Swine Flu Fears

Here we go again!  More fear!  More fear!  And even more fear!

The housing industry is bad.

The auto industry is bad.

Terrorists want to kill.

And now swine flu is coming our way.

We live in a world where each new fear hits us before we can even figure out how we are going to deal with that last fear.

What’s a believer to do about it?

I’m not sure. We have to follow the advice of health care experts, use common sense, and wash our hands.  But we can’t live in fear daily.  We have to live life and be faithful in our service to God and face life the best we can.  It isn’t easy but what else can we do? We also can pray for those who are suffering.  This morning I heard that we have had our first US death (a child) and south of our border dozens are dead already.  This Swine Flu is a concern and one we need to pay attention to as we should with all dangers.  Still we can’t live in complete panic each day. If we knew how many dangers exist all around us that we don’t even know about we would never leave our house.

I got to thinking about fear.  I begin to ponder the unrealistic fears we live with daily. Do we create irrational fears that lead us to not doing what we need to do?  Do we blow up dangers into something they aren’t?

As for the church what do we fear? And are our fears real?  What if we change this and people don’t like it?  What will so and so say if we do this in a different way? Some churches fear trying new ventures or changing tired traditions.  Some churches worry about what some might think if we dare to experiment or move in new directions.  Yet the real fear is that if we don’t take risks, try new ideas, that we might actually begin to shrink or die as a congregation!  We probably should fear for those around us who do not know Christ and who are hurting and in need of the love and grace we have to offer.  We should be concerned about the real pain and loss in our communities.  We should fear neglecting our work as a church and the decline and devastation that would bring.  If we really considered that we might be willing to not worry about the irrational and misguided fears that control us daily.

Blessings,
Derik

When Someone Walks Away

This morning I was checking my Face Book and thinking about old friends. My FB list continues to grow and I have friends from high school, colleges, previous churches I’ve served, and the seminaries I’ve been too.  FB is amazing because I am reconnecting with folks from long ago and I’m amazed to see where life has taken so many people.  Some of the folks I wish were on FB aren’t there yet and I hope they will join one day soon.

As I reconnect with folks and they realize I’m a pastor I also notice that all my previous friends are on different parts of the journey of faith.  Some folks who didn’t show interest in faith or God are now very activie in their faith.  Some have always been faithful.  And I have noticed some no longer claim religious identity or still profess faith but do not attend any church.

I’m not judging them!  It’s just got me to thinking.   Folks I’ve known through the years (and not just on FB) have come to different points in their thinking about God.

I’m glad for those who did not know God and now have found God.  I rejoice over that.

I grieve over those who have yet to come to know God.  I sometimes wonder could I have done something along the way different?

But I especially grieve over those who once were “with God” but now by their own admission are not.

I’m not really thinking about those who are ‘inactive’ in church.  I realize sometimes it is a temporary situation.  Sometimes folks “get out of the habit” and such.  Most of the “drop outs” still love God and serve Christ in many ways but have fallen out of active life in a church.  I pray that they will find a place to connect so that they can grow, and have the strength and power found in a local church.  I realize many churches have dropped the ball and so many people are not able to find a place that is relevant.  I encourage churches to think outside of the box and to reach out to the ‘dechurched’ and listen to them.  I did my DMIN studies with ‘dechurched’ folks and find most to be approachable, honest, and actually open to returning.  I encourage those who have wandered to not give up but to look for a place that you can serve.

The category that is much smaller but still exists that saddens me most are those who no longer believe in God.  I have known a few who now say there is no God or they can’t be sure and want nothing to do with faith.  It’s not a large number but I can name folks in my mind that fit that bill.  Some of these once served in a church or were very active.  Some even taught the faith to others.  That group saddens me the most.  Not that I am angry at them but I am saddened by their loss.

It must be a sad feeling to longer believe.  I know there are many who might fire back that they feel ‘free’ and ‘unburdened’ by giving up on faith.  I disagree. I believe those are just words.  It might be freeing to leave a legalistic and oppresive congregation but to leave God and hope and faith? I beg to differ.

The friends I know didn’t leave cults or dictator driven churches.  They simply no longer believe in God for various reasons.  Sometimes I suspect it is easier to not believe than to accept some things we can’t know or understand.  I’ve seen those who once leaving the church become involved in life choices that are contrary to Scripture and I wonder if their leaving was a way to do what they wanted to do?  Others can’t handle the tough issues- suffering, evil and such and walk away.  But does not believing really make one feel better when genocide happens?  Does not accepting God make one feel better when they sit in the funeral home of someone who dies too young?  Does it help when a hurricane destroys a city?  We can wonder why and question God but to dismiss God does that feel better?  I can’t see how believing that this is it and when we die we are worm food warms the heart late at night when one’s health is fading and death is coming.

