Well, well . . .

This blog is still here!

Seriously, after months of insanity I'm resigning from the Rat Race. Therefore, there will be more moldy cheese for the winner.

The past several months have been an interesting period in life for me. I've learned a lot; much of which is probably not new to many.

After all that has taken place; all the energy expended, tears shed, sore muscles, sleepless nights, early mornings, intense conversations, and much more I now am even more convinced that Micah 6:8 sums it up.

'He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?'

Sublime wisdom from heaven.

The End of it All

The end of it all is this: fear the Lord and keep his commandments. (Eccl. 12:13)

Pretty simple, huh? That little statement penned by King Solomon is a summary of the lessons learned from of one of the most unusual books in the Scriptures. Solomon, seeking fulfillment in life, delved into a narcissistic period most likely unmatched in history. And, it was vanity. This man, whom God endowed with incredible wisdom, summed up a lifetime of learning from mistakes in that seemingly pithy sentence. Amazing.

However, it is powerful in its truth. The two precepts encompass all of existence. In the next few posts I want to delve into these principles.

Fear the Lord. Keep his commandments. Simple, yet profound.
Fear the Lord. Keep his commandments. Ancient, yet relevant.
Fear the Lord. Keep his commandments. Simple, yet difficult.
Fear the Lord. Keep his commandments. Ancient, yet refreshing.

Fear the Lord. Keep his commandments.

Madison Avenue Missions?

I thought I had seen it all. The current craze to use all means possible to grab the attention of non-churchgoers has produced some truly wacky methods of outreach in addition to ‘campaigns’ designed to draw people into the church’s facility. Becoming all things to all men in order that one might win some has reached a point of incredulity: cooking contests, races, ‘whatever’ nights, professional wrestlers, concerts, and much more. But, today I may have seen the topper.

When addressing this crazy unbiblical penchant for extreme outreach from the pulpit I have stated the following:

If it is all about drawing unsaved people here in order that they might be able to hear a message of hope I could pack this place out next week. It would be filled with unsaved men and women; those that need to hear the gospel. Here’s how I would do it.

I would take out ads that state that next Sunday we will be serving all the beer on tap that you can drink, all the food that you can eat, and every hour we will have special guests-strippers.

Yep, that will pack them in. But is it right?

I know that sounds silly, but push the reasoning to the nth degree and that is what happens.

In our city there is a congregation that is, in my opinion, far beyond the limits of acceptability regarding outreach programs. I’m no prude. But, I find the following appalling. On the marquee for the past several weeks has been a sign proclaiming the upcoming series to be ‘Pure Sex’. Along with this is the following url yourlamesexlife.net. Okay, a little racy. This week past a banner, and now bulletin boards are up:





The suggestive nature of the ads is inappropriate. Again, I’m no prude. I think that the church addresses human sexuality too little, on the whole. But, it must be done in a proper manner. And, we have no biblical warrant to use it as a method of evangelism. Yes, I know the logic behind it: Appeal to a felt need and then slip in the gospel. The only problem is that is not the biblical pattern of evangelism. It creates self-centered church goers who may or may not be actual Christians.

What do you think?

The Constant

Constancy is an underrated commodity in our modern world. Mobile telephones, computers, media technology, automobiles, even cooking appliances seem to become outdated almost upon market entry. Families and individuals move on a regular and frequent basis. Rare is the individual who lives in the community where his grandparents lived. As a society we have embraced change to an amazing degree. This brings with it many stresses that our forebears never faced.

As I wrote earlier, our churches change methods seemingly at the drop of a hat. Our families face a barrage of change on a regular basis. Some changes are inevitable and wonderful: the growth of children, the deepening of relationships, marriage and children, these are good and a blessing. Other changes such as the blurring of familial roles, the demands placed upon working fathers, and the continual drone of the siren call of a fallen world to 'blend in' place a burden upon God fearing families.

What is the constant upon which we can depend? Obviously it is our unchanging Sovereign Lord. This may seem simple; but it is profound. He has placed us in this world at this time. He stands in stark contrast to the fluid society in which we live. This fact should make it much easier for the Christian to remain steadfast. Yet, many Christians are overwhelmed by the changes which they face. Why is this?

