Author Archives: geoffsnook77

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Merlowe Joe Maddon’s 30 minute rule

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The last two nights I had both a rare privilege and frustration: watching the Tampa Bay Rays on TV. Unfortunately when the Rays are on TV, it is because they are playing either the Red Sox or Yankees. On back-to-back nights they lost by one run to both. 
One of the announcers, Rick Sutcliffe, commented on whether or not losing 1-0 to the Red Sox in 16 innings the night before would have a tangible adverse affect on the Rays playing the Yankees the next night. He believed the frustrating loss wouldn’t hurt the Rays, citing manager Joe Maddon’s “30 minute rule.”

The 30 minute rule means that the team can/should reflect on the bitterness for the loss for only 30 minutes. After that, they cannot dwell on it anymore. It’s in the past, and they have to play another game the next day (more often than not with 162 game season).
I’m not sure that there is a minimum time limit we should mourn for the bitterness of our sin. The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite Spirit, and that obviously involves being bothered by our general and particular sins. However, particularly in regard to our particular sins (but the general as well), we should be reminded that we must not remain in such a mournful state for too long. Christ has already forgiven sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God (I Peter 3:18).

But there has to be a maximum time limit on mourning our sins or else we will walk around like Eoyore, forgetting the victory which Jesus has secured. Repentance must lead to rejoicing (or it isn’t repentance) because God’s mercies, and our experience of them, are new every morning (Lam 3:22-23). A good reminder to us all, especially when we experience the consequences of our sin.

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Some bear reflections

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This past weekend the lads from Redeemer hiked a mile and a half into the Cranberry River for camping/fishing trip. While the water remained lower than we would have liked, and the fish scarcer than advertised, all had a great time bonding as we braved the outdoors. My crew of folks came in on Friday around noon, just missing the Thursday night-Friday morning bear run-in’s.
Apparently the bear came in on Thursday evening and then back the next morning to climb the apple tree to gorge on some delectable little treats. Bummed that he never returned to the same spot, my friend and I made our way up to another fishing hole. He stopped and my impatience set in. I immediately headed on to try and nab a trout on a dry fly. Unfortunately for me, just 40 feet away from the same path he and I were walking on, just literally 5 minutes later, Mr. Bear came back. 
He stared at my buddy, and then continued on his trek of the woods. 5 minutes and I would have seen my bear. Complete bummer.
I accepted the results of my impatience and returned to fishing, catching my first trout on a fly in 9 years. On an indescribable high from such an experience, my thoughts eventually turned to my trip back to the campsite.
Here are a few reflections:
1.) Why walk alone? When I was walking to the fishing hole with my buddy, I thought of fish to be caught and the hope that the bear would come back in the evening when our group could watch him at a safe distance. Yet we still walked the trail as dusk approached. After my trout at 8:45 pm, I didn’t walk back, I ran. Why? Because I was alone. I wasn’t scared while I was with Jason-even though he is faster than me should we have been chased. Just having someone there made all the difference. When I was alone, even those 3 hotdogs and being out of shape didn’t slow my fearful flight back. Why do we (and I) as Christians, prefer to do life alone sometimes? Why run, when we can walk and enjoy our journey with our brothers and sisters in the faith?
2.) Terms. I mentioned to everyone that I wanted to see that bear, but on my own terms. Someone asked what are your terms? When he is at a safe distance, up in a tree, while I’m on the ground, surrounded by friends, several of whom have loaded guns. I didn’t get my wish. He didn’t appear to me on my terms. But he did appear to a number of others who did not express such demands. After all, they were “his” woods (at least more so than ours).
Sometimes I think we put demands and terms upon God, and then are surprised when he doesn’t show up. We don’t experience Him the way others may because our terms usually imply what we can get out of Him: a better feeling, family, spouse, or house. God sets the terms of which we come to Him. We come to Him through His Son in repentance and faith. Consequently we experience and grow in Him the same way, through repentance and faith in His Son, repenting of our “terms.”

