Pushing People Out of the Church – Part 8

A while back, I read an article on Alternet.org, the anti-religion, left-wing, “news”-and-commentary website, entitled, “8 Ways Christian Fundamentalists Make People Convert — to Agnosticism or Atheism,” by skeptic Valerie Tarico.

Valerie Tarico

While I personally find most of the articles on this site to be little more than irrational liberal blathering, this article caught my interest, because it contains some truths that Christians need to understand.

Ultimately, those who reject Jesus Christ do so because they choose to suppress the truth (Romans 1:18-19). Unfortunately, there are also many things that those in the church do to push people away. As Tarico states, “if you read ExChristian testimonials you will notice that quite often church leaders or members do things that either trigger the deconversion process or help it along.”

I’ve found that I can often learn a lot by listening to what skeptics say about their perceptions of Christianity. This series looks at the eight reasons Tarico highlights.

Reason #8: Intrusion

Australian comedian and atheist John Safran flew to Salt Lake City for a round of door-to-door devangelism after Mormons rang his doorbell one too many times on Saturday morning. More serious intrusions, in deeply personal beginning- and end-of-life decisions, for example, generate reactive anti-theism in people who mostly just want to live and let live.

Catholic and evangelical conservatives have made a high-stakes gamble that they can regain authoritarian control over their flocks and hold onto the next generation of believers (and tithers) by asserting orthodox dogmas, making Christian belief an all-or-nothing proposition. Their goal is a level of theological purity that will produce another Great Awakening based largely on the same dogmas as the last one. They hope to cleanse their membership of theological diversity, and assert top-down control of conscience questions, replenishing their membership with anti-feminist, pro-natalist policies and proselytizing in the Southern hemisphere. But the more they resort to strict authoritarianism, insularity and strict interpretation of Iron Age texts, the more people are wounded in the name of God and the more people are outraged. By making Christian belief an all-or-nothing proposition, they force at least some would-be believers to choose “nothing.” Anti-theists are all too glad to help.

Tarico starts off by making a good point: Barging in on people turns them off. Nobody likes having the Gospel – or anything else, for that matter – shoved down their throat. Nobody likes being intruded upon. This is a point that almost everyone would agree with.

She then does a bait-and-switch by equating “intrusion” with conservative Christianity. She asserts that Christian leaders who teach a literal Bible do in order to “assert top-down control” and “regain authoritarian control over their flocks.”

While it is true that some conservative churches are highly authoritarian and almost cultish in their control over their membership, this is neither Biblical nor typical. To imply that because some conservative churches are controlling, all conservative churches are controlling, is to commit the logical fallacy of the hasty generalization.

Tarico also begs the question when she argues that evangelical conservative Christians are wrong because we make Christianity an “all-or-nothing proposition.” She assumes absolute truth does not exist; therefore, Biblical Christianity is wrong, because it teaches absolute truth. This is nothing more than a circular argument. Her argument merely assumes what it is trying to prove.

Here’s the point: The Bible itself teaches that Jesus Christ is an “all-or-nothing proposition.” “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” John 14:6. It’s not a matter of churches exerting “authoritarian control” or “top-down control.” It’s a matter of teaching the Truth. As the Apostle Peter, referring to Jesus, said, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Sounds like an “all-or-nothing proposition” to me.

What Tarico is advocating is compromise. And while she is probably correct that compromise will gain and retain more converts, the question becomes, converts to what? If we teach and preach a compromised Gospel, it’s not Gospel at all. As Paul wrote:

⁶ I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷ which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:6-9

When Tarico denounces “theological purity” and “strict interpretation,” she is denouncing the truth. She is absolutely correct when she states, “By making Christian belief an all-or-nothing proposition, they force at least some would-be believers to choose ‘nothing’.” What she doesn’t realize is, believing in “nothing” is no different than believing in a false gospel. Both lead to Hell; neither leads to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Too many churches preach a compromised, false gospel, and are filled with compromised, false Christians, who think they are headed for Heaven, but are bound for Hell. As Jesus said:

²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23.

