Light-work

Despised for all the right reasons!

I am shocked! The world doesn't like me. Yes, results from a Barna poll tell us that "only 3% of 16 to 29 year-old non-Christians express favorable views of evangelicals." I am an evangelical, someone who proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ and believes it is essential to do so. So I guess 97% of non-Christian young people can't bring themselves to tell some poll-taker I'm OK.

I will be the first to admit we evangelicals have lots of room for improvement. David Kinneman has proposed in his new book, UnChristian, that we address failures like hypocrisy, treatment of outsiders as conversion targets, hatred of homosexuals, seclusion from the real world, over-politicization, and condemnation. Tony Woodlief, from World Magazine, wrote an editorial, Going Negative, that is favorable toward the book and that suggests we should be even tougher on ourselves than UnChristian recommends.

Let's put some Light-work balance into the equation. Jesus was VERY CLEAR when teaching His disciples that being hated goes with the package: “And you will be hated by all because of My name” (Luke 21:17). At the Last Supper, He explained the basis for this hatred:  “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you” (John 15:19). If we are living for high approval ratings from non-Christians, we might as well pack it up. Not gonna happen! Jesus says that the more clearly our allegiance to Him shows, the lower our approval ratings will sink.

However, this doesn't mean that we write off every critic.  Peter explains, For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong (1 Pet. 3:17). There are times when we are criticized and suffer recrimination for doing what is wrong. In those times, repent, confess it, and put things to rights. But there will be times when God allows us to receive criticism and reprisal for doing exactly what He desires. Those are the times when we are despised for all the right reasons. 

So when our approval ratings are low, some healthy self-examination is in order. If we can discern ways to "improve our serve," let's do it. But if that examination confirms we are doing exactly what Jesus wants, then it is time to reaffirm for whose pleasure we live. It's time to take a cue from the church in Acts and throw a party: So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name (Acts 5:41).

Who Turned Out the Lights?

We are way too dependent on electricity! Last night some high winds knocked out our power. So Light-work HQ has been wrapped in darkness for almost 24 hours. No light - no work - no fun! We hope to be back online tomorrow.

Is it fun to say "Hacha?"

"Mr. Fleming, is it fun to say 'Hacha'?" I was about seven years old and helping my Dad in the yard. The neighbor boy, Scott, (about my age) had posed this question. Dad replied, "Yea, I suppose it's a pretty fun word." At the dinner conversation that night, Mom and Dad reconstructed the back story. Scott had probably heard and used an inappropriate term and his parents had suggested "hacha" as a "fun" alternative. So that's how "hacha" got on the list with such worthies as "jalalabad."

Sometimes a single word is a good substitute for a whole passel. We can say "God is one in essential character; God is denominated as 'Father," 'Son,' and 'Spirit;' Father, Son, and Spirit are three distinct persons." Or we can just say "trinity" which is shorthand for the previous three statements. The word "perspicuity" (sounds like a combination of perspiration and ingenuity) has two things going for it - it's fun to say (I think so) and marvelously economical. So what does it mean? And how does it relate to biblical inspiration, authority, and sufficiency?  Perspicuity refers to the quality of being clear or lucid. When we talk about the perspicuity of Scripture, we are describing the capacity of the Bible to be clear in what it teaches. Because the Bible is perspicuous, what it teaches is accessible and understandable.

The Apostle John got this. In 1 John 2:27, he says, As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. John is not diminishing the value of good teachers, but establishing limits to our dependence on them. There were some who claimed, "What the Bible teaches is beyond your comprehension. You need teachers (like us!) who can unlock its secrets and mysteries, something you could never do on your own." John says this is hogwash. What the Bible teaches can be understood.

Some of what the Bible says may be hard to understand (2 Pet. 3:16), but careful consideration (2 Tim. 2:7) and accurate handling (2 Tim. 2:15) will yield results. We can understand what it says and identify God-approved living. This is possible because of the perspicuity of Scripture. So let's see how this connects to what we said yesterday.

The Bible teaches what a man with a heart for God needs to know. Think of this as a select  body of information within the broader field of "all truth." So truth which lies outside the circle of what the Bible teaches may be nice to know, valuable to know, even important to know - but it does not rise to the level of necessary to know for godly living.  Here is the really cool thing - the circle of perspicuity matches the circle of sufficiency. The Bible is CLEAR about what the man of God NEEDS to know.

Don't miss the point about targeted clarity here. 1 John 2:27 tells us that the lucidity of the Bible's teaching is only apparent to those who have received an anointing from God, i.e., genuine believers. To those who are opposing Christ or attempting to work a deal with God by buying salvation, the Bible will be singularly opaque. The Bible is clear about what the MAN OF GOD needs to know.

When we talk about the role of men (or any other class) and how God wants them to act, our first source of information ought to be the Bible. The sometimes rigorous work of discerning what it CLEARLY TEACHES will yield the fruit of understanding what a man who seeks to please God MUST KNOW. If we cannot say, "This is what the Bible teaches" then we also cannot say, "This is what you MUST KNOW."

So whenever someone says hacha or jalalabad, be sure to tell them about perspicuity. It will be fun - but is it necessary?

