Pastor C's Neologism

2009-04-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

I will be preaching on this subject over the next few weeks, but I am trying to draw some lessons from the recession and what it might mean for us. Today, as a world wide global community, we are living in unparalleled wealth and power. At no time, in all of recorded history, have so many enjoyed as much as we do today. While there are definitely those who are lacking and suffering economically, socially, and physically, when compared to the rest of us, today as a whole we have more options, more opportunities, more blessings, more information, better health, longer lives, higher standards of living, and an overall improved lifestyle than ever before.

If it is true that we are better off in the world today, the recession, I believe, is a wake up call telling us we are also the most wasteful both of nature and humanity. I'm generalizing now, but it seems to me that more and more we are making life extremely difficult for the unwealthy and the unpowerful: children, old people, women, the poor around the world. In the west, especially, we are failing in our marriages and families. We are not upholding our commitments and we are not fulfilling our responsibilities. For example, (I can't speak for the rest of the world) but here in North America the number of single-parent families is only increasing and whether it is a mother or father who is heading up the household, the weight of that job is enormous. As we examine scholastic tests from other industrialized countries, it would seem that more and more our children are falling behind in their learning. As we eliminate any sense of personal responsibility from our cultural ethos, we continue to seemingly spin out of control in our schools, homes, public meeting places, places of employment and in our communal rhetoric. Our children are ill trained, ill equipped and ill prepared to face the reality of our modern society. Further, we are trying to replace parenthood with day care, home life with the village, and nurturing and care of one another with the government. Our highways, shopping malls, nursing homes, day-care centers and streets are full while our homes and families are empty. We won't admit it, referring to pornography and sexual promiscuity merely as lifestyle choices, but we are suffering many kinds of damage from over indulged libidos and a lack of self-control. We are addicted to drugs, the Internet, TV, and gasoline. Violence, even in the comparative safety of the west, is rampant. And behind it all is a greedy, self-indulgent, unscrupulous, me first mindset that has allowed us to settle for factories that produce shoddy and overpriced products, companies that pollute air, water and land, governments that fail to take accountability for their decisions and actions, and a culture that throws its hands up in the air and says, "It doesn't matter to me as long as it doesn't affect my freedom and as long as you don't change my lifestyle!"

Unfortunately, and this is where I get personal, Christian organizations have not been the difference makers that we're supposed to be. For 500 years, ever since Columbus landed in the Bahamas, the Christian has walked alongside the conqueror and the industrialist and, as Wendell Berry writes, thought our goals were one and the same. We have blindly assumed that our cause was just because of our apparent successes and victories. Christian organizations continue this blind assumption through alignment with a right wing politic that espouses the value of life, yet fails to recognize God's goodness, beauty and majesty as revealed in His creation. While we would never blatantly admit this, we practice a religion that says, "God helps those who helps themselves." Therefore, in far too many churches today, we have an independent mindset rather than a God dependent worldview.

Is it any wonder then, that universally we are suffering through a recession? Irrespective of what one might think of as being the major contributing factor to this recession, we must start by admitting we are merely living with the consequences of failed humanistic philosophies that reject God's Word, and deny biblical injunction. Could it be that God, through this time of culling, is calling us back to a place of humbling and crying out before Him? Is it possible that God is reminding us of how impotent we really are, apart from Him, to deal with and solve the issues we are confronting? I believe God is calling His people to a denial of self, a refocusing on Him and a return to biblical injunctions as the norm and means of our lives. I believe He is calling us to a radical life of dependence upon Him, to living as examples of His grace, to being servants who love one another and others, who honor one another and serve others, and who pray faithfully for His will to be done.

This recession is hard, people are being impacted and lives and families are being challenged, but if it will bring us to humble ourselves before God, then it will have served a good and mighty purpose.

The Necessity of the Cross

2009-04-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

As we move through Holy Week and look towards Good Friday and Easter, it is an appropriate time to stop and reflect on Jesus, His death and the necessity of the cross. In theological circles, today, the debate is being waged regarding the necessity of Jesus' death on the cross. Among more liberal theologians Jesus' death is seen as nothing more than a good moral example. In extreme views, His death on the cross is viewed as "Divine child abuse!" Increasingly we are hearing we don't need the cross. Instead we should concentrate on teaching about how God is a God of love! To this I respond, the cross is the greatest example of forgiveness and love we have. Allow me to use an illustration from Timothy Keller in his book, "The Reason for God" to help show why I make such a statement.

Suppose you are walking along the rivers edge with a friend and this friend turns to you and says, "I love you!" and then as a demonstration of his love, he throws himself into the river! To what end? That is not an example of love. Rather it is probably more indicative of your friends mental state! Suppose, though, that as you are walking along the river, you slip and fall in. Unable to swim you are in danger of drowning. Your friend, in an act of love and sacrifice, dives into the water and pushes you to shore. Unfortunately, spent from the exertion, he is swept away by the current and himself drowns. That is not just an example of love, it is a heroic sacrifice that saved you from your own immanent peril. You would look upon this sacrifice and say, "Oh, how he loved me!" If there is no peril to save us from - if we're not lost and apart from the sacrifice of Jesus, doomed to death - then the model of Jesus on the cross is not moving, life-changing, or sacrificial at all... it's crazy! Unless Jesus died as our substitute, He can't die as a moving example of sacrificial love.

Jesus did die as our substitute. Rather than inflict pain on someone else, God, on the cross, absorbed the pain, violence, and evil of the world into Himself. The God of the Bible is not like some primitive deity who demands our blood so that their wrath is appeased. Rather, God became human and offers His own blood in order to honor moral justice and merciful love so that evil can be destroyed without destroying us!