I really feel bad for those who no longer believe.  I also wonder what images of God and faith they had accepted?  I know one man who served and taught youth who gave up on God.  He had questions about various Biblical issues and how the Bible was formed that just couldn’t statisfy him.  He had a more fundamentalist/literal world view that once he walked from it he just couldn’t deal.  Seeing the Bible as coming in some sort of fantastical way seemed more believable to him than how it actually happened.  I personally find that multiple authors over generations shaping texts that come together as Scripture is more comforting than the Mormons who believe Joseph Smith wrote his entire holy book himself while looking into a hat and seer stones.  If one guy wrote the Bible in a vision well that would push me away but the reality is much more believable to me.  The questions of life are tough but it makes me realize that I need God even more and that mystery is not the end of the world.

The Sam Harris’ of the world can declare the end of faith.  Dawkins can talk about the virus of faith.  Popular athiests can dream of a world where there is no faith.

I find that thought sad.

Blessings,

Derik

Columbine- Ten Years Later

Dave Cullin’s new book “Columbine” is a sad but needed look at a violent act in American history that we can’t forget and should not forget.  School shootings have not gone away and the story told in this book is a warning for us today.  Now that we are 10 years from the shootings in Columbine more information is available and yet no satisfying answers can be given.

As a minister I thought about the two shooters as I read the book.  18-year-old Eric Harris and 17-year-old Dylan Klebold are two young men that left behind a wake of destruction after they killed 13 people, wounded scores, and then took their own lives.

It would be easy to hate these two men or to find a quick blame.  After the shootings maybe inaccurate facts and portraits were given that are not true.  This book shows that both had social lives and were not terrorized by bullies.  The prom had been held that weekend and Dylan even went with a girl friend. 

My last blog asked why kids kill.  No easy answers.  But this book does paint Eric as a sociopath homicidal youth who manipulated the depressed and suicidal friend into helping him commit mass murder.  Their original plan was to blow up the school and kill everyone but the bombs they placed did not go off.  So they resorted to shooting and it is a sad story.  They both planned on dying that day and they did.

What can the church take from this terrible story?  I see a few easy lessons.  The issue of mental health is a big one.  The shooting at VA Tech was related to a mentally ill man as well.  We must not ignore mental health as Christians.  We need to reach out to those who are distressed and hurting in all forms of mental crisis.  We must provide resources for those who are hurting.

As I thought about Dylan I saw a young man who hated himself and was lonely and for two years wanted to die. He was in pain and teh church can not give quick fixes to such hurting folks but we do need to reach out and to find ways to connect and help troubled youths.

If anything this lesson teaches us the need for strong children’s, youth, and family ministries in the church.  I am amazed that these kids were building bombs in their homes and no one noticed! 

Very sad and very tragic.

While this is not a pleasant topic it is one we can’t ignore.

Derik

Why Do Kids Kill?

This month is the anniversary of Columbine.  A sad one at that.   I am about to read one of the latest books on that tragedy and if it is any good I’ll give you a thought on it later.  So here is what I’m thinking thus far.  This actually relates somewhat to my previous blogs about morality, decisions, etc. 

What breeds such an event as a Columbine?  We have multiple school shootings (including VA Tech here in my state) and now church shootings, nursing home shootings, and on and on the list goes.  What is at the heart of such a tragedy?  Why do people kill strangers in public places?  I realize some are lashing out at a spouse or enemy but then they take out dozens more (not defending the killing of a spouse but I do realize the root cause of murder that is personal). 

Some want to blame video games, movies, and violence in our culture.  Others point to bullying in our schools.  Mental illness is a factor of course (but not all mentally ill people do this kind of thing).  

What do you think?  Write and let me know what you think is the cause but more than that what can we do to stop future Columbines/VA Techs?

Now this is an issue that as a parent scares the life out of me!

In fact as a pastor we now have this violence in our churches and scores of congregations are setting up security and other measures to protect ourselves.  Wow!  

So share!  If you read this or receive this I want you to comment on this entry.  I realize most of my readers (and I do get stat readings so I know there are those out there reading and receiving this) simply read and not comment.  This time I want your thoughts.  What do you think is going on?

Kiss But Don’t Tell Additional Thoughts

One final comment on this and then I’ll move on to something else.  I apologize for my Taliban reference.  It was a tad harsh.  I realize they aren’t stoning people over in Lynchburg.  But my original thinking has to do with morality, legalism, rules etc.  That’s something I’d love to pursue in this blog if you are interesting in thinking aloud with me.