Me Tarzan, Me Spiritual! Postscript

There is a marvelously useful term that can help us sort through comments posted in the "Me Tarzan" series. It's a fun word to say, like "Hacha," but before we whoop it up, let's get some background. The doctrine of divine inspiration includes the topics of the authority of Scripture and the sufficiency of Scripture. All three (inspiration, authority, and sufficiency) are mentioned and connected in 2 Tim. 3:16-17, which states: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. Here's how each of these three topics connect to phrases in these two verses.

1. Inspiration - All Scripture is inspired by God. Although written by human authors, the entire Bible has its ultimate origin in God. It is like breath from his mouth.
2. Authority - [All Scripture is] profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, [and] for training in righteousness. Because of its quality as God inspired, the Bible has the clout to tell us what to do. It can outline how life ought to be lived ("teaching"), it can tell us when we have gotten off track ("reproof"), it can tell us how to get back on track ("correction"), and it can show us how to stay on track ("training in righteousness").
3. Sufficiency - so that they man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. The capacity of Scripture to provide authoritative guidance extends to "every good work." Stated negatively - There is nothing good a man can do which doesn't find its essential basis in the Bible. Stated positively - If you want to do anything good, the only source of adequate guidance is the Bible. Any man with a heart for God ("man of God") can receive what he needs ("may be adequate") to do everything God expects of him ("for every good work") if he will mine the mother-lode, the Scripture.
   

So, when we talk about any topic, including how men should think, speak, and act, the Bible is the source of information for every good work. This is not to say that all truth about men is found in the Bible. But it is to say that all ESSENTIAL truth for men with a heart for God is found in the Bible. God inspired the Bible and thereby placed within it what He believes all men must understand if they are going to become the kind of men of whom He would say, "That's my kind of man."

So when we analyze any resource, including one that wants to help men, it is legitimate to evaluate the quality of that resource by how closely it draws from Scripture. Do not hear me saying that a secular study on "the way men think" has no value. But the closer the connection between a resource and what the Bible teaches on the topic, the greater my confidence that I am being exposed to what I NEED TO KNOW. Okay, so what about this "Hacha" word? Patience, Grasshopper!

An Amazing Wristband Story

Last Summer we had a church picnic where I first met "Alice." Alice had never heard of Collierville Bible Church. She had come home from work to discover her children missing; a phone call confirmed they had gone with neighbors "to an Awana picnic." So she got directions from her neighbor and that's how I first met her. She had come from Vietnam at age 19 to the United States. Now she was standing on the church grounds asking what an "Awana" is.

Two things became apparent in our conversation. She was thirsty for something more. But she did not understand the Gospel. So I used my amazing wristband to clearly and simply explain the five principles I don't want to ever forget. I talked about what it means to "receive, believe, stand, and hold fast." And I asked her if what I was saying made sense. She said "yes" and it was obvious she was ready to unwrap the package.

So we went and stood at the foot of the cross in the worship center. There she prayed and began her journey with Christ. I accompanied her to my office where I gave her a copy of 31 Days to Living as a New Believer, another Evantell resource that is great for new believers. Then we walked to the welcome center where we have a fountain that doubles as a baptistry. As we talked, something clicked in Alice's memory. She shivered as goose bumps covered her arms and wonder washed over her countenance.

She explained a dream she had experienced two nights before, a dream that had just become real. As I stood in front of the fountain, she realized she had seen this exact scene in her dream. The fountain, my appearance, and my stance all lined up with one of the visions in her dream. There were two main scenes she had seen. In the first, Jesus was caring for a newborn who was adult sized. The second event was of a man who took her to two rooms where something profound happened and who was standing in a certain way in front of a fountain.

In that moment when reality intersected with her dream, Alice realized she was that newborn, and I was the one God was using to assist her in that new birth. God had shown her beforehand what He intended to do for this thirsty soul. How fitting that it says above the cross, "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give shall never thirst."

Five Points From the Amazing Wristband

The Good News Wristband available from Evantell is a great evangelistic tool. I don't have to fumble with a tract, it's right there on my wrist and ready for action on a moment's notice. A tattoo might have the same quick-draw advantage, but this wristband has way brighter colors. Plus I can "spin" the bracelet as I make my points so there's no distracting wrist contortions. Simple, easy, clean, bright, healthy! Evangelism doesn't get any better than this!

The wristband comes with a card that outlines a simple gospel presentation that follows the sequence of colors. The Bible reference that goes with each color/point is also printed on the inside of the wristband. Nice! I have made some minor modifications to the presentation to bring out some important nuances to the Gospel. Maybe these ideas would be helpful to you, too. Regardless of whether you use these suggestions or share straight from the card, you will be amazed at what can happen as you use this simple wristband to engage in conversations with eternal implications.  Once I have opened a conversation with the "five-principles-I-don't-want-to-EVER-forget" intro (see yesterday's post), here's what I try to communicate using the bracelet.

The YELLOW reminds me that God is the source of light and life. In Psalms it explains, "For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light" (Ps. 36:9). To be separated from God is to walk in the dark and to be cut off from the source of life. To dwell in His presence is to really live while basking in His light!