The necessity of the cross!

2009 and the Victory of the Lord

2009-01-04T20:20:00.000-08:00

The New Year is upon us and I'm sure, as seems to be the case at this time of year, we have reflected upon the past year and are thinking of the year ahead of us. Let me take this opportunity to bless you and to wish you God's goodness and fullness of joy in the year ahead.

It has probably not escaped your notice that tensions in the Middle East have heated up and there is renewed conflict between Israel and Hamas. As I sit writing this latest edition to my blog, Israel has just dramatically and decisively escalated its war against the forces of Hamas. Israeli tanks, ground forces and gun ships have cut through and, according to reports from Fox News, divided the Gaza strip into 3 different areas in an attempt to keep the Palestinian forces from joining together, rearming themselves and repelling the Israeli attack. The stated objective of Israel is to destroy the Hamas terror infrastructure along with their mortar and missile sites. While I certainly have my opinions regarding this latest round of fighting, there are others far more versed in the complexities and nuances on both sides of the issue and I would direct your attention to them. An excellent website for in depth analysis on this subject is Joel Rosenberg's Weblog. I highly recommend it.

Allow me, though, to direct your attention to a proactive and healthy response to world events and the year that lies ahead. My desire is to leave with you the strong and glorious belief and conviction, that God is victorious and that His purposes will not fail and you and I play a part in the victory that He will win. I am more convinced today than I have ever been that the prayers of the saints are key to God's overall victory and the accomplishment of Jesus Christ's mission here on earth. Allow me to remind all of us that Jesus Christ is coming and He will not be stopped, nor will His plans be thwarted. "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him." Revelation 1:7. The victory of God is the coming of His Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. That is our hope in these days of evil. That is our glory and joy in these times of trial. We are, as Paul reveals, "...waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13.

What I want you to see and understand is the connection that exists between God's victory and our prayers. Not that you might need convincing, but I want you to recognize that there is a direct correlation and need for God's people here on earth to be bathing these days, events and times in prayer. I cannot say it any clearer than this, your prayers are God's means of accomplishing the victory of Jesus Christ over this world.

What is transpiring today in Israel and Gaza is not new. You know that. It's older than the hills. Strife, tension, conflict and war have been part of this region and the lives of its people for centuries. In Isaiah 37 we read that Jerusalem finds itself under threat of attack and defeat. Her enemies, the Assyrians, not at all unlike her enemies of today, we're bent on destruction. As a matter of fact, vs. 11 says the kings of Assyria were "devoting" all lands to destruction. Vs. 14, though, records Hezekiah's response to the threat against Israel, he went up to the house of the Lord and prayed. Hezekiah prayed for the rescue of Israel and God delivered. Vs. 36 records that an angel of the Lord went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. The great battles facing us today are fought not with swords, but the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is fought for in the souls of men and women. It is fought under the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit. It is fought and won through deeds of love, acts of mercy, lives of compassion, humility of spirit and knees bent in prayer. God's purposes will not be hindered, nor will they be derailed. He will accomplish what He has set forth and He will be victorious. Hezekiah shows us that victory comes when we humble ourselves and pray.
In 2009, may we devote ourselves to praying for God's victory to come. May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. May we pray for boldness, courage and tenacity to love people, share Jesus and lives changed.

Culture War Clash

2008-12-03T13:26:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas time. That festive time of year when people all the world over celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ! Or wait... is it really "Kwanzaa," the African-American celebration of heritage and culture? Or... is it "Hanukkah," and the Jewish Festival of Lights? Or, maybe it's a celebration of the "Winter Solstice," and the longest night of the year? Or, could it be this is a bad rerun of Seinfeld and we're all now celebrating "Festivus". Or, just possibly, it's none of the above and it's just a time for family, friends and loved ones to gather together and celebrate!

Down through the years the message of Christmas has been slowly, but surely, phased out and eliminated. I'm not going to get into how the Christmas celebration came about and all the history behind it, but its slide from its prominent place in the fabric of our life has created a clash of cultures that is waged each year at this time. We are to the place, now, where even the name Christmas is frowned upon. In some circles this battle is the centre of discussion and the cause of great angst and much hand wringing. I don't blame one bit people who are bemoaning the disintegration of society, the destruction of the family, the eroding of values, the elimination of morals and the decline of culture, and tradition. I abhor what I see going on around us. This once great society of ours has slipped into a moral cesspool of relativism and it seems as though we are going to drown in the muck of our own making. Taken in the larger context of what we see going on around us, it is easy for Christians to claim the de-emphasis of Christmas as just another example of political correctness and social progression strangling the last vestiges of tradition and values left in our society. So we're left asking, "What are we to do?" How should well meaning people who see the diminishing of Christmas and its place in our culture and society as just another example of pluralism respond? Or, what should those of us who see this as part of a larger decline in morals and values in our culture be doing?

Well first, I don't think we should be surprised. It you have even an inkling of a biblical worldview, then you know that this is what will take place. I'm not asking you to like it! I'm not even asking you to accept it! I am saying, don't respond as though it is a surprise, or as though it shouldn't be happening. Why God has ordained this to be, that's a discussion for another day, but the fact that humanity is rejecting the message of Christ and anything even remotely associated with it, such as Christmas, should be a surprise to no one who claims the name of Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Second, I want to encourage you to not let this get you down. Of course we want Christmas to hold a special place in the life of people and in our culture. I understand completely the frustration you experience over the disuse of the word "Christmas" to describe what we're celebrating. "Holiday Tree" instead of "Christmas Tree." Wishing you a "Happy Holiday" instead of a "Merry Christmas!" Retailers taking advantage of this special time of year to profit off of the birth of Jesus! What is all of this rot? Don't allow the Secular Progressives to get the better of you, or to rob you of your joy.

