July 11, 2010 Message

The Power to See

How many of you trust your eyesight? Can we really trust our eyesight? Can two people look at the same object and see something different? Can they both be right? Let’s find out. Show PowerPoint images.

What word do you see – good or evil?

Do you see the word you or me?

Count the black dots in the picture.

Is this picture in motion?

How many legs does this elephant have?

Do you still trust your eyesight? We are trained to see things in a particular way. We are trained to see the world, to see people – to see everything – a particular way. We are a combination of influences that give us a lens through which we see everything, and those influences control how we see the world and how we see others. And here is the really scary part – most of the time we aren’t even aware we are being conditioned to see the world and people a particular way.

When we approach the gospels, we find that Jesus was constantly working to help his followers “see” in a different way. Jesus was constantly working to enable his followers to move beyond the way they had been conditioned to see the world and people so they could understand the world and people in a new way.

The teachings of Jesus sounded radical then, and still do, because of the way people are conditioned to see the world. To teach, for example, that a person should love their enemies (Matthew 5:44) was – and still is – very radical because people are conditioned to treat their enemies in a very different manner. Telling people to store up their treasures in heaven rather than on earth (Matthew 6:19-20) was – and still is – very radical because people are conditioned to think of their treasure in a very different way.

The disciples are often portrayed as being rather slow to understand the teachings of Jesus; if they understood him at all. In Mark’s gospel, for example, we find the disciples puzzling over the parable of the sower (Mark 4:9-13). The disciples were often left puzzling at the things Jesus said and did because their way of seeing everything kept them from understanding what Jesus was trying to teach them.

We are in danger of the same inability to see what Jesus is trying to teach us. We are people living in a particular time and place and the influences of our time and place get in the way of our being able to see, and perceive, and understand.

So much of Scripture centers on God working to help people to see. Abraham was presented a vision of faith that he could not always see. Moses was presented with a vision of a people that he could not always see. When Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow him (Matthew 4:18-22) he presented them with a way to “see” others; they were called to be fishers of men.

Matthew records this story of two blind men who call out to Jesus as he and his disciples were leaving the city of Jericho. A large crowd followed him and two men who were blind shout out over the noise and clamor of the crowd. Lord, Son of David, they shout, have mercy on us! The crowd rebukes them and told them to be quiet but the men shout even louder.

Here is the classic contrast the gospels show us. A large crowd of people gathers around Jesus, with everyone desperate to see him and to be near him. On the surface it all looks great. Who wouldn’t want to see a large crowd gathering around Jesus? Wouldn’t we want a really large crowd following Jesus?

But there’s a problem – for all their physical proximity to Jesus the crowd is far from him spiritually. Why is the crowd far from Jesus spiritually? Because they couldn’t see these two men the way Jesus saw them. The crowd sought to silence the two blind men, but Jesus picked them out of the crowd.

The crowd was unable to see what Jesus saw – the crowd saw two men who should be quieted but Jesus saw two men in need. Verse 34 says Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

If you want to be like Jesus, you have to learn to see like Jesus, and the crowd was unable to do so. The crowd couldn’t see these two men and their need, so they failed to have compassion. Compassion. The gospels often use this word in relation to Jesus. Matthew 9:36 says when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Mark 8:2 records Jesus saying I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.

Compassion. I wonder how it is that some churches, clamoring just like this crowd to be close to Jesus, fail to see those who need compassion. I wonder how it is that some churches, professing to be like Jesus are actually like this crowd, shouting down those who need to be touched by the compassion of Jesus. I wonder how it is that some churches, like this crowd, are actually keeping people from Jesus rather than bringing them closer to Jesus.

Can we trust our eyesight? Has our vision been so conditioned by the world around us that we are unable to see need surrounding us? Have we become so accustomed to the many voices that we hear shouting in our world that we are unable to hear the voices of those in need who are calling to us? May God give us The Power to See.

Fourth of July Sermon

Freedom!

100 years ago this past Friday, July 2nd, 1910, my grandfather, Tom Charlton, arrived in the city of Philadelphia. He and his family had departed from Liverpool, England and boarded the "Friesland" as steerage passengers and immigrated to America. They were not escaping tyranny, but looking for a better life, for greater opportunity. I’m glad they made it here.

