Holy Respite

Tonight was a glorious respite from the insane busyness that has consumed me the past few weeks. Since Christmas break ended, I have been working nonstop. Between tutoring more kids than I can keep up with and helping with accreditation stuff at school, I've barely had time to breathe. Tonight, I was reminded why we are commanded to rest.

Of all things, a Facebook ad notified me that Tim Keller would be speaking tonight. I looked up the church, and as it was just a few minutes from where I would be tutoring, I decided to go.

A large, evangelical Anglican church was hosting the Anglican 1000 church planting summit. Tim Keller was speaking in two sessions of the conference and in the evening service open to the public. Many people came just to hear him, and left as soon as he finished. They missed a beautiful Choral Evensong service.

Tim Keller was great. I've read and listened to some of his stuff, and it's brilliant. Tonight was no exception. But I think the highlight for me was just the serenity and conviction of the Evensong service.

I love worshiping with drums and bass and electric guitar, blasting the latest of Hillsong or the like. But sometimes my soul needs the order of the high church service, not to mention the beauty of the organ and magnificent choir.

Stand, sit, and kneel with the Church universal. Soak in the the words that have been prayed millions of times across the millennia. Confess sin and rejoice in the truth of the gospel. Make a joyful noise and find hope in the peaceful silence. Be awakened to the glory of God and the beauty of His presence. Be still. Know that He is God. Know that He will be exalted in all the earth.

Glory to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end! Amen!

Centripetal/Centrifugal

Not gonna lie, I had to look up the spelling for the title words. There's a reason I'm not a physicist...or an English teacher, I guess. Anyways, what do opposing forces have to do with missions?

I had never heard this concept explained this way, but it makes a ton of sense when I think about it.

In the Old Testament, movement towards God was centripetal - everyone moved to a central location. In God's infinite wisdom, this central location was the temple, located in Jerusalem, which really is the center of the Old World. God placed His people at the conjuncture of three continents, which gave them unique access to the trade routes and all the kingdoms of the world. In the Old Testament, everyone who worshipped Yahweh, Jewish or foreign, came to Jerusalem to the the temple.

However, we see a very different pattern emerging at the command of Jesus and throughout the book of Acts. God uses the phenomenon of people coming to the temple from all over the world to start His Church at Pentecost, but this is not the norm. The 3000 people that were saved at Pentecost, and the thousands more who heard the Gospel in their own language, take this good news home with them. Jesus commands the disciples to take the Gospel to Jerusalem AND Judea and Samaria AND to the ends of the earth. The movement is now centrifugal - moving away from the center to everywhere else.

Likewise today, our goal should not be to get people to come to a church building at a particular time. Our goal should be to take the Gospel with us into the world, wherever we go. We should be meeting people where they are, rather than asking them to go out of their way to find God. Ultimately, this isn't about we need to take more missions trip, but that every moment of my day should be focused on God and His glory and how I am to reflect that glory to a lost and dying world. The normal everyday encounters I have should cease to be just that - as I begin to see each encounter as an opportunity from God to share His glory.

Pakistan Part Two

I wrote this for our church newsletter:

For Christians in Pakistan, the persecution has never been worse.

Globally, militant Islam has been on the rise for several decades, and this has been seen in Pakistan as well. However, tensions rose dramatically with 9/11 and the ensuing war in neighboring Afghanistan. From mosque to mosque and town to town came a cry of revenge: “For every Muslim killed in Afghanistan, kill two Christians in Pakistan.”

There is a very strong sense of brotherhood within Islam. If a Muslim anywhere in the world is offended, injured, or killed, or if Islam is treated with disrespect, Muslims all over the world will respond with protests and demands for justice. Though Christians profess a similar doctrine as a key tenet of our faith (I believe in the holy catholic [universal] church…), we often are not aware of the suffering our brothers and sisters in Christ are enduring, and we rarely respond to their persecution.