The BLACK reminds me that all men are in trouble. If we get paid our wages, if we get what we have earned, we will "go to black," separated from God who is the source of light and life.  The Bible tells us the bad news (but there's some good news, too), For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23). No matter how hard I work, if I get what my sin has earned, it is death.

Did you catch the good news? God sees our problem, but He doesn't abandon us. He loves us and wants to GIVE us what we CANNOT earn. The RED reminds me what this gift cost: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). Jesus' blood was God's full payment for my sin. His shed blood made it possible for me to receive God's gracious gift.

There are two parts to this gift - the first part solves my HISTORY problem. Jesus' blood has given me a clean WHITE slate. According to the Bible, In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us (Eph. 1:7-8). Look at my past and you see a steady stream of rebellion against God's law. But because of Jesus, my record can be wiped clean.

Forgiveness takes care of my history, but I also have a HEART problem - part of me is predisposed to defy God. So even if you give me a clean record, it seems like I'm just going to mess it up again. God's gift is bigger than my heart problem. The GREEN encourages me with this amazing truth: No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 John 3:9). God's gift includes new life, a rebirth in which sin's hold on my heart is broken. I am actually liberated to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Here's the summary of these five principles. No man has enough earning power to purchase life with God. But God has already paid for it with the blood of His Son. His gift is available to anyone and it solves everyman's two greatest problems - his blemished history and rebellious heart.

Does this make sense to you? If it does, then I want to explain how you can unwrap God's gift. What would you think of someone who still has an unwrapped present from you under his Christmas tree in the middle of JULY? Your gift is costly and reflects your knowledge of what the recipient most needs, but it hasn't been opened. So your gift is doing the recipient absolutely no good. The five principles on this bracelet tell you about an incredible gift that God has made available to you, but it will do you no good unless you unwrap it. Interested?

If someone says, "Yes," then I move to an explanation of what it means to unwrap the package. I use 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 and explain these words: receive, believe, stand, and hold fast. This bracelet makes it so simple for people to understand the Gospel - try it!

The Amazing Wristband

You need to check out Evantell! Their slogan is: The Gospel. Clear and Simple. Larry Moyer, the founder of Evantell, has a heart for equipping believers to share their faith. Here is some history that explains the driving vision of the ministry. I met Larry at a "You Can Tell It" seminar at First Evangelical Church in Memphis (long, long ago in a galaxy far away!) and I like what he's about. He sees the need for evangelism that is thoroughly informed by the Bible in both its message and methods. And, he is convinced that sharing your faith is NOT THAT COMPLICATED. Evantell has retained its focus, kept it simple, even as it has grown. Bravo!

They put out some great resources. My favorite is this Evangelistic Wristband. I have used it for the last year or so and have some amazing stories to share. The conversation usually begins something like this: "What do you think are the most important principles you would want your spouse [or your children, or your friends, or your coworkers] to know about life? I wear this wristband to remind me of the five things I would say, five principles that I don't EVER want to forget." Naturally, most people want to know what those five principles are, and that's when we're off and running. VERY FUN!

Is faith just the product of computers made of meat?

Once again, science is asserting its supremacy. We are being told that our religious sensibilities are just biology. Are they? We asked one of our esteemed Light-work partners, Dr. Doug Matthews of Baylor University, to help us cut through the fluff.

LW - Give us an overview of what is going on here.

Dr. D - The perception that love, religion and morality are artifacts of biology is a conclusion that mainstream science and the popular press consistently promote. News conferences featuring scientists in starched, white lab coats are frequently used to advocate the belief that naturalistic mechanisms explain what appears to make a person uniquely different; that is, our ability to love, our ability to worship God and our ability to discern right from wrong. They conclude that human cognition, consciousness, and religious beliefs are due to natural biological mechanisms and are not due to some non-natural, external factors.

LW - Can you give us a couple examples of this kind of thinking?

Dr. D - Eric Kandel, a prominent neuroscientist, is the lead editor of an influential textbook titled Principles of Neural Science.  Kandel writes the opening chapter and therein outlines a strategy by which science, particularly neuroscience, might explain the human mind, what I might think of as the human soul. Kandel writes: “The next and even more challenging step in this unifying process within biology, which we outline in this book, will be the unification of the study of behavior - the science of the mind - and neural science, the science of the brain. This last step will allow us to achieve a unified scientific approach to the study of behavior. Such a comprehensive approach depends on the view that all behavior is the result of brain function.”

Kandel concludes this opening chapter by exclaiming, “Indeed, the excitement evident in neural science today is based on the conviction that at last we have in hand the proper tools to explore the extraordinary organ of the mind, so that we can eventually fathom the biological principles that underlie human cognition”.

LW - So check me to see if I understand what's going on here. A biblically informed understanding of man sees him as both material ("body") and immaterial ("spirit"). Kandel is proposing that the immaterial (the "mind" in his terminology) can be reduced to mere matters of brain function. So we are nothing more than computers made of meat.

Dr. D - Bingo! I find the two quotations disheartening but also informative as to why many scientists use naturalistic causes to explain all things human. In the second statement, Kandel restates the principle that the mind can by explained solely by naturalistic causes; to completely understand the mind we have to believe that all behavior is dependent on brain function.