Tarico makes 3 valid points:

1. Nobody likes pushy people – especially pushy Christians.
2. Authoritarian control has no place in the church, and
3. Teaching the truth will turn people away.

The church should have nothing to do with the first two points, but must be uncompromising in its insistence on the truth. God’s truth leads to eternal life; falsehood leads to eternal death.

Tarico and other non-believers cannot understand the things of God, because they choose to suppress the truth (Romans 1:18-19). Yet, they often provide insight that Christians can use to further the Kingdom of God and lead people to Jesus Christ. As we listen to what non-Christians say, we need to filter their words through the Word of God, and glean those things that can help us to reach them with the uncompromised Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Is the Message of the Cross Foolishness?

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

²⁰ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

As I have talked with many atheists and skeptics over the years, the one attitude that comes up over and over is the belief that Christianity is foolish. They argue, God cannot be proved; the Bible is a collection of myths; and dead people don’t come back to life. Anybody who actually believes this stuff must be a simpleminded fool.

My typical response is to point out that the only reason these things seem foolish to them is because of their presuppositions. Most atheists begin with the presupposition that nothing supernatural exists; therefore, any argument for the existence of God must be false. The logic here is totally circular, yet, when I point this out, they can’t seem to understand. Because most atheists presuppose some version of naturalism, they believe that the scientific method is the only way we can know anything for certain. However, the very belief that all knowledge must come through observation of the natural world is self-refuting – one cannot observe that this belief is true. The very foundation of almost all of their arguments is based on a logical fallacy! But when I point out the fallacies in their thinking, they just don’t understand. It is incomprehensible to them that their entire worldview is based on an absurdity.

Most of the atheists, agnostics, humanists, and skeptics I’ve interacted with are quite intelligent. I have often been frustrated by the fact that such obviously intelligent people can’t seem to understand the incongruity of their unbelief. To believe that the entire universe popped into existence all by itself, in all its vastness and complexity, without any supernatural intelligence guiding the process, is absurd. Yet, when I clearly show them why their thinking is preposterous, they just can’t seem to understand. How can intelligent people not understand simple logic, clearly explained?

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who choose to reject God. But, in reality, it is those who reject the Gospel who are fools.

¹ The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.
Psalm 14:1

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 9:10

Paul talks about the cross of Christ being a stumbling block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks. In Paul’s day, the Jews knew a lot about God and the Bible, but most didn’t actually know God. To them, the cross was a “stumbling block.” Today, there are many “religious” people for whom the cross is also a stumbling block. The cross gets in the way of religiosity. The cross means we cannot make ourselves acceptable before a holy God. Only through the blood of Jesus can we be accepted by God.

The Greeks of Paul’s day were nominally polytheistic, but actually lived as atheists or agnostics. Much like today’s humanists, they believed human understanding was the ultimate authority, and they saw the cross of Christ as foolishness.

I finally realize that the reason most skeptics can’t understand the Gospel is not an issue of intelligence – it’s a matter of the will. They don’t understand because they don’t want to understand. 2 Peter 3:5 says that they are “willingly ignorant” – they choose to ignore the truth. Looking back, I was the same way before I received Christ. None of us seeks after God on our own (Romans 3:11); it is only because God seeks after us that any of can respond to the Gospel. The Bible clearly teaches that God seeks everyone in the world (John 3:16), but only those who choose to believe will be saved. And, it’s only after we have received Christ that God opens our minds so that we can really understand.

The cross of Christ seems foolish to those who choose to reject it. But, to those who choose to receive Christ when the Holy Spirit draws them to Himself, the cross is the power of God. The cross has the power to overcome our sin. The cross has the power to restore the relationship between us and God. And, the cross has the power to transform our lives. Real foolishness is to reject the cross.

Seven Obstacles to Sharing Your Faith, Part 6

I ran across an article a while back on christianitytoday.com by Chris Lutes entitled Seven Reasons Not to Share Christ (and why we should go ahead and do it anyway). I thought it would make a good a good blog series.

The sixth reason listed by Lutes:

6) “All of my friends are Christians”
It’s great to have good Christian friends. God uses our Christian friendships to help us grow in our faith. And it’s just fun to be around people who love God. But we also need to, as Jesus put it, “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). We can’t do that if we don’t have any non-Christian friends.