At the risk of offending I offer this: While most Christians say that God is sovereign they really do not believe it. Very few in the American church will stand and say that God is the absolute final determiner of events. Mention the fact that a hurricane's course is directed by God and you are called an eccentric at best. You may even be labeled an heretic. To what extent does the sovereignty of God extend? Proverbs 16:33 says, ' The lot is cast into the lap, but the disposition thereof is of the Lord.' Today we would say, 'The dice are rolled, but the numbers that come up come from God.' No, this is not a license to play games of chance. It is, however, a very clear indicator of just how far the the work of God extends into the affairs of man. This is not fatalism. This is a statement of explicit faith in God. The modern view of God is far too small. Modern Christianity's view of God is one of a God who is hindered from truly exercising his power. He is dependent upon the actions of others to accomplish his will. This is a far cry from the picture of God that is painted in the Biblical narrative.

How does this affect us in our daily struggle amidst the changes of life? In every way. Once the Christian surrenders his haughty intellect to the truth of our Sovereign Lord a true, deep, and lasting peace can enter the heart. We can trust unrelentingly upon the goodness of our God. We need not despair when unforeseen change occurs; regardless of how painful that change may be. Think about it. How could an unsovereign God fulfill the promise of Romans 8:28?

God is our constant.

In With the Old

Recently I received a 'new' Bible. It is a new binding and typeset. But, it is a very old translation. The 1599 Geneva Bible. Tolle Lege press has published an edition of the Scriptures that is very well done. The Geneva Bible was the backbone translation of the English speaking world from its first printing in 1560 until well into the 17th century. What the folks have done at Tolle Lege is remarkable. Until now if you desired to read or use this translation you had to read a facsimile of an original. It takes some adjusting to use one. The spelling, punctuation, and type set have been updated. It contains all the text, less the Apocrypha, and the original notes. It is quite a work.

What amazes me is the ease with which it is read. Even for a modern English speaker the syntax is not difficult. It is much easier to read than the venerable Authorised Version (KJV). Theology aside it is easy to see why the Geneva remained the favoured translation for a long time after the publication of the KJV.

Perhaps with this new publication the older will replace the younger. It really is a beautiful translation. So, go out and buy a 'breeches Bible' for yourself. You won't regret it.

(I do not receive compensation in any form from Tolle Lege.)

Clean Shaven

For the first time in almost half of my life my face is clean shaven. Yes, that may not mean much to you, but it is quite a change for some in my life. My daughter, up until three weeks ago, had never seen me in that state. I must admit it is still distracting to me when I pass a mirror or window in which I can see my reflection. It was not something that I desired to do. It was a requirement of my new 'secular' job.

It has been amazing to see the reactions of people who know me. Some people I've known for years have passed me without knowing they did so. They do a double take and, BAM! realisation sets in. Being in this renewed state has caused me to reflect upon just how much we become accustomed to appearance; how we come to expect certain people's appearance to remain static, how we find comfort in familiarity. We find comfort in being able to foreknow what is coming to some degree.

Unfamiliarity brings with it distraction. The first Lord's Day that I preached with my new look it was quite comical. As I preached I could tell that many people were gazing intently at my chin. Normally, the majority of my congregation maintains a good degree of eye contact, but not that day. Yesterday one member, who had been in attendance for the past three weeks, came to me and said, 'Pastor, I finally realised that you've shaved your beard off. I knew you looked different, but I could not place it. Now, I can really listen again.' I believe that in the life of a congregation stability and predictability can be a blessing; even in corporate worship. In our day of constant striving for new and innovative worship we may be missing a vital function of delivery: constancy. Are we in our endeavour for the novel missing the blessing of the mundane? Have we begun to place needless distractions in front of our congregants eyes and hearts?

Then there is the fact of setting: Recently I and my family have dipped our toes into the world of Reenacting the War Between the States or the War for Southern Independence. (Yes, I do not call that war the PC term. Regardless of your 'side' it is not an accurate term.) When I sported my beard it seemed to just 'fit'. Witness the photo above. Now I'm a clean shaven soldier. The look is completely different.

