en mgrant@streamingfaith.com Copyright 2008 2008-07-31T13:10:41-05:00 http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/435/ http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/435/#When:15:40:11Z Discover if Google and other internet sites have changed the way we think as Christians.There is no question about it, Google is a marvelous tool. The entire planet uses it, and the gargantuan mountain of information you can find there is growing in depth and breadth daily. Plus, the search engine is only getting faster. But day by day, Google and the Internet-at-large are convincing us that knowledge ought to be at our fingertips; whether it is a map, stock-price, article, quote, or video clip-we start to feel that typing it into a search-bar is all that it should take. As author Carr puts it, "the Net seems to be . . . chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. My mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles." Carr is right. No wonder we are so crazy about it-it gives us the instant gratification we crave. While the Scriptures teach us that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control, Google bombards us with the opposite message: You ought to have what you want when you want it. And when you break it down, instant gratification is really another manifestation of pride. So not only is Google and search engines in general changing the way we think, they are changing our hearts. Don't believe me? Pay attention to yourself the next time you type in a search bar. See if these feelings of impatience and a need-to-know don't crop up a bit. After all doesn't Google give us what we really want? An end to our search? Our questions answered? Instant knowledge and all the empowerment that goes along with it? For Christians, these desires are worth thinking over-because every deep human desire is, in some way, connected to our conscious or even unconscious desire for God. Think about what the Bible promises. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" (John 8:32). "Ask and it will be given to you . . . seek and you shall find" (Matthew 7:7). "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face" (1 Corinthians 13:12). Or what about when Christ promises that a day is coming when He will speak plainly to us about the Father of glory (John 16:25)? Can you imagine the ecstasy of such a day? When communication with God is unhindered? No wonder we see a Messiah in Google. We were built to want understanding, knowledge, wisdom, communication-and we can get it! But only by faith in Christ. Make no mistake, Christ promises us that through Him a day will come when desires cease and all that we want to know and feel will be known and felt in His immediate and enduring presence. In Him, our search is found. So as drinking water teaches us to yearn for spiritual drink and as bread reminds us that we must eat spiritual food, let the Internet and all its potential for good or ill remind us that what we are really searching for is Christ. Only He will give us true understanding, enduring satisfaction, and unhindered communication for life forevermore. We will find it is time to call off the search-because all we have ever needed or wanted is in Him.   2008-08-21T15:40:11-05:00 http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/432/ http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/432/#When:16:21:06Z Ed Stetzer poses the question: "Does anyone have a Bible and some common sense?"On April 3, 2008 Canadian evangelist Todd Bentley was invited to speak to the Ignited Church of Lakeland, FL. Though he was only scheduled to be there for 5 days, he remained for 3 months during what he considered to be the biggest pentecostal revival since the Azusa Street revival. To put it mildly, the "Lakeland revival" has been controversial. Claims of people being raised from the dead? Violent healing? Now it appears Bentley is stepping down after filing for separation from his wife and admitting to an inappropriate relationship with another woman. Grady asks some hard questions in his article. Why did so many people flock to Lakeland from around the world to rally behind an evangelist who had serious credibility issues from the beginning? To put it bluntly, we're just plain gullible... A prominent Pentecostal evangelist called me this week after Bentley's news hit the fan. He said to me: "I'm now convinced that a large segment of the charismatic church will follow the anti-Christ when he shows up because they have no discernment." Why did a group of respected ministers lay hands on Bentley on June 23 and publicly ordain him? Did they know of his personal problems? ...No one in ministry today should be out on their own, living in isolation without checks, balances and wise counsel. It was commendable that [C. Peter] Wagner reached out to Bentley and that Bentley acknowledged his need for spiritual fathers by agreeing to submit to the process. The question remains, however, whether it was wise to commend Bentley during a televised commissioning service that at times seemed more like a king's coronation. In hindsight, we can all see that it would have been better to take Bentley into a back room and talk about his personal issues. ...I trust that Wagner, Ahn, Johnson and Arnott didn't know of Bentley's problems before they ordained him. ... But I believe that they, along with Bentley and the owners of God