The Center Flame

One of my favorite pass times is cooking on my grill.  I’m not especially good at it, but I’ll keep trying.  My grill of several years has been slowly needing replacement parts.  From heart dividers to o-rings, I’ve put a bit of money into maintaining the system.  It’s ok, none of the parts or pieces to date have been that expensive.

However, I noticed today that in the center of the grill there is now a very high, very intense flame.  That centralized flame forces me to move the steaks and hamburgers around the flame and forces me to keep them away from the center.

Upon further evaluation, I found that one of the channels that host the gas, has rusted through in the middle.  Therefore the intense flame is a result of a broken system.  A high concentration of gas has drawn from the rest of the system making it imbalanced and not heating the grill equally.

Systematic Approach to Heating

As I pondered this it showed an obvious allegory or what I think is problematic system of evangelism in the post-modern world.  See, in order to properly cook the meat I have to have a constant flame at a moderate temperature.  If I were to leave the meat too far from the flame it will never cook.  Sure it’ll be exposed to the heat, but not sufficiently enough to thoroughly cook the steak and get it to a point that it’s tasteful and useful.  Transversely, if I were to put the steak directly on the intense flame, the steak only burns on the outside, leaving the inside uncooked, distasteful, scorched , a waste of the heating system’s efforts and a wasted opportunity.

Failing Flame

Often times when Christians try to share their heart to an Outsider, their flame is too high.  The intensity is a result of something broken in our heating mechanism.  What’s broken varies for Believers.  I feel that often it’s a lack of a pre-established relationship, a desire to “win-over” someone through our own efforts instead of letting Christ work or a lack of patience to keep the heat low and constant to ensure that we influence a well done approach.

Saving people is up to Christ.  He provides the opportunities and the desire in the Outsider to heed His call.  Often times having a balance in our heating system – with all parts working well -do I create the opportunity and environment to witness.  If my flame is too high, such as being so religious that I simply burn people without gradually warming them from the inside, I become irrelevant.  My religious element maybe high and it’s taking away from the other heating elements, such as personal relationship, humor, intellect, etc…  I don’t wish to be misunderstood here.  My Faith is foremost.  It’s what propels me to live as I live, I want people to see me as differently.  But I don’t want the “religious” effects (being seen as self righteous, legalistic or hypocritical) to overshadow a balanced life.

There are a lot of Christians who overwhelm Outsiders with scriptures, judgmental attitudes and a desire to dictate their actions.  They sometimes lack the lifestyle that compels Outsiders to ask what’s different.  We loose relevance in other peoples lives when we’re too on-fire and we tend to burn them.

I pray that I am a constant balanced Christian that doesn’t burn those around me in order to be a small part of the systematic approach of the gospel that creates a useful and tasteful member of the faith.

“Col. 4:6 – Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Tags: bible, christian, evangalism, lifestyle, relational, witnessing

I’m struggling….  I know I’m not alone, but I find no solace in that fact anymore.  I’ve again been brutally reminded that gauging your identified by man is temporal.  Friendships and popularity in the world is fleeting.  People by their very nature are in total depravity.  People, once your usefulness to them is negated, will move one. 

Thankfully, the Father is not of this world.  His love is not fleeting, His friendship is based on His desire to show mercy to us.  His love is not temporal.

I feel that I’ve been given a skill set…  I’m good (not great, but good) at communications and especially online communications.  I love to be creative and to engage people.  I love to explore new things, ideas and surroundings.  I’m tired of everything getting in the way of my Faith.  The demands of the day, the fear of man and the pressure of having the “right” answers has kept me from being more engaging online with fellow believers.  No more…

I’m going to be more expressive and engaging with people who share my faith.  I will often times be wrong, I will often times be blunt and I will often times care little about who reads or does not read this blog.

I want authentic, real people to engage one another about their beliefs.  I tire of reading countless religious sites and getting just that – religion. 

I’m a fallen guy, in a fallen world – will you join me?

If so, subscribe by email or RSS on the right of this blog post.  I want to hear what YOU think and what struggles and victories you have.

Tags: believer, blog, christian, faith, matthew, rathbun

One of the current cultural Pastors that I most admire and listen to is Matt Chandler out of Village Church in Texas.  He’s insight and delivery are outstanding.  In October he did a sermon on “God and Sex”.  I’m sharing this on this site, because I think it’s one of the most powerful discussions I’ve ever heard on the topic.  It’s also one of the most down-to-earth and frank conversations.  I would recommend that your children not be in the room when this is playing.  He addresses a lot about healthy relationships and hurt then takes text-messaged questions from his congregation.