What has that to do with our view of congregational life? When we make a change we should be careful to see that the change fits the culture and manners of the situation in which we are placed. I know that this is elementary, but I constantly receive mail and emails touting instant church growth if one will purchase and apply the following 'package'. Some sorts of outreach, worship style, discipleship, etc, work very well in one setting and are totally inappropriate in others. Something as simple and basic to American Christians as 'door knocking' would be disastrous in other settings eg. the church in China, Vietnam, Tajikstan, or any other place where the church is undergoing persecution. This appears obvious, but do we do the same thing in our own subcultures? I believe so.

We would be wise to prayerfully consider any changes we make in our families and churches. Some changes, those mandated by Scripture, obviously should be pursued - within context. Others, perhaps not.

Mea Culpa

Dear Readers,
Please accept my apologies. Over the past few several weeks I've had a whirlwind of changes take place. I went from being a general contractor during the week to sub-contracting. The work took me away from home for 12 - 16 hours each day. This left little time for reflection let alone writing. Three weeks ago I took a new job with a national building supply company as an outside salesman. It is a welcome change.

Additionally, our congregation is undergoing some interesting changes that are consuming my time.

But, this does not end my endeavour to raise the standard of Biblical Manhood. So, press on men. Honour God. Pursue the ideals of chivalrous living. Love and cherish those in your course of life, especially the women.

Until I have more time,
Lawrence

Modern Day Chivalry : Intergrity

I'll never forget him. He was the Superintendent of the school that I went to for most of my underclass education. He had been there since shortly after the end of World War II. When he took the position at the small Christian prep school the only clothes he had were his U.S. Army uniforms. His name was Perry Mason. To this laddie Mr. Mason was larger than life. His office was on the hallway between the two buildings that made up our 'campus'. (They were actually surplus Quartermaster buildings.) He was a strict disciplinarian and rumour had it that his paddle was actually powered by electricity.

When I was in fourth grade I failed routinely to turn in my assignments. My teacher's paddlings didn't spur me on to greater academic endeavour. My father's didn't either. So, one fine day I was sent to see. . . Mr. Mason. I was mortified. I knew that I would not survive the electric paddle. I sat in his secretary's office and waited. He called me in. I cannot divulge all of the activities that took place behind his closed door. I'll just state that, yes, he did have a paddle that had a cord coming out of the handle. It was hanging in a display box on his wall. Our discussion was one that I will cherish for my entire life. From that day on I had a friend.

The main theme of it was this, 'Lawrence, the only thing you will ever have in your life is your name. Everything else belongs to someone else. What you do with your name is up to you.'

Fast forward. . .
I am now a senior attending the same school. Now we meet in a new state of the art (for 1980) school building. We have different superintendent. In chapel one morning our guest speaker was, Mr. Perry Mason.

I'll never forget that speech. Mr. Mason stood behind the pulpit and said, 'Young men and young ladies I may never have this opportunity to speak to you again. So, I want to tell you what I believe are the most important facts that I have learned in my life: In the end, there are only two things that matter. First, is your walk with God. Second, is your name; your integrity.' He went on from there.

Mr. Mason was a knight. He would come to the aid of the defenseless. He would shape the lives of those around him. He was a man that would keep his word to his own hurt. He was never do in private what he would be ashamed to speak of in public. He was a man with integrity.

At the core of real Christian manhood, not the emotion driven drivel that permeates the 'bookstore church', but the gutsy, strong, self-sacrificing, hard-nosed faith of Christ lies personal integrity. It is the foundation upon which all other honourable behaviour must be constructed. It is all too easy in our world of veneer to be lulled into a two, three, or more faced existence. Let's quit it and be whole men.

A Blustry Day

Today we awoke to a gusty Southerly wind that bore upon it the Gulf's humidity. Off and on all day it has rained. At times the rain is a driven drizzle. At others it is a torrential downpour. Interspersed among those periods are moments of relative calm. I love this type of fall weather. It portends the coming cooler days and evenings that make living in this climate so enjoyable. As I sat on a porch and reflected upon the weather today I was reminded of how today's weather parallels much of life; at least mine. It seems as if my life consists of one period of 'blowing rain' after another. At times it is gentle, then comes a gale. I'm continually reminded of the apostle Paul's words to Timothy, ' All who desire to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.' I will be the first to say that I've never faced real persecution. I've just been inconvenienced occasionally. Having said that, I do believe that disciples of Jesus Christ will have 'stormy' lives. How could it be otherwise?