In Pakistan, Christians faithfully attend church services, not knowing if they will walk out unharmed. Christian villages and their residents have been burned. A harsh Islamic blasphemy law makes it illegal to even compare Mohammed, the Koran, or Allah to Christianity—much less actually share the gospel. Scores of Christians have been imprisoned or martyred on charges of blasphemy, which are often completely false. Pakistani Christians seeking asylum in the United States are often met with unsympathetic immigration judges who do not understand the reality of the death threats they have received from radical Islam.

The stories of many, many Pakistani Christians are too horrendous to share in this publication, but they are real. We must not turn a blind eye to those who suffer. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we have to support them, though we know nothing of the reality they face every day.

Pray for Pakistan. Pray when you learn of international news and politics. Pray for the Christian Pakistani community here in America as they try to intervene on behalf of endangered family and friends. Pray that God would protect strengthen, and encourage His people, especially those imprisoned and experiencing severe persecution. Pray that Christians would be faithful lights in the midst of great darkness and that God would draw many unto Himself. Pray that the strongholds of Islam would be broken and that God’s glory would be displayed in Pakistan and throughout the earth.

For All The Saints

It's All Saints Day, November 1. 

I think I understood the concept of All Saints Day before I knew what Halloween is. Not to say that all celebration of Halloween is completely Satanic, but why would you want to celebrate fear, death, and darkness when you can celebrate the glory of God as displayed in past centuries and thankfulness for those who have gone before us and left a legacy impacting still today?

My mom and I have been humming stanzas from "For All The Saints" for the past couple of days. 

For all the saints who from their labors rest, who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blessed: Alleluia, alleluia. 

Thou was their Rock, their Fortress, and their might. Thou Lord, their captain, in the well fought fight, Thou in the darkness drear, their One True Light, Alleluia, alleluia. 

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, steals on the ear the distant triumph song, and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. Alleluia, alleluia. 

O blest communion, fellowship divine! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet all are one in thee for all are Thine. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Some of my favorite experiences have been thinking/journaling at ancient churches. From San Antonio missions of the 1700s to European churches built in the middle ages to Central American churches built centuries before America was settled, there is something powerful about realizing that the power of the gospel transcends time and kingdoms. 

My faith is strengthened by those who have gone before me. I stand on the soldiers of giants, from the apostles and early church fathers, to unknown missionaries going to the uttermost parts of the earth, to grandparents and great-grandparents who lived the gospel and passed it on to me. I am grateful. 

Thoughts on The Golden Compass

“Dude, this movie is cool,” was the unorthodox thought that kept coming through my brain as I watched The Golden Compass. I think ice bear fights and a different old world with futuristic gadgets and aerocraft is cool, even if it comes in a not-so-great context. Yes, I know the movie is subtlety (or not so subtlety) encouraging atheism, and I know that Phillip Pullman, the creator, is an avid atheist and is anti-Christian, and I know I’m supposed to think its bad, but I think it’s so much more than all of that.

Please understand that I am not negating the previous statements. There are elements in the story that are quite contrary to my Christian worldview. There were parts I don't agree with or like; there are scenes that don't hide the allusion of bashing Christianity. However, I think The Golden Compass should inspire the Church to action, rather than causing the Church to stay home doing nothing but complaining about Hollywood.

So here are my thoughts on The Golden Compass.

1) It is an example of a movie that has an compelling plot, great graphics and cinematography, and good actors.
2) It is a good example of a humanistic worldview and the problems presented by this worldview.
3) Therefore, it provides a great opportunity for Christians to present an alternative, better worldview to those impacted by the movie or books.
4) It’s a reminder to the American Church that ‘atheists’ are telling great stories and making great movies, and the Church really isn’t doing much to impact the arts. And that must change – now.

I’ve read the first book and I’ve seen the movie. I’ve also read interviews with the author and director, plus many reviews of both book and movie. I’ve also read many reviews based on hearsay and secondhand knowledge rather than a personal opinion of the material.

