Unless you’re completely out of the loop, you’ve heard of the “Polk County’s finest” who beat up another cheerleader. Wisely, one of them video-taped everything and so it appeared on You-Tube. I’m not sure if one of them posted it, or if the cops posted it afterwards. Feel free to let me know who was responsible for the posting.

Regardless, video taping their malfeasance was on the other side of brilliant. It really was. Beating up a helpless lass reminds us of the affects of sin on the heart. Videotaping it reminds us again, that sin also affects our minds. We are dumber because of sin’s presence in our world.

Sometimes we can limit acting on our stupidity by looking at history. A wise man (not sure who) once said that he who doesn’t study history is doomed to repeat it. These young ladies probably didn’t know about Richard Nixon and the Watergate recordings. I’ve done stupid stuff in my life (not stealing government information or anything like that), but Nixon’s mistakes certainly taught me NEVER to videotape myself in the act!

Studying Church History can really keep us from repeating mistakes which have already been dealt with in the past. They can also actively help guide us as we deal with philosophical, missional, theological issues for today. None of us will probably video tape ourselves committing heresy, but we can save ourselves from much error as we look to the issues which have confronted the church throughout its history.

This post is not meant to be polemical against any particular person; it was primarily inspired by some rationally challenged teenage girls who right now, have to be scared to death as they face life sentences for a few very bad ideas.

Here is a the link to my article from the Bradenton Herald. This time I have no ‘beef’ with them for changing the title. I forgot to give one. Maybe its just what psychologists call “learned helplessness:” subconsciously, why try when it never works?

Anyhow, they did leave out two particular sentences. Now these forgotten sentences didn’t change the overall point of the article. But they did however, in my opinion, perhaps, slightly alter the tone of the article. It sounded as though I think of myself as just as busy as the busiest person. That is not true, nor do I hope that to be true. Some people are objectively busier than others. That truth was left out. Nevertheless, the evaluative questions I raise in the article can, and I think ought to be asked by us all. I have to ask them regularly so that my calendar doesn’t fill up without thinking of relationships with my wife and family, (and soon to be kid), my church family, outside the church family, neighbors, etc…

For one of our Christian Ed classes, we will be discussing Tim Keller’s The Reason for God. It is a fantastic and easy read, and provides great insight not only for the non-believer to deal with, but also for the believer. We are constantly coming under attack from our own doubts, and so the book can be a helpful resource to strengthen the faith of the believer as well. For more info on the book, click here.

Keller, borrowing heavily from people who’ve gone before him (but expressing more clearly) operates from the pre-suppositional apologetic method. In layman’s terms, this is a method which assumes that people are holding on to some sort of truth already, but they are suppressing it. So instead of attacking simply with external evidences (they are not neglected but used to supplement), the questions then are directed at the unbeliever’s/believer’s doubts. Their doubts actually require a greater step of faith.

This method assumes that every belief, whether in God or human rationality has some starting point requiring faith (read Romans 1:18-ff). In other words, every truth claim is ultimately circular. How does one know that the scientific method alone can lead to truth? How can there be no absolute truth? Ultimately it’s circular. I believe that because it makes the most sense or feels right (faith in personal rationality or feeling). All claims come back to faith in God or faith in self to determine what is good, true, beautiful (what Adam and Eve did way back when). Proverbs 1:7 gives us the correct starting point: fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Keller tackles a number of common and specific objections to the Christian faith and shows that these objections really require a greater step of faith. A middle age (not middle-aged) Church father Anselm said we must believe that we may understand, instead of understand that we may believe (Aquinas). Keller invites people into the Christian worldview, which does make more sense of the world, and is what folks already somewhat believe (though suppressed).

Another Christian philosopher Pascal reminds us that “Submission-and use of reason; that is what makes true Christianity (Pensees XIII 167).” Of course the former comes first, and that’s why I have enjoyed Keller’s approach in The Reason for God.

I would highly recommend reading the book, but also listen to his lecture and Q and A at Cal-Berkeley and at Google. Here’s the YouTube of his Google presentation. Yes he actually got invited to speak at Google. How cool is that? If you want the MP3 format from either of these-I just listened instead of watching them-leave me a post with your email address. I’d be happy to send it.

On Tuesday, the doctor we were supposed to have went to a baseball game. That’s OK though because we really can’t understand what he says anyway. And he probably wouldn’t have let me do what the midwife did: use the doppler thing.