LW - What is your critique of this approach?

Dr. D - For me as a scientist who believes that God infused something different into people (Genesis 1:26), the conclusion that everything “human” can be explained by the laws of science seems very simplistic. I also find this type of science arrogant. First, the conclusion that naturalism can explain the human mind and (by extension) love, religion and morality, is predetermined by the initial premise. It's circular logic. Second, the initial premise is a statement of faith; the scientist is saying, "I believe that ONLY naturalistic causes explain the human mind." The faith required for this statement is greater than my faith in a God who created the human mind. Finally, such an initial premise raises the specter of an agenda in science, that its interests lie only in conclusions that support its beliefs—that the mind is nothing but an artifact of biology.

Prior to the enlightment period, scientists believed science was a tool to investigate God’s creation. I suggest that science return to its foundations and accept the fact that we are investigating a world created by an Agent beyond our comprehension. Love, religion and morality likely exist in ways science will not completely understand. These moments of scientific wonder should be opportunities to glorify God and not make simplistic faith statements such as “we’ve yet to develop the scientific tools to explain the phenomenon”.   

Scientists who buy into Kandel’s framework only see naturalistic explanations for “the soul” of humans because they’ve filtered out all the data that leads toward any other conclusion. This might be a great recipe for popular press conferences and sound bites that are served up on the evening news, but it does not make for authentic or robust science that seeks to explore the grandeur and breadth of creation.

Me Tarzan, Me Spiritual! Pt. 2 of 2

There is a pendulum swinging - watch out you don't get hit! The commotion is being fueled by men who are feeling feisty, fed up with a feminist philosophy that devalues their manhood. They are tired of being told they will be appreciated as men when they become less . . men! They are angry and audacious enough to think manhood is something valuable, and worth celebrating. When John Eldredge wrote Wild at Heart in 2001, he tapped into this angst, gave it a voice for men following Jesus, and spawned a movement. I have some mixed feelings about the book that are well captured in this review. But I cannot deny that something profound is afoot.

There's good news and there's bad news. The good news is that a search is underway to rediscover a role for men that is both biblically framed and unapologetically virile. The bad news is some men are equating "being manly" with being godly. Call it the "Me Tarzan, Me Spiritual" (MTMS) Syndrome. The logic goes like this: If this is something that I am drawn to do as a man, and God created me as a man, then it must be good. There is something glaringly absent in this logic.

It is true that God created manhood, and it was good. But when Adam sinned, he became the patriarch of a race of sinners, sinners whose manhood could be twisted and perverted to ignoble ends. Praise God that when Jesus died, He made redemption possible, including the redemption of manhood. In Christ, it is possible for a man to distinguish between ways his old nature exploits his manhood to wreak havoc and ways his new nature brings out the best in his manhood to others' benefit. It is good to have a man around, but only when we are talking about a godly man.

So, I find MTMS no less disappointing than the feminist philosophy. They both don't get it. One says manhood is a liability, the other says manhood is an asset. Manhood can be EITHER, depending on whether or not we are talking about the redeemed variety. This is precisely what Paul was driving at when he listed the qualifications for an elder in Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7. These are male-gender specific descriptions of men whom God commends, declaring "Now this is what I am looking for." Such a man's ability to hunt and make a campfire, his love for contact sports, and his penchant for using antlers in all of his decorating are missing. As far as God is concerned, these things don't matter. What matters is that a man understands and applies what it means to be a godly man. To be a man is not to be spiritual, but to become spiritual is to bring out the best of what it means to be a man. To those who say, "Me Tarzan, Me Spiritual," I reply, "Me Spiritual, Me Make Man Look Good!"

Me Tarzan, Me Spiritual! Pt. 1 of 2

This wasn't your Daddy's religious revival! So exclaims Newsweek of a conference sponsored by Godmen, an organization that is attempting to help men follow Jesus without denying their manhood. On a visit to Chicago, I spoke with one of my former seminary profs, Dr. Bing Hunter, at Harvest Bible Chapel. He recounted that the vision of this remarkable church is centered on reaching men, a vision which even translated into its architecture - no lace, no quilted banners, no fresh flowers on the podium.The first blip on the radar was the remarkable success of John Eldredge's Wild at Heart. Now I am seeing "spirituality with antlers" all over the place.

What's going on here? There is no doubt about the gender gap in the church. According to David Murrow's book, Why Men Hate Going to Church, there are 13 million more women than men in the pews on any given Sunday. The Barna Group reports that women are much more likely to attend Sunday School, read the Bible, and pray. So is the godmen movement a mere reaction to the fact that men are missing in action at church? I contend there is MUCH MORE to it. There is a high-stakes spiritual battle raging. Let's put on some camo and face grease, belly crawl through the underbrush, and see if we can't penetrate the fog of war to put a laser on the real target. (Sounds like a very manly undertaking, eh what?)

In the last few decades, the feminist movement has achieved some success, including the reshaping of the public mind on the nature of manhood. I remember seeing this bumper sticker: "My husband is not a pig. Pigs are loving, sensitive creatures." The feminist line is that manhood is a liability, something that must be exorcized out of the man. To be a man is to be cursed with insensitivity, boorishness, and an insatiable drive to dominate. The best hope for a man is to suppress his manhood and develop the strengths of a woman, to learn how to communicate, to get in touch with his inner feelings. If he can tap into his softer, gentler side, he just might become someone who is an asset to have around.