I have had this problem myself. Until very recently, I worked for Answers in Genesis – a Christian ministry. The vast majority of my friends were either members of my church, or Christian co-workers. I found that I rarely had opportunities to share my faith. I found that the key is to cultivate friendships outside of these two main groups. In my case, I made a point of getting to know the other adults in my son’s Boy Scout troop; the people in my geocaching club; and the neighbors on my street. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know these people better, and I’ve had more opportunities to share the Gospel. My church has an open gym on Friday nights, so I’ve tried to help out, giving me more opportunities. In fact, one of the reasons I decided to leave Answers in Genesis is because I felt God wanted me to cultivate more friendships with non-Christians.

Every situation is different, but here’s the bottom line: God calls all Christians to share the Gospel. If your only friends are already Christians, you need to make a point of developing additional friendships with non-Christians. Facebook, blogs, and other social networking sites also provide opportunities to share your faith, but they’re not a substitute for personal interaction. There’s nothing that says you can’t take a few of your Christian friends with you to make friends with non-Christians, either. You don’t have to fly solo; in fact, it’s important that you maintain your Christian friendships. Whether it’s in your neighborhood, a hobby or interest group, your job, or just talking to the cashier at your local grocery store, make a point of getting to know people outside your close circle of Christian friends. As you get to know them, God will provide opportunities for the conversations to turn to the Gospel. This isn’t optional; Jesus commanded us to make disciples, and the best way to reach people for Jesus Christ is through friendships.

More Than a Conqueror

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Romans 8:31-39:

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What is Paul referring to when he says, “What then shall we say to these things?”  “These things” refers to the entire breadth of God’s grace to lost sinners in the letter to this point.  For the Christian, God’s grace and our relationship with Him are the foundation for everything else in our lives.

When Paul asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” he does not mean that Christians will never face opposition;  rather, he is emphasizing that the conflicts we do face are greatly overshadowed by God’s love and grace toward us.  The basis for our confidence in God is that He “gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16).  Since God the Father was willing to sacrifice His own Son in order to be reconciled with us, we can be confident that He will also give us the protection and security we need to follow Him.

What does Paul mean when he rhetorically asks, “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?”  In Revelation 12:10, Satan is called the “accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night.”  Because those of us who have received Jesus Christ as Savior are justified before God the Father through the blood of Jesus Christ, God sees the Christian as if they had never sinned.  The perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for my sin; therefore, God considers me blameless before Him.  Satan has no basis for accusing the Christian before God; the Christian’s sins have already been paid for.  As Paul puts it, Christ makes intercession for us. When Satan accuses the Christian before the Father, Jesus says, “I’ve already got it covered.”

Paul then rhetorically asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” He then lists a catalog of situations that we think might be able to separate us from God: tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and the sword.  Often, Christians think that when bad things happen, it’s because God has somehow rejected us.  We think God’s angry, so He’s punishing us by allowing us to suffer.  To emphasize his point, Paul quotes Psalm 44:22:

Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Paul’s point here is that God does not punish the Christian; Jesus Christ already took the punishment.  God does allow bad things to happen to the Christian, but not because God is punishing us.  Rather, God uses trials to produce character and hope.  In Romans 5:3-5, Paul tells the Christian:

“³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Paul finishes Romans chapter 8 with one of the most profound promises found in Scripture.  Through Jesus Christ, the Christian is promised victory – and nothing can take that away from us.  Whether dead, or alive, we have victory in the love of Jesus Christ.  Angels cannot take our God’s love away; neither can demons (“principalities”) or human authorities (“powers”).  Time cannot affect our standing before God; nor can anything else in the universe.  We cannot even throw it away ourselves!  Our relationship with God through Jesus Christ is completely sealed; absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When I am struggling with my faith, or going through difficult times, I come back time and again to this promise for the strength and courage to press onward.  Times may be difficult – but nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord!  I may be overwhelmed by my sin – but nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord!  Those I love may let me down – but nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord!

