives... in staggering numbers and it continues to this day!

Thank you, Mr. A, Dr. White and so many more who dedicated their lives to helping guide young men through the maze of the odyssey of college days.

Ultimately, all of this is about the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ. The good news for sinful men. If you followed any character in the book and looked close enough... you would find sin. I say that first hand as one of those stories!

But what I heard every Wednesday night were connectors and reminders that we cannot earn God's love, we do not add up good deeds and receive God's favor..... 

We came each week thankful that there was a substitute. Jesus Christ willingly gave His life that we may find justification in His cleansing blood of sacrifice and atonement.

I am not good...He is good.

I am not perfect...He is perfect.

And we walked out of the Bryant Hall Annex every Wednesday night with the renewed hope and joy of that message. 

And the result? Read the book! It is a great testimony to the power of the gospel and the platform of Alabama athletics... all to the glory of God.  

ESPN GAMEDAY

My last interaction with Mr. A was on campus during ESPN College Gameday before the Mississippi State game this year.

I saw a sharp dressed Mr. Atcheson going through the crowd and cheerfully/humbly giving out little flyers about the book.

He saw me, exchanged warm greetings, he gave me a stack of flyers and moved on.

I stopped watching the GameDay show at that moment. I watched Mr. A for a full 5 or 10 minutes... walking along.. like the Sower in the parable... faithfully throwing out the good seed and praying for good soil.

I want to be there to see all of the fruit that this faithful man has been a part of..... more stories than any book could ever hold!

By the way- Mr. Atcheson now runs the Billy Graham library. He has been honored by Samford University for his distinguished work and career... the man is still sowing ALL THE TIME.

Wayne Atcheson- Billy Graham Library

Movie Review: Interstellar: Where Man’s Best Theories Intersect God’s Best Story

some spoilers…...

“Love is observable and powerful. Love is the artifact that points beyond time and space.”

I took advantage of a holiday weekend rainy day to finally see the Christopher Nolen film, Interstellar, starring Matthew McConaughey and a great cast. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie- almost 3 hours of visual excellence, heart tugging performances, and mind stretching narrative.

I have been impressed by the amount of work that has gone into the film, including using theoretical theorist, Kip Thorne, to keep the movie within the current thinking regarding black holes and the applications of relativity.

I  enjoy entertainment in the genre of science fiction. These stories allow us to dream of an improved future and subconsciously explore social issues of contemporary society. I especially enjoy storylines that blur time, space, and dimension; it prepares us to accept concepts that challenge everyday experience.

As a Bible-believing follower of Christ, it also puts me squarely into the never ending debate of science, reason, and faith. Whenever I seek to offer insight into spiritual applications of these beautiful stories, I am not attacking the credibility, excellence, experience, or intent of the story teller. I also do not claim any scientific expertise in these issues. I am merely offering an analysis of why these movies pull cords deep inside our quest for meaning and connection.

A trend in the debate surrounding faith and science is to separate scientific logic and reasoning from any part of faith. This view is sometimes referred to as NOMA- (Non-overlapping magisteria). In this ‘2-story’ model, ‘reason’ and ‘faith’ each have their own domains and the two do not overlap. Science and religion may co-exist… but they do not join together in human existence.

My initial experience with ‘Interstellar’ is that it serves as a loud rebuttal to NOMA. In a story inspired by some of the most exciting theories of science, the draw of the movie is that human beings explore and apply these theories within issues like love, trust, sacrifice, fatherhood, ethics, and survival.

In fact, the ‘stuff’ of science has little value apart from the realm of meaning and human relationships. Even the robots in the plot of this movie are programmed with human transcendent attributes of humor, discretion, and conversational communication of tone and emotion. The test tube particles of life always overlap with humanity and humanity always overlaps with questions of meaning, family, community, and survival.

In fact, what resonates in these movies is a connection to the greatest story that  is always in the background of human drama. If you asked me to explain the movie.. I wouldn’t talk about the science...even though it is SO COOL!

The basic storyline of Interstellar is a spiritual tale..

Faced with a world of decay, a father makes a loving sacrifice where he promises to return. It is a very difficult decision, but the survival and well being of his children and human beings requires him to take an action based on faith, hope, and love. His children are left with an equally difficult problem. In the father’s absence- can they hold onto hope..even when doubts arise about the faithfulness of humans to act within the bounds of integrity?

