SUFFERING for FAITH

I work and play at Pagoda Ridge Golf Course. One day each week I am a marshall, a player's assistant. And one day a week I play golf.  At Pagoda I am working with and playing with mostly non-Christians. It's amazing that the Trinity is so closely associated with the game of golf. A player blasts a drive out of bounds and I hear him say, "Goddammit." Another player hits a bad shot and Jesus' name is mentioned as an expletive. I have told some of them, "I hear Jesus Christ's name more often out here than I do in churches." I can get away with that because I live in Canada, and I am thankful for my freedoms.

Asia Bibi is a Christian and does not share my freedom. I don't share her pain. I know nothing about it but what I read. She lives in Pakistan. She is married and she has two daughters. Her family is safely out of the country. She has been in prison for 8 years under sentence of death. In 2009 she was harvesting fruit with some neighbourhood women. She dipped a drinking cup in bucket of water and the women said they couldn't touch it now because her faith had made the water unclean. She rejected that accusation. They told her to convert to Islam and she countered that her faith is in Christ as Saviour. The women reported her as having blasphemed the prophet Muhammad. She was convicted and sentenced to death. The sentence has been delayed by her legal appeals. Two weeks ago Pakistan's Supreme Court acquitted her because it ruled that here conviction was based on unreliable evidence and a confession extracted under the threat of death. She was released early this month and was to be flown to freedom and safety.  Then the 98% of Pakistan's population being Muslim, created chaos, threatening strikes and shutdowns and violence. The government rearrested her and is awaiting a review of the court decision. 

UNIVERSITIES CANADA's END-RUN ON FAITH BASED INSTITUTIONS

I am on a mailing list, and this morning my inbox held this communique from Dr. Carson Pue. I have affinity for Trinity Western University which maintains impeccable educational standards within the context of Christian heritage and values. Because it has met Universities Canada’s standards for decades, and because McLeans magazine has annually cited TWU for excellence, the reported amendment to Universities Canada’s bylaws is deliberately shocking. The proposal would affect all faith-based institutions. Read Dr. Pue’s statement.   

THE TERMS THAT IDENTIFY US MAY NO LONGER BE EFFECTIVE

             Terms like 'Christianity' and 'christian' and certainly 'evangelical' may no longer effectively serve the faith.  They are tarnished when applied too generously in contemptible situations. They are censoriously associated with partisan political affiliations. They are borne by uninformed marginal factions. The difficulty is not a simple comical variance like the potayto/potahto, tomayto/tomahto pronunciations. It pertains to understanding and is profoundly more critical and potentially injurious to faith.  Because they derive from the Christ and the evangel, the terms are associated with one for whom holiness and perfection are intrinsic rather than performed. Divine standards, values and principles are in unambiguous juxtaposition to common human behaviour. People who claim to be Christian or evangelical yet whose lives upon even casual scrutiny, appear to be insincerely linked to Jesus, compromise the identity of believers in the world.  When followers of Jesus credibly embrace by living and conversation their Master's attitudes, they perpetually and predictably clash with societal moralities. Our Canadian culture deplores, sometimes reprimands and even legislates against the expression of faith inspired conduct. The evangel/gospel will speak to non-followers only as our personal faith is genuinely Christian and courageous.

OPINION ABOUT OLD TESTAMENT (1st of several)

I grant you that this is not a topic the non-follower of Jesus could care anything about, since the authority of the entire Bible is rejected. To the believer however, this is germane. 

It will be a tragedy if Christians dismiss the Old Testament.  

The easy conclusion is that the Old Testament, suffused in Mosaic Law was written for a Jewish population. It's irrelevant to us today. That's faulty thinking.

GENUINELY CHRISTIAN YET PRACTICALLY AGNOSTIC (3)

'Christian' and 'Agnostic' is an unintentional pairing, incongruous in the extreme, and utterly wasted. Some followers of Jesus unnaturally couple the explanatory nouns Christian and Agnostic by their own behaviour. Why would and how could committed Christians live in such a way that at the most elemental planes of existence they are uncertain? How could they be content with that?  The truth is, they acclimated themselves to this ambiguous version of Christian living. It just seemed to happen. They busied themselves with daily routines of necessary chores and pleasurable distractions and marginalized their contact with God. They failed to know God or discern God's participation in their lives. They construed scripture as an ancillary resource and regarded prayer with infrequent relevance.  How could they think that this is what God expects? The "they" is "we" and "me," and that's what this series of thoughts is purposed to disclose.

Neither am I sitting in judgement, nor I trust, are readers jumping to pejorative conclusions about me. Something about which I am convinced, is that God wants us to know him. He wants to be known by me. That is a discernible explanation for the Bible, which I understand to be a self-revelation. In the Old Testament scripture, God revealed his character, which emphasized his love, righteousness, justice, wrath as well as his promises. With the New Testament God revealed Jesus who is God's character in human flesh. I am also confident that God wants me to converse with him, talk to him about all the regions of my life, in other words, to depend upon him. It was Jesus who invited followers to call God, 'Father.' That speaks to me of relationship rather than mere ritual. I cannot think that God is satisfied with my uncertainties.