We live world bent upon manifesting the depravity of our natural birth. We should come into regular and head on conflict with the ethos of the world. This should cause turbulence in our lives. We don't have to look for it; it will come.

But, we are not merely living 'today'. We are living for an eternal reward with our Saviour. The 'cooler weather' that is coming.

Hmm, My Technological Prowess Strikes Again!

No, I really do know how to count. I realize that there is not a number three in the posts regarding chivalry. Somehow last night my little MacBook and Blogger didn't communicate clearly and I posted number IV about sixteen times with one push of the button. In trying to straighten it out I inadvertently deleted number III. It was a real humdinger, too. If you missed it you can pick it up at your local newsstand. Every paper in the nation carries my syndication. I wish. . .

You know that wonderful phrase of computer techs? PICNIC. I think sometimes I regress to that level.

Problem
In
Chair
Not
In
Computer

Ugh.

Knights and Modern Chivalry III

'All Scripture is inspired and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction and for training in righteousness.'

'Study to show thyself approved, a workman that needeth not be ashamed.'

These two scriptures from Paul's pen may not appear to be tied to chivalry. But, they lie at its core. As the system of knighthood developed in days of yore a central element was the devotion of the knight to God, the word of God, and the church. Obviously all knights were not Godly men, but the ethical system of knighthood, the chivalric code, was based upon Biblical ethics. Historically speaking there was not a written code that all knights swore to, rather it was an ethos that developed over time. It varied from one culture to another. The endearing ideals of chivalry that we remember today are probably best summed up by Bernard of Clairveuax. He listed twelve components of chivalry:

Integrity
Fidelity or Loyalty
Succor
Benevolence
Courtesy
Selflessness
Obedience to authority
Joyfulness
Frugality
Bravery or Fortitude
Cleanliness
Reverence

Each of these elements is derived from a proper understanding of Scripture. While one might try to develop the character traits in his strength in time he will fail. They can only be truly developed through the internal ministry of the Holy Spirit as a man lives in Christian community.

So, how do those Scriptures apply to this ethical code? First, we notice that the Scriptures are given by divine inspiration; literally 'God breathed'. This makes them unique among all writings. In them are contained all the wisdom revealed to man by Almighty God. They contain the wisdom which leads to salvation and so much more. If a man is to become a modern day knight he must accept this fact as his foundational commitment: The Holy Scriptures are the only divine revelation of Almighty God. They are the sole rule of faith and practice. In our lives we are bombarded by 'expert advice' of all sorts. Most of it is the dribblings of pagan minds. A great majority of the counsel that is given the modern church is compromised with worldly humanism at best. Some of it is outright heresy. If we are to recover genuine Godly manhood we must accept nothing but that which clearly taught and promoted in God's holy word.

Secondly, we see that Paul admonishes us to study the Scriptures. Not just to read them. Not just to be acquainted with them. No, we are to be diligent scholars of the word of God. The study of Scriptures is neglected by far too many men. In discussions with men I find that on average men spend less than five minutes per day reading the Bible. Almost none lead their family in Bible reading or family worship. How is a man to know the will of God if he does not read the revelation given to him?

So, men, pick up your Bible read it. Read it some more. Wear out the bindings. (I've made a deal with my congregation. If they will wear out their Bible's binding from study I will personally pay to have it rebound. I'm may have some men take me up on it in the next few months.) Study. Meditate upon the word. Become a man who doesn't have to turn to the 'experts' to find out where God said 'X'.

Over the next few posts we will look at each of the element of Chivalry, how the Bible addresses them, and how to implement them in our lives.

My Proverbs 31 Wife

On 08January 1988 I married the most remarkable woman I've ever known. We were both so young and desperately loved one another. Today, we are older and love one another even more. Molly is the joy of my life. She loves me, encourages me, challenges me. pushes me, slows me down - she truly is a helper suitable for me.