3.) Safety? I asked the waitress at a local diner when was the last time someone had been attacked by a bear? Sandy, the 70 year old waitress knew of no such incident in the area. I had 60 pounds, by estimation, on this particular bear. Even though I might be able to bench press more than him, he would certainly take me down without too much effort (these bears weren’t de-clawed like housecats). A bear is not safe, but apparently in these woods, he is good. Reminded me of Aslan in the Narnia series. Yes God is not safe, but He is good. He is not safe because He will call out and crush our idols, but He is good because that is the best thing for us.

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Some takes on C.J.

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A week or so ago I received Don’t Waste Your Sports by C.J. Meheney. This little booklet, expands on his sermon “Don’t Waste Your Sports,” he delivered several years ago, challenging folks to consider how to truly honor God with sports. I’ve already discussed and linked to this sermon here.
Then sometime last week, I noticed C.J. Meheney was taking a leave of absence from his position on the board of Sovereign Grace Ministries. He writes on his blog:
Over the last few years some former pastors and leaders in Sovereign Grace have made charges against me and informed me about offenses they have with me as well as other leaders in Sovereign Grace. These charges are serious and they have been very grieving to read. These charges are not related to any immorality or financial impropriety, but this doesn’t minimize their serious nature, which include various expressions of pride, unentreatability, deceit, sinful judgment, and hypocrisy.
Here are a few of my takes on C.J.’s leave of absence:
1.) Most of my appreciation of C.J.’s ministry began upon reading The Cross Centered life. This book reminds the Christian that we never outgrow and always need the cross for our justification as well as our sanctification. If you read his entire blog entry, you’ll gain a sense (at least from what he’s written) that he is owning his sin and seeking reconciliation. If this is true and genuine-and he’s given no reason for me to doubt that it is-this is the result of a cross centered life. If the cross has indeed taken away all condemnation of all our sins, we need not be ashamed of our struggles. We can even fearlessly let people in on them. 
John Piper took a leave of absence from Bethlehem Baptist Church. You can read about that here.  I personally connected with Meheney’s freedom in Christ to be a little more specific than Piper (though I don’t question him for lack of specifics, I’m just noting the differences and which one I more connected with-I respect both men immensely). Freedom to confess your sins to others is evidence of God’s grace at work.
2.) As I understand the polity and leadership of Sovereign Grace Ministries, it seems a bit weighted to the side of one individual: C.J. Meheney. I cannot escape my Presbyterian bias here. But I must say this. While presbytery often causes much frustration to me at times, it does seem to me the best system of accountability in leadership (not just most biblical) because it limits the power of ONE individual. If Tim Keller stepped out of ministry in the PCA I would be bummed. But since he is but an influential member in our denomination, not the leader on a board, the show would go on more smoothly.
3.) Regardless of what happens with CJ, and even if he didn’t repent but went apostate instead, his past work shouldn’t be thrown away but upheld and read. I think Paul would have agreed with this. He reminds the Galatians that even if an angel or he or his fellow ministers preached a different gospel, then let them be accursed. So in other words, if Paul or some other Christian evangelist changed the message, don’t throw out what he has already preached to them. If Paul or another pastor proved to be a charlatan, still hold on to the gospel. The gospel message is centered on Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, not the character or even the perseverance of the messenger. Messengers may come and go. They may persevere or walk away from the faith. But the message they preached, provided it is grounded in the gospel and applied to life, shouldn’t be ignored because of their personal sin or failure to apply what they wrote. 

All of above paragraph is simply didactic, and not prognostication. C.J. may have been running the race in “clean air,” ahead of everyone else. But now he’ll be back with the pack, and I think this time will be good for him. I’m looking forward to hear what God teaches him during this leave of absence.

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Round table on how to disgaree

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Matt Chandler, Tim Keller, Micheal Horton have set down for a series of conversations on different topics. In this clip, Keller leads the discussion on “how to disagree” with others. Its about a 13 minute clip and worth it to hear folks with differing philosophies of ministry, but still within the wider Reformed camp, agree on how we can disagree with one another.
Chandler hit a home run with his concern of people attacking 5 minute you tube clips of a 50 minute sermon, completely ignoring the entire body of work. I actually heard someone bash Keller, even calling his presentation of the gospel “a joke,” because of a you tube clip someone sent him. Unfortunately the hermeneutic he uses to study the bible (context, big picture) wasn’t applied to that short clip.