A self-assessment is vital. The measureable criteria cannot be my proficiency gifts, my work record, my academic achievements, my artistic abilities, my church involvement, or the number of my friends. The analysis must consider what is actually happening in my mind and my emotions with respect to God and how I relate to him, listen to him and speak to him. Only as those proportions bump up, can I see a possible reduction in agnosticism quotient.

(I am pursuing this subject in a few posts in the days ahead)

GENUINELY CHRISTIAN YET PRACTICALLY AGNOSTIC (2)

I perceive there will be superior value to the topic if I personalize it. So, I am writing to Christians today. This is a cue, an incentive to a segment of the Christian community.  In the earlier critique I expressed an opinion that we may be living like practical agnostics. It's possible. We are not 'practical' agnostics in the sense of being 'almost' agnostic or virtually agnostic. Of course not, because we do genuinely believe in the large constructs of Christian truth. Rather, during the weekdays, we have minimal explicit contact with God. While the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are factual within our theological framework, we are out of touch. We know that prayer is the network that links us with the divine, but prayer takes time and discipline. We know when we are honest with ourselves that we apply both time and discipline to online social networking, to watching our favourite TV shows, and to daily exercise.  So, we must admit we are slackers. We have not prioritized prayer.

An agnostic is characterized by uncertainty. While we believe in the merit of prayer, we may be uncertain about the effectiveness of prayer.  Possibly, our journals contain slim accounts of answers to specific prayers. We do not doubt God's ability to hear prayer, or to respond to great challenges. We are uncertain that God will answer our request. Our asks have been made before without a response. We don't want to be disappointed any further. Our request seems so trite and selfish so we hesitate. Strangely we are not open and transparent before God who is all knowing.  We worry about a job, about money, about our children. We struggle with our sexuality, with addictions, with attitudes and moods, but we refer none of these to God because we have not successfully integrated our theology with our lives on planet earth. The incarnate Jesus spoke to his Father, and advised us to call God Father. Father loved us (humanity) so much he gave us Jesus.  Jesus came here to do what he needed to do to provide a relationship for us with himself and the Father.  Jesus assured us that in his physical absence he would not leave us comfortless, but rather he promised to give us another comforter, divine like himself, namely, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not only with us but inside us, where character and spirituality are developed so that we can reflect the image of God, that is, be Christlike.      

(I will pursue this subject for in a few posts in the days ahead)

GENUINELY CHRISTIAN YET PRACTICALLY AGNOSTIC

GENUINELY CHRISTIAN YET PRACTICALLY AGNOSTIC (1)

Within the context of Christian faith in an omni-everything God, one should assume that the two terms 'christian' and 'agnostic' cannot describe the same person. Yet here I am advancing the opinion that some people of faith are practicing Christians yet practical agnostics. In daily life they are not acting in faith. My own guestimate is that this is true of a large percentage of authentic Christians.    

I am not suggesting that a person can be both Christian and agnostic. I am saying that a Christian who believes in the person of God and the deity of Christ and the redemption available through trust in the substitutionary death of Christ for sinners, may be living each day without meaningful contact with God, communication with God, or reliance upon God. This person sincerely believes what the Bible teaches, accepts mainstream theological tenets, yet when real life could benefit from the intervention of God, this person's faith does not translate into dependence upon God.

 This person may pray in public with other believers; may be sincere as the words are expressed. I am speaking about personal life, private practice, where the evidence of dependent faith or lack of it is on display to the God in whom the Christian professes faith. This person may teach scripture to others and earnestly intend each truth. At home the only prayer that is uttered is the grace before a meal. An inertia takes over when it comes to intercession for oneself, for spouse, or children, or grandchildren or neighbours. This is an agnostic uncertainty not in God himself but rather that God will act. It's practical agnosticism.

(I will pursue this subject in a few posts in the days ahead)

CHRISTIANS DON’T HAVE TO VOTE FOR CHRISTIAN CANDIDATES

 Last night, August 6th, 2015, I watched a portion of the first debate between declared Republican candidates for the Presidency of the United States of American. Republicans should be embarrassed by the performance and the opinions of some of the candidates, fortified by others. Republicans must have realized last night that the election will be an arduous challenge. Conservatism on all issues was unmistakable. So was the Christian orientation evident with more candidates than I had expected. But here is where the electorate must be judicious. Voters must be discerning. That a candidate is a professing Christian does not mean that he should receive your vote. It is a mistake to weight shared faith beliefs so heavily that your vote goes to the professing Christian almost by default. Some of the largest wingnuts are religious people. Neither conservatism nor Christian profession cannot routinely be associated with brilliance, perspicacity, or common sense. Consider Fox News, some of whose news journalists are the maddest group of people on television. Vote by listening to candidates speaking directly to the pressing issues of the day. Vote on the basis of openly declared party positions on all that matters to you and your country.