C.S. Lewis’s change from atheism to Christianity began with an observation by J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien challenged Lewis to consider the Christian gospel as a foundational story to all the stories that Lewis admired and those were the ones that penetrated deep into his heart.

The gospel is what pulled me into this movie: a father’s love and his promise to return.

A few other interesting observations:

The Challenge of Communication Through Dimensions: The communication of unknown information is always a challenge. The limitations of the extra-dimensional "tesseract" meant that Cooper could only interact with Murph through what she thought was morse code, later discovered to be binary information that solved the problems to the equation that would later save the world. God Himself is challenged in revelation… How can the infinite be understood by the finite?  God’s path has taken place over time..He has chosen space, time, and history to reveal His nature through creation, his Son, and a divinely inspired written communication. When Cooper encounters Murph later in life, she says, ‘No one believed me”- but she held true to her faith that the communication was truth.

A Blight in Scientific Theory and Application: We all benefit from scientific discovery, But the movie indicates a ‘blight’ in science as deadly as any  disease that began destroying crops on the future planet earth. Man has presuppositional biases that can cause him to twist data and perpetuate untruths based on hidden agendas. Part of the problem in the planet’s ecosystem were decisions by a ruling class of elites who made important allocation of resources more on political pressure than on what was truly the best course for mankind. But a larger problem was that ‘good men’ knowingly changed scientific findings and data to sell a lie. Professor Brand lied in sending the interstellar crew and Dr. Mann lied to draw a rescue party to his location. Pure science does have a self correcting mechanism in place, but all of us worry about what perversions may be held in science based on prejudice, human error, and human fraud.

The Black Hole of Mystery: The power, mystery, and intrigue of black holes amazes all of us. The movie does an excellent job of keeping us awestruck by the black hole named Gargantuan. The crew continues to wonder at the power of Gargantuan and live in reverence and proper fear of a power where all things go and nothings escapes. The characters in the movie ask the proper question about the wormhole and the black hole…. WHO put it there?

A Privileged Planet: The movie captures another amazing fact.. the planet earth is one special speck in the dust of the cosmos. The location, and make-up of the planet to support life is rare and beautiful. Not only does it sustain life, it is placed as an observation deck to discover the beauty of its spectacular and privileged position. The social commentary regarding the dire position we would be in if we wrecked the eco-system in a great reminder of our responsibility to be faithful stewards of this treasure. I call on Christians everywhere to stand boldly in favor of those who have the heart to use good judgment and sound science in protecting what we have been given.

INTER-TESTIMAL REALITY

In the end, all stories that portray a shadow of gospel truth fall short of the beautiful truth of eternal life and salvation in Jesus Christ. The glory of God shines in the sun, moon, and the cosmos. When we trust Him, we never find a condition where we cast off all hope and are relegated to live in lies.

Man’s best theories never solve life’s greatest problems. In this life, the players all grow frail and pass away. Not only do earthly fathers fail to keep promises, they only become ghosts and fleeting memories to those who continue to tread upon the spinning globe.

Something in us longs for a deeper truth. There is One who claims to have returned from the black hole of death and promises to take us to an eternal home. There are others who saw this and gave their life as a testimony to the truth of the claim.

We want to believe in extraterrestrial life as a hope to the decaying world of man. Yet, we don’t want to believe in the existence of God and, sadly, we resist the beautiful claims of life in Jesus Christ.

What story takes the greatest faith to hold on to?

God's Not Dead....And I Feel OK as Well

Went to the movie "God's Not Dead" last night.


I purposely look to give my presence and money to efforts like this. And I am very cautious to criticize any of these types of efforts in public forums. The boldness and work that it takes to produce a film in a culture where every headwind is working against you is admirable. Heck, who am I to be a movie critic?

What did I like about the movie?

(WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS)

I am always thrilled when ANY movie, play, you tube video, song, etc lifts up the name of Jesus Christ and presents the gospel without any reservation.

When the movie repeated Matthew 10:32-33 TWICE in the early stages-

[32] So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, [33] but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

to me that was important gospel proclamation.

Apologetics.

For the most part, the 'debate' in the classroom covered a good list of the many rational arguments used as evidence to support the existence of God.

I taught these for 7 years in a class called 'Apologetics' and I do see the value in being prepared to answer questions/issues like the problem of evil, is there absolute truth, is Jesus the only way, etc.