Many deceptions get traction because there is some truth hanging around them. The truth to the feminist lie is that raw manhood, when united to a sinful nature, will produce all manner of masculine excess. We must not deny the loathsome evidence and ugly realities of this fact. But this sober principle is not uniquely relevant to men. Women whose sinful nature is driving their actions will produce nothing less despicable than their male counterparts, even though it will reflect the propensities of their gender.  In the case of BOTH men and women, we need redemption. We need to see women who display the best of what it means to be a woman because their thoughts, words, and deeds are propelled by the Spirit of God. We need to see men who, as men, are an asset to all they are associated with because their manhood has been captured by God and is an instrument for doing what pleases Him. So what, exactly, does this look like?

Is one more seeker-sensitive church needed?

Someone suggested in a recent conversation: "Maybe we need to become more of a seeker driven church?" I don't think so! This approach to ministry was pioneered by Rick Warren (Rick would call his approach "seeker sensitive") and Bill Hybels (who would use the term, "seeker driven"). The franchise has been emulated by thousands of churches in America and around the world.

These men have received a lot of criticism from the established church, but let me be clear that my aversion to their approach is not about these concerns. I am grateful for thousands who have come to Christ through the ministries of Saddleback, Willow, and other churches like them. Collierville Bible Church has had the privilege to grow saints who first embraced their Savior through these ministries.

My hesitation to emulate their model is more about a sense of God's calling for our church. I doubt that our modest fellowship could muster the kind of budget and program upon which this approach to ministry depends. But even if we could, do we really need one more church that is trying to do the same thing all the other seeker sensitive churches are doing? Do we really need another church that, because of resource constraints, is doing a so-so job of emulating the franchise when there are lots of other churches that are doing it well?

I don't think this is God's calling for our church. He is directing us to a "makers of disciple-makers" model that is not gauged by its success at "attracting a crowd," but by its ability to mobilize a core of disciple-makers. This is a model that is neither constrained by budgets nor limited in opportunities. Its fundamental challenge, according to Jesus, is a shortage of skilled and motivated labor.

As I consider the many churches in the seeker driven franchise, I view them as prolific birth and delivery centers. I am grateful for all the new births. Unfortunately, way too many saints are spending way too much time in the nursery as receivers. They are provided with a steady flow of goods and services. They "grow" into consumers. We see row upon row of those clear plastic baby tubs on hospital carts - they stretch as far as the eye can see. Who will get these babes out of their bassinets?

What we need is one more church that will help these babes become mature and productive givers. We need a church that will challenge the Christian consumerism that has become the norm. We need one more church that will affirm the destiny and calling of every babe to be made complete in Christ, to become a producer, to bear much fruit, and to reproduce. It is the longing of my heart for us to become one such church. We exist to mobilize hands for the harvest.

The Positive Power of Self-Loathing, Pt. 2 of 2

It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit” (2 Pet. 2:22). Peter is painting a pretty pukey picture. (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) Something that ought to be revolting has become desirable for consumption. But Peter is not talking about canine proclivities, but the nauseating behavior of some false followers of Jesus. They have lost their ability to be disgusted by the disgusting!

This isn't the only place this sickening trend shows up: In Romans 1, Paul pens a laundry list of the repugnant propensities of sinful men. He caps his list with this statement: And although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them (Rom. 1:32). Here are people who have no loathing of defilement, to be sure. They take it further by applauding others who share their same sin-sickness.

Who is capable of being healed, the man who is seriously ill and knows it, or the one who is seriously ill but insists he's just fine? This is precisely the question that framed Jesus ministry. And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32). Jesus is intent on helping those who are sick to admit it and get help. This ability to self-diagnose is a GIFT from God. Paul knows that when a man becomes sick of how he's living, He has God to thank for it. He notes, ...God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses (2 Tim. 2:25-26). God is the One who gives repentance, repentance leads to the ability to see how things really are, and this can restore a man from his sin-induced delirium.

Here's the bottom line. We live in a world that finds what is morally repugnant entertaining and attractive. Our society even applauds and celebrates the reprehensible. But praise God for the power to be sickened by sin, to loathe it, to want to get as far from the offensive smell of it as possible. This is one of God's good gifts to man, the power for a man to loathe sin around and within himself. It is what drives such a man to seek the pure, sweet fruit of righteousness. This is not the power of positive thinking put the positive power of self-loathing.

The Positive Power of Self-Loathing, Pt. 1 of 2

Someone loaned me a copy of The Secret. Why haven't I heard about this before? (I guess it's a secret!) This DVD has a companion book by the same title. The associated website heralds nothing less than a new era for humankind. Wow - a new era! This is SO exciting!

I won't get into a full-scale critique here, but I am struck by a poignant contrast between the message of "the secret" and a biblically informed appreciation of the power of self-loathing. Basically, "the secret," according to Rhonda Byrne's book and video is "the law of attraction," the idea that "the universe" gives you what you think about. Think negative thoughts, and the universe gives you negative stuff. But if you will ditch all that negativity and think about money and success, the universe will give you money and success. To harness the power of the "secret," dwell on the positive.