As we have grown together I've seen her develop into one of the most practical Christian women I know. She has been given a dose of wisdom that is sorely needed in today's church.

A short while ago she started a blog. It is well worth marking whether you are a man or women. I've linked it in the left column or you can type it in. The address is mollyunderwood.blogspot.com

Knighthood and Modern Chivalry II

I've been meaning to get back to this, but time has been a rare commodity. What I saw yesterday spurred me on. At times the most effective manner in which to define an idea or manner is to demonstrate what it is not.

While standing in amazement at the speed of the increasing digits on the diesel pump as I filled my truck I observed what may just be the essence of downgraded modern 'manhood'. I put that in quotation marks because I don't view what I saw as manhood in any shape.

A car pulled up and the man, sitting slouched behind the wheel, reached across and with a yell pushed the woman sitting there out of the door and in no uncertain terms, using language that is unprintable, ordered her to fill the gas tanks. She complied. As she was doing so a child in the back seat escaped the vehicle on the driver's side and began to run around. This tyke was probably about three years of age. 'Man' yelled that the woman needed to corral the blankity blank little blank. She complied. Meanwhile he nozzle over ran the tank. 'Man' yelled using similar erudite language skills for the woman to shut it off. (All the while he as a cheap cigarette hanging out of his mouth. God's mercy is hard to figure out.) She complied. He then told her to go in and pay for the gas. She asked for money. He told her to use her own. She complied. When she came back he began to smack her for taking so long. (All of two minutes or so.)

This vile man is the epitome of what is not manhood. The story doesn't end.

At this point I'd had enough. So had two other men. We approached the car and told the man to get out. He refused until one man said that the police had already been called. (Striking someone is battery.) Minutes later the police pulled up. The man was arrested on outstanding warrants. The police said that the woman was going to go to her mother's house in Birmingham.
As you read this you are probably have in your minds eye a rusted out car and two very shabbily dressed people with unkempt hair. 'White trash' as some would say. You'd be dead wrong. This car cost over $60,000. The people were dressed in very expensive clothing. If you had seen them walking down the street you would have probably been visually impressed. They, on the outside were poster children for modern 'success'.

That man is not a knight.

A Big Deal That is Not So Big.

Today for the first time since May I was able to run without my ankle swelling like a pumpkin. Now, that may not be a big deal for you, but it is to me. In May, by God's mercy, I was spared serious injury to my legs in a construction accident. Really, it is a miracle that my legs and ankles were not crushed. I had been running for four months and was beginning to get a good level of fitness built up. All that came to a sudden stop. I did have to use a splint and cane for a while, but all in all I was spared a great deal.

This morning I ran the first real run since that date; and, no significant swelling! Praise God. Watch out roads, here I come.

A Lord's Day Morning

This morning came cool and dry. Quite a change and very refreshing. As the sun rose, the birds began their chirping calls, and the leaves begin to nod in the breeze I find myself in awe of our Creator God. His beauty must be so far above anything we can imagine. It is humbling to realise that he would show us any favour at all.

Oh, the wonderful Lord we serve!

Knights and Modern Day Chivalry

Knights. Their legacy filled the mind of many a lad. The history and legends of King Arthur, St. George, the Black Knight, and others fill scores of books. When I was a youngster they were some of the most worn books on the shelf of the classroom library and the general library. Recently, I was at the library and noticed that many of these same books, and others dealing with knights and chivalry, appeared to be almost new. They were on the rack of books to be sold. I picked up a copy of The Once and Future King, and noted that it had only been checked out twice in the last twelve years. The librarian told me that books on knights are just not popular any longer and they need the shelf space for other materials.

This anecdote is telling. Our culture is losing its last vestiges of masculinity. In masculinity's twilight boys are not drawn to the brawny-gentle heroes of the past. No, they now relish the conquests of barbaric heroes. This is evidenced in the popularity of many of the video games, movies, and other entertainment of popular culture. Masculinity has been redefined as brutality.

What would chivalry look like today? We'll explore that next time.

