Archive for May, 2007
Questions…
May 10th, 2007 | 6 Comments | Posted in » Just For Fun...
- Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead?
- Why do banks charge a fee on “insufficient funds” when they know there is not enough money?
- Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
- Why doesn’t glue stick to the bottle?
- Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?
- Why doesn’t Tarzan have a beard?
- Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?
- Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
- Whose idea was it to put an “S” in the word “lisp”?
- If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?
- Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?
- Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?
- Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?
- Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?
- Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?
- How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?
- Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that’s falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?
- In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?
- How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?
- Why is abbreviation such a long word?
- Why isn’t phonetic spelled the way it sounds?
Which one of these questions made you laugh hardest?
Do you have any additions for this list?
Commissioning…
May 10th, 2007 | Comments Off | Posted in » Baptist Issues
Last night, I had the immense privilege of attending an IMB Missionary Commissioning Service at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Liberty, Missouri. If you’ve never been to one, you REALLY need to… it was one of the most powerful services I’ve ever experienced.
I’m sure most of you who visit this site know about the IMB, but I thought I’d share a few stats to give some perspective:
- The IMB sends missionaries to 186 countries.
- There are currently 5,200 missionaries serving the IMB world-wide.
- IMB missionaries guided over 500,000 individuals to Christ last year.
- IMB missionaries started somewhere between 20,000 and 23,000 new churches last year.
While those stats are impressive, the task remaining is HUGE. There are over 2,000,000,000 (2 BILLION) people in our world who have never heard the gospel, and it’s going to take a lot more than the 35 new missionaries appointed at last night’s service to reach them all. Those of us here, content in our churches, satisfied with our lives, perhaps even callous to the task… all of us need to consider our part in reaching the nations with the good news of Christ. As Jerry Rankin shared last night, sending missionaries to reach the lost “is the most exciting thing Southern Baptists do… and we get to be a part of it.”
We’d all be remiss if we didn’t consider what our part is in that privilege.
As for the service itself, in addition to singing praises to God and hearing some good messages from some of our IMB personnel (Jerry Rankin gave a phenomenal message), the most powerful part of the entire night was when each of the new missionaries was given a chance to share their story. Hearing how each of them clearly received God’s call was, simply put, amazing. The majority heard God’s voice most clearly while on a short-term mission trip. Some accepted immediately, and committed to leave everything at almost a moment’s notice. Others struggled with the call over a number of years. All, however, realized, as one missionary shared, that “everyone deserves to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
I can’t begin to convey the passion and emotion that these new missionaries shared, but try to envision yourself in their shoes and think about what you’d have to give up to go… the safety and security of life here in the U.S… being away from family and friends… familiar foods… familiar places… the comfort of being able to communicate in your own language… the comfort of knowing your culture. Imagine the passion for Christ and for the lost you’d need to have to make that leap of faith, saying to God, as Isaiah did, “Here am I… send me!”
It bears repeating the question… “what’s my part?” Are we, as Dr. Rankin shared, ones who look at missionaries, affirm their work, pat them on the back, praise them… then thank God it’s not us? Do we look at our lives and really consider the fact that God doesn’t just want our prayers, gifts, and thoughts for missions… but that he wants our lives?
We really need to examine our hearts and ask ourselves if we are committed to reaching the nations… and how we, individually, are called to do just that. Not all are called to go… but all are called to care and to support the cause in some manner.
One last thing… as I witnessed the service, and the passion and sacrifices of our missionaries to reach the world with the gospel, I couldn’t help but reflect on the IMB issues of the past year and a half in regard to baptismal requirements / prayer language. The single reoccurring thought?
How dare we split hairs over this matter, standing in the way of those called to go and share Christ with a waiting world. Thousands are dying every day, condemned to eternity in hell… yet we would dare to prevent those called by God to go and rescue them over such trivial matters as where they were baptized or how they pray in private?
The task is huge. We need unity of purpose and commitment from all to even begin to tackle it effectively. Our differences are really quite insignificant when we step back and look at things… it’s time we all learned to rally around essentials, and cooperate to really make a difference in this lost world in which we live.
IMB Policies Demoted… to Guidelines?
May 9th, 2007 | 1 Comment | Posted in » Baptist Issues
Okay, I don’t get it. Wade Burleson reports that the IMB policies on private prayer language and baptismal requirements put in place almost a year and a half ago were demoted to “guidelines” at yesterday’s Trustee meeting in Kansas City (I’m kicking myself for not attending!). The guidelines are a bit more clearly worded, but the same basic message as the old policies remains.
So what’s the difference? The guidelines state that missionary candidates who practice “ecstatic utterances as prayer language” have eliminated themselves from being IMB missionaries… ditto with the policies. The guidelines state that candidates who have not been baptized by immersion under the authority of a local church that does not comply with all of the “guidelines” must be re-baptized in such a local church… ditto with the policies. The wording and implementation are almost identical… so why bother changing it from a policy to a guideline? What mitigating circumstances might exist where the guidelines would be waived?