Kinda' makes me wonder about math scores in the US. When you measure the mathematical competency of American students, they are near the bottom among developed or developing nations. But when polled about how they FEEL about their math ability, these same students "feel really good" about themselves. Lots of positive thought here. So why isn't "the universe" giving them the great scores their positive self-view is attracting?

There is a dramatic contrast between The Secret and The Bible. In the Bible, there is great power in the kind of self-loathing that gasps, "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Rom. 7:24). The Apostle Paul was a devoted student of the Law and his studies showed him a glaring contrast. He could affirm that the Law outlines a way of life that is good. But he saw in himself a  persistent inability to live it out. This gap and the corresponding anguish of soul it produced was precisely what Paul needed (and we need). Teetering precariously on the edge of this chasm makes the truth crystal clear - We are beyond saving ourselves; we need to be rescued. No amount of positive thought to the contrary will change a sober reality, we need some ONE (not a universe) to help us in spite of who we are, what we do, and what we think! Praise God for Jesus who helps all such wretched men become what only He could make us - holy!

When "I do" means "I might"

My counseling schedule reflects an increase of marriages in crisis in January and September. (Can you figure out why?)  Lots of couples try to hold things together through the holidays, but when January hits - our national month for a reality check - many conclude (or can't agree) that the marriage is worth saving. These are the ones who don't seek counseling because they think, "What's the use?"

This is definitely a case of self-fulfilling prophesy. I have found that ANY couple who can at least agree to get outside help, has already made one of THE MOST IMPORTANT steps toward restoring the marriage. The couple that doesn't, in many (most?) cases, has concluded their relationship is "beyond hope." So they stop investing in it, which only accelerates and insures its demise.

Here's one of the things that gets me about those who decide to call it quits. When they stood before a minister and pledged their commitment and fidelity, they added a phrase like this - "for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health." This phrase was intended to make something clear:  "I am committed to you NO MATTER WHAT."

So when I hear of another couple calling it quits, I wonder what they meant when they made their vows. Most (all?) brides and grooms are not lying when they say "no matter what." But when they come to a certain January and decide it's over, their decision declares their vows as lies. Very few focus on their integrity crisis. They are not asking, "Do my words really mean something? When I give my word, can you count on it?" I wish they would. If our words don't mean something on an issue as profound as marriage, what will they be worth on any lesser commitment?

Maybe you are wondering if your marriage is worth saving. I can assure you, IT IS! But even more important, is your word worth keeping? Do you mean what you say and say what you mean? If you declared to your partner, I am committed to you "no matter what," then do whatever it takes to keep your word. Admit you're in trouble. Set your will to resolving the issues and strengthening the relationship. Get godly help. Prove that when you said "I do" you didn't really mean "I might."

The Daewoo Prayer

Do not be fooled by what you see to the left. It probably looks like a Daewoo Nubira, a Korean import marketed in the US between 1999 and 2002. The company was dismantled by the Korean government in 1999 which effectively rendered the Nubira into an orphan. It wasn't a bad car, but because of the challenge of finding parts, if you owned one, it was hard to sell. By the way, Nubira is the Korean word for "to go anywhere." Because this model was going nowhere, it was anything BUT a Nubira.

So what does this have to do with prayer? We were ministering to a single mom, call her Mary, who owned a Nubira she needed to sell. If Daewoo was still in business, Mary could have quickly realized something from the sale to help her with living expenses. But, alas, no one was buying. We parked the car on the church parking lot where it was highly visible to thousands who drove by. It was in great shape. Even with a drastically reduced price, there were no takers. Zero! So our community group started appealing to Father. One night I prayed, "Lord, would you please bring someone to Mary who JUST HAS TO HAVE a Daewoo?" That prayer was about asking God to not just sell the Daewoo, but to do so in a way that left no doubt HE was the one selling it.

Within days, God brought that person. This was THE CAR they wanted. The contrast between the complete ABSENCE of interested parties BEFORE the Daewoo prayer, and the immediate provision of the one buyer who HAD TO HAVE A DAEWOO left NO DOUBT that God answers prayer, even prayer that asks for the seemingly impossible. So now, we sometimes talk about a "Daewoo Prayer." This kind of prayer is the TRUE NUBIRA - the prayer that boldly asks God to take us where only He can, the prayer that sustains us "to go anywhere" with Him.

The Whole Disciple-Making Enchilada

Over the last several months, I have posted several articles related to one theme:  Calling the church back to her mission. Once Jesus completed His earthly mission, He assigned us ours. It is nothing less than a planet wide rescue operation! And it is DOABLE if we will follow His mission strategy.

Since these articles have been scattered over the previous several months, I thought it would be helpful to create a post where you can get the whole enchilada. Think of the previous posts as mosaic tiles. This post is the pattern that brings those tiles together into a unified picture. If you are fairly new to L-W, this summary (and the associated links) will quickly get you up to speed. The material noted below is the critical foundation upon which to understand the DNA of disciple-makers. That's what we will be considering at L-W later this month.

So here's the executive summary.