Now when you hear the word “doppler” you probably think weather. I did too. But this doppler thing actually is something doctors, midwifes, and folks like me (sometimes) use to check out the baby’s heartbeat. And in my humble opinion, it sounded like a good heartbeat. Its slowing down now to about 135 or so beats per minute. Of course I checked with the midwife just to be sure, but I knew what I was doing.

They have these doppler things on E-bay nowadays, but I figured I would probably rather spend large sums of money on the child when he/she is actually outside the womb. Nothing against the child or doppler things. Maybe its just me…

Someone called one of the morning sports talk shows I listen to on Tuesday. It was the day after the men’s NCAA championship and she wanted to talk some women’s hoops. Mistake number one. Apparently the Final Four was in Tampa this year. Who knew? Needless to say her air time was short lived.

Most dudes I know don’t watch, follow, or care about women’s basketball. My reasoning is this: I don’t want to watch a slower game in which layups make the highlight reel. I can lay it up. I can’t dunk. I want to watch people do something I can’t do (I know several women can dunk, but it doesn’t look nearly as cool).

Regardless, most men don’t respect what women can do on the basketball court. But when it comes to the church, men must be careful not to take the same approach. As much as I don’t like watching (I’m not arguing against its existence!) women’s basketball, the opposite could be said of how highly I view women in the church.

I’ve personally been blessed by women in the church throughout my life. Obviously my mother has played a huge part in my life, as has my grandmother. But there have also been some more obscure folks who’ve just been around me for a season. One particular lady about 8 years ago listened to me when I was at my lowest battling anxiety. And on another occasion she flat out rebuked me for speaking against my church. I’ll never forget that-I needed it!

Just thinking about my own church now, I’m thankful for all of the “women’s work.” In addition to shepherding their own children, women here have taken initiative in ministry, reached out to neighbors, led discussions and bible studies, mentored others, served behind the scenes, shown mercy to those who didn’t deserve mercy, provided me necessary encouragement at just the right time, etc….Without women serving in the church, we would miss so much that only women bring to the table. I don’t think I could be part of a church that didn’t hold a high view of women, and recognized the necessity of them being actively involved in the ministry of the church.

According to Randy Greenwald, last week we had an excorcism of sorts. Our friends with the spray paint were back to leave us a clever little message on our church sign: “Satan.” Actually come to think of it, they could have thought of something more original. A lot more original. Nevertheless, I shan’t judge them by their lack of originality. They’re probably just kids, eh?

Regardless, what was really quite encouraging was how one chap exorcised our demons (or the biggest demon of all) for us. He actually is a member of our sister church Cornerstone of Lakewood Ranch, and the reason we know this is because someone ‘busted’ him removing “Satan” from our sign.

He lived in the area and saw a need, knew how to erase the paint, and ‘got to it.’ Unprovoked, unasked, he just saw the need, felt the passion, and served. This ‘grassroots’ desire to serve is exactly what we hope to see at Hope, and at any church for that matter. People who see needs within the church and in the community, have a passion to meet those needs (and take some others with them), and simply ‘get to it.’

So in light of one of my posts a week or two ago, “We salute you, Mr. Unasked Satan Spray paint remover guy.”

If you are debating whether or not to have, or when to have kids, don’t go to the mall. Amy and I are having a kid, and are really excited, but our recent trip to the mall gave us something to think about. Or rather worry about.

First there were the teenage girls wearing long belts for shorts and giving their breasts as much oxygen as possible. I guess these girls fear that if their breasts don’t get enough oxygen, they’ll turn blue or something. But that’s really not true-they’ll be just fine if fully covered. Nevertheless we really did feel compassion for these girls. Seriously.

Next we saw many dudes that looked like, well, like I would not want my kid looking. I’ll never get the skin tight jeans that dudes wear these days. The jeans we saw even tapered at the bottom, just to make sure the ankles were included in the tightness.

We of course had ideas of how we wouldn’t let our daughter out of the house looking like that and how our boy could buy those tight jeans with his own money. But I really discovered a lot more about myself than just future parenting strategies.

Amy and I were expressing the difference between compassion and prejudice. For the most part (our motives are never 100% pure), we felt compassion on these girls because they had fallen prey to a worldly picture of how girls should act, interact, dress, etc…Their lack of clothes expressed more than a fashion statement. Jesus had compassion on those who had no shepherd but the status quo.