You can download it by clicking the link right-clicking HERE and choosing “download this link” or you can listen to it from my site by clicking the play button below

 

 God and Sex: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: christian, god, help, marriage, sex

My Superbowl Expectations

On Sunday night, I like many Americans, tuned in to the 2010 Superbowl.  With anticipation I watched the commercial spots to see how offensive they would be this year.  I wasn’t let down, I was pretty offended after the first 90 second, back to back underwear commercials.

I watched with special interest for the controversial Tim Tebow Focus on the Family ad spot. 

See, I went into the evening knowing that most of the ads would be sleazy GoDaddy-ish marketing ploys.  I knew that most would portray men as morons (which they did) and women as somewhat more intellectual, but still ever-present sources of sin.

The commercials were designed to be just a tad controversial, because as any good marketer will tell you – controversy and offense will typically yield the highest emotional response.  Emotional responses drive memory recall.  Offensiveness yields conversations that outlast the 30 second ad spot.

Tim Tebow – Ad Spot

Iniquitous or Powerful?

Admittedly upon watching the Tim Tebow spot, we had to rewind it twice and play it again.  We had a few couples from church there as well and most said “Is that what 2.5 million will get you?  I hope that’s the start to a series…  What was the message?”

I had to think it though, but I though it was very clever – from a marketing standpoint. 

I think too many Christians wanted a “Yeah!  In your face!” kind of moment and didn’t get one.  What we got was far more effective.  The point of the commercial was seemingly not the 30 second spot but the larger message.   A message that was delivered weeks before the ad and will be discussed afterwards. 

Focus on the Family used this as an opportunity to say “Let’s celebrate Life” and “I can’t imagine not having the happiness that I enjoy because of my child.”  Those are powerful messages and are often lost by the sign carrying, name calling, seemingly angry Christians that are normally portrayed by the general media.  I think there is a place for showing the world and legislators that there is a strong stance against infant-murder.  But, for those who are not in the heat of battle – for those who are on the fence about this issue – they would most likely not be offended about this commercial. 

Trying to reach someone’s heart is most often not done through offense. 

I think anyone who was not on the extreme of this issue one way or the other would say “What was the Pro-Choice people so afraid of?  Is this it?”   It shows a special type of shallowness and fear of the truth to have such an exaggerated response to such a pure message.  I think that’s a brilliant way to get to get the real message across that life is precious. 

The Desire to Offend

Christians are far too eager to offend non-believers. It feeds our self righteousness, it gets a response, it makes us feel accomplished.  However, we fail to remember how we feel when the ACLU takes away our rights or attacks our way of believing.  Has anyone ever been converted away from God because non-Christian organizations offended us or attacked us?  No.

Why then do we feel the need to attack other people in the interest of changing their hearts?  Conversion are done by God and we are vessels.  Let’s not strive together to work against Christ in this process.  I think the simple message of “Life is Precious” is exactly what would have appeared in red letters on a Superbowl Sunday.

Tags: 2010, abortion, ad, christian, family, focus, offend, offensive, superbowl, tebow, tim

Anyone who’s every read this blog knows that I am not a supporter of the Prosperity Gospel.  A matter of fact, I think it’s the single most damaging theology out there aside from atheism.  In this short video, John Piper explains how a Believer can accept this deceit.

Tags: christian, gospel, prosperity

Today, being Father’s Day; I was blessed with the opportunity to share with our church in regards to Biblical Manhood.  Below I’ve added my PowerPoint, a video clip I showed and the audio recording.  Be blessed!

 

 The Valor of Biblical Manhood [52:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

(Sorry that the quality and volume aren’t great; but I have to sensitive to the dial-up users here in Caroline, Virginia where broadband access is limited, so the quality is low.)

Tags: biblical, christian, manhood, sermon

It’s harder than it sounds

There are many, many things that I struggle with on a daily basis.  Amoung those are Christ’s relentless pursiut of my heart and His desire that I love others as He does – yes even my enemies.  I, like many people, work in a gossipy and judgemental enviroment.  Essentially I have a fairly visiable position in a large organization of about 1500.  In that role, I have fans and then those who simply do not and will not like me.  I’ve spent years concentrating on those people and have converted many, however I’ve realized that it’s impossible to be liked by everyone.  Not that I have stopped trying, but I am aspiring to no longer lose sleep about it.  In some instances folks have reasons to dislike me.  Some people are simply convicted about themselves and some I have offended.  Not everyone is as forgiving as Christ is.  