Today, as we celebrate the 4^th of July, we think about freedom. Freedom is absolutely foundational to who we are, both as Americans and as Christians. And as Americans who are Christians, it is incumbent upon us to look at freedom in particularly important ways.

On this 4^th of July, may we remember some important truths about freedom.

1. Diversity is good.

Freedom is wonderful, but it is also very, very complicated. When people have freedom they begin to disapprove of how some people exercise their freedom.

It is very obvious we live in a society full of division. Some politicians – and some clergy, I might add – complain about the divisiveness while at the same time using it for their own personal or political gain by exploiting that divisiveness. The truth is, there is no way around divisiveness in a free society. When a society is free there will be so many opinions that a certain amount of divisiveness is impossible to avoid.

And divisiveness – political divisiveness – is not new to the American scene. In 1800 a newspaper, commenting on the election campaign between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams printed the headline God-And a Religious President or…Jefferson-and No God.

(American Gospel, by Jon Meacham, page 104)

We are a very diverse people, and I’m not sure when it happened, but it seems that diversity has become a dirty word in recent years. We shouldn’t be bothered by diversity; we should celebrate diversity! We should thank God for the wonderful variety of people and opinions he has created and not fear the differences between people and their point of view.

I believe our world is becoming far too fearful of diversity. I believe people ought to be who they are and they ought to have their own opinions and speak their opinions. I hope you have speak up about your opinions, be they political or spiritual. I know you do, because I have heard some of them. Some of them I agree with and some of them I don’t. But that’s okay, because you won’t agree with all of mine.

As Disciples, this is where we have such an advantage over many churches, because it is such a powerful part of our heritage – it is part of our spiritual DNA – that we not only respect diversity, but we encourage it.

Diversity is the blossom on the flower of freedom. Diversity means we have freedom and that freedom is being exercised. When diversity is restricted, freedom is restricted.

2. Religious freedom is a wonderful gift.

If you were to name the most significant religious event since the time of Jesus, what would you say? For me it is this – the conversion of the Roman emperor Constantine in the year 312 AD. Constantine was the first Christian emperor and in 313 he issued the Edict of Milan, which stated we should let both the Christians and all others follow whatever religion they wanted to, so that whatever God there is in heaven may be happy and pleased with us and with all our subjects. And with a stroke of a pen the persecution inflicted upon the church from its beginning had come to an end.

I mention this because we must understand the church was born into an environment so very different from ours. In the earliest centuries of the church Christians were persecuted and put to death, sometimes for no other reason than for the entertainment of the Romans. Nero used them as human torches to light his garden at night, their executions were a sport in Rome’s coliseum, and they faced all manner of other types of persecution.

While we enjoy a government that provides us with security, education, roads, and many other services the government was anything but the friend of the earliest followers of Jesus. We are guaranteed the right to worship as we choose; the earliest followers of Jesus met in places like the catacombs to worship. The catacombs were tombs. Imagine, while we sit in the comfort and beauty of this place, the early Christians sitting among the stench and decay of corpses and death in order to worship.

The fish symbol you see on cars and other places – called an Ichthus – was a symbol used to guide early Christians to safe places of worship.

Persecution is, unfortunately, alive and well today. In China, for instance, it is estimated that between 80 and 100 million people attend house churches, and the Chinese government in the past few years has stepped up their persecution of those house churches (http://www.persecution.com/public/media.aspx?mediapage_ID=MjQ1). The country that finances so much of our debt, the country that manufactures so many of the products we buy, that country is also one of the most intense persecutors of the church.

We must pray for our brothers and sisters around the world that are persecuted because of their faith, and may we never take for granted that we drove to and walked in this building unmolested this morning. No one has to give approval or sanction our gathering this day. No one tells us how we must conduct ourselves or what we must believe as we gather here. We are free! Free to worship and free to follow our beliefs!

3. People were created as free beings.

God intends for people to be free and to remain free. We must pray for and agitate for the freedom of others.