For the lads, I saw their tight jeans and immediately judged them. Simply by their appearance and nothing else. My evaluation of them had nothing to do with their heart. I was concerned my child would one day look like them. This exposed to me how I was way different than Jesus. He hung around folks who didn’t look socially acceptable. And he rebuked those who did look good on the outside.

So I had to repent and realize that while tight jeans are not my style, they are not inherently sinful. Not my taste, but not sinful like my own judgmental heart. Things I learned at the mall.

One of the reasons why I needed to get back from vacation was because of a Candidates Committee meeting. I’m the chair of the committee, so it doesn’t look good when I skip it; and I’m not really sure if that’s a possibility anyway. Anyhow, our committee oversees (the best we can) potential ministers who spend time developing their gifts in their respective churches for a season.

In addition to tough oral examinations which require extensive study (so that the minister can articulate difficult theological truths, not just know them), the candidate has to do an internship lasting the equivalent of a year. It is during this time when his gifts are developed, tested, discovered, etc….It may be that the candidate may find things he is not gifted in at all and that may affect his ministry direction. And vice versa.

That’s why its so important to surround this candidate with people who can speak love and truth into his life. What gifts does he display? What are his weaknesses? How are those gifts being developed and tweaked? He can’t do this on his own.

A self-evaluation misses tons of stuff. I mean you really don’t know your weaknesses and strengths, nor can you tell what needs to be improved, perpetuated, dropped unless you have people involved in your life. Ignoring and seeking this feedback time is quite comfortable, but also quite irresponsible.

More than just having a ‘feeling of calling’ or folks who simply say, “You’re our man,” without a season of testing and developing, the candidate can say, “God’s people have seen proof that He has indeed called and gifted me for ministry.” Having this season benefits both the church and pastor, particularly in tough seasons that will certainly lay ahead.

Well, we’re back from St. Augustine and thankful for the ‘mini’-vacation. Always nice to get away for a bit and feel refreshed. Neither of us slept all that well, both because of me. Amy’s pregnancy kept her up, and eating late night white-chocolate peanut butter fudge wasn’t a good idea for me.

Anyhow, I do want to make one last post about the city we left behind. Perhaps the most famous (and my favorite) part of St. Augustine is the fort, also known as Castillo de San Marcos. The cool thing about the fort is that it was attacked numerous times, and even flew several different flags. But those different flags were not the result of breaching the fort. Each one came about by treaty.

The fort was never taken. Even a month’s worth of British canon balls in the 1700’s didn’t do the trick.

The fort was constructed exclusively from coquina: a local rock, fairly soft, and loaded with shells. So when folks fired canon balls, the walls of the fort would literally ‘suck’ them in and be no worse for wear. I can only imagine the frustration of soldiers firing those things for a month.

The bible describes God as a refuge and fortress. Forts today are cool, but they are no big deal. We don’t really need them, so they’re just cool or interesting. Yet for several hundred or so, several hundred years ago, this fort would have been more than a cool thing. It would have been shelter. It would have been a refuge. Folks and even their livestock fled there and found safety during attacks.

Looking at the fort as a monument (knowledge about) and looking at the fort as a refuge (experiential) would give one a totally different perspective. Often times God throws stuff our way so that we would stop simply reading about Him (still a good thing to read the bible, books, blogs, etc…) and start experiencing Him as a refuge. Coming to him out of interest is different than coming out of great need.

But we’re always needy, just sometimes we don’t realize it. However when attacks come, we realize our need, and get to experience and find delight in God as our refuge.

We’re about to check out of our 30 square foot room in about 10 minutes. The stay was nice. The owner of the bed and breakfast was not nice. How do you run a B&B and not be friendly?

Fortunately the Breakfast was also nice. And so were the people eating it (not just Amy and myself). Some of the folks from yesterday were back eating with us this morning. I made the mistake of asking how the Ghost Tour was last night. He then proceeded to tell me of all the ghostly encounters of his own life. Ghosts from both sides of the family. I thought he might stop after one. Then two. Then three. Then four. Then back to the first.

I learned a lot about my listening skills. They are for from perfect. They are far from good, especially when it is material (or immaterial in this case) I don’t care about. But I think we’re supposed to listen as best we can. Why would James 1 tell us to be quick to listen about things we already are ‘in to?’ And I don’t think he’s only referring to sermons or alluding to fishing shows-both of which are easier to listen to then this man.

If nothing else, listening may give us a not-so-abrupt way to change the conversation. And maybe the ‘conversation leap’ from spirits to the Holy Spirit won’t be so large.