Our theology develops as we grow in our understanding of Scriptures, so doctrinal shifts are healthy. Perhaps to be more precise, we could say that a lack of doctrinal shift is unhealthy. Every Christian should dedicate his life to the study of Scriptures, so if his theology is not changing, then something is wrong. This is particularly relevant to the clergyman, whether it be a pastor, a missionary, or a volunteer Sunday School teacher.[Read More]
Christian Life
Changing the Conversation about College
Churches should want their kids to believe in Christ and live ethical lives, but we tend to stop short. Often we just want a kid to confess Christ at some point while he is young and then refrain from certain sins while he lives with his parents, but we often make no real long-term investment in his spiritual well-being. Of course, when he becomes a complete apostate by the time he’s 20, we sit back and says things like, “Yea, he never really believed in the first place” or “These young’ns just don’t know how good they have it” or “College is so expensive, he’ll never pay it off.” So, I have been wondering, is there a better way to love our churches’ students than this?
I have been thinking about the apostasy epidemic for a while, and I have thought of a change in conversation that we could be having with High Schoolers who are thinking about what to do after graduation. Here it is:
Don’t just ask: “Where will you go to college?”
Instead ask: “Where will you go to church?”
Pretty simple, right? As simple as it is, I think that this conversation could change lives.
The college search often starts with questions like majors, scholarships, campus size/activities, and which colleges will accept the applicant. A high schooler might consider a host of factors, then narrow it down and pick his favorite. Then he moves out there and gets thrown into the world of class, clubs, friends, newfound freedom, etc. and has to navigate around all of this while searching for a church. All of this is done with the assumption that there will be a good church near the college to take him in — an assumption that I seriously encourage you to question!
But if we start by looking for a church first, then things line up a bit differently. There are several good churches around America and there are good church lists that you can go to and find one. Most universities do not have a good church nearby, but many if not most good churches are within a reasonable distance of a university.
Start there.
If you are talking with someone who wants to go to college, but he does not know where, then encourage him first to find a good church and even offer to help him find one. The Dallas/Fort Worth area is a good starting place. When I was a student at the University of Texas at Arlington, I actually had several good churches within a commutable distance. The DFW area is a hot spot for solid churches and there are several colleges and universities scattered throughout. Pastor conferences are another good opportunity for networking, though it may be difficult for a High Schooler to skip school for a week (it could be a great option for homeschoolers, though!). If the student can find a couple of pastors that he likes, then it’s a matter of looking at the schools in those areas, finding which ones have the right majors, campuses, clubs, etc. and narrowing down the options from there.
This is not the only solution to the mass exodus of the young, but it is certainly a good start.
Book Review: Reproducing Grace
“Anyone can start a Free Grace Movement in their region with little to no money. I am here to walk with you through the process.”
This is the opening to Joe Filer’s new book, Reproducing Grace: Starting a Free Grace Movement in Your Region. It is also an introduction to verbiage and perhaps even a new mindset that could be pivotal in bringing positive change to a movement. Note that Filer does not speak of “the Free Grace Movement” as a greater movement that either does or does not have a presence in your locality, but rather he speaks of “a Free Grace Movement” as something that could potentially begin anywhere. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
[Read More]
Responding to Ageism from 1 Tim. 4:12–13
Example 1: I had just moved to the Dallas area, where I would study Russian in college and eventually become a missionary in Eastern Europe, and there was a group of older Christians that were gathering for breakfast and Bible study in another town. I would have to wake up at 4-something am to make the drive, but that was no problem because I really wanted to connect with these guys and grow. The group’s leader had written a book that had encouraged me a few years ago and I knew from Paul’s example with Timothy that young Christians should have older mentors to look up to.[Read More]
The Good Place: A Mythology for Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
Some Christians try to avoid television shows that promote ideas that are in conflict with Christianity, but I prefer to watch with a theologically critical eye. I guess I like to take on challenges like that, but if you are more inclined to avoid conflicts, that’s fine as well. One popular show these days is called The Good Place, which is in its fourth and final season (I’ll avoid any major spoilers for those who haven’t been watching). The Good Place blatantly rejects Christianity, but I enjoy it, first of all because the comedy is golden, but also because if you watch it critically, you can pick up on what Hollywood thinks about some big questions in life. I wouldn’t be surprised if many have fallen for some false teachings while watching, but if Christians are equipped to watch critically, I think they might be able to understand better why this show is contrary to the Bible and which untruths specifically are being promoted.