TV, owe the body of Christ a forthright, public apology for thrusting Bentley's ministry into the spotlight prematurely. (Perhaps such an apology should be aired on God TV.) Grady cites C. Peter Wagner. If you have been reading the blog, you will remember two recent posts on apostles, here and here that mention Wagner. In both cases, I shared a bit about Wagner so the timing of my post and the timing of this incident prompted this blog entry. Well, Wagner recently brought what they call "apostolic covering" to Bentley. During a publicized gathering on June 23rd Wagner explained what this covering ceremony was all about. He said, "This is a ceremony celebrating the formal apostolic alignment of Todd Bentley." He explains that alignment is a kind of adjustment, or putting things in order. Bentley was asked if he recognized the apostolic authority of the apostles who were present, and when he did Wagner says that this will be a formal "commissioning" equivalent to offering the the right hand of fellowship as the apostles did to Paul in Jerusalem. Wagner continued by proclaiming, This commissioning represents a powerful spiritual transaction taking place in the invisible world. With this in mind, I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree to Todd Bentley: * Your power will increase. * Your authority will increase. * Your favor will increase. * Your influence will increase. * Your revelation will increase. I also decree that: * A new supernatural strength will flow through this ministry. * A new life force will penetrate this move of God. * A government will be established to set things in their proper order. * God will pour out a higher level of discernment to distinguish truth from error. * New relationships will surface to open gates for the future. In his article, Grady also points out that Bentley's theology should have been seriously investigated when Bentley connected with the "healing angel" of William Branham. (See the picture below for the "healing angel.") Yet, Bentley was never called on this bizarre connection. While teaching at Southern, I served a church in the same town where Branham founded a church. Branham was once a well known (perhaps the best known) Pentecostal healing evangelist... at least until he went astray. A little history may be helpful: Branham rejected the doctrine of the Trinity and in fact claimed the doctrine was of the devil. Consequently he believed that anyone baptized into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit needed to be re-baptized. He predicted that 1977 would usher in the new millennium, and he believed denominationalism is the mark of the beast. Branham also believed the sin in the Garden of Eden that brought about the curse of God was not the eating of literal fruit, but the sexual union between Eve and the chimpanzee-serpent-beast. I kid you not. Yet, the movement and the meetings with Todd Benley went on... until last week when reality caught up. Now let me say, I work very hard to be charitable to Christians of different stripes-- much to the chagrin of those in my denomination who think we are the one true New Testament faith. And, this is not intended to be a post against one group (note, again, the title and you can visit my earlier posts on Pentecostal movements here and here.) Finally, I tend to think that movements should work out their theological discussions and I stay out of them-- rarely writing a post like this. Yet, when I see things like this, it is just hard not to ask: does anyone still have a Bible and some common sense? Let me add: I do not think this is a Pentecostal issue. That is why the title is, "Evangelical Gullibility." In other words, all kinds of Christians are forwarding emails about the FCC's phony plan to ban religious braoadcasting, signing up to have emails sent to the loved ones after the rapture, and watching Christian television for its theological depth. For that matter, I have just as many odd people come up to me with "something they discovered in the Bible that no one has ever noticed" after I speak at a Baptist, Wesleyan, of non-denominational meeting as I do when I speak at a Pentecostal one. Furthermore, many Pentecostals and Charismatics HAVE expressed concern about this movement-- including some when I visit the Assemblies of God office a couple of weeks ago. I just have to wonder with Grady if Christians really are just gullible. True revival is generally a messy affair. On the one hand abuses often accompany genuine works of God, and on the other hand much of what is called revival is nothing more than fanaticism. Courage is required to ask tough questions and do so with with grace and kindness, patience is necessary to wait and see if what is called revival bears lasting fruit, and theological discernment is critical for the church when it comes to awakenings and revival. 