Call me a Fruit

Well, I did it. I left the world of Windows and have joined the Apple crowd. After two years of fighting my Windows based laptop I have made the jump to the more stable Mac platform. And, so far I love it.

Safe in the Arms of Jesus

Thunder Storm season is upon us, finally.

We have been in one of the driest seasons that our area has ever experienced. Normally, each day in the summer we have thunderstorms roll in from the Gulf. This year it has not happened with any regularity until this past week. The storms are beautiful to behold. They rise into the atmosphere with authority. The send shafts of lighting to the ground repeatedly. The thunder sounds like a 19th century artillery duel. The rain comes in torrents. I love it.

Yet, it was not always so. When I was a wee lad I was terrified of storms. I would hide in our little house behind the gas heater until they passed. I can still recall the odour of that hiding area over thirty-five years later. One afternoon as a storm was approaching our house my daddy took me out onto the little concrete stoop we had. He pointed out the storm to me. I wanted to run inside and hide. He kept talking. Explaining to this little five year old that God made the storms. That lightning causes the thunder. I can still remember that chat.

Later that summer we moved from our little house in Georgia to a new house in Arkansas. I 'helped' my daddy in the U-Haul truck. As we passed through the frying pan flats of the Arkansas Delta we drove through sections of rice and soy beans. In the distance there were very strong thunderstorms developing. Again, my daddy pointed them out and, because of the open country, he could show me much of what he'd already taught me. My response this time was very different. I wanted us to drive through the storms. I wanted to experience this phenomenon with my father who understood so much of it.

Now, I'm a storm bug. I love them. They fascinate me. I ended up growing up in one of the most active sections of the country for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. While I have a great deal of respect for them, I am drawn to them.

In our lives we have fear. Some fears are rational. Others, are not rational and works of our minds. Regardless of the source of our fear if we are Christians we have a Father who not only knows the details of the storm in which we find ourselves. He is the sovereign Lord of the situation and ultimately brings it into our live for our good. Romans 8:28 is an oft quoted and little understood passage of Scripture.

'For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose.'

This is not a trite platitude that is to be tossed around. These words are the very anchor of sanity for the Christian. If you are called by God to salvation it is with a purpose. It is a plan of God and each occasion in our lives rests in the hand of God.

As we grow we should come to realise that we should not fear the storms of life. Rather, we should cherish them as the gifts of God that they are.

Hmm, this thing's still here. . .

I know I sound like a broken record, but I may need to change my middle name to Hectic, Frazzled, or some other descriptor. In the past two months I've: crashed my comptuer at least a dozen times (I see an Apple in my future), been through my dog whelping and raising a litter in the house, been working furiously to finish a contract job and ended up being 'shafted' in a contract dispute, trying to keep my drying dying yard from drying and dying, doing all the normal 'pastory' stuff, trying to somehow put a brick on my daughter's head to keep her from growing up so fast.

Simplicity, that is what I've been meditating upon. Jesus Christ never seemed to be in a hurry. That is a facet of discipleship that is decidedly missing in American Christianity.

Conflagration

It can start in such an insignificant manner. A campfire not properly extinguished. A tossed out butt from a cigarette. A single lightning strike. Even a broken piece of glass in the sunlight. Every year tens of thousands of acres of forest are lost to carelessness. While this is an ecological issue that can endanger the lives of local citizens and wildlife the damage it causes is temporal. There is an greater danger of conflagration that can happen. It is a spiritual fire. One that can destroy a family, church, and/or community.

James tells us, 'How great a fire is set ablaze by such a small fire! The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell itself.' Think about that: the putrid sulphurous flame of hell within our own bodies.

Such calamity and destruction normally begins in a small manner. An unkind word, a taunting jest, a critical look each of these can be the spark that in time results in a full blown conflagration - devouring everything in its path. Just as a forest fire can, given enough size, and topographical conditions develop its own wind drafts to move itself along; so can the fire of destruction in a family or congregation. At those times it is impossible to stop apart from the work of the Holy Spirit among us.

How many families have been destroyed by a careless word? How many congregations have split because of a selfish comment? Christians living in community must guard their tongues. Else, we perish.