1. There is a sense, even among premier churches in America that something is wrong.
2. It is my contention that we are growing oaks without acorns, namely, church members (and churches) who are not makers of disciple-makers. If we could muster just 100 people who would follow Jesus' model and duplicate themselves in 11 others every three years, there would be over a billion makers of disciple-makers in just 21 years!  (By the way, I had to do some correcting of my equations - this chart replaces the previous one.)
3. Jesus, on the night in which He was betrayed, looked back with satisfaction on the completion of His mission to train the twelve (minus one). To this point, He had been the "giver" while they were the "receivers." But at their graduation (Matt. 28:18-20), Jesus commanded them to become "givers." The church will never become what she was intended until "receivers" become "givers."
4. The DNA of an acorn includes both product and process information and the acorn is the "package" by which this information is delivered from a parent tree to the next generation. We need to understand the DNA of disciple-making - this is the code that is first received and then given to another in the process of disciple-making.
5. The Gospels show us Jesus, the master disciple-maker, in action and are a primary resource for understanding the DNA of disciple-making. But the remainder of the New Testament is of equal importance to understanding this DNA. Makers of disciple-makers will impart to others the DNA that is found in "beginnings" and in "more things," the two parts of the Master's manual for disciple-making.

With this information as our foundation, let's see if we can unpack the product and process information found in the DNA of disciple-making.

What An Angry Man Needs, Pt. 2 of 2

Yesterday, we checked out this verse: A man of great anger will bear the penalty, for if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again (Prov. 19:19). We  warned those on the receiving end of another's rage to do what will work toward the angry man's improvement. Today, let's flip this verse around and discover a cool technique for another individual, not the one being railed against, but the one doing the railing. There is a powerful application embedded in Prov. 19:19 that can profoundly help the man of great anger .

According to this verse, anger is not a terminal condition! Here's some irony - The man of great anger who is rescued is the one who is trapped, forever repeating the same old cycle of resentment, rage, remorse, and relief. But if he is NOT rescued, he can be saved! It might not happen in one fell swoop, but if those around the angry man REFUSE TO RESCUE him, there is a good chance he can improve. So if an angry man can invite, even authorize, those around him to let him suffer the full consequences of his rage, he can make progress in his quest to conquer his anger!

Here are a couple of steps you can use to put feet to this principle:  First, do some research. Research all the ways your anger has created pain, hurt and hardship for others. When you are calm and committed to remain so, do some interviews of those who have been on the receiving end of your outbursts. Ask them to give you a candid and complete description of what your tirades have actually done. Write it all down. Read what you have written. Often! Let it really sink in - don't dismiss what you're hearing. By listing all the ways your anger has gotten you into trouble, you will get in the right frame of mind to follow step two.

Now, issue some "Permission to Refuse Rescue" (PRR) Cards. Give to each of your previous research subjects a red card. (Depending on how serious your problem is, you might want to have these cards laminated!) Here is some suggested text to put on your card:

I am serious about wanting to conquer my anger problem. So I am asking you to refuse to rescue me when I lose it. When I am yelling, throwing stuff, getting in your face, and out-of-control, you have my express permission to simply show me this card, quietly exit the area, and leave me to stew in solitary silence. This is for my own good - please do not rescue me by trying to pretend nothing happened or by making little of the damage I am causing. DO NOT RESCUE ME OR WE WILL BE IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE AGAIN!

I am not such a schmo (This begs the question - how much of a schmo are you, Jim?) as to think anger will be forever vanquished once everyone around you is equipped with PRR Cards. But this procedure does have an intriguing feature. Remember how we talked about the addictive power of anger?  Anger (being out-of-control) is addictive because we enjoy the feeling of being in control. (No irony there, eh?) When others flash a PRR Card on us, they are doing so because we told them to. So in this angry moment, we can salve our ego in the knowledge that someone is letting us stew in consequences precisely because we commanded it.

Bottom line: Whether you use PRR cards or some other process, establish some type of pact with those around you. Authorize them to let you stew in the pickle produced by your passion - you might just learn something that makes you LESS likely to yell "Flame on!" when someone hits your button.

What An Angry Man Needs, Pt. 1 of 2

When you live or work beside someone with a volatile temper, you know the warning: "Push the button - reap the whirlwind!" So you tread lightly, hoping you don't. But when you accidentally do, hardly have you uttered "Oops" before Mr. Hothead starts breathing fire and scorching the earth. That's when you'll do anything, ANYTHING, to throw some water on the flames and reclaim your fragile peace. All your energies are now harnessed for damage control.

For those who eek it out walking on these eggshells, here's a Proverb that sounds like an invitation to be the test dummy at flame-thrower practice. A man of great anger will bear the penalty, for if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again (Prov. 19:19).  It sounds like Solomon is counseling eggshell dwellers to forget about it. Forget trying to salvage the situation. Forget trying to undo all the damage caused by someone else's angry madness. Forget placating your way to peace. Stand back and just let 'er burn!