But not just for political freedom, but spiritual freedom as well. In spite of our political freedom there are many who are bound by the chains of fear, of addictions, of poverty, of violence, of abuse, of materialism, and so many other things that bind the human heart and mind. Political freedom does not guarantee the freedom of an individual’s heart and soul, a large bank account does not mean there is not a poverty of the soul, and an abundance of food does not alleviate terrible spiritual hunger.

4. God does not enforce belief, so neither must we.

My journey back to the Disciples was a journey back to my roots, but it was also a journey away from the narrow legalism and enforced uniformity of other traditions.

There are far too many examples of forced uniformity in churches today. Disciples are one of the shining – and increasingly rare – examples of soul freedom. Our Scripture reading from the book of Romans is a passionate plea on Paul’s part to resist legalism. Disciples have always resisted a legalistic and narrow approach to faith.

5. We should never confuse patriotism and faith.

Patriotism and faith are two very different matters. I love God and I love my country, but I understand they are not the same. I do not worship my country. I am grateful to be a Christian and I am grateful to be an American, but sometimes the two are in conflict. Faith will sometimes compel us to challenge others and speak up and speak out about what we see. This is the great American tradition and even greater, it is the Biblical tradition. Imagine if Nathan had not been willing to confront King David after David, in order to cover his own sin, had Bathsheeba’s husband killed. Nathan, the great prophet, dared to stand in front of the king and say You are the man! (I Samuel 12:7) as he brought into the open the sin of David. Imagine if the apostles had silenced themselves as instructed by the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles to be flogged and then ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus (Acts 6:40). Imagine if Paul had not stood up to the authorities, on a local level and all the way to Rome to Caesar himself. Imagine if the bold faith of our forebears in faith had been silenced by the persecution of Rome. In Disciples’ history, imagine if Thomas and Alexander Campbell had not spoken out for an open communion table and spoken against the stifling of personal opinion.

One of my favorite movies is Braveheart. Near the end of the movie is a scene when the character of William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson, is to be tortured and executed for high treason. Wallace, from Scotland, led his fellow countryman in their quest to win their freedom from England. He is told it will all end quickly if he admits his guilt and begs for mercy. Instead, after enduring the pain of torture, with his final breath he yells out freedom! It’s a very stirring scene as it reminds us of the great quest for freedom throughout history.

Freedom. It is for freedom, Paul writes, that Christ has set us free.

What do you call your pastor?

My church is pretty informal, as am I. I use no titles and prefer simply to be called Dave. Once in a while someone will call me Brother Dave (which I don't like) or Reverend Charlton (which I don't like either, but it's better than Brother Dave). From young to old, most everybody just calls me Dave, which is fine with me (although if I do use a title I prefer to use Dr. Charlton - I worked very hard for that title).

There is one name that I detest being called - "Preacher". If you want to refer to my vocation call me a pastor or minister but please - PLEASE - do not call me "Preacher" as though it's my name. I do not call other people by the name "Teacher" "Banker" "Farmer" or any other vocation; I use their name, as I prefer that people do for me. "Preacher" is not my name, so please don't use it as though it is.

Your pastor, or minister, may not mind being called "Preacher." You should, though, ask what is preferred and respect that preference. As for me, please don't call me "Preacher" as though it's my name. Call me Dave; that is my name.

Thanks, and peace, to Larry Norman

Larry Norman, the original Christian rocker, passed away early yesterday morning (Sunday, February 25, 2008). Though not known to many younger fans of Christian music, Larry Norman was there at the beginning of Christian rock music. When I was growing up in church and going to camp we often sang his song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" (later covered by DC Talk). The band I now play in, Unfinished, have one song that we have played at every gig in our history - "The Rock That Doesn't Roll", also by Larry Norman.

As true for many of the early leaders of any movement, Larry Norman has been largely unnoticed in the Christian music scene in recent years. Most likely, he probably never profited to the extent that many of the genre's artists do today. But his impact is enormous, and who knows what Christian music would be like without his influence.