One take-away from this video, for all folks who find themselves theologically/philosophically differing with their brothers and sisters in Christ: make sure what YOU think your opponent is saying IS IN FACT what they are saying. That is one way to love those with whom you differ.

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Sabal Point Kids Club

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For several months, I had planned on having a bible club (craft, game, puppets, food, gospel presentation) at a local government subsidized apartment complex called Sable Point. Then two weeks ago I went with another leader to put up some fliers and found that corporate had taken over because some folks had resigned (or that’s what they told me…). The man in charge was not a fan of a “bible club” and asked us to change it to “spiritual club” (sounded too much like an Oprah book club for kids to me) so we secularized the title to “Kids Club.” And then we were told not to bring “religion” into it. However, upon his departure that afternoon, he seemed to indicate that he didn’t want to know what was going on. So with this vague-and open to interpretation-interaction, we continued on as planned. The remaining management didn’t care about our “Kids Club” and told me “good luck!”

As it turned out we had about 15-20 kids each day on Wed-Friday, many of them un-churched, bored, and some hungrier than others. After registering them, gathering them together to sing songs like “Father Abraham” to a “Sargent Peppers” sounding electric guitar, we shared the story of Creation, Fall, and Redemption through puppets and follow up gospel presentation. In between we did crafts like the gospel bracelets and gave them the opportunity to make laminated place mats which described themselves with pictures and included the theme verse James 2:23 “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness and he was called God’s friend.” Finally we fed them pizza, ice cream and hotdogs at the end of the clubs.
Since most of the Kids Club involved youth leadership, with adults there to facilitate, I would say it was a success. Giving youth opportunities to lead is as much part of the discipleship process as youth group or Sunday school. And on the last day, kids were asking, “When are you coming back?” The good thing is that we should have plenty of chance for follow-up with tutoring and showing movies. What seemed like a disaster with a last minute change in management proved to be nothing but a speed bump causing us to cry out to the Lord in prayer. He answered with much more than a “yes,” but with a “Yes and I’ll be there with ya’ll.” 

Tiring few days, but certainly exciting to be involved in what hopes to become a long term partnership. 

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Should I go to church, or better yet, shouldn’t I want to?

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Here’s a brief video on why the individual Christian will naturally desire to be part of a local church. This lad, author of Am I Really a Christian, remarks that the question of whether or not I should go to and join a church is really kind of a weird question. He poses a follow-up question: “That’s kind of like a wife saying, ‘Do I really have to live with my husband?'” In the end, when we don’t desire to be part of a local community and use the spiritual gifts-which are given to bless not ourselves but the local church-we should probably surmise there is something wrong with us. More than something wrong with every church in your area or surrounding area. Check out this video, as it will only take you two and a half minutes.

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Serbian Hospitality vs. Suburbia Hospitality

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This is a continuation of yesterday’s post regarding some take home, and “free” (not intended by the author) applications from the book The Forgotten 500.  I was amazed by the tenacity of these airmen to tell their story and to honor and clear the name of Draza Mihailovich, who was purported by the American and British government to be a Nazi collaborator. Unfortunately British communist moles ceased the opportunity to convince the Allies that the communist partisan Josip Tito was their true ally. In addition, Mihailovich actually cared that Germany would kill 100 civilians for every German soldier who died. So his fight against the Nazi’s had to take the form of sabotage instead of straight up guerilla warfare. But it was his concern for not only the welfare of his people, but of the foreign Americans whom he considered allies (even though their country didn’t see things the same way) which I found so amazing.
These small Serbian country villages housed more than 500 Americans. They providing for them even though they themselves had very little. Plum brandy, goat cheese, and very little else proved enough to sustain these needy fellows during the slavic stay. The Serbian hospitality to our countrymen knew no bounds. These laid back country denied food for themselves so others could eat and even offered up their straw beds to instead sleep in barns.
Other times their hospitality could and did actually get many a villager killed. There is one account where the Nazi’s threatened to kill an entire village of 200 people if Mihailovich’s forces didn’t give up their American airmen. While the Americans begged to be turned in to spare these innocent-not to mention folks who had been so good to them as well-civilians, Mihailovich refused. The Germans made good on their promise and killed the 200 as they said they would. 
If found housing an American, the Germans had no trouble in meting out quick retribution. Yet these Serbians saw no issue in showing hospitality to those whom they considered their Allies (even though Allies would soon not return kindness for kindness).
This Serbian hospitality toward Americans (obviously things got nasty later on with their own countrymen) knew no bounds. Today if we’re running low on food or funds or time to clean, we Americans won’t open our doors. I like hospitality that costs me very little, but I was challenged with the scope of my hospitality. Sometimes it costs. Sometimes it sets us back financially. But I wonder if biblical hospitality looks more Serbian than Suburbian? 
I wouldn’t host anyone who could get me killed, and yet that is exactly the kind of hospitality received by many in my Grandfather’s generation. Busyness, or the fact that we had a hard week or season of life can often preclude us from opening our homes nowadays. We’ve come a long way, but I think a long way in the wrong direction.
We don’t usually host based upon others needs, but instead invite others who can “bring something to the table” (metaphorically speaking). I was amazed and convicted by these Serbians and their gospel centered hospitality. These Serbs can still teach us a thing or two, pointing us toward the hospitable One, who gave up the comfort of heavens in order to invite us to His home.
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The evangelism of The Forgotten 500