As much as I desire to love others, to not stand in judgement, to not gossip and to not want to “put them in their place”, the desire does not always become reality.  I wake up each morning telling myself that I will be kind and show the love of Christ – and then I get out of bed…

Blessings?  Really!?!?!

While preparing for a sermon, I was reading Romans 12:14-20.  It had nothing to do with what I was preparing to speak on, but I dwelled on it non-the-less.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 

16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 

18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 

19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. 

20 Therefore If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink;  For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.  

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I find two main issues with this – first I am greatly convicted in the fact that these verses do not suggest we think blessings,or think kindness toward our enemies.  We must actually do it and feel it.  People are pretty quick to know when you aren’t being sincere.  In verse 16 it says that we should not be wise in our own opinion and that we must be humble.  It’s hard to believe that we were called out by Christ and through his death were saved, yet at the same time not have a tendency to look down on those who don’t live as we think they should.  Humanity has established some type of gauge as to what persons are good and which are bad, but God has said that we are all sinners and the He died for EVERYONE.  It’s the second thing that is such a struggle for us.  That is not to say that He isn’t grieved by our sin; but He’s grieved by all sin – not just those who do it more frequently.

However, I know that Christ has told us that we will be judged by the same measure that we measure others.  God help me…  I’ve often fallen and often judged those who have fallen.  

The Salvation of All

I am thankful that I have seen many of the low points in my life.  I wasn’t at the time that I was living through them, but I’ve got much more of a heart for those who are stuggling.  Now, I am working on not judging those who judge – don’t think on that too hard, it’ll hurt your brain.  I really do tend to get most upset with those who are judgemental and trivial with others.  

That being said, I don’t wish to be judgemental of anyone.  I wish to be aware of things that may be of harm to me and my family and to guard and protect; but I will not shy away from opportunities to show God’s love.  It’s not enough to say it or think it.  We have to show it – even to our enemies….especially to our enemies.  It’s easy to show forgiveness to our friends and loved ones.  The Christian walk is not easy…

Tags: christian, enemies, matthew, rathbun

Misconceptions

On March 4th, 1933 President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his infamous “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” speech. One of the sentences from that oratory, that has always stuck with me is “Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.” I’ve remembered it, because many a time, in life I’ve heard Christian speakers deliver messages about how the darkness can not overtake the believer. This message, as with many others, simply isn’t true. Christians can be overtaken by a moment – we’re human; and our faith even as strong as it maybe, still does not take away our humanity. I’ve experienced both the despair of darkness and the depression of feeling I’ve failed my Lord, by being in despair. It’s taken me years to realize that bad things do happen to people, and not because we’re in bad relationship with God. It’s life and because of the depravity of man, it has times of sorrow. How we respond is the real question.

Philippians 3:8
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

I wish that I could reach this level of consciousness. I strive to reach a juncture where the knowledge of Christ is so overwhelming that no matter the circumstance I have peace.

My Confession

In Graham Green’s book “The Legend of Peguy”; a Priest responds to a Frenchman with “You can’t conceive, my child, nor can I or anyone — the . . . appalling . . . strangeness of the mercy of God.” I’ve been part of great debates about pre-destination or not. I’ve heard convincing rhetoric about why God allows things to happen. None of these diatribes have greatly influenced me, when the nightmares occur. But this one point, has brought me great understanding: There is always someone worse off…there is always a situation worse than my own. Typically speaking, my difficult times are my own doing. For those remote times when difficult times occur, I am forced to remember that I have never been stoned for my beliefs, I have not had to watch my children executed in front of me, I have not had a child die in my arms because of hunger. I have not had to live in a box, or beg for money on a street corner. I have no idea how I will respond if those situations were to occur, but I know that in my pampered state in this civilization; I’ll be sure to blame someone else….maybe even God. This is my confession – I am striving, but have not obtained the faith of those who sang in the prison before their execution and rejoiced in death. I desire that, I do. I know that I can stand against peers, but that has been the height of my test. My convictions are stronger than most, but God doesn’t judge our hearts against others – does He?

I am Thankful

I am ever thankful that He has not challenged me with more than I’ve been able to bare. I am thankful for amazing family, the blessing He has given and the knowledge of who He is. I am frustrated that so many Christians are made to feel inadequate for failing in this area. God has more than enough grace to cover our fret and fear.

Matthew 6:25 and 26

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

I love this scripture. The same grace that comforts us, died for us and forgives us. I’ll keep striving for peace while giving grace for those who are also continuing in the same struggles.

Tags: christ, christian, fear, peace