As a matter of fact, if there's anything those of us who celebrate the true reason for the season should be doing, it's just that... CELEBRATE! I'm not suggesting that we merely "put on a happy face," but that we make it our aim, our goal this Christmas to pursue joy, full and lasting joy in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus, the Christ! I think it's the lyrics of an old Bonnie Rait song that say it best, "Let's give them something to talk about!" Let's show the world that Christians have more to celebrate, more reason for joy, more satisfaction and more contentment because of the birth of Jesus than all the other festivals and celebrations put together!

If we're really wanting to change the way people think, act and behave, then let's amp up the celebration and join the angelic host singing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!" That'll get them talking!

Bail Out of the Bail Out!

2008-11-26T09:42:00.000-08:00

Well, it's time to weigh in on the economic bail out down in the states. I'm not going to pretend that I even begin to understand everything that is taking place, but the one thing that stands out to me is we're in an economic spin cycle the likes of which Maytag would be proud of. Down in the U.S. there are companies that are circling the proverbial drain and the U.S. govt. is proposing to throw more money into the downward spiraling economy in order to keep jobs afloat, save said companies and keep the economy from going under. We're spinning round and round and round and no one has any idea how to plug the drain and stop the whirlpool. All the while the common people are getting more nauseated than a 10 year old forever twirling in circles on the Mad Hatters Tea Party ride at Disneyland.

I've listened to both sides of the economic bailout debate and there are people far better versed in discussing this than I am. It seems to me, though, that the last thing you want to do is charge the same people who caused this mess with fixing it. I just read a blog by Mark Baker on the peoplesweeklybrief@hotmail.com. In his blog Baker notes that Robert Rubin has been working as an economic advisor to President Elect Obama. Maybe Rubin's name is familiar to you, but in case not, allow me to fill you in. Back in the Clinton White House of the 90's Rubin was Secretary of the Treasury. It was under his oversight that the deregulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was put in place which has led to this mess. Yesterday I was in a meeting where Brad Willems, a Sr. Financial Planner for Assante, reminded us that it was the Clinton White House which came up with the brilliant idea that home ownership was the way to raise the standard of living for the lower classes. In other words, the U.S. govt. could raise the standard of living for the poor, or lower middle class, to middle or higher middle class if people could be helped to purchase a home. Hey, I admit, it's a noble idea, but it may just be that there's a reason people can't afford a home and maybe, while a wonderful ideal, home ownership isn't for everyone. Historically the obstacle to home ownership for many in the lower class had been poor credit, inability to make monthly mortgage payments, not enough money for a down payment, lack of jobs, or poor paying jobs, etc... The solution to this dilemma flowing down from the Clinton White House, lower the lending standards for poor, middle class, or minority buyers, thus helping them get into the housing market. The way to do that, get Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, both govt. owned mortgage lenders, to adjust their lending practices and lower the qualifying standards for a loan. This, then, forced other private banks and institutional lenders to follow suit. That's basically the gist of what I read from Baker, and others, and heard from Brad. If I'm a little off, that's my fault, but you get the general idea.

Back to Paul Rubin, the architect in the Clinton Whilte House who oversaw the implementation of this policy. After his service as Treasury Secretary, he went to Citigroup where he became a director and senior advisor raking in some 100 million dollars while working for this organization. Um, in case you can't keep up with everything that is floating around in the bailout, this is the same Citigroup that just last week received a bucket full of cash from the govt. as part of the economic stimulus package. In what can only be described as incredible foresight on his part, Rubin left Citigroup this past August, just days before the drain stopper in the economic pool was pulled. Are you beginning to think that a lot of what is floating around in this cesspool is foul smelling? Me thinketh so! Are you also beginning to see a pattern here?

Now, President Elect Obama, with Rubin as an economic advisor, is appointing Rubin's proteges as part of his economic transition team and advisory group. The same group of people who helped navigate us into this mess are being tasked with the job of plugging the leak and stopping the cycle. There's a definition for insanity in there somewhere.

This blog isn't just about looking at and re-reporting current events. First and foremost, it is about responding from a biblical world view to the events and challenges facing us. So, allow me to offer a biblical perspective to the above. 1 Timothy 6:6-19 makes it very clear that what you do with money can destroy you (vs.9) or make you (vs. 19). Verse 10 is very well known to most Christians, "... the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." I like the way John Piper paraphrases this passage in his book, Desiring God, "The root of evil is that we are the kind of people who settle for the love of money instead of the love of God!" It would seem to me that if the current economic crises shows us anything it is we spend a lot of time and energy worrying about money, striving for riches, hanging onto and protecting what we have, but in the end it isn't going to matter. In the blink of an eye it can all be gone, or in the blink of an eye we can be gone and, as Paul reminds Timothy, we can't take it with us! If I can paraphrase this passage for our economic times into one simple statement, it would be, "No matter whether the market is flush or whether it is circling the drain, God is always better than gold!" There is, according to Paul, great gain in godliness with contentment (vs. 8) So, what does it gain you and me to have it all and to risk loosing our souls? America today, and I would put Canada on the periphery of this category, is a save yourself society. The problem is it doesn't work. We're never going to truly be able to hold onto everything we have, our lives included. Instead, Paul is urging us to lay hold of eternity. No one, secular, believer, or otherwise, wants destruction, ruin, or worry. Everyone wants to lay hold of life. Therefore, test yourself. What attitudes do you have during these tough economic times? Is your confidence in your RRSPs, bank accounts, or stock portfolio? If so, then listening to the news reports will have you believing we're circling the economic drain and you'll be ready to throw yourself down the drain with everything else. Or, is your attitude that it's all God's anyway and I'm merely the conduit through which God is going to let money flow for his purposes? One attitude leads towards worry. The other leads towards contentment in the face of circling drains.