2008-08-18T16:21:06-05:00 http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/426/ http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/426/#When:16:48:41Z Discover how the healing power of God is best experienced through community."You lied yesterday." Ouch! I wanted to push the thought away and hide it in the darkness. I'm a pastor, that's embarrassing, so my first inclination was to run and hide. "Let's think about something else!" But I knew God wanted me to confess it. Resistant, I came to admit the truth to God first, "I didn't speak the truth, Lord. Why did I feel the need to lie?" And as I prayed, I began to see fears of being misunderstood, fears of a lack of confidentiality, fears that drove me from the light. On the way to work, I called Nate, and I confessed to him. Nate, like a trusted friend, forgave me and lovingly asked, "Why did you feel the need to lie?" We had a great conversation about the last 10% of some past hurts we'd never fully resolved, and it felt healing to both of us. God calls us to come out of the darkness and walk in the light with His Spirit and with others, but everything in me fears and resists living in confessing community. Why is it so challenging to lead this way? You possess a mysterious power! Other people possess it as well. We wield the power to either wound or to heal one another. We've seen God's grace-filled community heal broken marriages, substance abuse, anger issues, gender confusion, trust issues lingering from sexual abuse, pornography addictions...but healing almost always comes through community. It's God's plan. Spirituality is relational! It's all about relationship with God and others-that's what Jesus said-right? Love God, love others! But I find there's something inside of me that fears and runs and hides automatically-it's that old lie, "pretend or be condemned." This is the fear that we as leaders must courageously attack if we want to truly lead others (as in "walk out in front") in the way of Christ. I'm convinced this is the whole point of Grace. God's Grace offered through Christ was not given merely to one day get us into heaven, but to make possible moment-by-moment connection to God's Spirit who can lead us into a new way of loving others-now and forever. Something powerfully healing happens when ordinary people simply confess their sins and struggles to God, and to one another. Walking in the light, John says, involves confession: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9 TNIV, italics mine) The healing power of confession comes not just in confessing to God, but to one another as well: "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." (James 5:16 TNIV, italics mine) Sin destroys the loving community God intended, and so God chooses to use his new community, which moment by moment courageously follows the leadership of his Spirit, to heal and restore one another. We become wounded healers only as we rely on God's love, grace, and acceptance to enable us to walk in the light together without fear. Why does it rarely happen? Because we're all wounded and need healing. It's scary for us to relate this way. It's much safer to play religious shell-games like the Pharisees-pretending helps religious leaders feel "good" and safe and in control (and it murderously opposes the Messiah's ways). We need God's help moment by moment. God wants to lead us to be a healing community of simple, ordinary people who learn to accept, forgive, encourage, and walk with each other no matter how ugly or messy confession gets. That's something we must learn. We don't naturally do it. But when leaders do, it makes it safe for others to do the same. Suddenly we aren't alone in it, and God does something through us together that we can never do for ourselves. What are you hiding? Have you been completely honest and vulnerable with God and at least one other human being about all your sins, struggles, and defects? If not, where are you leading people-back into hiding? Can you hear God's Spirit whispering, "It's safe to come out of hiding, you can stop the game. My grace is sufficient, walk in my light with others and I will heal you and grow you together into powerfully loving people."   2008-08-15T16:48:41-05:00 http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/412/ http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/412/#When:15:50:59Z After the fall of yet another politician to a sex scandal, is there such thing as "moral sanity?"Sexual immorality crosses all partisan lines. Spitzer and Edwards are prominent Democrats, but equally prominent Republicans have been caught in the same web. There is no room for partisan calculation here. One interesting aspect of the Edwards saga is the near-universal assumption that, had Edwards won the primary race for the Democratic presidential nomination, he (and his party) would have been fatally wounded in terms of the November election. This assumption, revealed in media coverage of the scandal, seems to be common to both liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats. The assumption is probably valid. The American people are incredibly forgiving, but John Edwards violated a basic sense of public dignity and personal morality. The fact that his wife, Elizabeth, is in the fight of her life with cancer only adds to the public's sense of outrage at his violation of his marital vows. His repeated lies added fuel to the fire. On top of all this, the narcissism and recklessness of his affair revealed a poisonous disregard for his responsibilities, his supporters, his family, his friends, and the public. The American people were confronted once again with broken promises, broken commitments, and broken hearts laid bare in public. Even now, the public seems braced for further revelations in this scandal. But what of that near-universal assumption that this scandal should end the political career of John Edwards? Some observers reject that assumption. Writing