In Canada we face a Federal election this year after the longest campaign in our history. I have a sense that most Christians feel it obligatory to vote Conservative because after all, aren't Christians, people with conservative convictions? Listen prudently to what the Liberals, the New Democrats, the Green Party and the Conservatives are saying. Watch to learn which candidates are most believable, trustworthy, inspiring, unselfish, honourable. Be wise. Vote for the best candidate.

DUBIOUS ABOUT MIRACLES

We are so comfortable with the mundane, that we do not anticipate anything supernatural. We are theoreticians, academics. We state a belief in the phenomenal God for whom nothing is impossible, but we expect nothing beyond the routine as the consequence of our prayers. We believe He can, but we don't believe he will. Ours is a virtual reality. It's a pretense to trust. We ask for so little. We petition using banalities, truisms and clichés because we lack confidence in God, to ask boldly. "We" means all whose faith identity is Christian, Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox branches, whether denominational, undenominational, non denominational. We are a jaded bunch of professors, who make excuses for God. We are doctrinally dogmatic and practically agnostic.

Admittedly, I am overstating my case, painting this portrait with a broad brush. The subject is a Bride, whom I could paint precisely like DaVinci painted Mona Lisa, but my work here looks like an abnormally featured Picasso. We determine not to be identified with wing-nuts who charm snakes, and fake healings so we treat the miraculous as unscientific and irrational. Trying to insure that we are perceived as sane, we have placed ourselves in straight-jackets. Of course we should acknowledge our doubts or inability to understand everything about God, but surely we do not have to be cynical, contemptuous, disparaging, and suspicious of a God who can do very much more than all that we ask or even imagine.

CHRISTIANS ARE RUNNING WEARY

So many Christians are running weary. I am thinking primarily now of adults, young parents who responsibly raise children and teens with team sports, chauffeuring to school and church activities, volunteer to teach, lead, govern, and exhaust all their discretionary time. They have no time for themselves. They have carved no time in a day, maybe in the week for personal debriefing, assessment, reflection, time alone with the LORD. They feel busy but dissatisfied. They have cheated themselves. And then comes Sunday. They have to show up again.

Your bum on a seat at Sunday church is not a good measure of your spirituality. Being there does not insure you are being fueled. It may be just one more event that eats up your time. Being seen at Sunday worship should not be equated with worshipping. You and scores of others will actually worship corporately when each person has met with God in earnest relationship before the meeting. Intimacy with God does not begin at the formal meeting with a call to worship, with a rousing song. A heart tug and a stung conscience from a stirring sermon will not ensure behavioral change.

Too soon, you may conclude as so many have, that the church is not meeting your needs. The pastor's material is not connecting with you. Perhaps another alternative can be found, another church, larger perhaps, some place to get lost, a place to take the kids off your hands for a couple of hours, a place where when you say "no thanks" to an invitation to participate, no one will care. And some time later, your children lose interest because your own experience is not encouraging them. And you drop off and drop out.

It will be preferable that you take responsibility for yourself. Your personal spiritual development is your concern. Ultimately it is a relationship with the living, loving God in which you are interested. No one can give that to you or nurture it for you. Some people can be a resource, that's all. You yourself must take control of your schedule and your priorities to know God and talk over life with him, and become excited about what he is doing in your and around you each hour of each day. As the amazement increases and the enthusiasm mounts, you may want to find other believers with a vital walk with God, and together worship with a passion you thought was possible but never knew.

CAN'T DO THE SAME OLD

During a recent vacation trip to Ontario, I became aware of a number of churches, Anglican, Presbyterian, and United that have closed due to failing attendance and have now rebirthed as Daycare Centres and Restaurants and Community Halls.

Cultural shift occurs now more quickly than it ever has. Among the swings are attitudes toward faith, church, Bible, Jesus and sin. The new normal is tolerance of just about anything. This is a pluralistic culture that despises Christianity and any religion that speaks in opposition to abortion, homosexuality and gay marriage. Some social commentators maintain that Christianity is in recession. At least many mainline churches in this century are closing. Many fundamental and evangelical churches struggle to withstand shrinking attendance and incomes.

Canada is not a Christian nation. Many Americans still think USA is a Christian nation, but they are living in a bubble. The greatest percentage of citizens do not profess to be bible believing Christians or believe there is a hell or believe that sexual orientation matters to God. They do not know what the bible says about key issues. More concerning to me are evangelical churches, leaders and believers who have opted for a vanilla version of Christianity that accommodates to much of the shift that now characterizes the culture around them. This becomes a soft faith and a soft church with a no pressure approach to gospel and Christian life. It seems harmless but it's dangerous.

 If that's what your church is doing, I don't blame you for walking in a different direction. The church for the 21st century should take steps to turn inward facing ministries outwards. That is, stop tending the same sheep who by now should be disciples who capably serve. It is justifiable for a church to contextualize the gospel by improving its décor, acquiring a quality website, making use of good technology. Most importantly, a determined choice must be made to let God's Word speak with the knowledge that God uses it to change people's lives. Don't make the message easier for people to swallow. God is greater than any culture so the church for the 21st century must boldly live out and talk out the good news that make the good news compelling.