Some final thoughts on Roose’s book.  Loved it.  You should read it.  Roose came to love people he didn’t agree with.  He thought he would find a stereotype to be true and while he did not change his opinions about the issues he did about the people.  I believe we all could learn from that and not stereotype, demonize those we disagree with.  So I’m guilty of doing that in my previous blog!!!!!  Easy to do right?  It is! 

Last night in our Bible study we looked at Acts 16 and the three people Paul reached out too.  He helped a business woman, a slave girl, and a jailor.  So he ministered to a upper class lady, a outcast and a regular ol’ working guy.  The church has got to figure out that we are to love one another despite our differences and that means disagreeing but not demonizing.  So apologies to my Taliban comparison.  A good friend reminded me of that and when I reread it that wasn’t what I wanted to say.

Now back to the issue.  The issue is that we live in a world with so many ideas and moral choices.  As believers we do not know how to respond.  Some get tough with the rules and others just let it be.  I figure there has to be a middle ground.  Yet as some point not everybody is in the same place to handle things the same way.

Still I wonder what is legalism?  When do we become obsessed with rules over relationships?  That’s a big issue for the church today.

Having said that I may disagree with some of the rules in the Liberty Way (dancing, kissing, and such are OK in my book) but I have my own concerns that I worry about.  How do we teach our kids and guide them? 

These are real issues to wrestle with. 

Blessings,

Derik

Kiss but Don’t Tell?

I am now living across the river from Lynchburg and when I heard about Kevin Roose’s “The Unlikely Disciple:  A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University” I quickly got my name on the reserve list at the local library.  I had a chance to briefly meet Roose and chat a bit.  And now that I’m half way through his book just find the whole conversation fascinating.

Roose is a college student from Brown who had no personal contact with conservative Christianity.  He enrolled at Liberty for one semester to immerse himself in the culture to write a book about it.  He did not tell anyone his real reason for going and so he was able to get an insider’s look at the school.  He signed up for a slew of religious classes that are required on campus (although not all at once for the average student), sang in Thomas Road’s choir, went on a mission trip, and did an interview with Jerry Falwell.

This book is not shocking to anyone who already knows that Liberty University and Falwell’s church teach literal young earth creationism, the rapture, and submission of women to their husbands.  Yet Roose is not bashing anyone but rather finds friendship with many of the students and the book is simply fascinating.  Roose doesn’t convert but he does seem to give a balanced view of his experience.

As I work my way through the book I continue to be amazed at how strict LU is and yet it has loosened up quite a bit.  The dress code of coat and tie is gone.  The school is not near as restrictive as Bob Jones and other schools but still for me it is a place that has some tight rules.

The school’s rules are called “The Liberty Way” and they are out in public for all to see.  Regarding women and men they are not allowed to kiss and hand holding is as far as anything goes.  Kissing is actually a fine.  Watching R movies is also an offense that leads to a fine.  Cursing is a fine as well.  And many other rules exist.

Roose mentions in his book that Bob Jones requires a chaperone when male and female students date.  A school in Florida can even fine you for looking to long at the opposite sex.  I was amazed at the RA (Resident Advisor) who talked about other RAs who hide at movie theaters or follow students to fine them for breaking the rules.

I realize that the other extreme is shocking to Christian parents.  Visiting the campus of a secular school and the parties that happen would probably shock many a mom and dad.  Yet this other wild swing is almost Taliban like.  If you remember the Taliban in Afghanstain were very restrictive and banned male/female touching outside of marriage, r movies, cursing, and…..wait a minute sound familiar?  This wasn’t done in the name of Jesus but in the name of Allah!  But the rules sounds very familiar.  The Taliban of course had women dress in burkas and the LU students I see seem to not be wearing cloaks.

I’m not bashing LU.  I know folks who have attended or attend LU and if you are reading this I am not attacking you!   The whole conversation just brings up food for thought.

These rules are public knowledge and have been covered in our local paper. I understand the desire is to promote morality and provide a safe place for Christians to study.  I realize that.  As a minister I would expect higher standards at a Christian school than I would at a state school.  I would expect higher expectations but I would also realize that these are adults who are studying and preparing to enter the world and actually already live in the real world.  Somewhere a balance needs to be made that is rational and realistic.  And yet if schools want to shape themselves in such a way and people want to attend in such a school then that’s part of living in a free country and so LU and any other Christian organization has a right to be as strict as they want to be and we have a right to attend or not to attend.