A number of years ago, while attending the Ichthus music festival in Wilmore, Kentucky, I was walking through one of the more secluded areas of the festival site when I noticed a guy with a beard, long hair, and a guitar singing for four or five people under a tree. I still remember thinking "that surely isn't Larry Norman." It was! I walked over and joined the handful of other people listening to him and he provided us with a wonderful time as we talked and listened to him play. How many other legends in music would be so accessible?

Larry had many health problems in recent years, mostly heart related, and in the end his heart was too weak to continue. His heart will always be a part of Christian music and it is better because of his influence.

Rest well, Larry, in the arms of God.

2008 Presidential Ticket

It may be absolutely foolish to prognosticate in a political year such as this one, but here goes. It's 5:17 p.m. EST and the only results in from Super Tuesday is my home state of West Virginia. The Mountaineer state has selected Mike Huckabee, which is a surprise to me.

Here are my predictions for the final tickets for the Democrats and Republicans -

For the Democrats - Hillary Clinton and Evan Bayh (Democratic Senator from Indiana).
Despite Obama's surge in the polls in recent weeks I still think Hillary Clinton will win the nomination. Evan Bayh, whose name has come up before as a running mate, would help Clinton in the heartland, which she will need to carry to win the race.

For the Republicans - John McCain and Mike Huckabee.
For McCain, disliked by many conservative Republicans, Huckabee would curry favor with the conservative wing of the party.

If this is the final ticket, remember you read it here. If not, I'm hoping this post will be long forgotten.

Note - these are my predictions; they are NOT endorsements.

Presidential Candidates Speaking In Churches

Take a close look at the two pictures on the left. What's wrong with these pictures?

Both are pictures of presidential candidates speaking in churches during Sunday morning worship services. On top is a shot of Barack Obama speaking to the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta and the bottom is Mike Huckabee speaking at First Baptist Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

What are these churches thinking? And what are the candidates thinking? (Well, obviously, they are thinking about votes). Obama is a Harvard educated lawyer, so you would think he would know a little about the legal problems of partisan politics from the pulpit. And Huckabee is a former pastor so he should know better as well.

Every major presidential candidate - Republican and Democrat - have been using churches as political tools to gain votes. First, no church should be foolish enough to allow this to happen. But since so many churches - and even more pastors - are so enamored by being close to political figures they will trade their pulpits for a political stump speech in a heartbeat. Second, the candidates should know better than this. They are pandering to the faithful and using faith to win votes. Shame on us all for allowing this to happen!

No church - I repeat, no church - should allow a candidate to speak in a worship service during a campaign. While there is a place for a political message in church, there is no place for partisan politics.

I am not against a candidate speaking about their faith, and I am grateful all the candidates are individuals of faith. I do not believe, however, that it is proper to bring political campaigns into churches. Such a practice makes a mockery of worship and hurts the witness of the church.

If churches want to be political in nature, and all churches should have something to say about politics, they should be challenging power, not embracing power and seeking to secure political power. The message of the gospel is not gaining power, but questioning the powers that be. Read the Old Testament prophets and you will find story after story where they railed against the political power that exploited people. Today, when churches embrace partisan politics, they are getting too cozy with these powers that exploit people.

Unfortunately, as the campaign continues we will see faith increasingly used as a political tool, and shame on the churches and the candidates that use faith in such a way.

Go Mountaineers!

As a native of West Virginia I will be the first to admit that we don't often have much to cheer about. West Virginia ranks at or near the bottom in almost every important measurement and serves as the punch line for too many bad jokes.

But we certainly can cheer about the Mountaineer's thrashing of Oklahoma in Wednesday's Fiesta Bowl. It looked as though this was going to be "the season that might have been" after the shocking loss to Pitt and the debacle of coach 'Rod bolting to Michigan (which was a terrible way for him to leave. And good luck with Michigan, you will certainly need it).

West Virginia could have beaten anyone Wednesday night. Their offense was awesome and to see the players overcome so much negativity in the previous weeks was a great sight. And much of that credit can be given to new coach Bill Stewart, who obviously has the love and respect of the players. To hear the players lobby for him to be given the job and to see how well he had them prepared for the game made him the obvious choice. And topping it off is the great news that Pat White will return next year. And a note to the Heisman committee - Tim Tebow is a great quarterback, but his team was not the out and out winner of their conference and they did not win their bowl game (which wasn't even a BCS bowl game). Put White at the top of the list for next year.