for Psychology Today [warning: objectionable language], Roy F. Baumeister categorically rejects the idea that a sex scandal should be considered politically significant at all. He writes: "My thesis is that the American people and their chances for good government are the ones most harmed by these scandals. In fact, I recommend that we should stop considering sexual behavior as a qualification for political office." That is an audacious recommendation, but it is not unprecedented. Similar arguments followed the fall of Elliot Spitzer. The public is not buying the argument. Baumeister continues: I can imagine people objecting that sexual decision making reveals a man's character. (I refer specifically to men here, because so far only men have had their political careers ruined by sex scandals.) This argument seems lame to me. A much better and more relevant test of character would involve how the person has managed his money. Has he always paid his bills on time? If the answer is no, that is much more reason to question his suitability for public office than an occasional bit of unsanctioned sex. That is an amazing and revealing argument. Christians must reject that argument on its face. The Bible clearly affirms that what is done with the body is directly related to the soul. Christianity is incompatible with a Gnosticism that divides the body and soul so that sexual behavior and character can be separated. Baumeister even goes so far as to argue that the public is drawn to support high-testosterone men who, by virtue of that testosterone, are also likely to seek multiple sex partners. "High testosterone does not promote sexual fidelity," he asserts. "It makes men want to have more different partners. On top of the self-selection of adultery-prone men into politics, the opportunities probably increase for a successful politician." In the end, he warns that the nation is "not so oversupplied with brilliant, wonderful, effective politicians that we can afford to disqualify a substantial number of them based on something as irrelevant as a bit of wild oats." An extended adulterous affair encased in lies and betrayal is merely "a bit of wild oats?" Well, there you have it -- it's not the man . . . it's the testosterone. It's not a moral scandal, just a bit of wild oats. Most Americans recognize those arguments to be patent nonsense. Even in these confused and confusing times, some moral sanity remains. 2008-08-13T15:50:59-05:00 http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/407/ http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/407/#When:19:54:51Z Discover why America has found a true champion in the life of Steven Curtis Chapman and his family.For those of you who do not know, Steven Curtis Chapman's adopted daughter Maria Sue was killed this past May in a tragic accident in the driveway of their home. She was run over by an SUV driven by her brother Will. Such a tragic circumstance could rip even a solid family apart. Guilt, anger, blame, remorse, and grief could so easily have caused the Chapmans to doubt their faith, to blame each other, or to blame God. Instead, tonight on Larry King Live America and the world saw a family whose faith is the real deal. A family who has been tested in the worst kind of way and emerged to say that God is good and that His grace is sufficient. We got a glimpse into the heart and soul of a high-profile Christian personality and saw clearly that he truly believes - and lives - every word that he has written, sung about and proclaimed for the last 21 years. It was especially touching to hear how immediately after the accident their focus was not on their dead daughter but on their devastated son, Will. They told of physically wrapping their arms around Will and assuring him of their love, assuring him that they did not blame him for what happened.  Emily, their newly-engaged daughter told King that the Bible said that God was near to the brokenhearted and that He had been faithful to that promise to them since this happened. One story in particular broke my heart, yet warmed it at the same time. At the hospital after they learned that their daughter had indeed passed away, the family prayed together and asked God to show them something to assure them that Maria was OK, that she was safe in His arms. When they got back home, they found a picture that Maria had colored the morning of the accident. It was a flower with six petals. One of the petals was shaded in blue. Beside the flower, Maria had written in huge letters S-E-E. They said Maria had never written that word before. As far as they knew, the five year-old Maria only knew how to spell her first name. The message of the picture was clear to the Chapmans. They had six children. One of them was now in heaven. "See," she was telling them, "I'm OK." There is a great scene in the movie Chariots of Fire. Eric Liddel, the "Flying Scotsman," the great 1924 Olympic Champion and the Pride of Scotland felt that he needed to retire from running and spend his life in more serious and important pursuits like preaching and sharing his faith. Eric's pastor and another clergyman come to see him, seeking to persuade him to keep running for the glory of God. They wanted Eric to see that his notoriety, his fame, and the legions of young people who idolized him were opportunities to influence lives for the gospel that a simple preacher would not have. The pastor looked at Eric earnestly and said, "What the world needs to see today, Eric, is muscular Christians." What all of America saw tonight on CNN was muscular Christians. Champions. More than conquerors. Overcomers.   