Gay Pride Parade

2008-11-19T14:51:00.000-08:00

Where has the sanity gone? I'm sorry folks, but those of us in the evangelical community are losing it! Yes, that's those of us who call ourselves Christians. Apparently Abbotsford has approved a gay pride parade for our city. OK, I'm not in favor of homosexuality, I don't want a gay pride parade, but we're reacting as if all hope is lost. I'm reading the Letters to the Editor in The Abbotsford News and all we're doing is playing right into the hands of the homosexual community. They're accusing us of preaching hate, holding onto fear and being homophobic, all the while they're celebrating diversity, openness and acceptance! While that's the biggest bunch of rot I've ever heard, the truth is we are trying to make our case in the court of public opinion when we should be making our case through love in action!

Hear me loud and clear... Fellow brothers and sister in Christ, we're not going to win a public debate on whether or not there should be a gay pride parade in Abbotsford, or any other place! Let's get that through our heads.

So, what do we do? Folks, we live in a democracy, which by the way is not found in the Bible, and in such a system of government people are free to speak their opinions and hold gay pride parades. In previous posting I have defended the right of Pastor Stephen Boission to speak his mind when the Alberta Human Rights Commission wanted to take away his freedom to speak on the subject. I will never willingly give up the right to preach truth, to preach what the Bible teaches and to advocate for the Lordship of Jesus Christ. There comes a point, though, when it becomes apparent that the time for public discourse is over and the time for a new front on godlessness has arrived. That time is now!

Let's quit with the rhetoric and the lambasting of the homosexual community and begin by cleaning our own house! What's that you say? Yeah, you heard me right. The problem we have in the eyes of the world is that our words are not matching up with our witness. There are too many of us Christians who say one thing and do another. Step number 1 in this new front on godlessness, let's starting living like Jesus taught us to live. Let's begin with loving one another as He loved us. Let's continue with honoring one another and living in harmony with one another. Let's go above and beyond by living generously and joyfully. Let's give of ourselves, our time and our money. Here's a thought, let us pursue righteousness, holiness, purity and godliness in our own lives, in our own churches, homes, businesses and relationships. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church. Wives, honor your husbands as unto the Lord. Fathers, don't infuriate your children. Children, honor your fathers and mothers. Let's quit running down those who we don't agree with and start living as Jesus called us to live. Let's run business that first and foremost honor Jesus Christ. Let's make every effort to care for those who are in need. Let's make it our priority to live peaceably with all. Don't appease the homosexual community, but rather out live them, out love them and out care them.

Step number 2, rather than running around like Chicken Little and acting as if the sky is falling, let's start figuring out how we might minister to the homosexual community! I know, some of you are thinking I'm off my rocker... hey, I've been put down by far worse people than you! (that's supposed to be an attempt at humour) First, the sky isn't falling! This is what happens in a democracy. We make room for opposing views. The one thing we must never surrender is our right to speak. The fact we must face, though, is no one wants to hear our views when it comes to homosexuality. So, now we have to approach things from a slightly different prospective. I'm throwing this one out there for your humble consideration, but what would happen if instead of protesting the gay pride parade we showed up and tried to minister to the gay community unconditionally, without an agenda and with the love of Jesus. See, I have a sneaking suspicion that they really don't care what we say, they're going to go ahead and do what they want without hesitation and with great glee at our discomfort. But what would happen if all of a sudden we didn't act the way they think we're going to act, if we didn't respond to their hatred and bigotry the way they respond to us? What if instead of bashing them we tried to love them with the love of Jesus? I'm not sure how that looks, but here's a thought... I have a friend who loves Jesus, he's a godly man, and a Chiropractor who goes oversees and treats people who might not get Chiropractic help. What if people like him were available to help the marchers at the gay pride parade. Here's another thought... every year we celebrate Love Abbotsford! What would you think about having people available to hand out free cokes and water? Or, to give out free hot dogs and chips? I don't know, but that would be different. It's certainly better than the gay activists who interrupted church services in Michigan and it would definitely be different than what the homosexual community would expect from us Christians.

Yeah, there is a culture war that is taking place in our country. Guess what! We're losing it. So, let's go back and take our cues from Jesus. Let's make sure our own house is in order and then let's feed those who hate us, let's give them something to drink and let's love them with the love of Jesus!

In Defense of The Right to Speak

2008-07-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

Are you aware of the recent story out of Alberta regarding the Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC), judge Lori Andreachuk and their ruling that Pastor Stephen Boission had somehow made politically incorrect remarks in speaking out against the practice of advocating for homosexuality in Alberta schools? The AHRC found that Pastor Boission in submitting a letter to the editor of the Red Deep Advocate made despairing remarks against homosexuals and those who advocate for them in public schools.

I've read several different postings and blogs on the subject, and it seems to me many of the writers are missing the point. While I believe homosexuality is a sin, the issue isn't whether you agree with Pastor Boissoin, but whether he has the right to write and say what he believes without being hauled before some Kangaroo court where he was fined, prohibited from ever publicly speaking, writing or advocating on this issue again, and told to write a letter of apology to Dr. Darren Lund of the University of Calgary who was the complainant to the AHRC.