Congratulations Mountaineers, it's been a great season.

Answers to the Christmas Quiz

As promised, here are the answers to the Christmas quiz. I hope you did well. Email me and let me know how you did. (The picture is of the grotto at the traditional site of the manger).

1. The name of the mother of Jesus is –

A. Eve

B. Martha

C. Mary

D. Deborah

2. Jesus was born in what town?

A. Nazareth

B. Jerusalem

C. Rome

D. Bethlehem

3. Joseph was a –

A. Fisherman

B. Carpenter

C. Tax collector

D. We don’t know

Technically, however, Joseph may not have been a carpenter in the modern sense of the word. The

word used for carpenter refers to someone who would be a day laborer, which would include many

types of labor, and not just carpentry. In any case, it demonstrates that Jesus grew up in a family that

was most likely impoverished.

4. Why didn’t Joseph and Mary stay at the inn?

A. They couldn’t afford to

B. There was no room

C. They didn’t have a reservation

D. None of the above

Once again, there is somewhat of a technicality to this answer. The inn was most likely not what we

would envision as we travel. According to many scholars, the word for inn actually refers to a stable

area attached to a family’s home. Because the extended family of Joseph would be returning to

Bethlehem to register for the census, the family home would be crowded with guests. Joseph and

Mary may have stayed in an attached stable area, but they would have been surrounded by family.

5. To get to Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph traveled by –

A. Colt

B. Mary rode a donkey and Joseph walked

C. Caravan

D. We don’t know

Though a donkey is shown in most nativity displays, the Scripture gives no mention of any kind of

animal in Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem.

6. After his birth, Jesus was placed in a –

A. Manger

B. Basket

C. Crib

D. Bed

7. A manger is –

A. Wooden table

B. Feeding trough

C. Stable

D. Small bed

8. What animals were in the barn when Jesus was born?

A. Cows, donkeys, and sheep

B. Sheep, goats, and cows

C. Horses, cows, and donkeys

D. The Bible doesn’t say

Again, though animals are shown in nativity displays, Scripture mentions no animals, though one

could assume some would be present as Jesus was in a stable.

9. From which direction did the three kings that visited Jesus come?

A. The west

B. The east

C. The Orient

D. None of the above

Matthew 2:1. Probably from modern day Iraq or Iran. Although the east is the Orient, the Bible

doesn’t mention the Orient; we get that from the song We Three Kings (of Orient Are).

10. The shepherds were told by the angels to look for which sign?

A. A star over Bethlehem

B. A tree with a star on top

C. A babe in a manger

D. None of the above

Luke 2:12 tells us the angels gave this sign to the shepherds – “And this will be a sign for you; you

will find a baby wrapped in clothes, and lying in a manger” (NASV).

11. The words of the angels were –

A. Glory, Glory, Hallelujah

B. Joy to the World, the Lord is Come

C. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords

D. Glory to God in the highest

Luke 2:14.

12. The three gifts given to Jesus were –

A. Gold and silver

B. Gold, jewels, and silver

C. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh

D. None of the above

Matthew 2:11.

14. How many wise men came to see Jesus?

A. One

B. Two

C. Three

D. The Bible doesn’t say

Again, nativity scenes show three magi, though the Bible doesn’t give us a number. The number three

probably comes from three gifts.

16. The wise men met Jesus in –

A. A manger

B. A stable

C. A house

D. The Bible doesn’t say

Though nativity scenes show the shepherds and magi together, the Bible is clear that the magi and the

shepherds did not arrive at the same time. Matthew 2:11 says “And they came into the house and saw

the Child with Mary His mother.” This reinforces the idea that the inn was an attached stable to the

family home. By this point in the nativity story, most of the extended family had probably departed for

home, thus leaving room for Mary and Joseph to come into the house. Staying longer because of the

recovery from childbirth, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus most likely had a longer stay in Bethlehem than the

rest of their relatives.

17. Joseph and Mary were told to go to Bethlehem by –

A. Herod

B. An angel

C. Caesar Augustus

D. The Bible doesn’t say

Luke 2:1.