When we minimize or erase the consequences of a man's wrath, we REINFORCE his reliance on anger. We reward him with the ego satisfaction of seeing everyone jump at his bidding. And, by our reluctance to say anything negative for fear of "setting him off again," we deny him the benefit of beholding all the damage he has caused. Solomon would say that the best possible thing you can do for the man of great anger is allow him to feel the full brunt of the mess he has made. Anything else will insure that Mr. Hothead learns NOTHING from his folly and is spring loaded to do it again.

Suppose a woman with small children has inadvertently pushed her husband's button and he is going ballistic. She must face the fact that his anger is putting the safety of her children at risk. So her next move is to get them (and herself) out of the house without fanfare. This might help her husband see he is making a mess of things when he gets out of control. The wife is not responsible for her husband's anger. She is responsible for reinforcing this negative behavior if she insulates him from the consequences of his mess and tries to just "patch things up." (Translation:  Pretend it didn't happen but live in fear that it WILL happen again!)

There is a great principle nested in this verse for the man who wants to conquer his anger. Let's talk about it tomorrow.

Feed Me!

I have noticed that most L-W subscribers are using email for notifications. This is fine, but maybe you didn't know about RSS Feeds, another VERY SLICK way to stay current with the  latest at Light-Work. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Look at the screen shot to the left and notice where the orange RSS chicklet is. (The REAL one is in the column to the far right near the bottom.)

When you click on this menu item, something amazing happens. If you are using Mozilla Firefox as your web browser, and you click on "subscribe in a reader," an orange chicklet will appear in a menu bar near the top of your web-browser. It will say "Lightwork" beside it. Whenever you click on this chicklet, the titles for all the latest posts at Light-work will line up like smart little soldiers. The minute a new article is posted, it will join the ranks of its comrades. So you don't need to come to light-work incessantly (much as I would be delighted for you to do so). Just review the troops, see who's new, and click on his name tag to look him in the face.

If you are using Internet Explorer, the process will involve one additional step. It's all automated for you, so don't get stressed.  When you come to Light-work and click on the "subscribe in a reader" chicklet to the right, you will be prompted to sign up for a FREE RSS reader. (Internet Explorer does not include this feature, at the moment.) Just pick a reader (like Newsgator), open a free account, and your Lightwork RSS chicklet will salute you in a menu bar, ready for your review of the troops!

God Can Answer Prayer With A Pink Slip

Joel and Della are friends and ministry partners and they get it! They will tell you that sometimes God is answering our prayers precisely when He is giving us what we wouldn't choose for ourselves. Last year I visited Joel at his former place of employment. What a dedicated worker and great team leader! But a few months ago, his boss informed him that he was going to be let go. For most people, this would prompt anxiety and hand-wringing.  But Joel and Della are definitely NOT "most people."

They (along with others of us) had been praying that God would lead him to a new position that was more family and ministry friendly. So when Joel's boss said "your path leads elsewhere" they heard God encouraging them, "It's time. I am about to answer your prayers." The video clip is Joel's story - and it's a great reminder that God answers prayer, even when His gifts come wrapped in some "bad news."

Give Me A Nugget!

Welcome back!  The new year has begun and it's a good time to think about where we have been and where we're going at light-work. I started blogging on Sept. 20, 2007, let a few friends know about it, and asked for their feedback. I wasn't sure if I had something worth saying (translation: "worth your time to read") and doubted my ability to keep fresh material coming. But one month later (October 21), the response from friends was encouraging. (Friends are good about this sort of thing.) I also discovered in this first month that I was challenged, not by the absence of material, but by having too much!

While studying this whole blogging business, it seemed to me that sites like light-work are somewhat rare. There are lots of blogs, many hosted by Christians. But it was hard to find a site for people who want help conforming their thoughts, words, and deeds to the truth. It seemed to me that light-work could serve a valuable need.

But, it remained to be seen whether others (who weren't visiting light-work out of their kindness as friends) would affirm my perception. We are coming up on a significant light-work milestone - "10,000 page views." (We will probably cross this threshold later next week.) "Page views" are requests to view either one of the main LW pages or a particular post and its related comments. (There are currently 67 posts and over 200 comments at light-work.) If you think of a page view as a truth nugget, it means that we have given out almost 10,000 nuggets in the last three months. So I am convinced that light-work is worth doing, not simply because I perceive a need but because you are saying by your page views, "Give me another nugget!"

Your response declares that more people would benefit from light-work, if they knew about it.  So let 'em know! You can use the "Pastor In Your Pocket" plan to send truth nuggets to others. Word of mouth is always good.  And have you considered the power of "inbound links?" You create one of these when you put a link to light-work on your web-site, blog-site, or face-book page. By clicking on these links, people come to light-work and (we hope) say, "Wow! This is great - now I can get some truth nuggets, too!" The existence of lots of quality inbound links is a critical factor in determining whether search engines (like Google) direct people to light-work.

We have some improvements coming in 2008. Our meat-and-potatoes of fresh weekday posts will stay the same. But over the next twelve months, we will be implementing a major expansion of our "pretty good downloads" (PGD) section to include some audio resources. Also look for "PGD compilations" in which we take a popular series of posts and edit them into a complete article that you can download as a PDF file. My hope is to make more resources available through an expanded PGD menu structure so you don't have to spend your time scrolling for nuggets. These are some of my ideas, but I am open to yours.  What do you wish you could find at light-work in 08?