I happen to agree with Pastor Boissoin, but if you don't I would still defend your right to say so. Although, let's be honest, no one is going to haul you before some tribunal for speaking out against what Pastor Boissoin and I believe. The issue here isn't homosexuality, but rather, as this case so clearly illustrates, the truth that unless you are in lockstep with the politically correct thought police, then there is no room for a dissenting view.

Now, some will call me homophobic, and that's alright. I don't hate or fear homosexuals. I love God and I believe with my whole heart that God's word, the Bible, is true, relevant and worthy of proclaiming. The truth is, I'm not afraid of homosexuals in the real sense. I seriously doubt that homosexuals are going to storm my office, are going hunt me down or are going to stand outside my town home and protest. I'm not afraid that homosexuals are going to "convert" me or any of that kind of rot. I am afraid, though, of losing my right to state my opinion. I am afraid of a state that will "tolerate" censorship. I am afraid of being told what my opinion is, or at least should be. As author and humorist Mark Steyn writes, "'Homophobia' was always absurd: people who are antipathetic to gays are not afraid of them... The invention of a phony-baloney "phobia" was a way of casting opposition to the gay political agenda as a kind of mental illness: don't worry, you're not really against same-sex marriage; with a bit of treatment and some medication, you'll soon be feeling okay." He's quite correct and I'm feeling just fine thank you very much.

No, this debate isn't about homosexuals being victimized by some letter to the editor that some conservative Christian wrote. It's far more insidious than that. It's about whether we live in a society that still protects the rights of its people to think independent to the government, and to hold views and opinions that are not politically correct. Ironically, the homosexual lobby will try and get you to believe that as Christians we're out of touch, we're on the fringes of society and that we're nothing but a small loony bunch of people that nobody should pay attention to. If that's true, they sure do spend a lot of time, money and effort combating such a small insignificant group. That's fine! They have the right to believe what they believe, just don't take away my right to think and say what I believe.

Where's the Good Samaritan?

2008-06-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

Maybe you saw the video of the hit and run victim in Maryland last week. Hit by a car, the man lay in the street as pedestrians and cars passed by without stopping to help. I heard about this incident and was incredulous. Where were the Good Samaritan's who were willing to get involved, willing to get dirty, willing to take a risk? I found myself asking, "Is this the level that we as a society have sunk to?" As I considered these questions over the past few days, I came to the conclusion that, while this incident is a tragic indictment on where our society is headed, it is not indicative of how the level the majority of society has fallen to... yet! There still is time for us to rise above the pettiness and self-centeredness that seems to be the norm today. It is possible for us to transcend the isolation and the disconnection that so many people feel in our culture. To do so, though, we're going to have to make a conscience choice to live beyond ourselves and to live as Jesus did.

I know, I know! I can hear it already. We're busy. The pace of life is so fast. There doesn't seem to be enough time. We're barely making it through the day as it is, how is it that we're supposed to stop and lend a hand. Then there's the reality of people who take advantage. We all know stories of con-artists and nefarious people who are only looking to prey upon the weak, unsuspecting or the gullible. We've heard of people who give, only to find out that they've been ripped off, stolen from or somehow made to suffer because of their goodness. We grow cynical, jaded and decide that getting involved is just not worth the effort or the risk. I'm not dismissing any of that. I am challenging us to rise about it, though.

On our own, individually, we're not going to be able to fix the whole world. Let me suggest, though, that collectively, as the body of Christ, we can begin, right here in our own little spot on the earth, to rage against the tide of self-centered individualism and the indifference that is generated by our cynical me first spirit. I was recently told about a young family that is diligently working and making an effort to be good neighbors and members of the community. The husband/wife, father/mother, are not trying to take advantage of anyone's good will. They're not living off of others or letting the government be their source. They're a good, hardworking, upstanding young couple. Apparently the wife/mother had not been sleeping well and was feeling the worn out affects of sleepless nights. What young mother can't relate to that? Maybe it was a little worse than normal, I don't know. I do know that she was struggling. Members of their small, little church heard about the situation and decided that they would try and help. Maybe a new mattress was in order! So, that's what the church decided to do, take up an offering and buy the couple a larger/better mattress. Is this simple act of goodness going to end global hunger, reduce poverty, or eliminate suffering in the Sudan? No, probably not. But, it does restore one's hope and remind the rest of us that the church working in community can make a difference, even if it is giving a young wife and mother a better nights sleep.

Let's not allow the unfortunate example of a few overshadow the positive contribution made by others to jade us and keep us from taking the risk, getting involved and helping others. Let us redouble our efforts and commitment to Be Like Jesus, Live Like Jesus and Love Like Jesus!

Aftermath Reflections

2008-05-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted for awhile... obviously! I believe, though, I need to make better use of this space and that I should be posting on a regular basis. I will work at it.

Any of you who know Central Heights, know that on April 25th the floor in our worship center collapsed. I'm not going to get into the collapse so much, other than to say it was a surreal experience. There were people who were hurt and for that I am deeply saddened. For the most part, though, this experience has been really quite interesting. Bear with me here, I have to separate myself from the pain people experienced, I do not in any way want to discount that, but rather, I want to try and examine the response to this crises from a dispassionate, objective point of view.

Let's start with the overwhelmingly vast majority of people who came alongside of us as a church. People were wonderful. They were supportive, caring and sympathetic. They helped in anyway they could and they wanted us to know that we were not standing alone. It was powerful and it restored my faith in people and the strength of the church.

On the other side, there were some people who saw this as God's judgement on Rock and Roll. I feel sorry for these people. Music is a language and the only meaning it has is the meaning that we assign to it. Any good music, whether classical or contemporary is going to stir the soul and move people's passions. These same people probably love organ music, which is fantastic (my mother was a concert pianist and organist. I grew up going to her concerts), but forget that the organ was banned by the early church as being too secular. In the parlance of today, organ music was once viewed in similar fashion to the rock music of our time. Forms change, truth does not.