18. The infant Jesus was taken to Egypt –

A. Because Joseph was told in a dream to take him there

B. To meet the pharaoh

C. To go to school

D. The Bible doesn’t say

Matthew 2:13.

19. The Bible says the little drummer boy met Jesus –

A. In a house

B. While Jesus was still in the manger

C. In Nazareth

D. None of the above

Though he appears in a song by the same name, the little drummer boy does not appear in Scripture.

20. In which gospels do we find the stories of the birth of Jesus

A. Matthew

B. Mark

C. Luke

D. John

This may seem a little tricky since this question has two answers, but I never said a question could

only have one answer.

21. Immanuel means –

A. Good news

B. Jesus

C. God with us

D. None of the above

Matthew 1:23.

22. Christmas is celebrated on December 25^th because the Bible tells us to

True

False

The Bible never mentions the date of the birth of Jesus. December 25^th was chosen during the reign of

the Roman Emperor Constantine. As the first Christian Emperor Constantine sought to Christianize

the empire, so he chose December 25^th because it was the date of a large pagan celebration based on

the winter solstice. The modern controversy about Christ being removed from Christmas is not really

a new controversy after all, as the date of December 25^th carries with it non-Christian origins.

23. The wise men followed the star all the way to Bethlehem

True

False

This is a tricky question. The magi, we are told in Matthew 2:1-2, stopped in Jerusalem and asked

Herod “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews?” Verse 8 tells us that Herod sent the magi

to Bethlehem, although verse 9 tells us that “the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before

them, until it came and stood over where the Child was.” So technically, they did not follow the star

all the way to Bethlehem.

24. Jesus was given his name by his mother.

True

False

Matthew 1:21 tells us that the angel tells Joseph to give the name of Jesus.

25. Herod was happy to hear of the birth of Jesus.

True

False

Matthew 2:3 says “And when Herod the king heard it (the news of the birth of Jesus), he was troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.” When the magi came and asked Herod about the location of the

newborn king of the Jews, they probably had no idea the extent of his paranoia. Notoriously

suspicious of threats to his throne, Herod was extremely worried about news of the birth of One who

would be a threat to his rule.

Christmas Quiz

For some holiday entertainment I have a Christmas quiz for you. This is rather tricky, so read the questions carefully. Some of the answers may surprise you, as people have many misconceptions about what the Bible actually says about the birth of Jesus. I'll post the answers in a few days. Good luck, and enjoy!