Yet in all these things I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me.

Jesus Bore Our Sins

Matthew 27:45-54

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

⁴⁷ Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” ⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

⁴⁹ The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

⁵¹ Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, ⁵² and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; ⁵³ and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

⁵⁴ So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

1 Peter 2:21-24

²¹ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

²² “Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

²³ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church Part 5

The Barna Group, a leading Christian research and resource company that focuses on the intersection of faith and culture, published the article last September entitled, “Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church.” This is the fifth in a series of articles in which I give my take on Barna’s conclusions.

Reason #5 – They wrestle with the exclusive nature of Christianity.
Younger Americans have been shaped by a culture that esteems open-mindedness, tolerance and acceptance. Today’s youth and young adults also are the most eclectic generation in American history in terms of race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, technological tools and sources of authority. Most young adults want to find areas of common ground with each other, sometimes even if that means glossing over real differences. Three out of ten young Christians (29%) said “churches are afraid of the beliefs of other faiths” and an identical proportion felt they are “forced to choose between my faith and my friends.” One-fifth of young adults with a Christian background said “church is like a country club, only for insiders” (22%).

Most younger Americans have been taught to embrace relativism.  According to thefreedictionary.com, relativism is “a theory, especially in ethics or aesthetics, that conceptions of truth and moral values are not absolute but are relative to the persons or groups holding them.”  In other words, what’s true for you may not be true for me, and we are to accept all views as equally valid.  Absolute, universal truth does not exist.

First, to claim that “absolute, universal truth does not exist” is self-contradictory, because the statement itself claims to be absolute, universal truth.  But, this is irrelevant to those who hold to this philosophy, because it’s true for them, even if it’s illogical for others!  Relativism leads to absurdity of thought; but, relativists don’t care if it’s absurd, because it’s not absurd to them.  Which is absurd, and gives me a headache.

The point is, our young people have been indoctrinated with a philosophy which holds that all religious viewpoints are equally valid.  Mormonism, Hinduism, Communism, Islam, Wicca, and atheism are just as valid and “true” as Christianity, despite the fact that the claims of each of these worldviews are vastly different and mutually exclusive.  All worldviews are equally valid, and all must be accepted as truth; otherwise, we are being “intolerant” and “hateful.”

This totally contradicts the Biblical view.  In John 14:6, Jesus stated, ““I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus also stated in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  In Acts 4:12, Peter, speaking of Jesus, stated, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  There is no relativism in Christianity; there is only one truth, and all other viewpoints are false.

What can the church do to reach those with a relativistic worldview with the exclusive message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  Almost a third of the young people surveyed stated that “churches are afraid of the beliefs of other faiths.”  This is probably true, although it shouldn’t be.  Christians should not operate from fear, but from love.  1 John 4:18-19 states, “¹⁸ there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. ¹⁹ We love Him because He first loved us.” Rather than fearing other religions and worldviews, the church should face them head-on, in love.  We should be teaching our young people what other religions believe, why these beliefs are wrong, and how to reach people with other worldviews with the love of Jesus Christ.  Rather than fearing people of other faiths, we need to embrace the opportunity to share Jesus, and the church needs to teach this to our young believers.

Three out of every ten surveyed stated that they feel “forced to choose between my faith and my friends.”  Again, this should not be.  Young believers need to be taught to defend their faith (1 Peter 3:15) and share it with their friends.  Christians should not live isolated from non-Christians, but need to develop relationships with non-believers in order to have opportunities to lead them to a relationship with Christ.  I do understand that there are times when young, spiritually immature Christians may need to separate themselves from the influences of non-Christians, lest they be tempted and fall away from the faith.  However, if the church did a better job of discipling and equipping new Christians to grow in their faith, and to defend it, this would be far less of a problem.  And yes, we are forced to choose between faith in Jesus Christ, and faith in the world.  Again, the church needs to do a better job of encouraging, teaching, and equipping young Christians to grow to spiritual maturity.