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This week I finished reading The Forgotten 500, a book about “the greatest rescue mission” of WW II. More than 500 downed airman who bailed out over the former Yugoslavia were eventually picked up over a period of months. These lads actually had to make a rudimentary airstrip with their bare hands and a few tools, while working at night, praying the Germans didn’t discover their operation. The “odds,” if you will (and I guess I won’t, or at least shouldn’t), were definitely stacked against them. Not one soldier or pilot was lost in this operation. Truly a miracle.
Yet it was a miracle that wasn’t told. And its a shame. Due to the fragile state of post war relations, and the mistakes of the Americans and British backing the communist partisans, the story went largely and intentionally untold and proclaimed. You could feel the sadness of these soldiers not being able to tell their story. After all, what good is good news if you can’t share it?
Still these soldiers fought to tell the story and clear the name of the Serbian general Draza Mihailovich. Despite governmental interference and often times, attempts to keep them quiet, they would not take no for an answer. They could not protect the one whom they owed their freedom from post-war assassination by the communists, but they would see to it that people knew the truth about their savior. Mihailovich saw that these men were provided for and would not give them up to the Germans no matter what retribution occurred. The truth about him must be told.
These fallen airmen truly provide us a great example of evangelism. There will always be opposition, sometimes governmental interference, and situations which seem to seem like closed doors. But these men were bound by the truth and the need to honor their savior. Their gratitude knew no bounds. It had nothing to do with guilt. It had everything to do with a perpetually thankful heart and the honor of someone who would not let the enemy pry them out of his hands.

Thankfulness and the glory of our Savior are probably the best evangelistic motivators, and certainly what sustained them in all of their frustrating “evangelistic” efforts. When others are putting up relational barriers, that sense of “I’m doing this for them because they need Jesus,” will often lead (at least in my experience) to anger at those who do truly need Jesus. But when everything is grounded in Christ, including our motivation for sharing the gospel, we become less angry and more patient with those who seem disinterested or hostile in discussing spiritual matters. Paradoxically, we then become more compelled to share, but freer to relax and thus elude unnecessary frustration.

Even if you’re not a WWII buff, this well written book includes life stories of many of the soldiers and how they providentially collided to in order to provide such a rescue. Worth the read.

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Don’t get back on the mower: Letting youth lead