1. The name of the mother of Jesus is –

A. Eve

B. Martha

C. Mary

D. Deborah

2. Jesus was born in what town?

A. Nazareth

B. Jerusalem

C. Rome

D. Bethlehem

3. Joseph was a –

A. Fisherman

B. Carpenter

C. Tax collector

D. We don't know

4. Why didn’t Joseph and Mary stay at the inn?

A. They couldn’t afford to

B. There was no room

C. They didn’t have a reservation

D. None of the above

5. To get to Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph traveled by –

A. Colt

B. Mary rode a donkey and Joseph walked

C. Caravan

D. We don’t know

6. After his birth, Jesus was placed in a –

A. Manger

B. Basket

C. Crib

D. Bed

7. A manger is –

A. Wooden table

B. Feeding trough

C. Stable

D. Small bed

8. What animals were in the barn when Jesus was born?

A. Cows, donkeys, and sheep

B. Sheep, goats, and cows

C. Horses, cows, and donkeys

D. The Bible doesn’t say

9. From which direction did the three kings that visited Jesus come?

A. The west

B. The east

C. The Orient

D. None of the above

10. The shepherds were told by the angels to look for which sign?

A. A star over Bethlehem

B. A tree with a star on top

C. A babe in a manger

D. None of the above

11. The words of the angels were –

A. Glory, Glory, Hallelujah

B. Joy to the World, the Lord is Come

C. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords

D. Glory to God in the highest

12. The three gifts given to Jesus were –

A. Gold and silver

B. Gold, jewels, and silver

C. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh

D. None of the above

14. How many wise men came to see Jesus?

A. One

B. Two

C. Three

D. The Bible doesn’t say

16. The wise men met Jesus in –

A. A manger

B. A stable

C. A house

D. The Bible doesn’t say

17. Joseph and Mary were told to go to Bethlehem by –

A. Herod

B. An angel

C. Caesar Augustus

D. The Bible doesn’t say

18. The infant Jesus was taken to Egypt to –

A. Because Joseph was told in a dream to take him there

B. To meet the pharaoh

C. To go to school

D. The Bible doesn’t say

19. The Bible says the little drummer boy met Jesus –

A. In a house

B. While Jesus was still in the manger

C. In Nazareth

D. None of the above

20. In which gospels do we find the stories of the birth of Jesus

A. Matthew

B. Mark

C. Luke

D. John

21. Immanuel means –

A. Good news

B. Jesus

C. God with us

D. None of the above

22. Christmas is celebrated on December 25^th because the Bible tells us to –

True

False

23. The wise men followed the star all the way to Bethlehem

True

False

24. Jesus was given his name by his mother.

True

False

25. Herod was happy to hear of the birth of Jesus.

True

False

Richard Roberts - One Down, Several More To Go

It's about time. Richard Roberts did the right thing when he resigned as the president of Oral Roberts University. The Roberts' have brought shame upon the body of Christ with their lavish lifestyle, questionable fund-raising methods, and lack of accountability and transparency.

With other prominent media pastors - Benny Hinn, Randy and Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Eddie Long, Creflo Dollar, and Kenneth Copeland - being investigated by Senator Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) it will be interesting to see who will be the next to fall.

In several previous posts I have written about the need for greater financial transparency in large media ministries and in local churches (I have even posted my salary and benefits). Once again, here is my warning - if a media ministry is not a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) DO NOT GIVE THEM A DIME! (None of those currently being investigated by Senator Grassley are members of the ECFA). Do not give money to any ministry led by anyone who is leading an opulent lifestyle. Mansions, exorbitant salaries, luxury cars, private jets, and closets the size of a house are not marks of a person who is being a good steward of the tithes and offerings of ministry donors.

But this is not just a warning about large media ministers; this is a warning for local churches of all sizes. If your church does not provide regular financial information - including staff salaries - you need to start asking some questions and consider whether or not you should give any money to that church. Our church provides a monthly treasurer's report that is available to anyone. That report lists monthly and year to date information regarding all income and expenditures, salaries, mission giving, and lists every check written on all church accounts. All financial information is disclosed publicly and is distributed openly. The only financial information not disclosed are individual giving records (and by the way, as pastor of the church I do not have access to that information and do not want access to that information. If your pastor knows what you give - tell him/her to mind their own business! Church staff members have no business accessing the giving records of church members/attenders). In recent years many churches have stopped providing some financial information, primarily staff salaries. This, in my opinion, is wrong and sends a terrible message about a lack of financial transparency. I know some of the reasons this is done - to minimize jealousy among staff members and to provide privacy for staff - but none of the reasons are legitimate, in my opinion. Being open about finances extends to any minister, and any minister desiring to keep information from being disclosed must realize they are leaving themselves open to questions about financial and personal integrity.

Before you write another check to a ministry or a church, ask some questions about how the money is handled before you give them a single penny.

Are You Spending Too Much Time Blogging?

As you can tell from the infrequency with which I update this blog, I'm not really into blogging in a very big way. And though I have a few blogs listed on my site, I don't check them very often. The reason - I don't have time, and even if I did have time I find very, very few blogs that are interesting.

When I do check out some blogs and see the long lists of blog rolls that are posted on these sites, I wonder - do these people read all those blogs on a regular basis? If they are, they either have too much time on their hands or they are not spending enough time on more pressing matters.

This is an especially pressing question for ministers. Most of the sites I've seen that are maintained by ministers have very long blogroll lists. Listen up - if you people are reading these on a regular basis you are spending too much time messing around with blogs!

David Gilmour and Steve Vai

Rainy weather meant no satellite to watch late this evening, so I put a few DVDs in while on the treadmill. First up was Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival and a simply astounding performance by Steve Vai. I don't think the man is human. His technique makes me want to throw away my guitar, burn my amp, and bury everything else. He is light years ahead of where 99.9% of musicians could ever hope to be. If Vai were a scientist he would be Einstein.