2008-08-08T19:54:51-05:00 http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/389/ http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/389/#When:13:50:53Z ABBA Fund Director Jason Kovacs shares why God is magnified through adoption.We weren't sure if we would be matched with a birthmother a few months prior to the due-date or if we would get a phone call that a baby had been born and the brave young mother was ready to immediately place her child for adoption. Months went by and we finally got a phone call, but it wasn't for a baby. God had a two-year old boy and an eight-month old girl for us. The social worker asked if we were interested and we said "Yes!" and drove down to Florida to meet our children. At the adoption agency, the first person I met was my son toddling around the corner. He walked up to me and grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. He wanted out of that place! What I believe he wanted even more than that was a daddy. That is the case today with millions of children around the world. UNICEF estimates that there are over 132 million orphans in the world today living without a permanent family. In the United States alone, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says, there are over 129,000 children waiting for a daddy and mommy. There are also many mothers with unexpected pregnancies who want to choose adoption instead of abortion. Many of the children overseas must fight all by themselves for their very lives. Others are cared for in orphanages. The orphaned children in America will fight for their futures as well: roughly 2% will receive a university degree and 84% will have their own children within a few years of aging out of the foster-care system (source). With all these parentless children, it is no side note that God is a "Father to the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5). He has made adoption the apex of the Gospel. His spiritual enemies are now his very sons and daughters through the Cross. And God calls us, his adopted family, to be a part of his care for the fatherless. At the core of God's nature is a Father's heart that we are to reflect. Scripture is clear that practical care for orphans is fundamental to the mission of the church. In Psalm 10:18 we are commanded to "do justice to the fatherless." And Isaiah tells us to "Defend the cause of the fatherless" (1:17). James writes, "religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans...in their affliction" (1:27). Surely this means not only caring temporarily for the needs of orphans, but also permanently caring for them through adoption. We have an incredible opportunity in adoption to live out God's compassion and so eternally change the life of a child. A year after we adopted, my wife gave birth to our third child, a beautiful baby girl. The wonder and beauty of becoming a parent through birth and adoption are incomparable and yet each is just as sweet and amazing and wonderful. I encourage any of you who are praying about growing your family to consider adoption as a way of magnifying the "Father of the fatherless." And for those of you who aren't called to adopt there many other ways to care for orphans such as foster-care, financially supporting those who are adopting, visiting orphanages, sponsoring a child, and praying. The question will never be whether you should care for orphans. The question is how you will care for them and in doing so reflect the compassion of God for the least of these. 2008-08-05T13:50:53-05:00 http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/377/ http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/377/#When:13:10:41Z I fear that we have grown satisfied with religious activity in the place of a vital dynamic relationship with God. We sing our songs, recite our prayers, dutifully read our Bibles each day yet we do not hear the voice of God or see the hand of God in our lives. We are content DOING things FOR God yet we miss out on BEING in a relationship WITH God.Cows have a very low sodium diet; after all, they mostly eat grass - the equivalent of eating nothing but salad with NO dressing. Very low sodium. Bovine bodies require a certain amount of sodium to function properly, and when the sodium level gets dangerously low, their kidneys shut down in an effort to stop the elimination of sodium. Of course, that can be fatally dangerous. Licking salt adds sodium to the diet, creates a thirst for water, and keeps the kidneys functioning properly. This regiment should only be followed if you are bovine, well, and actually equine. But if you are a human, do not try this at home. We get plenty of sodium, way too much, really. Let's think of thirst, though, in spiritual terms. How thirsty are we for God? Think about the following verses: As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" - Psalm 42:1-3 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. - Psalm 63:1 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. - Matthew 5:6 I fear that we have grown satisfied with religious activity in the place of a vital dynamic relationship with God. We sing our songs, recite our prayers, dutifully read our Bibles each day yet we