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The other day I saw a 5th grader trying to help out with some yard work by hopping on the riding lawn mower (of which I have extreme lawn mower envy, still….). My wife and I thought, or maybe spoke out loud, “Wow, this is a big step for his great grandmother.” She runs a tight ship when it comes to her yard. It always looks great, and what would you expect for someone who has a lawn service, spends hours each week tending to it, and mows or has it mowed twice a week?
But after about 5 minutes, the young lad lost his spot on the riding mower. She was back up on the rider, re-mowing the same exact area he had been mowing. 
I felt a little sad for this 5th grader, because she completely de-legitimated him. Without saying a word she said, “Your help isn’t good enough.” Instead of letting this lad mow, and then afterwards thanking him, but also pointing out a spot or two which he missed, she just removed him. She took away from him the opportunity to serve. To serve imperfectly. She couldn’t let him fail and have a few blades of grass be longer than their neighboring blades for a few days. Excellence. It had to be done with excellence.
My sadness for this 5th grader soon evaporated like a small puddle in August. But what hit me is that this kind of behavior so often happens to youth in the church. For instance, I think we can often demand perfection (a perfection or excellence that we’re unable to attain anyway), and so we rarely give youth opportunities to lead and serve. To lead/serve and fail. To lead, fail, and learn, and then lead or serve better the next time. 
Sometimes the church as a whole is reticent to offer youth leadership opportunities and quick to take them away when things don’t run as smoothly as we’d like. 
Yet recently I’ve been encouraged with Redeemer as folks have begun to get off the riding mowers and letting others take the reins. I’ve heard folks say, “I’m happy to continue or to step aside and let someone new take over.” This is happening with adults as well as with youth.
The most recent opportunity I’m excited about is our Bible Club outreach to a local apartment complex. Unfortunately management changed LAST week, causing some consternation, confusion, and a little bit of panic, so the event is now called “Kids Club.” Yet its slated to go on as scheduled and the youth are going to be leading it, with only parents facilitating it. Now it could possibly run smoother (only possibly though) with adults running it, but it would de-legitimate them and stunt their growth in leadership if this opportunity were taken away. 
Youth often do want to serve, but I wonder how many leadership opportunities we adults afford them. While its easier to get on the riding mower and do it ourselves, who will mow when we get too old or die? Youth are now growing up and not coming back to the church in the same way they used to. It’s not a get married, have kids, and THEN come back to the church thing de facto. Many don’t come back now.

Giving them experience in leadership now prepares them for greater levels of leadership in the future. But such leadership opportunities might also stop them from leaving in the first place. In the end, we might even find out they can do a better job.

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Tuck in your tweets

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It seems like just about everyone and their mother involves themselves with some sort of social media. Even the Pope has joined the ranks of twitter. I actually have an account with (for some reason) followers even though I’ve never actually “tweeted.” I may never get the urge, but I try not to use the words “never” when referring to something I don’t want to do. I usually eat them.
Not that I’m against Twitter or facebook or other social media, like blogging. I actually like the latter two. And I think those can be great tools to disperse good information and connect with folks, provided they only supplement, not replace, visible community. 
But there is a dark side of them that is oft overlooked, but not by N.Y. Giants Defensive End Justin Tuck. You may remember him from some Subway commercials. In response to Eagles running back LeSean McCoy calling Tuck’s teammate Osi Umenyiora “soft” and “overrated,” he fired back with this overall reaction to social media.
“I honestly think social media has made people cowards,” Tuck said on Mike and Mike in the Morning, via Philly.com. “Where I’m from, if you had a problem with somebody, you said it to their face and that was it. I think now people are hiding behind computers and smartphones to get out something they got on their chest.”
How true. Social media doesn’t just reveal our stupidity, it often reveals our cowardice. People like to hide behind things. Sin makes us do that, and has since the beginning when we first started by hiding behind fig leaves. Soon after we tried to hide from God.
Social media does expose a latent cowardice in all of us. It’s not just with facebook or twitter, but it comes with texting and emails. It’s easier to hide behind a text message when giving someone news that they don’t want to hear (b/c you’re scared to enter into a place of disagreement). I’ve given and received texts like this, so I’ve got fingers pointed at myself (you’ll just have to take my word for it). 
Tuck’s reminder to us has a biblical odor. If we have a problem with a brother, we are to go to that brother or sister (Matthew 18). If a brother or sister has a problem with us, we are to go (not text or tweet them) to that brother/sister (Matt 5:23). Sometimes I wish we had an “out,” but it doesn’t look like we do.
Pastors who seem to regularly call out other pastors before picking up the phone, athletes who call others “soft” (which I guess is the worst thing a football player can be called), and Christians in general would do well to examine their own cowardice. 

The gospel, when we believe it, makes us both bolder (we’ve been declared righteous before God and others) and gentler (God has been gentle to us, not treating us as our sins deserve). Thus it frees us up to use, not hide behind, various forms of social media.