Next was Pink Floyd's Pulse DVD. While Vai is burning speed and astounding technique, David Gilmour is pure soul and taste. Though he never plays fast, every note is beautifully played. Vai would be Einstein, but Gilmour would be Michelangelo, creating art that will last far beyond his years in this life. It's not hard to understand why Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon (released in 1973) is the longest charting album in history. David Gilmour could play the phone book and it would be a classic.

I would love to play like Steve Vai. To possess that level of speed and technique must be amazing. But if I had a choice, I would choose the talent of David Gilmour. Not to slight Vai, but Gilmour is just such a fabulous player. I never tire of so many of the Floyd's songs and even have Wish You Were Here as the ring tone on my cell phone. And then there's that solo on Time. A master class in soloing, Gilmour creates a song within a song with his beautiful phrasing and expressive bends. Like thousands of other guitar players, I have learned the solo, but while I play the right notes it just doesn't sound the same. That's why he's on a DVD and I'm just watching.

No Presidential Endorsements Here

I read with much interest, some amusement, and a lot of discomfort as other pastors endorse candidates on their blogs. You will find no such endorsement here. Not for president or any other office. Not even dog catcher.

If a pastor chooses to do so, that is certainly their right - as long as they comply with those sticky IRS regulations. It's not the IRS that worries me, I just don't think it's a good idea.

I have no desire for people to think I am speaking for my church when it comes to political candidates. I never speak for my church when it comes to politics; I'm not sure I speak for them on anything, actually. I am a Baptist - sometimes barely hanging onto remaining a Baptist by my fingernails - and the heritage of Baptist is that we are encouraged to have an individual voice but also that we generally only speak for ourselves.

The reason I do not want to endorse a candidate is because as pastor of a church my opinions are sometimes seen as reflective of my church. It is absolutely not my desire that anyone would think my political opinions reflect that of my church. The church I pastor is very diverse in its political views and there is no way we could come to a consensus on much of anything in the realm of politics. Such is the Baptist way, and that's what keeps my life interesting.

I also don't endorse candidates because I prefer the tradition of being free to criticize any and all candidates when I so choose. I know I can still do this if I endorse a particular candidate, but it doesn't appear to be very objective. Perhaps I will publish criticisms of some of these candidates as the campaign for president intensifies (I did criticize John McCain in an earlier post).

So pastors, endorse away on your blogs if you so choose. But keep this in mind - your endorsement most likely has little impact on how anyone votes, but it does make you appear to associate the Gospel with a particular political ideology that may hurt your witness and your ability to be prophetic. I believe that many people outside of the church are turned off to the church because of the overly strident political positions advocated by so many pastors. While there are certainly times to be prophetic, being partisan is a different matter. You are free to do what you want, but I will take advantage of my freedom to say that I believe you are terribly wrong when you make an endorsement. And don't bother asking me how I am registered or how I vote - I keep that information to myself.

Paige Patterson Portrait at Southwestern Seminary

SBC Outpost has an interesting piece about the new portrait of Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (sbcoutpost.com). The cost was not revealed, although the Outpost reports that a portrait by the same artist set Southeastern Seminary back almost $70,000.

I don't know if Cooperative Program dollars paid for this portrait or not, but does it not seem rather excessive? It is becoming increasingly troubling how some of the presidents of Southern Baptist seminaries are building their own kingdoms on these campuses (and beyond) and how this is helping detach them from reality. If Paige Patterson and the trustees of Southwestern think it's perfectly fine to spend such an exorbitant amount of money on a portrait they are in serious need of a reality check.

When I was a student at Southern Seminary I lived on a diet of rice and Ramen noodles for three years (like many of my fellow students). A trip to Burger King was a tremendous luxury. Many - perhaps most - of the students in SBC seminaries are living near or below poverty conditions while the presidents are enjoying increasingly opulent lifestyles. Do these men stop and think about this? Do they ever consider how this looks to students and even to seminary outsiders? It's about time they do consider it.