Yet this whole conversation is interesting for all believers.  What is legalism?  When do we go from morality to being legalistic?  What is Christian freedom?  Now that is an interesting conversation.  Jesus challenged rule keepers and yet he also didn’t just say do what you want to do.

I would suggest for the believer that we really have to self police ourselves.  What do we do when no one is around?  What is in our heart?  Who are we really?

A child could attend a private school then go to a school like LU and avoid many temptations.  The rules might help him/her avoid many things but when that child is 22 and moves on to the world at large what will he/she do when facing temptation when no one is there to fine them?  Will they be able to handle it when someone flirts at the office with them while their spouse is not with them?  What will their reaction be at the water cooler when jokes are told or when lifestyles are in the open that they have never seen before?  I’m curious about that.

I grew up in public school and attended a public college and then a Christian one and seminary.  Some of the schools were conservative in rules but not near as much as the Liberty Way.  I was a commuter in college most of the time so it was not an issue.  The one year I did live in the dorm of a private Christian college and experienced such rules I basically ignored those I did not like but did nothing immoral.  I moved out to ignore the silly ones.  Seminary tended to be more progressive and really didn’t have rules.  We were adults after all.  I admit I am a fairly boring and calm person but I was not sheltered from reality and yet was taught morality and faith and turned out alright.

Read Roose’s book and see what you think!  Feel free to comment.  Again no condemnation intended just thinking about a book that has a local interest.

Interesting thoughts.

Blessings,

Derik

Sleestak Theology

I realize my titles  might sound offensive but some of the claims of fundamentalism today sounds as incredible as the titles suggest.  Sleestak Theology?  The sleestaks are those creatures from the classic Land of the Lost TV show that had humans trapped in a dinosaur world.  Some of the claims of fundamentalism today seem to be as unrealistic as lizards, grunting cavepeople, dinosaurs, and humans all hanging out (in the show just mentioned).

Christians who try and make the Bible into a science book have always run into trouble.  This doesn’t mean the Bible isn’t sacred or the word of God but the writers of the OT and NT were not writing a science book but a book of theology and a story that tells us how God has connected to humanity.  You don’t learn algebra from the Bible nor do you learn how to fix a car and that’s OK.  That wasn’t the purpose of Scripture.

However the Creation debate (young earth vs old earth, etc) is not really the issue.  The real issue is how do we read the Bible?

The Bible is not one book but sixty six books.  Each book is not the same.  The Bible contains books that are poetry or rich in visual imagery as well as history and doctrine.  You don’t read Revelation and Matthew in the same way.  The books in the Bible represent different types of genre.  Much work has to be done to study the background, authorship, context, and intent of Scripture.  Genesis 12 and following takes up the story of Abraham and lays the ground for a narrative that teaches us about the formation of the Hebrew people from which we as Christians believe God brought Christ in the NT.  In fact Genesis didn’t fall out of the sky but rather is a book that gathered oral stories and was edited by many authors much later (as were the other parts of the Torah).  And so Genesis itself can not be thought of in the same way you might think of a contemporary book that was written by one author in one setting.

Genesis 1-11 has been read in many ways and still taken seriously.  Some see it as straight narrative and others as metaphor.  There is not a uniform and ‘one view’ of the way to read Genesis 1-11 and for young earth Creationists to say that their view is Biblical and no other view is would be rather arrogant to say the least.  At least the Old-Earth Creationists and ID folks are willing to be open to science and are not so dogamatic.

The main point is to ponder what Genesis 1-11 is teaching us rather than spending millions defending the idea that humans with bow and arrows rode dinosaurs.   What does this story teach us about ourselves? God? Sin? Evil? Our purpose today?  In a class I once taught a woman said, “I’m not concerned with how God created the world.  I wasn’t there.  I am concerned about what I’m supposed to do today.”  It is interesting that many of the same people who talk about creation and defend a young earth view do not seem concerned about global warming or the environment today.  One would think that such folks would be leading the way to protect the earth from the destruction we are doing to it today.

The Bible is God’s Word but it can be misused and abused.   Some who no longer believe in God came from literal reading backgrounds and when this approach did not work for them they walked away.   That’s the story of popular author and scholar Bart Ehrman.  If only they had been shown there were other ways to deal with particular issues than just saying, “The Bible says it.  I believe it.  That settles it.”  Maybe the Bible said it or maybe it didn’t.  Or maybe the Bible said it but not in the way we were told it was said!

N.T. Wright’s “The Last Word” tackles what is wrong with a literal and a liberal reading of the Bible and I really like his balanced view of how we as believers can approach Scripture.

