Would God Really?

The title of this post is in my opinion the most dangerous question we can ask.

Would God really?

Would God really condemn homosexuality?

Would God really send people to hell?

Would God really create man and woman with different roles?

Would he?

I have a major issue with this type of language. Let me explain the danger of this little phrase.

First, this phrase expresses a secret atheism. I believe that among many modern Christians a moderated atheism has become an acceptable norm. This strand of atheism expresses itself by creating for oneself a form of godliness that fits the cultural norms that we have established for ourselves. In other words, we suggest that if our God doesn't believe exactly as we do, he must not be much of a God. This is the crux of secret atheism. We don't really believe in a God that is beyond our scope, our mind, our capability. We only want the religious experience and the peace it brings. In other words, we desire the peace found in the gospel without the God who brings the gospel.

Second, when we pose the question "Would God really?" we are suffering from cultural elitism. Think about this for a second. The Middle Ages (and much of the religious right) struggle with the question of whether God would really call us to a life of peace. When we assume that God couldn't condemn certain lifestyles, certain supposed victimless crimes, what we really assume is that our current culture understands the ultimate direction required for societal perfection. This is the same elitist mindset that declared the earth was flat. We cannot trust ourselves as the ultimate standard of the universe, of God's creation, or of God's design for human life.

Third, what we are really saying when we say "would God really" is something more like this: This is so far removed from my understanding that I refuse to acknowledge God if he works this way. In other words, we again want to place God in a box we can understand.

If God really created everything (think about that for a minute: everything!), can't we expect him to have a little different viewpoint on the world than we do? Can't we expect that God says things, does things, teaches things, and commands things that just plain don't make sense to us?

This week, I will look at several issues where God says things that go against our cultural senses. I am going to try to be fair with biblical texts, even when they make me squirm (and some issues that come up in the Bible really do make me uncomfortable). I ask you to join me, challenge yourself to take God's word seriously.

Perhaps he will make you uncomfortable. It may scare you. But transformation is always difficult, it always hurts. If we are truly Christian, if we are truly followers of God, than we must allow Him to transform us through His word. Imagine if a caterpillar never became a butterfly because if feared the transformation within the chrysalis. The beauty God intended for it would be missed altogether. Join me, and perhaps we can transform ourselves into something better entirely: Faithful People.

Topics:
Wednesday: Gender Roles
Thursday: Peacefulness
Friday: Unity
Monday: Homosexuality
Tuesday: Eternal Judgment
Wednesday: Redemption

I look forward to some good conversations!

Sunday Thanks: Blindness

I couldn't imagine what it must be like to live in the dark.

However, we have an older gentlemen at our church whose tent of life is darkened until the glory of resurrection renews us. He can see next to nothing. He can read using a fancy machine. He has to use a walking stick to navigate through the church.

His eyes are only the beginning of his decrepitude. Liver problems, heart problems, diabetes all plague his old frame. His body makes him useless, at least that is what many may believe.

This old man teaches weekly, an AA type meeting with a Christian flare, sharing with others how to overcome the mistakes of his life. One of those great plagues of secret sin, drunken chains, are exposed with his grace and love.

In fact, a blind man may be the perfect person to work with those ashamed of the sins of their past.

And so as I pass the communion tray, and I hand an individual piece of bread and cup to him, I do not think of him as useless, but essential to the family God is forming all around me.

This week, I am thankful for:
1. Floating in a pool, holding hands with my wife.
2. Plot outlines that may or may not be bestseller material, but are absolutely filled with my heart and soul.
3. Teaching kids to rap the Bible
4. Secrets
5. High school students helping elementary students.
6. Flashes of lightening--marvelous display this week!

Sunday Thanks: the Empty Church

My church was empty this morning. I mean, we had some people there, about 1/3 of our usual attendance. Some elders were missing. Most deacons too. It was in many respects the best day our church has had since I've been here.

Because they were serving. We had several "microbursts" and a couple tornadoes come through our town Saturday. Not anything as serious as Joplin. Very few houses destroyed, but lots of damage nonetheless.

An elder spent the day chopping wood. Several deacons were helping clean up their neighbors yards. Others in the church were cleaning up their homes and others. We didn't just claim ourselves as the church, we lived it. Those of us confined to the church in the morning spent the afternoon and evening with church members. We put together plans for cleanup, cooked meals, and just calmed nerves. I actually have a teenager at our house watching Harry Potter with my wife and I as we speak. She came over to do dishes with us at our house while the power was out at hers.

This is the church, and for that I am thankful.

The rest of my thankful list this week:

• My wonderful wife
• The smoke of a gas grill.
• The calm before the storm.
• The cool after the storm.
• Finding bloggers who inspire me.
• The gasp of air after jumping into a swimming pool.
• The God who never gave up on me.
  

Prayer Overflowing with Thanksgiving

Last week, during our Brown Bag Bible Study the youth and I looked at Colossians 1:3, which says this:

"We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you."

What fascinates me is how this verse points to Thanksgiving being a (if not the) central aspect of Paul's prayer life. As he began to pray for others, it would overflow with thanksgiving to God for what God was doing in their lives.

This is quite the opposite of my prayer life.

I pray in moments of panic for others (as I should)

I pray when I see the life of a Christian falling apart (as I should)

I pray when I feel the defeat of sin in the lives of those around me (as I should)

But,

I neglect praying when a Christian takes a leap of faith (as I should)

I neglect praying for a Christian who has been faithfully serving for years (as I should)

I neglect any and nearly all prayer that is excited for the good going on in my life or the life of those around me...

My prayer life shows something twisted in my heart: I pray for God to work, but never acknowledge him when he does.

I am a forgetful prayer...

This week I have been trying to watchfully look for God's working in the lives of people, and I have a list of thanksgivings going on this week:

• I thank God for giving Zane the courage to speak casually and friendly with new faces in the youth group.
• I thank God for the prayers prayed by Taylor Obermeyer and Kelly Murphy at Fusion--prayers that show they are listening and wanting to apply the Word of God to their lives!
• I thank God for Samm being willing to step up and ask a question in a new environment--that takes guts, and it shows God is wanting to work on your heart!
• I thank God for my wife for her great moral compass that helps guide me to more maturity in Christ.
• I thank God for my parents, who diligently placed Christ in front of our eyes, and continue to do so to young people in their community.
• I thank God for my brother Nate, whose study of the word makes me strive to do so better myself. (Thanks for making me reread a great passage Nate! I'm am pondering and reading it again!)
• I thank God for other youth ministers like Josh Rutledge and Brandon Foulke, who work with great perseverance to captivate hearts for Christ.
• I thank God for the faith of those who have went before me, people who have written down their words to help me see faith more clearly.
• I thank God for Chuck, our senior minister, who not only works hard at his job, but does the little jobs that nobody notices to serve the body of Christ, the church.
• I thank God for little Ben Harris, and his wonderful joy for life that brings a joy to the office (and occassionaly a mess).
• I thank God Jack White, whose text message this week refreshed my heart.
• I thank God Tyler Munjas, and his willingness to step up and serve--he is developing a heart like Jesus Christ!

Let's keep a list of thanksgiving that we can lift up to God in our prayers--looking for God showing up in the lives of those around us.

That is my list of thanksgiving this week, what are you thankful for?