There are also some people who saw the collapse of the floor as God's judgement for having a rock concert in a "sanctuary". This is plain ignorance of biblical truth. Today, God's people are the dwelling place of God, not some building, tent or ark! We have a place, building, location where we gather together to worship, but God doesn't stay in the Worship Center when we leave. We don't gather in the Worship Center because that is where God is! The Worship Center is a location that is large enough to facilitate corporate gatherings. We need some better theology than sacred place theology.

Let me comment on the media. By far and away I was impressed with the sensitivity and the respectfulness of their coverage. I felt they were fair and balanced in their reporting. I didn't agree with everything they said and some outlets didn't have their facts straight, the CBCs reporting of renovations we had done being one example of not getting the facts right, but for the most part they did their job and they did it without being obtrusive.

Some people have asked, "How have I seen God's hand in all of this?" or, "What message/lesson have I heard/learned?" I have seen God's hand through His people. Human beings, whether believers or not, have an incredible ability to respond to the need, the pain and hurt of others (see recent events in China and Myanmar). I have to ask the question, where does that come from? Is it just some evolutionary, biological impulse? Actually, I think evolutionary theory does a very poor job of explaining the care and compassion of people. If all we are is a by-product of survival, with the fittest outlasting the weakest, then we should be celebrating the demise of those not fit enough to survive. We shouldn't be concerned about them, or trying to help them. It's the law of the jungle and those not able to keep up, that's too bad! Rather, though, what we see through the tragedies of life are people who feel deeply, care greatly and help as best they can. Not everyone may be a follower of Jesus Christ, but we are all created in the image of our maker and He is the greatest example of compassion the world has ever seen. I believe the desire to help is something that we are born with and that it is proof there is a God who is bigger, better, more loving, more forgiving and more compassionate than we can imagine.

What have I heard? Christ... when all is SHAKING! That may sound like a nifty little marketing cliche, but let me tell you, when the floor literally collapses beneath your feet, that's all there is -Jesus Christ! I don't survive this experience, the aftermath and the ongoing challenges without Jesus! The message for me is Jesus Christ is the only sure thing that I can stand on. I can't place my trust in man made structures or forms. I can't depend on the past performance of earthly things or the future expectations and guarantees of products that we rely on. I can only trust in the eternal truth and the solid rock of Jesus Christ to see me through. What I have learned is Christ... when ALL is SHAKING!

The Standard is High

2007-10-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

The question of the month, "Why do the people who love Jesus, love me?"

One of my critiques of the Evangelical Church in North America is that so often it seems that we're against things! We're against sin, so is God, so that's not really the issue, but our thinking is that if we change a persons behavior and get them to stop sinning we're going to have a better society. I don't buy it. We can't legislate morality and we can't produce a better culture or people merely by bemoaning the things that are wrong, lamenting behavior that is sinful or complaining about attitudes that are rebellious. Life change is possible, it can and does happen and it is greatly needed in our society. But, it happens only through the power, the sacrifice and the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. Where the focus of the Evangelical Church should be is on being salt and light in the world, loving our neighbors and enemies and being used of God to change their lives rather than merely change their behavior.

Followers of Jesus Christ are the only ones who have the mandate and the ability to love our enemies. Did you ever notice, Jesus always had a way of cutting to the chase? "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same." Luke 6:32-33. A little earlier in the same passage He says, "...Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." Luke 6:27-28. This is fantastic! God never calls us to obedience without providing for us the ability to obey. In this case, He's not calling us to love those who we're incapable loving by our own strength and ability. As Christians we get to delight ourselves in the Lord, enjoy His fellowship and the empowering of the Holy Spirit and we are enabled to do something that no one else in the world is truly capable of doing...loving our enemies.

I recently heard best-selling author and Middle East expert Joel Rosenberg speak at a banquet where he made a similar point. In the Middle East, followers of Jesus are the only ones who have the mandate and the message to Love our Enemies. No one needs an update on the crisis that is the Middle East, but within the conflict that is raging it is only the Christian who has the responsibility and enabling to love those who hate us. That's not middle ground, it is higher ground. See, no matter where you stand in this conflict or which side you favor, Israeli or Arab, obedience to Jesus remains the same, love your enemy. If we live that mandate out, Rosenberg said, maybe then Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians will start to ask the question, "Why do the people who love Jesus, love me?"

What a powerful question!

This Christmas at Central Heights Church we are mobilizing to love our Community with the gospel, acts of kindness and demonstrations of compassion. We want to rise up and reach out to meet tangible needs with expressions of God's love. While we must be prepared to give an answer for the hope that we have, my prayer is that people in our church and in our city will also start to ask, "Why do the people who love Jesus, love me?" I pray that our act of obedience will start a spiritual journey that will lead many people to know and follow Jesus.

What Does the Future Hold?

2007-10-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

Where do you spend most of your time? I'm not talking about a location, such as a work place, home, the mall or such, but rather the mental process of thinking. Do you spend your time dwelling on the past? Last night after Dallas beat Buffalo on a last second field goal in the Monday Night Football game, Tony Romo, the Dallas quarterback, was asked if he was going to spend some time enjoying this victory. His immediate response was something to the effect that there wasn't time to dwell on this victory. He needed to look forward to getting ready for the next game. I kind of suspect that a lot of us are that way! I know that in my own life I rarely dwell on past events unless I made a mistake and then it is hard to get the event out of my mind as I keep kicking myself for making such a dumb blunder.