I have concluded that The Good Place is a mythology for moralistic therapeutic deism. That’s a mouthful, so first I would like to describe what the show is about, then I will define the terms “mythology” and “moralistic therapeutic deism” to show why The Good Place meets this description.[Read More]
Church Growth Patty Cake: An Allegory
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. (Col 1:28)
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (2 Tim 2:2)
To my Islamic brother here from Italy, I would say I’m not really interested in inter-faith dialogue; I’m interested in inter-faith projects… we brought in three imams, we brought in three Catholic priests, we brought in three evangelical pastors, and we brought in three Rabbis and we said, “What can we do about AIDS?” And we started on some common ground on those issues; what can we do that we all care about? (Rick Warren)1
It is the middle of the third quarter at the Home Team Football Stadium. The score is tied at 32 and the audience is tense as it could be anyone’s game at this point. Perhaps a new strategy could tip the odds in Home Team’s favor.
Away Team has the ball. The center snaps, the quarterback tries to pitch the ball to the halfback but Outside Linebacker clobbers him into a fumble, which Safety recovers and runs in for a touchdown followed by a successful extra point. High-fives abound as the scoreboard now reads 39-32. There is a kickoff and Home Team is back on defense.
In Home Team’s huddle, the players discuss devising a new strategy. “Wow! That was great!” says Cornerback. “Did you see all of the high-fives? It feels so good to give high-fives. And look at the scoreboard. We’re winning! Isn’t it interesting that the more successful we are, the more high-fives we give? Maybe we need to adjust our strategy to focus more on high-fives.”
Safety responds, “I agree that high-fives are nice, but let’s not forget that the reason for the high-fives was that Outside Linebacker caused a fumble and I scored a touchdown. If we can keep this up, then high-fives will be inevitable.”
Defensive End says, “I like what Cornerback is saying. I tell you what, on the next play, everyone will do the normal thing, but he and I will high-five each other the whole time. Let’s see how that goes.”
Away Team tries for a pass, but does not succeed. Back in the huddle, Defensive End and Cornerback are excited.
“Wow! We were able to high-five each other twelve times and Away Team didn’t move a single inch!”
“That would be because Away Team didn’t catch the ball. Haven’t you ever read the Rule Book?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. We can’t keep going by some old Rule Book, especially if we have a new way to do things that clearly works! Come join us, Outside Linebacker.”
They line back up, but this time after the ball is in motion, Outside Linebacker joins Defensive End and Cornerback in high-fiving each other while the rest of Home Team is left to fend for themselves. Away Team takes advantage of the weakness and runs the ball past the high-fivers. Safety manages to tackle the carrier after a 15-yard loss. First down.
“What happened?”
“We only did 10 high fives this time, where were you, Outside Linebacker?”
“We need another adjustment. It takes two people to high five and if we have three, then we will end up getting in each other’s way. Let’s bring in more people to do high-fives, but this time we will stand in a circle and concentrate on each other instead of the read of the game. Let’s try singing ‘Patty Cake’ to keep the rhythm going.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” interrupts Safety, “you are departing from the Rule Book. Let’s play this game the right way as we always have. The Rules say that at the end of the game, it is the scoreboard that matters, not high-fives.”
Cornerback responds, “You know, Safety, you are such a hypocrite. You yourself admitted to enjoying high-fives and now you want to prevent others from enjoying them. I think that if you search your feelings, then you would know that you can’t take this Rule Book literally. But don’t take my word for it: after the last play, I overheard some guys from Away Team say that they were glad that we are doing the high fives. It’s bad enough that you choose some silly Rule Book over your feelings and your own teammates even, but here is outside confirmation that our way is better.”
Home Team returns to the line of scrimmage and upon the hike of the ball, the left defensive tackle and guard join in the group high-fives as Away Team carries the ball into the end zone without a scratch. The Away Team fans rejoice as their team runs in a two-pointer.
The score is now 39-40.
There is confusion on the Home Team sideline as the defense delivers their news to the rest of the team. “It was great! Do you hear all of that cheering? We high-fived 63 times!”
Right Guard asks, “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, we don’t go by the Rule Book anymore. We play Patty Cake now. Here, have some Kool-Aid.”
Left Offensive Tackle takes the squirt bottle and after taking a drink says, “Oh that sounds awesome! I read some of the Rule Book back in High School. It was a drag. This new system sounds much better. I mean, it’s working, right? Let’s do it!”
As the game continues, more and more players from Home Team join the movement to play Patty Cake as the others play football around them. What started as an extreme idea by a defensive Cornerback slowly eats away at the entire left. Then the center. Then slowly into the right. The Right Guard and the Safety, formerly the protector of the ball and the last line of defense, are now seen as a fundamentalist minority that is hung up on some silly old Rule Book.
It is now the fourth quarter. The scoreboard reads 39-236, but Home Team boasts of 2,378 high-fives. Both Away Team and Home Team’s Patty Cake circle are equally convinced that they are winning. If success is measured by an organization’s ability to achieve its own goals, then one could say that they are both winning. But, then again, if success is measured by a Rule Book that is supreme, then Home Team is going to look silly at the end of the game when only the scoreboard is considered.
Fortunately, the minority members of Home Team who persevere will finally be recognized. It will not be pleasant in the meantime, but the more bitter it is now, the sweeter it will be then.
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. (1 Cor 9:24)