But it is so interesting that the Bible does not debate the existence of God. At Genesis 1:1, He is there and in Romans 1, Paul's basic point to the philosophers is that God is 'plainly evident' and those who cry that there is not enough evidence are blinded by the enemy or unwilling to see it.

The basic premise is that an atheist cannot find God for the same reason a criminal cannot find a police officer ... he doesn't want to.

Don't misunderstand me- apologetics is more necessary now more than ever in being prepared to proclaim the gospel in a culture who have been trained by people like Hitchens and Dawkins- apologetics is evangelism if done in the right way.

But I have written on the danger of apologetics emphasis as well: Christian Quarries and Apologetics

Should you debate professors?

This is a tough one. I used to play a role in my classes called 'Professor Skeptic' and, because I knew the arguments, I could take apart almost all of my students.

And we would talk about the scenarios of when to speak, when to stay silent, when to go private, when to be public.

In this movie, the professor does a full frontal assault and in that scenario a Christian would have to respond. The word for 'apologetics' is found in I Peter 3.

[13] Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? [14] But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, [15] but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, [16] having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. [17] For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:13-17 ESV)

This is such an important passage for the field of defending THE faith.

My advice to college students is to be wise. Don't go pick a philosophical fight.. but if it comes to you...don't back down, but let the audience see your demeanor and resolve... you may not win the argument, but you may win a soul.

And I encourage students to be trained in apologetics... the Christian worldview EXCELS in these areas. Our narrative BEST EXPLAINS the condition of life because it is TRUE.

The key is our demeanor...look again at the passage - be wiling to suffer, don't fear... don't worry...Honor Jesus (this is not about us)- prepare- answer questions about the hope we have- do it with gentleness (this is one I mess up in all the time) and respect.

This does not mean we cower away... but it also doesn't mean we don't be so right we are dead right!

We are to present Christ.... and that message should be the only offensive thing about us. (and it is enough..believe me!)

I also ask students to go and speak to teachers they are concerned about in private (with a friend/witness) with a positive spirit. Let them know you are a believer, but are excited to learn in the class. Respect them as an authority even if you have disagreements in views. Be a great student- be attentive- do excellent work- learn.

If a professor is extremely attacking- listen to their arguments and learn how to research the counters.

In Acts, Jesus told his disciples to not worry about what to say- the Holy Spirit would grant the words- but this does not mean we do not prepare... we have to know the Word better and being trained in giving answers does help!

If the public debate happens- know what that is about.

You are not going to win over that opponent.. He/she is likely dug in if they are willing to challenge you in public. But you are really defending a reasonable faith in public and the goal is being faithful to your testimony. If you do it humbly, yet confidently. If you are skilled and articulate. If you are truthful (willing to say, I don't know). If you show a good knowledge of the gospel and Scripture- you will win- even if the entire audience votes that you lost. All you are called to do is stand for your Savior in a world that put Him on a cross- but do it with love- and plead for God's mercy on us all!

WHAT ELSE DID I LIKE ABOUT THE MOVIE?

I like how the movie depicts the power of social media to spread the message globally.

I love when we get positive messages about Christ trending. Don't get caught up in endless controversies on the internet... there is not enough space or time to flesh out all the Biblical balance. Tweet good news!

As Christians, I challenge all of us to let our social media speech to be a pleasing aroma to the love and joy of following Christ!

I like seeing Franklin Graham and Willie Robertson cameos!

I liked the music! (except for the same piano rift over and over- for some reason it sounded too much like Freddie or Jason was about to come out with a knife!)

ARE THERE THINGS I DID NOT LIKE?

Sure. But it does not keep me from being grateful that the movie is making an honest effort to entertain and inspire.

Josh Wheaton made a tactical error in the 3rd debate by attacking and challenging the professor. First of all, that professor is not going to fall into the 'God is not there and I hate Him for it' line of reasoning and it would not help in Wheaton's desire to win over the watching audience. Also, I wish only 2 or 3 students stood up at the end... that would have been just as cool without the cheese factor.

If it were me, I would not have used the Muslim characters in a movie unless the movie was about the theme of making a decision to follow Christ in a family deeply entrenched in the tradition of another.
There are too many nuances in this to adequately deal with it as a subplot. In the end, this scene hurt our dialogue with Muslims in our neighborhoods (in my opinion). The cross cultural tension was already adequately shown in the Chinese family. That one is easier to develop and pits a decision for Christ against the pressure of a government system and a family struggling under the weight of that.