The fact that 22% of those surveyed said, “church is like a country club, only for insiders,” is a serious indictment against the church.  Jesus commanded us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…”  This isn’t a suggestion, or a recommendation – it’s a commandment.  And, too many churches do not take this commandment seriously.  No wonder so many young Christians see the church as hypocritical, and decide to leave.  In the song “My Jesus” by Todd Agnew, there’s a part that says:

Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despised the proud
I think He’d prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd

How many of us actually reach out to the lost, hurting, “different” people around us?  Or, are we afraid of them, or too arrogant to care?

The message of the Gospel is exclusive.  John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  Eternal life is exclusive to those who believe on Jesus Christ; those who do not believe are destined to Hell.   This is the message we need to help young people to understand.  There aren’t many ways to get to heaven; there is only one way, Jesus Christ.  This is the message the church must teach, but more importantly, it is the message we need to learn to live.

CHRISTIAN:  Does your life demonstrate the exclusive nature of your relationship with Jesus Christ, in a fearless, loving way that will attract others to the Gospel?

Is Racism Biblical?

Racism is alive and well.  Consider the following:

• In January, two men were found guilty of the racist murder of a black teenager in London and were sentenced to more than 14 years in prison each.
• After Jeremy Lin, the NBA’s first U.S.-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent, committed several turnovers during a game, ESPN published an article about the game with the headline “Chink In The Armor.” ESPN later issued a formal apology and announced the firing of the editor responsible for the headline.
• An all-white Appalachian church in rural Kentucky has recently voted to ban interracial couples from joining its flock. The resolution states that the church “does not condone interracial marriage.”

Many atheists claim the Bible promotes racism, citing passages such as Nehemiah 13:23-25:

²³ In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. ²⁴ And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people.  ²⁵ So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves.

So, what does the Bible actually say about racism?  First, the Bible teaches that there is only ONE race.  In Genesis 2-5, the Bible describes all of humanity as having descended from one literal man and one literal woman – only one race.  In Genesis 8-9, all of humanity, except for Noah’s immediate family, was destroyed in a global flood.  All humans after the flood were closely related – one race.  At the tower of Babel, God confused the languages – not the “races” – and humanity was divided into different people groups or nations – not races.  Acts 17:26 tells us that God “has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth…”

What about Bible passages such as Nehemiah 13:23-25?  First, note that the passage mentions different nations, not races.  The issue was not physical characteristics, but spiritual.  The Nehemiah 13 passage continues:

 ²⁶ Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. ²⁷ Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?” (emphasis added.)

The issue was that the people of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab were pagans – they worshipped false gods.  The Israelites were to worship only the One True God.  Nowhere in the Bible is Israel told to separate itself from other peoples because of physical traits or race – the issue is always spiritual.

What about Christian churches that claim interracial marriage is unscriptural?  Again, the Bible passages they use to justify such a position are always taken out of context, and usually refer to not marrying someone who is not a Christian (or, in the Old Testament, not Jewish).  To put it bluntly, any church that prohibits so-called interracial marriage is WRONG, since the Bible makes it clear there is only one race.  People can pull passages out of context from the Bible to justify almost anything, and this is just plain wrong.  Rather than starting with our own ideas, then finding something in the Bible to justify our thinking, Christians should start with the straight-forward meaning of the Bible, in context, and adjust our thinking to fit what the Bible actually says.

Galatians 3:28 tells us:

²⁶ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Christian:  Racism should have no place in your thinking.  Period.

God hates racism.  Racism comes straight from the pit of Hell, in order to divide people and lead them away from God.  From God’s perspective, there is only one race.  God created all people through Adam and Eve, and the entire human race descends from Noah and his sons.  From God’s perspective, there are only two kinds of people:  Sinners who have received forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ, and sinners who have not received forgiveness.   “Race,” culture, skin color, and ethnicity have nothing to do with our standing before God; the only thing that matters is whether we have received the forgiveness and reconciliation with Him available only by trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

The Word

One of my favorite passages of scripture is from the Gospel of John, Chapter 1.