The story itself, sans religious themes, has many exciting elements. It is set in a universe parallel to our own, which has different mystical creatures. One of the best things about the movie was the setting; the parallel universe is both old-fashioned and futuristic at the same time, and they blended it all together well. Ultimately, it is a story of redemption, an epic struggle in which the bad guys fight the good guys, friendships are tested and found loyal, and heroes are developed from unlikely sources. Seriously, what kid (child, preteen, teen, or adult) wouldn’t want to set off on an amazing adventure, protect and avenge his friends, and be rescued by a fearsome ice bear who destroys the bad guys?

Yet, the story comes from a very humanistic worldview. The governing authority seeks to redeem the world not for freedom, but so that it can achieve greater power and control. The cost of this redemption is the separation of human children from their souls in animal form, causing death for both child and animal in experimental stages. The story’s conflict comes into being because mankind rejects God and tries to redeem himself, leading only to death.

So what is the Christian response? I think Christians need to take the opportunity presented by this movie to offer a greater worldview in which God took our death that we may know life. God redeemed the world by becoming the sacrifice Himself! This is a great opportunity for parents to discuss worldviews with their preteens and teens, though I wouldn’t recommend it for young children (PG-13 rating). Families should discuss the differences in beliefs between atheism and Christianity, why those differences exist, and why they are important. No one will become strong and confident in their beliefs if they aren't exposed to contrary ideas and forced to defend their own. Then take advantage of a cultural event (aka, a new movie with a lot of cool elements) to reach out to kids who don’t have such a learning environment. Introduce Christian themes while contrasting the beliefs of the bad guys in the movie.

Christians seem motivated to reach out to culture only when the controversy is a positive spin toward the Church, such as that surrounding The Passion of the Christ. Scripture urges us to “make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.” The days we live in are evil. The entertainment of our culture is typically not supportive of the Christian worldview. But this does not mean we shouldn’t engage our culture! We seem caught off-guard when an alternate worldview garners attention in media. We want to send a mass email about how bad a movie is and then run to hide behind the walls of the church. The Church has no reason to respond with fear, for we have the message of victory and of life. Often we seem afraid of any other view being presented, but if the Church does its job of showing who Jesus is in a world that needs Him, there isn't much contest. Reality trumps counterfeit every time. The world needs LIFE, but it will not receive it until they understand the gospel, as lived out in the lives of believers: living in the world but belonging to Christ.

The Church needs to impact people on a personal level, in daily relationships, but Christians also have an obligation to affect the culture as a whole. Christians have not taken a forward role in the arts, in producing music and movies and books and plays that appeal to mainstream America. Therefore, we have no right to be surprised or frustrated when people of other worldviews create media that represents their beliefs and thoughts. Pullman is a good and influential author who is also an atheist. I should be able to list a dozen authors who are also good and influential in their craft, but who are Christian and write out of their Christian beliefs. The Church cannot limit Hollywood involvement to remakes of the Easter and Christmas stories, with a few stories of implausible plots and weak budgets and casts thrown in for fun every now and then. We have to impact people where they are, and for many, that means taking our message out of Sunday School classrooms and into the cinemas, into the best seller charts, and into mainstream culture.

In an oft used quote, St. Francis of Assisi said, "Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words." This is the challenge the Church faces today. First of all, we must be willing to preach the gospel in church, not a watered down self-help course. The gospel must be known before it can be spread. Then, we must know the truth and power of the gospel personally in our lives, so that it naturally flows out of us as we interact with the world. Handing out a tract and telling someone they're going to hell isn't the best way to reach people - reach people around you through relationships. By the same token, however, don't be ashamed of telling the Truth in those relationships; the emphasis is on living and 'preaching' together. The third thing is a natural step-up: as the gospel flows out of us in relationships, it must also be seen in our workplace - for some, this may be business ethics or in a classroom. But we also need to encourage strong Christian youth to influence the arts: movies, books, and music, but also video games, journalism, and Internet. Christian influence doesn't mean all the characters have to be Christian or become Christians. It doesn't mean Jesus has to be mentioned or an altar call given. But the themes and values should reflect the gospel - the greatest story of all time.

We have the greatest story of all time. What are we going to do with it?