I do believe the Bible is inspired by God.  I do believe it is holy and God’s word and totally trustworthy for us today.  I do believe Scripture shapes, enables, and guides us today.  I do believe we need God’s word.  I believe there are core truths but that the details sometimes are interpreted differently by different people and that there will always be more questions than answers.  The core truth is that God created the world.  How God did it is the debatable part.  I don’t think science has all the answers or has it all figured out but I do not fear science.  I believe science and history affirms God.  I believe the Bible is the most amazing book ever and it reveals God’s story to us which is also our story.  I simply accept there are issues we will struggle with and that hard work is needed to understand Scripture.

I will write more as I have time!

Derik

Flintstone Science

I’m not a scientist and I am not trained in that field to debate the issue like I wish I could but I do try and keep up with the topic as possible.  As a Christian I am amazed to continue hearing some believers argue that the earth is 6000 years old and to approach science with such hostility.  Granted their are folks of science who hate religion (Dawkins and company) but most people of science I know aren’t at war with the church and many, many go to church!

The Creation Museum in Kentucky draws huge crowds and shows humans and dinosaurs living together.  Above you see people with dinosaurs and below you see one with a saddle and I guess a happy customer illustrating the riding of such beasts.  Reminds me of “Land of the Lost.”

I’m a huge fan of Dr. Francis Collins and push his book “The Language of God” as much as I can.  I recently heard Collins lecture and again was amazed at this scientist who believes in Jesus and has no problem with science and an old earth, etc.  He sees science as God’s language (and by the way he was a leader in the human genome project).

Why does it have to be one way or the other?  Why do some Christians reject much of science and think you can’t have both? Why do some believe that unless you take their interpretation of Genesis then the whole faith crashes?

The idea that the earth is 6000 years old simply does not work in today’s world.  Our youth who go to college and study an elementary course in biology, chemistry, and history will simply look in dismay at such talk.  We need to be able to talk rationally in the world and say that as believers science and history do not destroy our faith but affirm it.  God made the world and this we believe but God made the laws of nature and science and the more we learn about DNA, humanity, and history the more we see the foot prints of God.

So does all this matter?  Some believers say we should just not worry about it.  I say it matters because our faith must make sense in a real world.  Years ago I attended a creationist event and the speaker said the earth was six thousand years old and that dinosaurs lived with humans and were even in the ark.  I was amazed to hear such talk. I grew up in a very conservative church but never had a problem with what I learned at school.  I simply saw it was God at work.

Now this does move on to another issue at hand, “How do we read the Bible?”  I believe this is at the heart of the battle.  Folks who hold to a young earth simply think that they hold to a literal view of Bible reading that must hold to such a theory.  They simply see no other way.  So next blog I’ll deal with how we read the Bible and why that matters.

Blessings,
Derik

Holy Week Musings

I’ve been really, really bad about posting lately!  Life has been busy!  But I do want to get back to it so this is my attempt at just that!

It’s Holy Week and we are days away from Easter.  Easter is like the Super Bowl for most Christians.  It’s the big event of the year where folks actually come in larger numbers and fill sanctuaries that usually sit about half empty the rest of the year.

Some ministers lament the “Easter/Christmas” crowd.  I never have.  I see it as an opportunity to speak to folks who are visiting from out of town and from the community.  Many of our guests are family who come to be with their loved ones.  And yes there are inactive members and other folks who come this one time a year.  I don’t want to beat up on them but rather give thanks that they are here and hope that something said might connect and they just might come back before next Easter.

In our busy and rushed world it is nice that at least once a year folks who follow Christ slow down long enough to ponder what this means.  Still it would be nice for this Easter feeling to last longer than one week or one day.  What if this year folks really began to take stock on what it means to be a Christ follower and maybe begin a self journey that might bring transformation into their lives?

We can hope!

As a minister I have lamented some though.  I’m sad that the priority that Christians once had for their faith is at such a low.  I’m sad that we have such a consumer mentality about church and that it is all about my wants and if you don’t do what I want I’ll go somewhere else.  I’m sad that folks don’t feel that their faith is something to place as a priority.  So many have given up on ‘church’ and still want their Jesus and yet Jesus died for the church.  The church is the people and so how can you give up on the people of God?  I’m sad that churches struggle to pay their bills, draw professing believers and members to mission and ministry, and to engage the world at large.  I expect negativity and disinterest from those who do not know Christ but from folks who claim to know Christ that’s another thing.

So I’m praying and I’m hoping.  I’m hoping that people will take this year more seriously and  look inward.  For my own personal church I do find some excitment and real growth.  Our church is in a good place right now.  And yet I know we have our own challenges and we have such need around us.  I pray that we can refocus and make this week a powerful connection to a God who loves us so!

Blessings,

Derik