Although I understand that “guidelines” are less binding than “policies”, the whole thing just doesn’t make any sense to me. If the guidelines are intended to weed out certain missionary candidates, why not just keep them as an official policy? Is the “demotion” intended to lessen the blow? To provide wiggle room to account for the fact that the IMB currently has employees that would be excluded under the “policies” (including Jerry Rankin, the IMB President)? Something else?
Maybe I’m just too dense to understand.
Unbroken
May 4th, 2007 | Comments Off | Posted in » Books, Worth Reading
When I was asked to review Tracy Elliott’s book, “Unbroken”, I wasn’t all that enthused… it just didn’t sound like anything I’d usually read, and I really wasn’t all that sure I was interested. Biographies just generally aren’t for me.
After finishing it in just one evening (yes, that’s a record for me with these reviews… but then again, I’m here in D.C. by myself), I must say that I’m glad I was given the opportunity.
Why, you ask?
Well… to be honest, there were a lot of things that the book lacked. It wasn’t all that eloquently written… it wasn’t full of deep theological truths… it wasn’t even all that deep in its subject matter. But what it did have… what it was? Well, that’s what makes it worth your time.
“Unbroken” is the deeply personal account of Tracy Elliott’s life… a life most of us can’t begin to imagine. From innocent child with loving parents to sexually abused orphan… from growing, God-loving teenager to drug-addicted, alcoholic stripper… from excited newlywed bride to depressed wife and mother… from rehab to redemption. What can you say? Tracy’s life is one of tremendous changes… tremendous pain and tremendous joy… with one constant.
God.
Tracy’s story is a testament to the love and faithfulness of God. When we come to Him… we’re His forever. He never lets go… never gives up on us… He’s always there when we’re ready to return to Him.
It’s a message all of us need to hear and take to heart.
Now I’ll admit, I didn’t agree with some of the things Tracy shared in the book… she attributed as direction from God some things which seem wholly contrary to Scripture. But her life’s story isn’t diminished by these things… God’s grace and love still shines through in an undeniable manner.
“Unbroken” may not be the kind of book you’d normally read, but it’s one worth checking out nonetheless.
Friday Photos — Around D.C.
May 4th, 2007 | Comments Off | Posted in » Pictures
I’ve been in Washington, D.C., at a conference this week, and have really enjoyed the sights… you just don’t get to see so much history in St. Joe!
Here’s a few photos I’ve taken while here. Not the greatest quality, but hey… I’m an amateur. Didn’t help that it was cloudy, but weather isn’t Burger King… I just can’t have it my way.
Anyway, here they are.
First, a black and white of a fountain at the Navy Memorial.
This is a Catholic church, originally built in 1782 (I believe that’s the right date).
Here’s a shot taken beside the FBI building.
I’m Okay — You’re Not
May 3rd, 2007 | 1 Comment | Posted in » Books, Worth Reading
A while back, John Shore asked me to review his latest book… I’m OK — You’re Not: The Message We’re Sending Unbelievers And Why We Should Stop. As easy as it was to read (I could have let myself read it in one setting)… somehow it took me over a month to actually get around to finishing it. That’s certainly not the fault of the book!
“I’m Okay — You’re Not” was an awesome read… I enjoyed every bit of it. And it even made me think! I really can’t say enough good things about it.
So you’ve got an idea what you’re getting into when you read it (and I do mean when… it’s a must read!), John’s book is quite controversial amongst evangelical Christians. Why? He basically proposes that evangelism, as we know it here in the States, really needs to stop. Sounds heretical, doesn’t it? The Great Commission… on the back burner?
Yeah. It does sound heretical. But if you read the book, you’ll likely agree with him (at least to some extent).
How so? John’s premise is that the Great Commandment (to love our neighbor as ourselves in case you’ve forgotten) takes precedence over the Great Commission. When we evangelize the lost, most times our message is not one of love… it’s, as John’s title suggests, “I’m okay [because of my relationship with Christ]… you’re not [because you're going to hell without Jesus].” When we share the gospel with a “Normie” (as John refers to your stereotypical lost person), the message often sounds like one of superiority and arrogance. We almost instantly build a wall between us and them that prohibits any real relationship to develop.
John proposes a somewhat radical alternative… just love people, as they are. Get to know them… develop a real relationship… don’t see them as just another person to convert… another “notch on your belt”. Chances are, if you do that (love them, that is), you’ll eventually get the chance to share your faith with them… they’re bound to ask at some point. At that point, share with love, and don’t insult what they hold oh so dear in the process. Just don’t let loving them simply be an end to a means.
Again, I have to emphasize that this is a great book, and I really think it would be an excellent text to use for a Sunday School class or small group. The chapters are all relatively short, very thought-provoking, and extremely easy to read (John’s writings are very entertaining!). What makes this book even more special, though? At the end of each chapter, John includes several “Ouch!” statements (messages written by nonbelievers, intended specifically for Christians) followed up by some questions to reflect upon. Both are guaranteed to provoke some awesome discussion… if that’s all that were in the book, it would be worth reading.
All in all, this book is phenomenal… even if I don’t agree with everything he has to say 100%. If I had to rate it, it would get six stars (on a five-star scale).
Anyway, be sure to get a copy of I’m OK — You’re Not. You’ll be glad you did.