I also cringed a little in the atheist professor getting run over by a car and having a deathbed repentance.

I know, I know.... in all movies there is a universal suspension of reality from the audience.. but that one threw me for a loop. Our Rev. Joe was actually smiling when the professor breathed his last breath..."Well, he knows now."

And I wish the 'attack journalist' had not been given a 'terminal' cancer diagnosis...it made the prayer scene at the concert almost as heartless as the last rites scene in the rain. Every scene where that poor lady was left alone- boyfriend walk in and out- Dr walks in and out- Newsboys walk in and out- always leaving that suffering person with no one. How about, 'Come out with us as we go and sing about God's not dead- and here is all of our support staff to be with you" . Been better to have her struggling with a potential deadly cancer ... but when you get to that stage, I doubt you are going to attack the Newsboys before the show.

I know... give them a break... it's only a movie.

I do wish we wouldn't make stories that seem to say- 'trust Jesus and you win state championships, get a new truck, have massive revival, your car starts, your wife starts making you coffee, and get to go meet everyone at a rock concert!'

I was so excited that my 9th grade daughter chose on her own to go see it. She liked it. Her comment? "They had too may stories going on for that type of movie. They could have done less and made it better."

Her review is spot on... and she did it much better than my rambling blog.

On a side note- as we finished the movie, I ran into some of my former students. One of them WALKED OUT of  the movie NOAH. "That movie was a bunch of bllpppp (he did a NY raspberry sound) but the meaning was clear.

I will not be seeing that one- the director helped me out by bragging that he had produced 'the least biblical biblical movie ever'.

I will choose instead to recommend you give your money to "God's Not Dead".

Of the entire genre (christian movies produced by christians and for christians) I still list "Courageous" as the best effort.

I hope I haven't seemed too full of myself or jaded... let's keep turning on all the lights. The gospel is that good!

This movie gets a thumbs up for me!

And even if it were bad?......... listen to what Paul says:

[18] What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, (Philippians 1:18 ESV)

Summarizing Sheen: What We Love- What We Hate- What We Fear

 This will be one of millions of blog posts about the latest exploits of Charlie Sheen and reactions to the recent interviews. Why do we watch? Why do we care?

I do not know Mr. Sheen and I have never seen one episode of "2 1/2 Men", so my comments are general to his persona.

What attracts us to Charlie Sheen is what I call the 'Admirable Qualities of the Existentialist". Charlie's passion for 'winning' and the fearless freedom that he promotes has drawn attention for individuals throughout the history of man. Mark Twain suggested the the 'average man is a coward' and Thoreau articulated that the 'mass of men live lives of quiet desperation'. It is the unique man, who cuts against the grain of culture, that has always sparked interest. The articulation of this can be found in literature, history, and film. Sheen represents a specialized type of rebel that is called 'the Hemingway Hero'- the man who fights and survives without purpose or virtue in sight.

Albert Camus captured this quality in his famous essay, The Myth of Sisyphus, as he imagined the Greek hero rolling that rock up the hill over and over... in defiance of the gods. See the quotes below:

At that subtle moment when man glances backward over his life, Sisyphus returning toward his rock, in that slight pivoting he contemplates that series of unrelated actions which become his fate, created by him, combined under his memory's eye and soon sealed by his death. Thus, convinced of the wholly human origin of all that is human, a blind man eager to see who knows that the night has no end, he is still on the go. The rock is still rolling.
I leave Sisyphus at the foot of the mountain! One always finds one's burden again. But Sisyphus teaches the higher fidelity that negates the gods and raises rocks. He too concludes that all is well. This universe henceforth without a master seems to him neither sterile nor futile. Each atom of that stone, each mineral flake of that night filled mountain, in itself forms a world. The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy. 

I watched the new movie "The Adjustment Bureau" with my oldest daughter last night. Matt Damon's character has the same quality- "I will even take on heaven itself to establish my autonomy". (I will post more on this movie at another time.)

The reality is that these type of men stay in conflict and the froth of controversy generates energy- it is stressful and potentially harmful...but never boring.

Camus expresses this idea in his summary of existentialism: "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."