How about the present? Do you find that you are living in the present? I suppose this speaks to awareness and whether or not we're cognisant of the here and now, the ebb and flow of life around us. How about it, are you living for today, making the most of the opportunity you've been given? Are you living with the certainty of God's presence in your life, His leading and directing and the moment by moment activities of the day? I rather suspect that when it comes to life, God wants us living in the present. The past is an ending, the future a possibility, but today is the gift of promise. Today is what we have and God wants to make the most of it in our lives.

If you're like me, though, you find yourself dwelling on the future. I suppose in many ways it is the nature of life that we think about and plan for what lies ahead. In some respects, we should be looking to the future, but when we do so are we looking with the eyes of faith?

I'm learning that I spend a lot of my time thinking about the future, but that future is often filled with fear and worry. Why? I'm ashamed to admit it is because I am desperate to gain control over something that I really don't have any control over. I make plans and contingencies to try and dictate what will happen and the course my life will take. In short, I find myself often usurping God's providence and role in my life by attempting to assume His mantle of responsibility and authority. I'm also ashamed to admit that when I think of the future, I do not think of it with anticipation and expectation. Instead, I approach it with the apprehension of uncertainty.

I've been pondering this for awhile now and here's the conclusion that I have drawn. The fear and worry over the future that I experience result from a lack of trust in God. The future I often depict is viewed through human eyes rather than the lens of faith. I have to ask myself, Do I believe that God is good? I know we sing songs that extol this truth. I express with my lips that He is good and I praise God for His goodness. But I also know I try and play God when I imagine a future that He is not in control of. I display a lack of faith when I worry and fret. I exhibit my disbelief when I give into fear.

I wish I could say that I have this all figured out, but I don't. In some ways I thinking living with a bit of ambiguity is probably a good thing. Further, the uncertainty of the future requires that I cling to the one hope I have and forces me to examine this faith that I extol. Yes, God is good and yes, God loves me. If this is truth then the future, no matter what it may hold, is a future of promise in the life God has given me.

I'm learning to live with the past behind me, the present in my grasp and the future orchestrated by God who sees the end from the beginning.

The Fall of Isiah

2007-10-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

So, Isiah Thomas, the head coach of the New York Knicks, was found guilty of sexual harassment today. Not surprisingly, the Internet is abuzz with calls for his suspension and/or resignation. I haven't followed the case too closely, but I have to trust in the judicial system and believe that the jurors who heard the case made the right decision. My musing on this matter does not center around Isiah Thomas perse, but rather on how we should view events like this and how men who claim the name of Jesus should respond in our own lives.

In one article I read concerning the verdict, Michael Rosenberg wrote, "Thomas came off as arrogant in his testimony. Oh, and by the way, he has been incompetent in running his team. There is simply no reason to believe Isaih Thomas should remain in charge of the Knicks." See the following link for the entire story on the Fox Sports web site.http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7289150?MSNHPSMA

Here's my thinking; Isiah is guilty and therefore should be punished. My understanding is that the jury found both Thomas and Madison Square Garden, MSG, guilty of sexual harassment and awarded 11.6 million U.S. (although with the current exchange, Thomas and MSG should be glad it's not Canadian), to former Knicks executive Anucha Browne Sanders, a married mother of three. While MSG and it's chairman James Dolan are on the hook for the money, the jury ruled that Thomas does not have to pay any punitive damages. So, what should happen to Thomas? Calls for his firing, or at the very least suspension, might be appropriate if either option is carried out solely for his guilt in this matter. The suggestion, though, is that his firing should be linked to both his guilt and the fact that the Knicks haven't done squat under his coaching and leadership. I disagree (not with the assessment of his coaching, the Knicks have been terrible), with the idea that both the sexual harassment and the failure of Thomas as a coach are needed in order to form the basis for firing him. Is sexual harassment an offense worthy of firing? I think so. Based on the decision today, I know I wouldn't want one of my daughters going to work for Isaih Thomas. Is failing to deliver a winning team an offense worthy of firing? Maybe so, but that is for Dolan to decide. The linking of the two to justify firing Thomas is the mistake. Just because Knicks fans are fed up with Isaih, that doesn't give them the excuse to piggy back his termination on the guilty verdict. A clear message needs to be sent by Dolan and MSG that they are not going to tolerate this type of behavior from their employees.

That, though, is one man's story. What about the rest of us? As men, where do we fall in the continuum of behavoir? In all probability, most of us fall somewhere between the Isaih Thomas' of the world and God's standard for holiness and purity. No one is going to argue that the day of the boorish, male chauvinist pig has passed (at least I hope no one is going to make that argument), but is having matured past boorish behavior the standard we are called to? The scriptures call us as men to a higher standard of living, to holiness and purity, and to faithfulness and commitment. I don't know if Thomas is a believer or not, although it wouldn't surprise me if in the coming weeks he doesn't suddenly "find Jesus". Let's face it, though, the Christian world doesn't have whole lot on the secular world when it comes to sexual morality. We have had our fair share of leaders who have fallen and our divorce rate isn't any better than that of those outside the church. Today, in light of this latest high profile case, men who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ need to rededicate themselves to conduct and living that goes beyond merely holding immorality and poor behavoir up for ridicule and contempt. Being committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives, loving our wives and children or remaing chaste if single, and being examplary employees/employers is a significant part of godliness that we are called to.

Once upon a time, Jesus asked a woman accused of adultry where her accusers were and who was condemning her. She replied, "No one Lord." Jesus replied, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more!"