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it…

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Before I received Christ as my Savior, I struggled with the question, “Who is/was Jesus Christ?”  I wondered if Jesus was a prophet and a good teacher, or something more.  As I studied this question, I realized that the Bible – and Jesus Himself – claimed he was no mere mortal, but actually God in the flesh.  I also realized that if Jesus was just a man – even a very good man – then the crucifixion and resurrection meant nothing.  If Jesus had been just a man, then he had sin, the same as all men.  The only way Jesus could take away my sin is if he was actually God, come to earth in human form, without a sin nature, and living a sinless life.  Only then could the crucifixion and resurrection take away sin and guarantee eternal life.

One night, as I tried to sleep, these verses from John kept swirling around in my head.  Somehow, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, it suddenly “clicked.”  I understood that Jesus was indeed Who He claimed to be – God, in the flesh.  And, as God, He had the ability and power to take away my sin, and to forgive me.  I re-read John 1, and came to these verses:

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His own,and His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

I understood that all I needed to do was to receive the forgiveness God offered through Jesus Christ’s death, and eternal life through His resurrection.  At 1:04 am, on October 22, 1979, I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life.  I was forever changed.  Thirty-two years later, I am more in love with Jesus than ever before.  He is continuing to change me, continuing to mold me into His image.  I long for the day when I will meet Him face-to-face.  In the meantime, I will continue to serve Him, and to grow in my relationship with Him.

If you have never received Jesus Christ as Savior, contact me.  I’d love to help you to come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

If you have already received Christ as Savior, but are struggling with your faith, I’d love to pray for you, and help, if I can.  Contact me.

My Philosophy of Ministry

1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV)

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear

This is probably my favorite verse in the Bible.  This verse sums up what I believe my calling from God in ministry is to be.  There is a tremendous amount of truth packed in this verse, so I’d like to break it down, so my readers can understand the power it contains.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts…

The word “sanctify” comes from the Greek word hagaizo, and it means to set aside, make holy, consecrate, or purify.  Other translations render it as revere (NIV) or honor as holy (ESV).  The phrase tells us that we must begin by keeping God in His proper place as the center and focus of our hearts and lives.  This is impossible unless we first have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  God cannot be sanctified in a person’s heart unless he or she has first been reconciled with God by receiving forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Salvation through trusting Christ is the first step in the life-long process of growing in our relationship with Him.  Submitting our minds and wills to God’s authority is something we must learn to consistently strive toward, and making God our highest priority is part of that process.

…and always be ready…

The word always means, “all the time; continuously; uninterruptedly.”  The word ready means, “completely prepared or in fit condition for immediate action or use” (Dictionary.com).  So, for us to “always be ready” means that we are be in an uninterrupted state of complete preparedness;  to be in a continuously fit condition; and be ready for immediate action all the time. Such a state implies deliberate and extensive preparation.  The Boy Scout motto, be prepared, is a motto that Christians should adopt as well.  As a soldier prepares for battle, or an athlete trains for competition, so we must prepare ourselves for the work God commands us to do.

…to give a defense…

The Greek word apologia means “speech in defense of a reasoned statement or argument” (BibleStudyTools.com). It is the root of the English word apologetics.  It is a term that describes what a lawyer might do to defend the innocence of their client.  We are to do more than just tell people about the truth; we are to defend the truth. We are to give rational reasons and arguments for why we believe and act as we do.

…to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…

As Christians, what is the hope that is within us?  It is the hope of Jesus Christ.  It the hope we have because God has demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).  It is the hope that through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are fully reconciled to God.  It is the hope that through the Resurrection, we have a future life in eternal fellowship with our Creator and King.  It is this hope we must always be prepared to defend to everyone we come into contact with.

…with meekness and fear

This phrase is often overlooked, but I believe it is probably the most important, if we want those with whom we interact to actually hear what we’re saying.  It’s also the part I struggle with the most.  Other Bible versions translate this phrase as “with gentleness and respect.”  It means we must not argue arrogantly, or try to cram the truth down people’s throats.  Our attitudes, both before other men and before God, must be one of humility, honesty, and love.  The most eloquent, rational defense of the Christian faith will mean little to most people, if they can’t see in our lives the way God is changing us and transforming us to His Image.  The goal is not to win an argument, but to be used by God to radically change the hearts, souls, and minds of those around us.