What I have appreciated about the thoughts of Camus and other 'rebels' is honesty and tenacity. The fight of these warriors is noteworthy. We admire the man who struggles against all odds, even if he dies in a blaze of glory.

The Hemingway hero has no hope at all and finds energy in the freedom to keep swinging. The glory is to fight like hell- even when victory is long gone.

I can learn from that. Can I  strive with energy even if it seems that defeat is inevitable? Can I learn to scorn the praise or approval of men and stand firm even if I am all alone in the pursuit? Am I willing to let it all hang out there or do I always play it safe?

But here is the danger- and this is what we hate. The Sheen attitude is ultimately a selfish attitude. I decide and I do- and I really don't care what YOU think. The problem with selfishness is that it creates a wake of brokenness behind it.  Selfish people see the worth of a human only in light of what it offers as a commodity of entertainment, protection, or pleasure.

And it all comes at a price- God is not mocked, whatever a man sows, he will also reap.

And finally, that is what we fear. Are we watching Charlie from a distance like a NASCAR fan expecting the collision at any moment? Will Sheen's end game be any different from James Dean or any host of celebrity collisions- death by addiction? disease? suicide? pick any possible tragedy and we see it connected by less than fractions of circumstances.

What is the ultimate tragedy in this? What makes me sad is how so many human beings have such a poor view of God that they reject the real of experience of how we were really meant to live. Just as Charlie is denigrated for being such a poor role model to youth, the church is equally, at times, a poor role model of the gospel.

It would take too long to develop this thought completely- but my guess is that a guy like Charlie would see my life as 'boring boundary obedience' and 'cowardly conformity'. What is the reality?

God's boundaries are not boring- it is where freedom actually flourishes.
Submission to the Creator is not conformity- it is in direct rebellion to the world's monotonous mold.
And instead of addiction and cynicism- the gospel unleashes love, forgiveness, and hope.
Instead of being ground down in rebellion and regret- living for the true King raises one in honor.
Living under the care of Christ puts our lives on a pace to enjoy all the world has to offer with minimal side effects. It is a pace that allows us to take it all in with gratitude. It allows us to taste without being consumed, and enjoy without being enslaved.

I talked on the phone today to a man who was told by his doctors he has only 6 months to a year to live. The phone call was so uplifting. This man is a fighter, he is a competitor- but he fights for the right things and in the right way. He is not shaking his fist at God- He thanks God everyday for another chance to shine the light and love of Jesus in a dark world. He spoke to me truthfully of anxiousness- but he also demonstrated a peace and power that inspires.

This man is more of the hero and rebel I admire. I would rather stand beside a man who stares down cancer with love and hope than envy  a man who boasts of his prowess with porn stars.

At the same time- it is OK for me to pray for Charlie- the door of grace and mercy is only a humble cry for help away. But it will take a miracle for that to happen to a man who puts his face against the rock, shakes his fist, and proclaims himself a 'winner'.

The TRUTH is that there is only one true winner- the only One who took down Satan and death in one solitary life. He came not to be served but to serve. Let us not be afraid to lose our lives to Him. Let us not be afraid to live our lives for Him. Let the adventure begin today....

A Goal of the Gospel

Ephesians 2:8-10 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

I want to throw out an idea that has been stirring in my little pea brain for a good while. Faith and works. We all wrestle with this. What is my relationship to the Law of God? What is my commitment to the moral law? How can the ceremonial and civil law of the Old Testament serve me?

Church history is full of ideas and experiments. The Monastic orders where men of God mortified the flesh in hoping to save their souls. We also see examples of antinomian (anti-law) philosophy where men drank deeply of grace and adopted an almost anything goes mentality. Go to the far right of them and see the Theonomists wanting to adopt the Civil codes of the Old Testament in society and drawing tough stances in honoring the Holy nature of God.

I even see this in current trends in the church. I don't know how familiar you are with the terms 'emergent church' or the 'new perspective of Paul' trends- but each in some ways wrestle with grace and works.

When I read N.T. Wright's commentary on Romans, I felt like the Bishop was just tired of licentious living among Christians and this 'new perspective' was an effort to push believers into thinking that they do need to add to their salvation by accomplishing righteous deeds. (Please believe me when I say that I could be dead wrong on that one- but it was a strong impression I had while reading him.)