do not hear the voice of God or see the hand of God in our lives. We are content DOING things FOR God yet we miss out on BEING in a relationship WITH God. FRIENDS, JESUS DID NOT DIE ON THE CROSS SO WE COULD DO RELIGIOUS THINGS . . . HE DIED SO WE COULD HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. Let me challenge you to ask God to give you a dissatisfaction with a life that simply goes through the motions without experiencing the One for whom we do the motions. Let the Word of God be a holy salt lick that creates a thirst to know God better and experience God more profoundly in our life every day. As we read about Him and learn about Him, we will desire to know Him. Pray that we would echo the sentiments of Paul: "I want to know Christ . . ." (Philippians 3:10) Stay thirsty, my friends.Originally posted 7/31/08 by Pastor Jim Duggan at Jim's Gems.  Jim Duggan is Pastor of First Baptist Church of Houschton, GA and is a frequent contributer to 316 Networks Blog Central. 2008-07-31T13:10:41-05:00 http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/374/ http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/374/#When:08:25:29Z Author / Blogger Anne Jackson notes how as Christians our lives are always on display.A waitress with frizzy blonde hair appeared. She seemed older than her fifty years, with deep wrinkles and a posture of a woman who has spent most of her life carrying food to hungry customers. Her southern accent was thick as she took our order. When she returned with our rolls and butter, she grinned as she asked us a question that caught us completely off guard. "Do y'all mind if I ask y'all how long y'all've been married?" We looked at each other a little surprised, but I turned and answered her. "We just passed our five year anniversary a few days ago." Her smile got bigger as she told us she assumed we were newlyweds. "It's just the way y'all look at each other and act. I just thought you hadn't been married very long. You seem so in love." Surprised, we thanked her as she turned to wait on another customer. "That was weird," I told Chris. "But I guess that's a good thing, huh?" He agreed, and we returned to our baked squash and fried okra. I couldn't help but think more about what the waitress asked us about. Now, I'm certainly not one to claim I have a perfect marriage. Chris and I have had our fair share of issues and problems and fights. We are definitely past that newlywed phase and our guards are down, tempting us to take each other for granted and let our selfish nature win over serving each other. The thing that struck me most was the unexpectedness of the conversation. Here we were, in a small unassuming restaurant, simply having dinner. But someone was watching. Over the last couple of months, I've been meditating on a familiar verse. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." As leaders in ministry, especially those of us who are younger, it's easy to feel like the influence we have isn't as powerful as someone who has a fancy title, a wider audience, or even a larger paycheck. Especially when your position is considered low in the ministry food chain, you often wonder what kind of impact you're having. Jesus had every right in the world to demand honor and fame in his ministry. Yet, Philippians 2 tells us that he "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing." We desperately want to be affirmed and encouraged in our attempts for God. But we have to remember - it's not about us. It's not about the impact our ministry can have or our reputation as a leader or seeing our name on all the right blogrolls. The spotlight is something our human nature craves. And regardless of if our name is ever in lights, someone is always watching. It's your supervisor. Your pastor. Your spouse. Your child. Your volunteer team. Your church members. The waitress at the restaurant. You are setting an example, whether you know it or not. Oswald Chambers wrote, "The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and "the lilies of the field"- simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us. If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live- yet you will be unaware, on the conscious level of your life, that you are being used of Him." It's not about us. It's about Him...and how we can reflect His love and truth to the world around us. It's about living in His grace and extending it to others. We have to constantly remain in communion with Christ. Then and only then will the pure, unadulterated love of God show through us. And we won't even realize it. 2008-07-31T08:25:29-05:00 http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/372/ http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/372/#When:17:59:16Z Author Tim Stevens shares why Christians should be slow to embracing boycotts. What do you think about such boycotts? My thoughts (from Pop Goes the Church)... Christians have a longstanding history of being against pop culture, which came to the forefront in 1977 with the formation of the American Family Association. Over the past three decades, they have led boycotts against 7-Eleven, American Airlines, Abercrombie and Fitch, and even American Girl. They were joined by Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority during the 1980s, which was followed by the very public boycott of Disney by the Southern Baptist Convention that began in 1997 and ended in 