My word to us as followers of Jesus... Go and do likewise. We don't point the finger of accusation and condemnation at Isiah Thomas, but rather we recommit ourselves to holiness and purity in our walk with the Lord and our relationships with each other.

Clarence Thomas - "My Grandfather's Son!"

2007-10-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Don't know if you caught the 60 Minute's interview with Clarence Thomas last night, but it presented a picture of Thomas that we might not normally see. For a man who seemingly is lambasted by some members of the black community for not being "black" enough, he sure does have the family background, history and upbringing to know of what he speaks.

Thomas has written a new book entitled, "My Grandfather's Son". As the title might indicate, he was heavily influenced by his grandfather who raised him from a young age. From what I gathered in the 60 Minute interview, the book is an autobiographical look at Thomas' life both in and out of the public eye. I'm looking forward to reading it.

Years ago I read, "Before the Mayflower: A History of Back America" by Lerone Bennett Jr. It was an eye opening book for me. I'm too naive when it comes to matters of race dialogue. " A History of Black America" helped educate me a little bit. I'm hoping that a glimpse into Thomas' life will be equally instructive.

On another note... one of the blogs that I am now reading regularly is La Shawn Barber's Corner. You can find her at http://www.lashawnbarber.com/ Ms. Barber is a conservative black woman who is also a Christian. I find myself attracted to her point of view, which is not always the same as mine, her take on the pandering of white politicians to the ethnic community and her insight on the liberal vs. conservative discourse that seems to occupy so much of our media. I would encourage you to add her to your favorites list and visit her site from time to time.

Where Has the Dialogue Gone?

2007-09-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

It's the convergence of a perfect storm. Sitting here astride the 49th Parallel, I'm am witness to an ever increasing vitriolic harangue that is threatening to disrupt dialogue concerning race relations in North America. Within the past week, on both side of the Canadian/U.S. border, radio/TV commentators have been smashed upon the shoals of vilification and criticism over the words and opinions they have expressed concerning certain beliefs, practices and thoughts held by segments of both Canadian and American society towards other races. Namely, white Canadians towards Indo-Canadians and white Americans towards black Americans.

Here in British Columbia, Bruce Allen, a commentator for radio station CKNW, has been under fire for comments he made about immigrants who come to Canada and then, and I'm paraphrasing here, attempt to live by a different set of rules/laws than other Canadians. Down in the states, Bill O'Reilly has faced criticism for comments he made about a black restaurant in Harlem New York and the fact that it is no different than any white restaurant a person might enter. While I have heard the full comment that Mr. O'Reilly made, I have only read and heard segments of Mr. Allen's comments. Taken within the larger context of what he was saying, Mr. O'Reilly's opinion seems to be perfectly rational and reasoned. His point? White Americans have an incorrect or incomplete view of black Americans, and the view they do have is distorted by a main stream media that portrays blacks as violent, lazy, uneducated, etc... Mr. O'Reilly believes, and I agree, that this incorrect viewpoint of the vast majority of black Americans has created fear among white Americans, and we all know that we hate what we fear.

The snippets of what I've heard from Mr. Allen seem to indicate that he wasn't so much attacking immigrants to Canada as making the point that if a person wants to live in Canada they should abide by the cultural norms of the majority of Canadians. As an immigrant to Canada myself, I concur with Mr. Allen. Canadian citizens should expect me to abide by their cultural mores. They should expect that I am going to conform to their standards and way of living rather than attempt to get them to live as I think they should. Yes, I've heard the analogy of America (I am an American citizen) being a melting pot and Canada being a mosaic, but that doesn't mean that Canadians don't have a culture of their own which they are proud of and want to pass on. Nor, does it mean that immigrants to Canada should not try to understand and live within that cultural context. Canadians pride themselves on being tolerant and respectful, traits the rest of the world willingly concedes to them. But my sense of most Canadians is that while they will go out of their way to accommodate others, they would not be adverse to the same consideration from those who have arrived on Canada's shores. Mr. Allen's point, I believe, is that quid pro quo between citizens and immigrants isn't being exchanged. He believes, and from accounts I've read and comments I've heard, so do most Canadians, the offer of freedom and, for most immigrants to Canada, a better way of life, isn't being reciprocated by a desire to adhere to the Canadian context from those who are benefitting in their new homeland. Now, I will concede that some of Mr. Allen's opinion, at least the quotes I heard or read, was expressed rather strongly, in a less than Canadian sensibility, but that fails to absolve his crictics from their own less than Canadian responses.

Here's my point, the backlash against Mr. O'Reilly and Mr. Allen far outweighs their original comments. It is insulting, childish, and personality driven, as opposed to being on point with the conerns they expressed. Further, it lowers and demeans the conversation that needs to be taking place among the races. In the end, I think the dialogue has been hurt more by the backlash than by the original comments. It appears that white Americans and Canadians are now barred from discussing the actions and attitudes of other races. It seems to me, that in an attempt to make political hay, opponents of Mr. O'Reilly and Mr. Allen have sought to take the debate off of the issue at hand and turn it towards a political agenda that seemingly squelches conversation and ignites flames of furry.

People's opinions, on both sides of the debate are important, but regardless of which side a person is on, those same opinions must be always be expressed graciously. That is the word the apostle Paul gives us in Colossians 4:6. Maybe the one crticism that could be leveled at both Bill O'Reilly and Bruce Allen is that they are bombastic in their approach and style (I suspect Bill O'Reilly would view that as a compliment, and maybe it really is). And, while it could be argued that they are paid for having just such a manner, it also has to be noted that if they are truly wanting to engage in the discussion, truth, whether from the left or the right, is hard to hear in the rancor of rude politics.