And don't we feel that pressure ourselves? As a Bible teacher, I would love somehow to inspire my students to Holy living and a desire to honor God in our choices. A purer, more disciplined church would be more distinctive.

And yet, time and time again, Scripture calls me back to a very clear reality. The ONLY thing I add to my salvation is my hideous sin. To try and justify my record to God actually dishonors the sacrifice of Christ. To think I can compete and improve my sin trends to make God love me more is the religion that all idols demand.

So over and over, and over again. This is a gift. It is from God. I simply receive it and take Him at His word. My only claim on justification and adoption is Jesus.

And that is so clear in the above passage.

And then comes verse 10. Arrrrggggghh- there's that work again 'works'. God prepared works. I am a work. I am created in Christ for good works. And I should 'walk in them'.
No different from James... 'Faith without works is dead'.

Can someone help me?

In an attempt to be even more confusing, I wanted to write about some of the things I have experienced over the last couple of years and some thoughts. But none of this violates the gospel message: "I am a sinner, saved by God alone through Christ alone by faith alone."

Stage 1- The Ping Pong Ball. A lot of my early experience with grace was a back and forth bounce between the ditches of license and legalism. I play the role of the sinner and the pharisee, the addicted younger brother of the prodigal story and the cynical elder brother. My personal experience is one of fast jumping between the two and then finding longer periods in both (but also more stability in the sweet middle). I may write more on this one later, but there are amazing lessons and consequences in this teetering wobble. The freedom offered to the pharisee is pure joy and the grace offered to the sinner is pure hope. But this is a rather immature stage. A lot of excuse making, hiding, comparing to others, rationalization, compartmentalization, and pathetic pride.

Stage 2- The Shepherd's Tool. I was reading a new book by Timothy Witmer, entitled 'The Shepherd Leader', when I ran across a neat concept.
He visited the Nix Besser farm and asked Mrs. Herr, "What is the Shepherd's most important tool?". Witmer thought it might be the rod or staff or dog or voice. But Mrs Herr without hesitation said, "The fence".

And this describes a second stage in this concept. At some point I began to see that God's law is not obstructive or fun robbing rules. Not at all, time and experience begins to show God's law as a beautiful boundary of protection and peace. I am hemmed in for my good. Part of growing in the trust of my Father is believing that His ways are the best ways. It creates some internal motivation for improving in my ability to follow Him.

The funny thing about this stage is that I begin digging in to what the Word really says. The more I trust the fence, the more precise information I want to know. And the more precise, the more beautiful it becomes. This is a fine tuned balance that we always miss. And I laugh because I actually have way more freedom than my fears ever believed. I have missed out on no fun or pleasure that this life affords. But the boundaries keep these from sending shoots of idolatry into my heart on so many levels.

Stage 3: The Ideal Standard, the Good Gospel, and the Heart of Flesh. Lately, the fence has been less of a boundary and now becoming Standards to pursue. But the cool thing is that I see these mostly as unachievable. Something like going into every football game with the mindset of 'no turnovers'- but rarely achieving this crucial goal.
The neat thing is this- this is where the gospel serves me so well. My family, my marriage, my self discipline, my worship, my unselfishness, my giving, my prayer life is NOT what it needs to be. But I am under the precious atoning sacrifice of Christ. This gap does not discourage me- I am loved and forgiven. So I get up and run a little better tomorrow. And when I do make progress it is all due to the Spirit and the ministry of the Word, and His gift.
I am not what I need to be... but I am not what I used to be. And I am not arrogant about that, I am so thankful. All praise and credit goes to Him!
The Rule is good. It is worth pursuing. It hurts so good to sweat toward that prize. There are great examples to follow.
But here is the neat little secret.... all of this has a heart beat now called love.
The most amazing gift I have been given in these stages is the ability to love someone other than myself. When I gush at my wife and melt with my girls. When I have warm thoughts of friends and cry over their pain. When my insides smile at the lofty thoughts of my heavenly Father, all I can do is say is 'amazing'. And this honors my Father and gives proper credit to the work of the Son.

Last thing- even this blog post is an ideal that I fall short of. You may catch me tomorrow sulking over what someone said or did. I may be licking the wounds of defeat and hiding from the fray. But the Father of the glorious gospel says, "Come on, my Son, and let's get going." And I say, 'Wow, I wonder what's gonna happen next?' The old hymn says 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word'. I say "This is just too cool!"

Love to get your thoughts........