2005. Even more recently with the release of The Golden Compass in December 2007, Christians made headlines by standing against this children's movie for its perceived atheistic message. Over 955 news articles were written about the response of Christians to this movie, with headlines such as "Christian Group Protests The Golden Compass" and "Church Warns Fantasy Film is Anti-Religion" and "Religious Groups Call for Boycott of The Golden Compass." It seems as if every week I receive an opportunity by e-mail to boycott this, petition that, sign a covenant, or let a business know my Christian beliefs about its product. Honestly, these types of activities make me sick. Those businesses and organizations we want to boycott are being run and led by people-human beings-with families and kids and lives and choices. We may as well say to them, "Go to hell because I don't give a rip about your eternity. Just stay away from me and my family and out of our picket-fence-protected homes." Our actions are perceived as holier than thou, and they put us in the category of "all Christians are the same." When did we decide the church should dictate, control, or mandate the direction of our culture? Isn't culture just a reflection of who we are as a society? Why are we focused on the fruit rather than the root? It would be like smashing all the apples from a tree in anger because they aren't big enough or tasty enough rather than considering the soil, sunlight, and environmental conditions; getting mad at the food when we should really be talking to the cook; or blaming the kids when we should talk to the parents. Christians even use the Bible as a hammer against society hopefully to force it to reform. We think those who do not follow Jesus should act like those who do. In their book A Matrix of Meanings, Detweiler and Taylor make a great point... "In the New Testament, only the Gospels were written with the general public in mind. Yet many in the church read pop culture in light of Peter, Paul, and John's letters. Books of the Bible intended as "in-house" documents, designed to purify God's people, have been used inappropriately to correct the broader culture. So the warnings against sexual immorality in I Corinthians 7 get directed toward audiences Paul never intended." The authors go on to point out Paul's writing in I Corinthians 5:12-13, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside." I like how the same passage reads in The Message , "God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house." Yet time and again, those who call themselves Christians, and many who are pastors or religious leaders, condemn the culture and reinforce the stereotype that all Christians are judgmental and unloving. It is no wonder that people such as Jeff, a twenty-five-year-old who doesn't go to church, was quoted in unChristian saying, "Christians talk about hating sin and loving sinners, but the way they go about things, they might as well call it what it is. They hate the sin and the sinner." Am I wrong? What are your thoughts?   2008-07-28T17:59:16-05:00 http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/359/ http://316networks.com/blogcentral/posts/359/#When:14:23:25Z Author Mark Buchanan shares why evangelism and discipleship should still captivate our lives as believers.Nicola, of all my children, has caught my virus for the sport, for which there is no known cure. We tried, despite the weather and the swollen waters, to go recently anyhow. It was a wet grey Saturday, the rain pelting down hard, but she was bent on going nonetheless. So we drove to a place I know (don't even bother asking, because no fisherman worth his fly rod will share such secrets). The rain fell, and drenched us. The river's silty waters rode high up its banks and made casting tricky as threading a camel through a needle's eye. We broke out a new lure, fresh from the package, a yellow spoon with a flame of red sundering its middle. Very flashy. We snagged it third cast, and lost it to the torrents. But we couldn't have been happier. As I said, we've got the virus. No cure. Jesus liked fish, and fisherman. At least four of the disciples - Peter, Andrew, John, James - were chosen from the ranks of the fish trade. And Jesus, whenever he ate, tended to pick the fresh water menu item. I think he understood the virus well. So it's men like me, and girls like Nicola, who hear with extra poignancy and potency his words, "Now you will become fishers of men." He knew what to say to get our attention. He knew what would pique our interest. Could evangelism and discipleship be that captivating? Could a life of trying to win the hearts of men and women be for us, for all of us, what fishing is to my daughter and me: a thing you'd wake early, and suffer loss, and endure bad weather just to do? A thing you'd go long stretches empty-handed just for the thrill of that moment when the line goes taut, the rod bends, and the chase is on? Yes. One thing the Lord is teaching me (and, as Jesus said, what he whispers to me in secret I will shout from rooftops) is that when we fail to lead lives of witness - showing and telling others what it is to follow Jesus - we are not so much cheating God as we are robbing ourselves. We are missing one of the best parts about following Jesus. He wants us to go fishing. Why, rain or shine, would anyone want to lay around the house? 2008-07-23T14:23:25-05:00