This is what I believe God has called me to do:  to set God apart in my heart; to continuously be prepared to rationally defend the Gospel to everyone I have contact with; and to do so with the right attitude.  Although I still have much work to do, this is what I am working toward, and what I am called to help others work toward attaining.

Matters of the Heart

For the majority of my life, I have enjoyed excellent health and an active lifestyle.  I have enjoyed running, hiking, cycling, and other sports, and rarely have missed work due to illness.  A few years ago, I injured my foot, stopped running, and gained a bit of weight, but I was still in excellent health – or so I thought.

On December 31, 2007, while visiting my parents in Indiana, I suffered a heart attack.  Other than elevated cholesterol, which was well controlled by medication, there were absolutely no warning signs.  At about 4:00 AM, I had severe nausea.  At about 6:00 AM, I started having chest pains, with the pain moving from my chest into my shoulders and arm.  Mom called 9-1-1, the paramedics came, they loaded me onto a stretcher, and into the ambulance.

As I lay in the stretcher, with sirens blaring, I came to the realization that I might be dead in a few minutes.  I hadn’t really thought much about death for a long time.   Death is a fearful thing that most people don’t want to think about.  It always seemed so far away, and as a Christian, even though I knew where I would end up when death finally arrived, I still feared the unknown.

However, death was now imminently staring me in the face.  The amazing thing was, I wasn’t afraid.  An incredible peace came upon me as God calmed my fears.  I thought about my wife and kids, and knew that if I died, God would provide for them, and since they also know Jesus, I would see them again in a few years.  As I wondered if the tunnel with the white light at the end would appear soon, it suddenly struck me that I there was a very good chance that I would be meeting Jesus Christ face-to-face in a few minutes.  I began to wonder what I would say.  As I considered the possibilities, I realized there would only be one thing I could say: Thank you.  Thank you Jesus for dying in my place, so that I can spend eternity with you.  Thank you that I don’t have to face Hell, the place I rightly deserve to spend eternity.  Thank you for also saving my wife and children.

To make a long story short, I never did see the tunnel and light.  God chose to allow my heart attack to happen only a few minutes from one of the best cardiac units in Indiana, when one of the best cardiologists in the state happened to be on duty.  Coincidence?  I think not.  From the time Mom called 9-1-1 until the time the stent was implanted in my heart was an amazingly quick 90 minutes.  As a result, there was no permanent damage to my heart from the attack.  By the grace of God, I was out of the hospital in 2 days; back to work in a week; and back to unrestricted activities in five weeks.

God allowed the heart attack in order to draw me closer in my relationship with Him, and to teach me several things.  First, I no longer fear death.  When God decides it’s my time to go home to be with Him, I’m ready to go.  I now fully understand that, as a follower of Jesus Christ, death is not the end; death is only the beginning.  Second, I have learned that life is but a brief moment; and every moment God gives me in this life, I need to live for Him.  And third, I have learned that God is in control of everything that happens in my life.  He loves me, and has a plan and purpose for my existence.  My task is to seek His will for my life, and live my life in obedience to His will.  I now have much more meaning, direction, and peace in my life than I had ever experienced before the heart attack, because my focus is now on God, not myself.

How can you have this kind of close relationship with God through Jesus Christ?  In order to begin the process, just talk to God.  You can do this aloud, or silently; alone, or with a friend.  You must admit to Him that you are a sinner, and ask Him to forgive you.  You must believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to take away your sins, and that He rose again.  You must tell God from your heart that you want Him to change you and direct your life, and ask Him to be your Savior.  That’s all you have to do.  Begin your new life by finding a Bible-believing church to attend, reading the Bible, and talking to God on a regular basis.   As you do this, God will begin the process of transforming your life.  As you begin to learn to trust, follow, and obey Him, He will give you a similar kind of peace, meaning, and direction He has given me.  You can also know, without a doubt, that when you eventually die, you will spend eternity in the very loving presence of God Almighty.  The choice is yours to make:  either receive Jesus Christ’s offer of eternal life with Him, or reject it, and accept eternity without Him.